Dickie Hogarth was born in Headington, Oxford in 1921. His father was the Reverend Oswald James Hogarth and his mother was Violet Eva Vereker, a granddaughter of the 4th Viscount Gort,

The Reverend Hogarth was a clergyman in South Africa. He arrived in England in June 1919 with his wife and three children. At least, two further children were born whilst they were in England. He took a Doctorate in Divinity at Oxford and returned to South Africa in 1922. He was Archdeacon of Cape Town between 1928 and 1932.His eldest son, John Oswald Vereker, was the Vicar of St Mary The Virgin, Hartpury, Gloucestershire from 1947 until 1978.

Dickie was educated at Dean Close and Matriculated in 1939. He was up at Christ Church for one year when he was called up into the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve and joined 41 Squadron.

The first production Spitfire was delivered in October 1942 and 41 Squadron began re-equipping with Spitfire XII’s when they moved to High Ercall at the end of February 1943. During March, they trained on the new aircraft. The Squadron Operations Record Book noted for 30 March “Two more Spitfire XII aircraft arrived during the afternoon, and thus brought the Squadron up to full establishment with these aircraft.”

The first operational sorties with the Spitfire XII’s occurred on 3 April, Form 541 noting “Scramble base at Valley to 27,000 ft. Nothing to report”. Intensive operations began after the squadron moved to Hawkinge on 13 April.

F/O  R.H.W. Hogarth drew first blood, shooting a Ju 88 down into the sea 2 miles North of Ostend on  April 17th. On April 27th Blue Section engaged 4 FW 190’s while carrying out a recce to Calais-Somme. F/O C. R. Birbeck downed one of the FW. 190s, thus marking the Spitfire XII’s first confirmed victory against a German fighter. Operational duties for April included reconnaissance of French ports such as Dieppe, Ostende and Calais; reconnaissance of shipping along the French coast and in the English Channel; patrols of Dungeness and Hastings area; and scrambles.

The German Report for 17 April 1943 states:
ENGLAND: 3(F)./122 sent out a Ju 88D-1 from Creil on a convoy reconnaissance sortie off the English east coast. About 6km north of Ostend, it was repeatedly attacked by a Spitfire flown by F/O Hogarth of RAF No. 41 Sqdn. Both aircraft suffered damage - the German ditched in the sea while Hogarth returned to base.

Dickie was flying EN235 which had a Griffon 111 Engine. The above action was the first claimed by a Spitfire X11. The plane had been delivered to 41 Squadron on 3 March.

He was flying this plane when he was shot down and killed by a Me109G on 18 July 1943. It flew a total Flying Hours of 127 hours and 10 minutes.

He is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension Plot 6. Row C. Grave 7.

He is commemorated on the Roll of Honour of the South African Air Force.