With the outbreak of WW2,
Cobby returned to active service on July 25 1940 as Director of
Recruiting. By August 1942 as an Air Commodore, he had become
operational commander of the RAAF in Western Australia.
He was awarded a George Medal for his
actions on September 7 1943 when a Catalina flying boat in which he was
a passenger, crashed on landing. Although injured himself, he played a
major part in rescuing other survivors from drowning. Later, after
commanding the RAAF Staff College, he commanded an operational Group in
the South West Pacific area from July 1944, which became the 1st
Tactical Air Force on October 21 1944.
He left the RAAF as an Air Commodore
CBE DSO DFC GM in 1946 to return to civil aviation and died on Armistice
Day, November 11 1955.
Captain Arthur Henry
Cobby GM, DSO, DFC and 2 Bars
COMBAT CLAIMS |