The association has learned of the death of Lieutenant Commander James Henderson Hawker on 30 November 2012. A former FAA pilot who lived in South Africa.
From records
He is recorded flying Fairey Firefly with 812NAS in 1950 and Gannet with 826NAS in 1955
On 20 December 1950, on an anti-submarine exercise from Hal Far with HM submarine Tabard, Firefly VT432 suffered engine failure and ditched in rough sea 8m E of Comino Island, Malta. The observer, Lt RE Wilson was caught by straps and went down with the aircraft but got free and shot to the surface, injured but without his dinghy. Lt JH Hawker got out with his dinghy and Wilson climbed in with him. Both were picked up after 2 hours by the submarine.