Neil, Hugh Maxwell Paton (Flight Lieutenant, b.1920 - d.1992)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 402668 Flight Lieutenant Hugh Maxwell Paton Neil, 45 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Africa, India, Burma, and Australia 1941-1949. The collection covers Flight Lieutenant Neil’s period of training in Africa, his service with 45 Squadron in Libya, India, and Burma, and the award of his Distinguished Flying Cross.

Wallet 1 of 2 – Consists of documents relating to Flight Lieutenant Neil’s service and Distinguished Flying Cross award. It contains:
2x Half-Yearly Return of Flying Hours, 30 June 1945 and 31 December 1945
1x Citation for Distinguished Flying Cross
1x Letter regarding Distinguished Flying Cross from the Air Vice Marshall of the Royal Australian Air Force to Flight Lieutenant Neil, London, 20 August 1945
1x History of service, certified by the Commanding Officer of the Test and Ferry Squadron, 1 Aircraft Depot, 8 February 1946
1x Letter regarding decorations and medals from the Secretary of the Department of Air to Flight Lieutenant Neil, Melbourne, 13 January 1949

Wallet 2 of 2 – Consists of two flying log books of Flight Lieutenant Neil. This first log book contains entries dated between 20 January 1941 and 24 January 1946. The entries record dates and times of flights, aircraft types and numbers, crewmembers, and purposes of flights. Some of these purposes include general flying training, cross country flights, night flying practice, tests, bombing practice, operations in Libya, moving to India, operations in India and Burma, advanced flying training, aircraft conversion, transport of personnel and supplies, and instruction of pupils. This log book also contains certificates for assessments and courses completed. The second log book contains entries dated between 20 January 1941 and 22 February 1944, and is a partial duplicate of the first log book.

Flight Lieutenant Hugh Maxwell Paton Neil enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 18 September 1940. He trained as a pilot in Rhodesia, Egypt and Kenya, and went on to serve with 45 Squadron in North Africa, India, and Burma. On 17 August 1945, Flight Lieutenant Neil was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for a high order of courage on a large number of sorties. He became a flight instructor for Mosquito aircraft, and was discharged on 3 April 1946.