High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Air Commodore Hippolyte Ferdinand (Frank) De La Rue CBE, DFC (13 March 1891 – 18 May 1977) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Joining the Mercantile Marine as a youth, he became a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service during World War I, and was given command of No. 223 Squadron RAF in 1918. De La Rue was a founding member of the RAAF in 1921, specialising in seaplanes. He became Commanding Officer of No. 1 Flying Training School in 1933 and, following promotion to Group Captain, of RAAF Station Richmond in 1938. At the outbreak of World War II, De La Rue was slated to lead an air expeditionary force to Great Britain, but this plan was abandoned after Australia committed itself to the Empire Air Training Scheme. Serving as Air Officer Commanding Western Area during 1941–43, he finished the war as Inspector of Administration. De La Rue retired from the RAAF in 1946, and died in 1977 at the age of eighty-six.