De La Rue then as a stationer and printer. In 1831 he secured his business a Royal Warrant to produce playing cards. In 1855 it started printing postage stamps and in 1860 banknotes. In 1896, the family partnership was converted into a private company. In 1921, the de la Rue family sold their interests. The company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1947. Then called "Thomas De La Rue & Company, Limited", it changed its name in 1958 to "The De La Rue Company Limited". A takeover bid for De La Rue was made by the Rank Organisation plc in
Hippolyte De La Rue fighter squadron able to defend Perth and Fremantle. He also lobbied RAAF Headquarters for a force of long-range PBY Catalina flying boats to augment the Lockheed Hudsons of No. 14 Squadron, but none were offered to him. De La Rue was made a temporary air commodore in July 1941. By February 1942, he was the eighth most senior officer in the RAAF. Handing over Western Area Command to Air Commodore Ray Brownell in January 1943, De La Rue became Inspector of Administration at RAAF Headquarters, in which post he saw out the rest of the war. On 8 June 1944,