Wilmot Hudson Fysh KBE DFC (1895 - 1974)

Born 7 Jan 1895 in Launceston, Tasmania (Australia)

Ancestors

Husband of Eleanor Elizabeth (Dove) Fysh — married 5 Dec 1923 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 6 Apr 1974 at age 79 in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia

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Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services

Biography

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  Hudson Fysh KBE DFC is Notable.

Hudson Fysh KBE DFC was born in the Colony of Tasmania (1856-1900)

Hudson Fysh KBE DFC is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Sir Wilmot Hudson Fysh KBE DFC EngD was an Australian aviator and businessman who co-founded the Australian airline company Qantas. During the First World War, he served as a machine gunner in the Australian Light Horse and as an observer and gunner in the Australian Flying Corps. He became managing director and chairman of Qantas. He was a committee member of the International Air Transport Association, being appointed president in 1960. He was also one of the founders of the Australian National Travel Association, now known as the Australian Tourist Commission, a member of the Royal Aeronautical and British Interplanetary Society, the Institute of Transport and the Australasian Pioneers Club. Acknowledged for his work as an aviation historian, he wrote books on the history and development of Qantas, exemplifying the airline's role in both military and civil aviation.

Formative years

Wilmot Hudson Fysh was born on the 7th of January 1895 at The Gables 52 High Street, Launceston, Tasmania (Australia), eldest son of Frederick Wilmot Fysh, merchant, and his wife Mary, daughter of property owner, evangelist and philanthropist Henry Reed. ^[1] He was named Hudson for the English Christian missionary to China and founder of the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor (1832-1905). Before the end of the decade, the family had moved to Ketteringham, a spacious home set on three acres on the North Esk River at St Leonards, four kilometres from Launceston. He was educated by tutors and at several schools both as a day pupil and boarder, namely George Edmond's Academy, the Reverend Roach's School at Devonport, George Town State School, St Leonard's State School, and St Peter's College in Adelaide (South Australia). Boyfriend friend, Eustace Headlam would later introduce him to the Australian Flying Corps in Egypt.

After completing his formal education at Launceston Grammar School and Geelong Grammar School (Victoria), he became a woolclasser and a jackeroo for his Uncle Henry Reed on his 8,000-acre Merino property at Logan, near Evandale, Tasmania. It was while at Logan that Hudson enlisted in the 26th Light Horse Regiment and learned to operate machine guns. Moving to Geelong to undertake a woolclassing diploma at the Wool Scour, he transferred to the 70th (Ballarat) Infantry Battalion. It was also at Geelong during this time that the young man saw his first aeroplane.

The Great War

Hudson Fysh KBE DFC is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Imperial Force 1914-1919
3rd Light Horse Regiment; No.1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps

Upon the outbreak of the (First World) War Hudson enlisted on the 25th of August 1914 at Queenscliff, Victoria, as a Trooper in the 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment, a unit of the 1st Light Horse Brigade. ^[2] Returning to Tasmania, to Hobart, he was allocated to C Squadron. Serving on Gallipoli and in Egypt and Palestine he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in 1916 in the brigade's machine-gun squadron before transferring to the No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, as an observer. ^[2] On the 8th of February 1919 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his services to aerial warfare ^[3] and graduated twenty days later as a scout pilot. He returned to Australia aboard the Port Sydney, departing Suez on the 5th of March 1919. ^[2] Following the war he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Hudson's next younger brother, Henry, died in 1922 as a result of illness attained during service in the Australian Artillery during the war.

An idea germinates

After his return to Australia Hudson, with Paul 'Ginty' McGinness, with whom he had served at Gallipoli in the 3rd Light Horse and later frequently flown in No.1 Squadron, and Arthur Baird, an engineer (and Flight Sergeant from No.1 Squadron), planned to enter the Australian government's £10,000 prize contest for a flight from England to Australia. Unable to proceed because of the death of their financial backer, Sir Samuel McCaughey, Hudson and 'Ginty' McGinness were instead commissioned by Major General (later Lieutenant General) James Legge (who was to champion the establishment of an independent Royal Australian Air Force), on behalf of the Commonwealth Government, to survey the wild and largely-unknown Longreach (Queensland)-Darwin (Northern Territory) section of the route: their T-model Ford was the first car to journey overland to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Legge's plan was to use the western rail terminii, as staging points through to Melbourne: Cloncurry, Winton, Longreach, Charleville, Bourke, and so on southward. It was during their August-September expedition that the two began to appreciate the practicality of air travel in these remote regions, especially with limited roads and bridges (which were subject to destruction in times of flood), the suitability of the terrain for aerodromes every 600 to 800 kilometres, and the lengthy time it took by rail to receive mail, stores, etc.

Qantas

Following a meeting in Brisbane during the week of the Royal Queensland Show in August 1920 between Hudson and 'Ginty' McGinness, together with western Queensland graziers Fergus McMaster, Ainslie Templeton and Alexander Kennedy, medical doctor Hope Michod and Alan Campbell of the Queensland Primary Producers, on 16th November 1920 the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd (QANTAS) was registered – as of 2022, the third oldest airline in the world. Initially intending to operate out of Winton, by early 1921 Qantas was operating out of Longreach with an AV Roe Avro 504K Sunbeam Dyak (G-AUBG) and an old Royal Aircraft Factory BE2E (G-AUBF) war-disposals aeroplane and engaged in taxi, ambulance and stock inspection services, and joy-riding. Arthur Baird was promply 'head-hunted' to manage the technical and maintenance side of the company. As well as being a pilot, Hudson soon became manager, and then, managing director, of the company. Through a friendship with Christian missionary, Reverend John Flynn, Qantas helped establish the Royal Flying Doctor Service, leasing a de Havilland DH 50.

Qantas de Havilland DH50 No 27

Hudson married Eleanor Elizabeth 'Nell' Dove on the 5th of December 1923 in the Francis Greenway-designed St James' Church of England (now Anglican Church), Sydney, New South Wales. ^[4] The couple had two children, both born in the 1920s in Longreach:

1. John Hudson Fysh (1925-); John married Beverley Joy Agar in 1955 in New South Wales. ^[5] John and Beverley were the parents of Jennifer Esme (married Malcolm Ellis), Caroline Elizabeth (married Nicholas Sheaves), John Denley Hudson (married Karen le Valient Harvey) and Alastair Bathurst Hudson (married Pippa Day).
2. Wendy Elizabeth (c1928-); Wendy married John Norman Miles in 1951 in New South Wales ^[6]

In 1930, when the Qantas headquarters was moved to Brisbane, Hudson, Nell and their children also re-located. Qantas was re-named Qantas Empire Airways in 1934 as it moved into international flight, having gained the air mail contract for Singapore-Australia, as part of the Britain-Australia partnership with Imperial Airways. In 1938 the era of flying boats commenced for Qantas. Of course, there was great upheaval to Qantas during the Second World War, the RAAF 'commandeering' aircraft and many staff (all pilots were then on the RAAF Reserve) joining or being conscripted into military service.

During the war, in early 1942 when the threat of Japanese invasion was greatest, Hudson had identity discs made for each of his children, then teenagers. ^[7]

Following the Second World War, Qantas again re-located their headquarters, this time to Sydney, New South Wales; necessitating another move for the Fysh family. In 1949 the Fyshs were living at 30 Wallaroy Road, Edgecliff, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. ^[8]

Beyond Qantas

As well as serving as managing director and, later, chairman of Qantas, Hudson was integral to a viable Australian airline industry. He was a long-standing committee member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), being appointed president in 1960. He was also one of the founders of the Australian National Travel Association (ANTA), now known as the Australian Tourist Commission, a member of the Royal Aeronautical and British Interplanetary Society (RABIS), the Institute of Transport and the Australasian Pioneers Club.

On the 1st of June 1953, Hudson was invested as Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) for his service as Chairman of Qantas. ^[9] Nell became entitled as Lady Fysh.

By 1958 Sir Hudson and Lady Fysh were living at 3 Rosemount Avenue, Woollahra, in Sydney's east. ^[10]

On 30th June 1966 Sir Hudson retired from Qantas and his other Directorships. He and Nell purchased a twenty-acre block at Dural Heights, with views to the Nepean Valley and the Blue Mountains, which they named Golden Ridge. Clearing a portion and building fences, the Fyshs built their 'cottage' and planted an orchard of figs, oranges, grapefruit,lemons, peaches, plums, grapes, persimmons and apples. He maintained his Christian beliefs and practice, he and Nell worshipping with the nearby St Jude's Church of England (Anglican Church).

Hudson wrote several books, including:

• Taming the North: The Story of Alexander Kennedy and Other Queensland Pathfinders. 1933.
• Qantas Rising: The Autobiography of the Flying Fysh. Angus & Robertson, 1965. ISBN 978 1 876561 53 6.
• Qantas at War. Angus & Robertson, 1968. ISBN 978 1 876561 52 9.
• Wings to the World: The Story of Qantas 1945-1966. Angus & Robertson, 1970. ISBN 978 1 876561 51 2; the latter three now re-released as a trilogy by Pictorial Press Australia in association with the Qantas Founders Museum, Longreach.

Hudson was the first to be granted the Freedom of the City of Launceston. He was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering (EngD), in a commemoration ceremony from the University of Tasmania, in 1971.

Final flight

Aged 79 years, Hudson passed away on the 6th of April 1974 at Paddington, New South Wales. ^[11] Following a State Funeral in St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney, at which the Reverend Fred McKay spoke, on 11th April his remains were interred in St Jude's Anglican Churchyard Cemetery, Dural, New South Wales. ^[12] Hudson was survived by Nell, who passed in 1983, their son and daughter and children-in-law, grandchildren, and his two sisters and youngest brother.

Sir Hudson's headstone carries the epitaph: