Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Air Commodore W. S. Hebden, Royal Air Force, who commanded the Wireless Intelligence Development Unit and served as Chief Signals Officer, Transport Command, during the Second War

India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1930-31 (F/O. W. S. Hebden. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. Oak Leaf; Coronation 1953, mounted as originally worn, traces of adhesive to reverse of medals, generally nearly very fine (6) £300-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker.

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M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1941.

William Sacheverell Hebden was the son of Group Captain S. A. Hebden, and was born at 57 Bondgate, Alnwick, Northumberland, in February 1909. He was educated at Sedbergh School, and in Switzerland. Hebden entered R.A.F. Cranwell as a Flight Cadet in 1927, and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in July 1929. He initially served with 16 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at Old Sarum, during which time he earned the specialist signals qualification.

Hebden was posted for service with 20 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, Pesahawar, India, in September 1930. He advanced to Flying Officer in January 1931, and returned to the UK at the end of the following year. Hebden returned to R.A.F. Cranwell, where he studied at the Electrical and Wireless School. Following a one year course he was posted to the Station Headquarters staff at Kenley for signals duties, 4 July 1934. Hebden was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in January 1935, and was appointed the Specialist Signals Officer at R.A.F. Cranwell in September of the same year. He was newly married, and two years prior to this his wife had gained her Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate.

Leaving his educational post behind, Hebden was appointed to the Signals Staff at Bomber Command, Uxbridge, in July 1938. Hebden advanced to Squadron Leader, and was serving in France at the outbreak of the Second War. He was at HQ British Air Forces, France, until evacuation. Having returned to the UK, Hebden served with Fighter Command at Bentley Priory in 1940, and was one of a group of nine officers caricatured in a cartoon by Fred May for The Tatler.

On 10 December 1940 at Boscombe Down, the Wireless Intelligence Development Unit was redesignated as 109 Squadron. Hebden advanced to Temporary Wing Commander, 1 December 1940, and was appointed Officer Commanding 109 Squadron, 31 December 1940. He advanced to Temporary Group Captain in September 1942, and following the formation of HQ Transport Command in March 1943, he took over as Chief Signals Officer from 5 April 1943. Hebden was appointed Group Captain Signals in December 1943, and after the war served at HQ Flying Training Command before being appointed Director of Flying Training, within the Chief of Air Staff’s Department at the Air Ministry, in April 1950.

Hebden advanced to Air Commodore in July 1952, and was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 63 (Western and Welsh) Group the following year. His final posting was as Director of Organisation (Forecasting and Planning) within the Department of the Air Member for Supply and Organisation at the Air Ministry. Hebden retired 3 October 1958, and died at Forge Cottage, Ockham Lane, Cobham, Surrey in April 2003.

Sold with a file of copied research, including a photographic image of the recipient in uniform.