Arthur Henry Cobby (1894-1955) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

AIRCDRE Arthur Henry (Harry) "CBE GM DSO DFC and 2 Bars" Cobby

Born 26 Aug 1894 in Glenhuntly, Victoria (Australia)

Ancestors

Son of Arthur Edward Stanley Cobby and Alice (Nash) Cobby

Brother of John Edward Cobby, Stanley Harry Basil Cobby, Cecil Roy Cobby and Stanley Osborne Cobby

Husband of Hilda Maud (Urban) Cobby — married 24 Apr 1920 in Caulfield, Victoria, Australia

Father of Neil Wansborough Cobby and Grace Mary Alison (Cobby) Steinberg

Died 11 Nov 1955 at age 61 in Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia

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Profile last modified 5 May 2024 | Created 6 Mar 2018

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1 Biography
2 Sources
3 See also

Biography

Harry Cobby is Notable.

Air Commodore "Harry" Cobby CBE GM DSO DFC with 2 Bars was an Australian aviator. He was the leading fighter ace of the Australian Flying Corps during the First World War, with 29 victories, in spite of the fact that he saw active service for less than a year. He was a foundational officer of the Royal Australian Air Force in 1921 and, following service in the Second World War, held senior appointments in the Department of Civil Aviation during the 1950s when Australia's commercial aviation industry grew exponentially.

Captain Harry Cobby (c1918)

formative years

Arthur Henry "Harry" Cobby was born on 26th August 1894 at Rosedale Avenue, Glenhuntly, Victoria (Australia). He was the second surviving son of Arthur Cobby, a tram conductor, and Alice Nash. ^[1] He was educated at University College, Armadale, Victoria. ^[2]

in defence of Australia

Harry Cobby is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army 1912-1921
48th Infantry Battalion (Brighton Rifles); Australian Flying Corps

Having been a commissioned officer in the Militia 48th Infantry Battalion (Brighton Rifles) since 1912, when The Great War broke out Harry tried to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). His employer, the Commonwealth Bank, denied him the opportunity by claiming that his job as a teller was an essential occupation. ^[3] He finally managed to enlist in the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) on 23rd December 1916, following training at Central Flying School, Point Cook, Victoria from October that year. ^[4] Harry became a founding officer of No.4 Squadron, which embarked for England aboard the RMS Omrah on 17th January 1917. ^[5] There they trained in earnest. Harry was known for his mischief, even personalising his Sopwith Camel with aluminium cutouts of comic actor Charlie Chaplin. ^[3] His skill in Sopwith Camels became such that, with less than one year actually in the air over the Western Front, Harry became the Australian Flying Corps' greatest First World War air ace; being credited with 29 victories, on top of destroying thirteen German observation balloons. ^[2] On 25th May 1918 he was promoted to Captain. ^[5]

In June 1918, Harry was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC); ^[6] with a Bar awarded less than one month later ^[7] and another in September. ^[8] On 16th August he led an attack on a German airfield at Harboudin, the largest bombing raid carried out by the Allies in France to that date. He led a similar raid the next day. ^[5]

Subsequently, Harry was appointed Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). ^[9]

He was Mentioned in Despatches (equivalent to today's Commendation for Gallantry) and was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his First World War service. Cobby led the AFC fly-past over London on ANZAC Day 1919, before his return to Australia. ^[3]

Fellow No.4 Squadron ace, George Jones (later Chief of the Air Staff), described Harry Cobby as the unit's 'natural leader in the air and in all off-duty activities'. ^[3]

Harry's proudest boast was that as a flight commander
he never lost a pilot over enemy territory.

Harry Cobby & his Sopwith Camel

Harry Cobby is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Royal Australian Air Force 1921-1946
Air Commodore

After the war, in 1921, Harry transferred to the newly-established Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), whereupon he rose to the rank of Wing Commander. He left the RAAF in 1936, and worked with the Civil Aviation Department, however, was recalled in 1939. ^[5] He was awarded the King George V Jubilee Medal in 1935 and King George VI Coronation Medal in 1937. ^[3]

During the Second World War, Harry Cobby was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). ^[10] He was also awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, and the Air Efficiency Award.

In 1943, as an Air Commodore, Harry was awarded the George Medal (GM) for rescuing survivors of a crash of a Catalina flying boat in which he had been involved as a passenger. ^[11]

Air Commodore Harry Cobby (c1945)

In April 1945 as Air Officer Commanding 1st Tactical Air Force on Morotai, Harry was presented with the resignations of several high ranking personal who were annoyed at flying dangerous operations against what they considered 'senseless unimportant ground targets'. Known as the "Morotai Mutiny", the episode resulted in Harry's sacking. ^[3] Not withstanding, in 1948 Harry was awarded the Medal of Freedom with Bronze Palm by the Government of the United States 'for meritorious service which has aided the United States in the prosecution of the War against Japan ... His services were distinguished by exceptionally sound judgement and farsighted planning'. ^[12] In light of this illustrious award, one must wonder about the legitimacy of the RAAF's placing the blame for the mutiny on Harry.

Retiring finally from military duties in 1946, Harry re-joined the Department of Civil Aviation, where he held senior appointments for the next eight years. In 1953 he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. ^[3]

family

Harry married Hilda Urban on 24th April 1920 in St Mary's Church of England (now Anglican Church), Caulfield, Victoria. ^[13] The couple had a son and a daughter.

Harry and Hilda's son, Neil Cobby, served in the Second Australian Imperial Force during the Second World War.

honours and awards

Harry Cobby was, deservedly, highly honoured for his gallantry, leadership and service:

Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Flying Cross (with 2 Bars for additional awards)
George Medal
British War Medal
Victory Medal (with palm leaf Clasp for Mention in Despatches)
1939-1945 Star
Pacific Star
War Medal 1939-1945
King George V Jubilee Medal
King George VI Coronation Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Air Efficiency Award
Medal of Freedom with Bronze Palm (United States)

Harry's medal set was sold by Christie's at auction in March 1999 for $232,792. ^[3]

AIRCDR Harry Cobby medal set

remembering Harry Cobby

On Armistice (or as we know it today, Remembrance) Day, 11th November 1954, Harry Cobby passed away of hypertensive cerebro-vascular disease in the Heidelberg Repatriation General Hospital, Victoria. He was aged just 61 years. ^[14] Following a funeral in St Mary's Church of England (now Anglican Church), Caulfield, his remains were cremated and his ashes placed at Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Springvale, Victoria. ^[15] He was survived by Hilda, who passed seven years later, their son Neil, daughter Grace, and daughter-in-law Jill, and his two grandchildren, David and Susan.

General Sir Thomas Blamey regarded Harry as 'one of the most loved and most gallant of our airmen …'. Historian Arthur Bazley recalled Harry's delightful sense of humour, in that 'he was always an imp of mischief'. Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams paid tribute to him as 'a man whose personal story is threaded through the entire history of Australian service and civil aviation'.

Thank you for your service, Harry Cobby.
Lest We Forget