Harold A. Hamersley

Harold Alan Hamersley MC (6 February 1896 – December 1967) was an Australian World War I flying ace credited with 13 confirmed aerial victories. He later went on to serve in the Royal Air Force following the war, serving in India and reaching the rank of group captain before retiring.

World War I service Hamersely was born on 6 February 1896 in Guildford, Western Australia. His father was Hugh Hamersley. Listing his occupation as a farmer, upon enlistment he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the 16th Battalion, with whom he embarked as part of the 5th Reinforcements to leave Fremantle on board HMAT Hororata on 26 April 1915.

He fought with the battalion in the Gallipoli Campaign and suffered a bullet wound to his right thigh in August and was evacuated to Cairo. He returned to his unit in October and remained at the front until November when he contracted influenza and was evacuated to Mudros. Later that month he was promoted to lieutenant and in June 1916 was transferred to France

He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 April 1935; four months later, he was selected for an engineering assignment at RAF Worthy Down. On 1 July 1938, he was promoted to wing commander. That same year, he was named Officer Commanding of the University of London Air Squadron. He moved on to command RAF Hullavington in 1940. On 1 December 1940, Hamersley was promoted to group captain. Later, he became president of the Air Crew Selection Board in Scotland before his retirement.