Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Wing Commander Frederick George Huxley MC (Service No:280363) served with the RAAF from 16 October 1939 to 17 October 1945. Squadron Leader Huxley was a Pilot Instructor attached to Administrative and General Duties Branch, 1 Flying Training School (FTS) Point Cook, 2 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) Wagga and Central Flying School Camden (Adjutant) in 1940. Through 1941/1942 Squadron Leader Huxley was attached (Chief Ground Instructor) to  8 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Naranderra, 10 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Temora and 5 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) Uranquinty. He was then attached to 2 Aircraft Park Bankstown (Commanding Officer) and 4 Wing of the Air Training Corps Adelaide (Staff Officer) before his Appointment was Terminated on 17 October 1945 (RAAF HQ). Wing Commander Huxley MC served in WWI (Service No:119) with the AIF and Air Flying Corps.

Fred was born in 1892 in Currie, King Island, Tasmania), ninth of fifteen (seven children died in infancy prior to Fred's birth) children of George Patrick Huxley (b1857 in Hobart, Tasmania) and Elizabeth Franklin (b1862 in Hobart, Tasmania). From the early 1870s  George was an Able Seaman with Hobart Marine Board, working on ships delivering supplies and passengers to lighthouses. George and Elizabeth married in 1881 in Hobart, and from 1889 settled at Currie on King Island where they raised their family and George was Currie Lighthouse Keeper. In 1912 George established a Store in Currie, and from 1918 to 1936 was a Dairy Farmer. George was involved in the community, serving as President of the Race Club, Master Warden of the Marine Board, Coroner and Government representative on the Licensing bench.

Fred completed his education at Launceston Grammar School and worked in Currie as a Farm Labourer and Jockey (he won the 1912 Currie Cup riding Asklepius) and was  Storekeeper in 1915 when he enlisted in the AIF. In 1918 in Currie, Fred was working as a Storekeeper when he married Lily Maud Emily Webb (b1888 at Emu Bay, Tasmania). In 1920 Fred was awarded land at Yambacoona on King Island under the Soldiers' Resettlement Act 1916, and established a Dairy Farm. In 1922 Fred and Lily moved to Cloncurry, QLD where Fred was Chief Pilot for QANTAS until 1923, when he joined Shell Coy as Aviation Officer - initially in Melbourne, then Tasmania and in the late 1930s in Adelaide. Lily died in 1957 and Fred in 1960.

'Captain Huxley wears the Military Cross for his distinguished work ...' (Emu Bay Times; 10 September 1918; p1)

Captain Frederick George Huxley (Service No:1119) initially enlisted in the AIF as a Private on 24 April 1915 with 26th Infantry Battalion and embarked with his Unit from Brisbane for Gallipoli on 29 June 1915 on board HMAT A60 Aeaneas. Private Huxley transferred to the 52nd Infantry Battalion in April 1916 before embarking for France where he served in the trenches on the Western Front (Somme) and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 23 September 1916. In December that year Lance Corporal Huxley was selected for training in England for the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) and was appointed Flight Lieutenant. 'I can loop the loop, and do pretty well anything in the air. I flew 360 miles in three hours and a half on a cross country flight two days ago, which is the longest and quickest that has been done here'. (Daily Telegraph Lauceston; 28 August 1917). Lieutenant Huxley (No 2 Squadron) participated in the Battle of Messines in June 1917, and in November that year was recommended for the award of the Military Cross (London Gazette 4 February 1918; Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 27 June 1918). In March 1918 T/Captain Huxley was diagnosed with 'aero-neurosis' - combat fatigue compounded by high altitude flying - and embarked from England for the RTA via Suez on board HS Karoola on 27 April 1918. Captain Huxley's appointment was Terminated on 12 July 1918, although he continued as Flight Commander at Point Cook until the end of 1919. 

Wing Commander Huxley (Service No:280363) served in the RAAF in WWII, as did daugher Freda and son Donald.

Fred was born in 1892 in Currie, King Island, Tasmania, ninth of fifteen (seven children died in infancy before Fred's birth) children of George Patrick Huxley (b1857 in Hobart, Tasmania) and Elizabeth Franklin (b1862 in Hobart, Tasmania). From the early 1870s, George was an Able Seaman with the Hobart Marine Board, serving on ships taking supplies and passengers to Lighthouses, before becoming a Lighthouse Keeper in 1881, the year he and Elizabeth married in Hobart. George and Elizabeth settled on King Island, where they raised their family and George was Currie Lighthouse Keeper until 1911 when he opened a Store. From 1918 to 1936 George was a Dairy Farmer on King Island, and involved in community work as President of the Race Club, Master Warden of the Marine Board, Coroner and Government representative on the Licensing Bench.

Fred completed his education at Launceston Grammar School and started work as a Farm Labourer and Jockey (winning the King Island Cup in 1912 riding Asklepius). Fred was working as a Storekeeper prior to enlisting in the AIF in 1915, returning to Currie and working as a Store Assistant following his Discharge. In 1918 in Currie, Fred married Lily Maud Emily Webb (b1888 at Emu Bay, Tasmania). Fred was granted land at Yambacoona on King Island in 1920 under the Returned Soldiers' Settlement Act 1916, and established a Dairy Farm where he and Lily lived until 1922. Fred was appointed Chief Pilot with QANTAS and he and Lily moved with their family to Cloncurry and Longreach in QLD. In late 1923 Fred joined Shell Coy as Aviation Officer and he and Lily moved to Melbourne, then in the 1930s to Tasmania. Fred was a Foundation member of the Aero Club (Tasmania) and founder and first President of the Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Flying Corps Association. Fred and Lily moved to Adelaide, South Australia with Shell Coy, and in WWII Fred was a Pilot Instructor with the RAAF. Lily died in 1957 and Fred in 1960.