Geoffrey Forrest Hughes, MC, AFC (12 July 1895 – 13 September 1951) was an Australian aviator and flying ace of the First World War.

[1] He was the second son of Thomas Hughes, a solicitor and future Lord Mayor of Sydney, and Louisa (née Gilhooley); he was of Irish descent on both sides, with roots in County Roscommon.

[2] Hughes received his secondary education at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview, before undertaking a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Sydney from 1914.

In his youth, Hughes had acquired a keen interest in aviation, which led him to apply for the Australian Flying Corps; his application was unsuccessful.

[2] In March 1916, Hughes suspended his studies and travelled to the United Kingdom, where he enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps and was commissioned a second lieutenant on 3 June.

[2] Piloting Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 biplanes, the unit carried out co-operation duties with the Allied ground troops over the Western Front.

[6] During this time, his letters home to his parents were critical of anti-conscription efforts by Australian Roman Catholics, led by Archbishop Mannix.

[2] He married Margaret Sealy Vidal, an Anglican and the daughter of an English cleric, at Saint Canice's Church, Darlinghurst on 8 January 1923.

The committee's report, issued on 25 June 1929, besides exploring the causes of the accident, also contained recommendations for better radio communications and sufficient onboard emergency rations for crew survival in future mishaps.

[15] In July 1940, Hughes returned to military service, being appointed as a flying officer in the Royal Australian Air Force.

[17] His business interests led him into political life as an opponent of the bank nationalisation policies of postwar Prime Minister Ben Chifley.

Hughes refused to serve on the board of Qantas Empire Airways Ltd.[2] Elsewhere in the sphere of public life, he became a council member of Sancta Sophia College.