G/Capt 'Hamish' Thomas Gilbert Mahaddie DSO DFC AFC 1911-1997

Born in Leith in March 1911, Thomas Gilbert Mahaddie joined the RAF on 9th January 1928 training as a metal rigger. He then was then able to volunteer for pilot training and gained his wings in 1935. It was during this period he gained the nickname "Hamish" which was to stick for the rest of his life. Hamish Mahaddie was a bomber pilot and took part in many bombing operations between September 1939 and July 1940 when he was rested and commissioned as an officer. Mahaddie was an instructor until August 1942 when he returned to operations with the elite Pathfinder force, the RAF's target finders for night bombing operations. Hamish was taken off operations in March 1943 with the rank of Group Captain and given the task of recruiting aircrew for the Pathfinder force, and this was followed in July 1944 with the appointment of command of RAF Warboys, where the Pathfinder Force training unit was. This unit trained aircrew on the Avro Lancaster and the De Haviland Mosquito. Hamish Mahaddie continued his post war career in the RAF until March 1958 when he retired with the rank of Group Captain and the DSO, DFC and AFC to his credit.