Sir Archibald held commissions successively in the Reserve of Air Force Officers and the Auxiliary Air Force. He served with No 601 Squadron, AAF and, with war imminent, was called to full time service with the squadron on 24 August 1939. On 28 November he flew one of 601’s Blenheims in an attack on the German seaplane base at Borkum.
He was appointed ‘A’ Flight Commander on 16 May 1940 and led his flight, by now equipped with Hurricanes, to Merville the same day. On the 18th, while sharing in the destruction of a Do 17, he was shot down by return fire and made a crash-landing in a field near Grevillers. On the 20th his aircraft was again damaged and he made another forced landing, this time at Merville.
On the 27th, flying from Tangmere, Hope was leading 601 when he was attacked by Bf 110s and shot down about five miles off the coast between Calais and Dunkirk. He headed for land and flew as far east as possible, away from the advancing Germans.
Hope crash-landed on a beach, set fire to his Hurricane and was then taken by a French farmer to Bergues, where there was a British Brigade HQ. He was transported by lorry to Dunkirk, spent a night on the dunes and boarded the destroyer HMS Wakeful the next day. After landing at Dover, Hope phoned 601 and a Magister picked him up at Hawkinge. He was still carrying his parachute.
Archie Hope added significantly to his score during the Battle of Britain. On 19 August he was promoted to acting Squadron Leader and took command of 601. He was awarded the DFC in October, was drawn by Cuthbert Orde in November and was posted away on Christmas Eve 1940. His later postings included command of the RAF stations at Exeter and Peterhead in the rank of Group Captain. In 1945 he was made OBE and left the RAF.
In civilian life Hope was a chartered accountant, businessman and auditor of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association. He died in 1987.
