Old photograph of Claypotts Road in Broughty Ferry by Dundee, Scotland. Wing Commander Hugh Gordon Malcolm VC, was born on 2 May 1917 in Broughty Ferry. He was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was educated at Craigflower Preparatory School near Dunfermline in Fife and Glenalmond College in Perthshire. He entered the Royal Air Force College Cranwell on 9 January 1936. In January 1938, Malcolm joined 26 Army Co-operation squadron at Catterick in England. In May 1939, he suffered a serious head injury in a Westland Lysander crash. Malcolm was a 25 year old Wing Commander commanding 18 Squadron, Royal Air Force when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 4 December, he led a thirteen strong attack on an enemy fighter airfield near Chougui, Tunisia. On reaching the target, however, and starting the attack, the squadron was intercepted by an overwhelming force of enemy fighters from I and II. Gruppen JG 53, and 11 Staffel, JG 2. One by one, all his bombers were shot down, until he himself was shot down in flames. Malcolm's aircraft crashed in flames some 15 miles west of the target. An infantry officer and two other men arrived at the scene of the crash minutes later retrieved the body of navigator Pilot Officer James Robb. Malcolm, with Robb and gunner Pilot Officer James Grant DFC, were buried in the Beja War Cemetery in a collective grave. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on 27 April 1943. His was the first Royal Air Force Victoria Cross to be won in North Africa and the famous Malcolm Clubs opened at many RAF stations are named in his honour.
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