Hereward de Havilland

Hereward de Havilland (born 2 Dec. 1894 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, died 12 September 1976 in Australia. one of the 3 sons of Rev. Charles de Havilland) was a pioneer British aviator, test pilot and member of the de Havilland company. He was the younger brother of Geoffrey de Havilland. Actresses Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine are cousins. He had a son Peter Adam de Havilland (m. Barabara Bolt) and grandchildren John and Joanna de Havilland.

Hereward and his brothers Geoffrey and Ivon had a mechanical workshop at their home at the rectory in Crux Easton near Newbury. Geoffrey's first flight took place with Frank Hearle and Hereward in 1909 at Seven Barrows in Dorset. They practiced at their grandfather's farm Medley Manor near Port Meadow just outside Oxford.

De Havilland flew in various air campaigns in Europe and the Middle East in World War I and reached the rank of Major. On 10 March 1917 was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for distinguished service in the field in Mesopotamia. The youngest airman to receive the D.S.O.

In March 1927 he established de Havilland Australia, the first overseas subsidiary of the de Havilland company..

He flew solo in the 1929 Western Australian Centenary Air Race in a modified de Havilland DH.60 Moth ("The Black Hawk"), coming second on handicap and winning the £300 fastest overall time prize in 22 hours 50 minutes 23 seconds and averaging 103 miles per hour.

He went on to manage and develop de Havilland's in various other parts of the world including South America.

In 1929 he joined the board of Airspeed Ltd. at Christchurch Airfield in Hampshire and was appointed Joint Managing Director. He retired as Managing Director of de Havilland's Airspeed Division in 1959.