Dogfight
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APPENDIX
New Zealand and Australian Airmen in the Battle of Britain
Listed below are the New Zealanders and Australians who served with RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. It includes, but is not restricted to, those airmen who qualify for the Battle of Britain Clasp. This latter group flew at least one authorised operational sortie between 10 July and 31 October 1940. Published rolls of Anzac Battle of Britain airmen vary from publication to publication. In part, this is due to the difficulty of assigning national status to some individuals. For example, some Anzac pilots included here were born in the Pacific Dominions but emigrated to Britain at an early age, while others were recent British immigrants to the Dominions. Moreover, some of the airmen frequently moved between New Zealand and Australia. By way of illustration, Valton Crook was born in Australia, trained in New Zealand, fought in Europe and returned to New Zealand in 1943, only to settle back in Australia a year later. Consequently he appears on both the New Zealand and Australian rolls. With all this in mind, the lists below have been compiled in an attempt not to exclude any airmen associated with the Anzac effort. It should also be noted that 235, 236, 248 Squadrons were Coastal Command units attached to Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. The airmen who lost their lives include those who died as a result of accidents and air operations.
The New Zealand roll is adapted from Errol Martyn’s exhaustive research on the subject (http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/files/documents/nzbattle-of-britain-list.pdf), while the Australian roll is adapted from Dennis Newton, A Few of the Few: Australians and the Battle of Britain (1990).
New Zealanders Who Served with Fighter Command in The Battle of Britain, 10 July–31 October 1940Surname
First Names
Rank
Squadron(s)
Aircraft
Killed
Allen James Henry Leslie Flying Officer 151 Hurricane 12 Jul 1940
Andrews Maurice Raymond Sergeant 264 Defiant
Baird George Maurice Pilot Officer 248 Blenheim
Bary Ronald Edward Flying Officer 229 Hurricane
Bayly James Sergeant 111 Hurricane
Bennison Alan Sergeant 25 Blenheim
Bickerdike John Laurance Pilot Officer 85 Hurricane 22 Jul 1940
Blake Minden Vaughan Squadron Leader 238 & 234 Hurricane/Spitfire
Brennan Jack Stephen Sergeant 23 Blenheim 21 Aug 1940
Brinsden Francis Noel Flying Officer 19 & 303 Spitfire
Brookman Richard Waller Sergeant 235 Blenheim
Brown Bernard Walter Pilot Officer 610 & 72 Spitfire
Burns William Richard Sergeant 236 Blenheim
Burton Douglas Lawrence Sergeant 248 Blenheim
Bush Charles Roy Pilot Officer 242 Hurricane
Butler William Louis Sergeant 264 Defiant
Campbell Alan Sergeant 264 Defiant
Campbell David Baillie Sergeant 23 Blenheim
Carbury Brian John George Flying Officer 603 Spitfire
Carswell Malcolm Keith Flight Lieutenant 43 Hurricane
Chrystall Colin Sergeant 235 Blenheim
Churches Edward Walter Gillies Pilot Officer 74 Spitfire
Clouston Arthur Edmund Squadron Leader 219 Beaufighter
Clouston Wilfrid Greville Flight Lieutenant 19 Spitfire
Cobden Donald Gordon Pilot Officer 74 Spitfire 11 Aug 1940
Collyns Basil Gordon Pilot Officer 238 Hurricane
Courtis Jack Burall Sergeant 111 Hurricane
Crawford Hector Hugh Pilot Officer 235 Blenheim
Croker Eric Eugene Sergeant 111 Hurricane
Crook Valton William James Sergeant 264 Defiant
Davison John Tregonwell Pilot Officer 235 Blenheim
Dawick Kenneth Sergeant 111 Hurricane
Deere Alan Christopher Flight Lieutenant 54 Spitfire
de la Perrelle Victor Breton Flying Officer 245 Hurricane
Durrant Carroll Ronald Sergeant 23 Blenheim
Dyer Henry David Patrick Sergeant 600 Blenheim
Edmunds Eric Ralph Pilot Officer 245 & 615 Hurricane
Eiby William Thorpe Pilot Officer 245 Hurricane
Emeny Clifford Stanley Sergeant 264 Defiant
Fenton Walter Gordon Sergeant 604 Blenheim
Fitzgerald Thomas Fitzgerald Flight Lieutenant 141 Defiant
Fleming John Flying Officer 605 Hurricane
Fletcher Walter Thomas Sergeant 23 Blenheim
Forsyth Colin Leo Malcolm Sergeant 23 Blenheim
Fowler Alfred Lawrence Pilot Officer 248 Blenheim
Gard’ner John Rushton Flying Officer 141 Defiant
Gawith Alan Antill Flying Officer 23 Blenheim
Gibson John Albert Axel Flying Officer 501 Hurricane
Gill Thomas Francis Flying Officer 43 Hurricane
Grant Ian Allan Charles Sergeant 151 Hurricane
Gray Colin Falkland Flying Officer 54 Spitfire
Hamill John Warren Flying Officer 229 Hurricane
Hayter James Chilton Francis Flying Officer 615 & 605 Hurricane
Herrick Brian Henry Pilot Officer 236 Blenheim
Herrick Michael James Pilot Officer 25 Blenheim
Hight Cecil Henry Pilot Officer 234 Spitfire 15 Aug 1940
Hill Howard Perry Pilot Officer 92 Spitfire 20 Sep 1940
Hindrup Frederick George Sergeant 600 Blenheim
Hodgson William Henry Pilot Officer 85 Hurricane
Holder Robert Sergeant 151 Hurricane 26 Oct 1940
Horton Patrick Wilmot Pilot Officer 234 Spitfire
Hughes David Ernest Sergeant 600 Blenheim 3 Oct 1940
Humphreys James Samuel Pilot Officer 605 Hurricane
Hyde Reginald Jack Sergeant 66 Spitfire
Jameson Patrick Geraint Squadron Leader 266 Spitfire
Johnson Gerald Bruce Sergeant 23 Blenheim
Kemp John Richard Pilot Officer 141 Defiant 19 Jul 1940
Kidson Rudal Pilot Officer 141 Defiant 19 Jul 1940
Kinder Maurice Craig Flying Officer 85 & 607 & 92 Hurricane/Spitfire
Lamb Owen Edward Pilot Officer 151 Hurricane
Langdon Charles Edward Pilot Officer 43 Hurricane
Lawrence Keith Ashley Pilot Officer 234 & 603 & 421 Flt Spitfire
Lovell-Gregg Terence Gunion Squadron Leader 87 Hurricane 15 Aug 1940
Lusk Harold Stewart Flying Officer 25 Blenheim
Mackenzie Donald Carr Pilot Officer 56 Hurricane
Mackenzie John Noble Flying Officer 41 Spitfire
Martin John Claverly Flying Officer 32 & 257 Hurricane
McChesney Robert Ian Sergeant 236 Blenheim
McDermott John Alexander Sergeant 23 Blenheim
McGregor Hector Douglas Wing Commander 213 Hurricane
McHardy Edric Hartgill Pilot Officer 248 Blenheim
McIntyre Athol Gordon Pilot Officer 111 Hurricane
Middleton William Arthur Pilot Officer 266 Spitfire
Mitchell Herbert Robert Sergeant 3 Hurricane
Mowat Noel Joseph Flight Lieutenant 245 Hurricane
Murland William John Sergeant 264 Defiant
North Harold Leslie Flying Officer 43 Hurricane
Oaks Trevor Walter Sergeant 235 Blenheim
Orgias Eric Pilot Officer 23 Blenheim 25 Sep 1940
Pannell Geoffrey Charles Russell Sergeant 3 Hurricane
Parsons Edwin Ernest Sergeant 23 Blenheim
Paterson James Alfred Flight Lieutenant 92 Spitfire 27 Sep 1940
Pattison John Gordon Pilot Officer 266 & 92 Spitfire
Preston Leonard Roy Sergeant 264 Defiant
Priestley John Sinclair Pilot Officer 235 Blenheim 30 Aug 1940
Pye John Walter Sergeant 25 Blenheim
Pyne Colin Campbell Sergeant 219 Blenheim
Robinson Ivan Norton Sergeant 264 Defiant
Rabone Paul Wattling Flying Officer 145 & 422 Flt Hurricane
Rasmussen Lauritz Andrew Woodney Sergeant 264 Defiant 4 Sep 1940
Reilly Charles Christop
her Sergeant 23 Blenheim
Russell Leslie Plimmer Sergeant 264 Defiant
Scott William Jack Sergeant 264 Defiant
Shand Michael Moray Pilot Officer 54 Spitfire
Simmonds Bernard Cyril William Sergeant 264 Defiant
Simpson Geoffrey Mervyn Flying Officer 229 Hurricane 26 Oct 1940
Smith Irving Stanley Pilot Officer 151 Hurricane
Spence Douglas James Pilot Officer 245 Hurricane
Spurdle Robert Lawrence Pilot Officer 74 Spitfire
Stanger Noel Mizpah Sergeant 235 Blenheim
Stanley Douglas Owen Sergeant 151 Hurricane 26 Oct 1940
Stewart Charles Pilot Officer 54 & 222 Spitfire
Strang John Talbot Flying Officer 253 Hurricane
Strang Robert Harold Pilot Officer 65 Spitfire
Sutton Kenwyn Roland Flying Officer 264 Defiant
Tait Kenneth William Flying Officer 87 Hurricane
Taylor George Stringer Sergeant 3 Hurricane
Thomson Ronald Alexander Flight Lieutenant 72 Spitfire
Tracey Owen Vincent Pilot Officer 79 Hurricane
Trousdale Richard Macklow Pilot Officer 266 Spitfire
Verity Victor Bosanquet Strachan Pilot Officer 229 & 422 Flt Hurricane
Walker James Ian Bradley Sergeant 600 Blenheim
Ward Derek Harland Flight Lieutenant 87 Hurricane
Watters Joseph Pilot Officer 236 Blenheim
Wells Edward Preston Pilot Officer 266 & 41 Spitfire
Wendel Kenneth Victor Flying Officer 504 Hurricane 7 Sep 1940
Whitley Eric William Squadron Leader 245 Hurricane
Whitney Douglas Mitchell Pilot Officer 245 Hurricane
Whitwell Peter Coulson Sergeant 600 Blenheim
Wigg Ronald George Flying Officer 65 Spitfire
Williams Wycliff Stuart Pilot Officer 266 Spitfire 21 Oct 1940
Willis William Owen Sergeant 600 Blenheim
Wilson Donald Fraser Flight Lieutenant 141 Defiant
Young Robert Bett Mirk Sergeant 264 Defiant 8 Oct 1940
Yule Robert Duncan Flying Officer 145 Hurricane
Australians Who Served with Fighter Command in The Battle of Britain, 10 July–31 October 1940 Surname
First Names
Rank
Squadron(s)
Aircraft
Killed
Bayles Ian Norman Pilot Officer 152 Spitfire
Bayne David Walter Squadron Leader 257 Hurricane
Bennett Clarence Charles Pilot Officer 248 Blenheim 1 Oct 1940
Bungey Robert Wilton Flight Lieutenant 145 Hurricane
Cale Francis Walter Pilot Officer 266 Spitfire 15 Aug 1940
Cock John Reynolds Pilot Officer 87 Hurricane
Constantine Alexander Noel Flying Officer 141 Defiant
Crook Valton William James Sergeant 264 Defiant
Crossman John Dallas Pilot Officer 32 & 46 Hurricane 30 Sept 1940
Curchin John Pilot Officer 609 Hurricane
Flood Frederick William Flight Lieutenant 235 Blenheim 11 Sept 1940
Fopp Desmond Sergeant 17 Hurricane
Glyde Richard Lindsay Flying Officer 87 Hurricane 13 Aug 1940
Hamilton Alexander Lewis Pilot Officer 248 Blenheim
Hardman Harry Gordon Pilot Officer 111 Hurricane
Hewson John Minchin Flight Lieutenant 616 Spitfire
Hillary Richard Hope Pilot Officer 603 Spitfire
Holland Kenneth Christopher Sergeant 152 Spitfire 25 Sept 1940
Hughes Paterson Clarence Flight Lieutenant 234 Spitfire 7 Sept 1940
Kennedy John Connolly Flight Lieutenant 238 Hurricane 13 July 1940
Lees Ronald Beresford Squadron Leader 72 Spitfire
McDonough Bryan Martin Pilot Officer 236 Blenheim 1 Aug 1940
McGaw Charles Alexander Pilot Officer 73 & 66 Hurricane/Spitfire
Mayers Howard Clive Flight Lieutenant 601 Hurricane
Millington William Henry Pilot Officer 79 & 249 Hurricane 30 Oct 1940
Moore Peter John Sergeant 253 Hurricane
Moore William Storey Flying Officer 236 Blenheim
Olive Charles Gordon Chaloner Flight Lieutenant 65 Spitfire
Pain John Francis Pilot Officer 32 Hurricane
Parker Vincent Pilot Officer 234 Spitfire
Peterkin John Douglas Flying Officer 248 Blenheim
Power Richard Morris Flight Lieutenant 236 Blenheim
Pritchard Charles Arthur Flight Lieutenant 600 Blenheim/Beaufighter
Reynell Richard Carew Flight Lieutenant 43 Hurricane 7 Sept 1940
Sheen Desmond Frederick Bert Flight Lieutenant 72 Spitfire
Walch Stuart Crosby Flight Lieutenant 238 Hurricane 11 Aug 1940
Withall Latham Carr Flight Lieutenant 152 Spitfire 12 Aug 1940
NOTES
Chapter 1: Beginnings
[1] John Rushton Gard’ner, interview with author, 9 January 2011.
[2] P. Bishop, Fighter Boys: The Battle of Britain, 1940, Viking, New York, 2003, p.50.
[3] A. Deere, Nine Lives, Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1959, p.17.
[4] G. Olive and D. Newton, The Devil at 6 O’Clock: An Australian Ace in the Battle of Britain, Australian Military History Publications, Loftus, Australia, 2001, p.1.
[5] A.E. Clouston, The Dangerous Skies, Cassell, London, 1954, p.11.
[6] D. Ross, Richard Hillary: The Definitive Biography of a Battle of Britain Fighter Pilot and Author of The Last Enemy, Grub Street, London, 2000, p.12.
[7] Bishop, Fighter Boys, p.54.
[8] Ibid.; D. Newton, Clash of Eagles, Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst, NSW, 1996, p.37.
[9] C. Gray, Spitfire Patrol, Hutchinson, London, 1990, pp.2–3.
[10] Deere, p.3.
[11] N. Franks, Scramble to Victory: Five Fighter Pilots, 1939–1945, William Kimber, London, 1987, p.147.
[12] Ibid., p.39.
[13] Deere, pp.22–24.
[14] John Rushton Gard’ner, interview with author, 9 January 2011.
[15] Flight Lieutenant James Alfred Paterson, correspondence, 17 May 1939, RAF Museum [hereafter RAFM], Hendon, AC, 1998/15/6.
[16] Newton, Clash of Eagles, p.39.
[17] Ibid.
[18] Ibid.
[19] Olive and Newton, p.15.
[20] M. Burns, Cobber Kain, Random Century, Auckland, 1992, p.14.
[21] B. Spurdle, The Blue Arena, William Kimber, London, 1986, p.24; cf. M. Francis, The Flyer: British Culture and the Royal Air Force 1939–1945, OUP, Oxford, 2011, p.57.
[22] Deere, p.25.
[23] Bishop, Fighter Boys, p.66; J. James, The Paladins: A Social History of the RAF up to the outbreak of World War II, Macdonald, London, 1990, p.238.
[24] Burns, pp.14–21.
[25] A.W. Mitchell, New Zealanders in the Air War, George G. Harrap, London, 1945, p.50.
[26] Ibid.
[27] Spurdle, pp.19–20.
[28] Olive and Newton, p.20.
[29] Burns, p.15.
[30] Alan Antill Gawith, interview with author, 12 August 2011; Burns, p.16.
[31] R. Hillary, The Last Enemy, Macmillan, London, 1950, pp.44–45.
[32] Ibid.
[33] Ibid., p.56.
[34] Ibid., p.58.
[35] M.C. Kinder, ‘Faith Was My Protector: A New Zealander’s experience with the Royal Air Force’, Unpublished memoir, 1971, Larry Hill Collection, p.7.
[36] Gray, p.6.
[37] Ibid., p.8.
[38] Deere, p.30.
[39] D. Newton, A Few of the Few: Australians in the Battle of Britain, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1990, p.6.
Chapter 2: The Prelude
[1] The Royal Navy and the other elements of the RAF, Bomber and Coastal Command, saw considerable action over this period.
[2] Deere, pp.32–33.
[3] Kinder, pp.20–21.
[4] Olive and Newton, p.61.
[5] Bishop, Fighter Boys, pp.42–43.
[6] Ibid., p.43.
&n
bsp; [7] Kinder, p.23.
[8] Spurdle, p.27.
[9] Ibid., pp.27–28.
[10] Hillary, pp.84–85.
[11] Gray, p.12.
[12] D. Wood and D. Dempster, The Narrow Margin: The Battle of Britain and the Rise of Air Power 1930–1949, Pen and Sword, Barnsley, SouthYorkshire, 2003, p.35.
[13] Gray, p.12.
[14] Ibid., p.13.
[15] Deere, p.36.
[16] Olive and Newton, p.62.
[17] Gray, p.30.
[18] Burns, pp.60–61.
[19] The Times, 30 March 1940, RAFM, DC 76/74/527.
[20] Flying Officer Leslie Redford Clisby, Combat Report, 1 April 1940, National Archives [hereafter NA], Kew, AIR 50/1/171.
[21] D. Newton, Australian Air Aces: Australian Fighter Pilots in Combat, Aerospace Publications, Fyshwick, ACT, 1996, pp.77–78.
[22] This fighter was in fact called the Messerschmitt Bf 109 by the Germans, but this book follows the common Allied practice of referring to it as the Messerschmitt Me 109. Likewise the Messerschmitt Bf 110 was known as the Messerschmitt Me 110 to RAF pilots.
[23] L. Deighton, Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain, Cape, London, 1977, pp.108–9.
[24] Ibid., p.139.
[25] Bishop, Fighter Boys, pp.148–49.
[26] Ibid., p.180.
[27] Pilot Officer Alan Christopher Deere, Combat Report, 23 May 1940, NA, AIR 50/21/107; Deere, pp.54–55.
[28] In reality the total tally for 54 Squadron was more likely two, one of which belonged to Deere. See P. Cornwell, The Battle of France Then and Now: Six Nations Locked in Aerial Combat, September 1939 to June 1940, Battle of Britain International, Old Harlow, Essex, 2007, p.353.
[29] S. Bungay, The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain, Aurum, London, 2001, p.250.
[30] V. Orange, Dowding of Fighter Command: Victor of the Battle of Britain, Grub Street, London, 2008, p.102.
[31] Bungay, pp.259–60.
[32] Ibid.; Deighton, pp.164–66.
[33] Deere, p.36.
[34] Flight Lieutenant Wilfrid Greville Clouston, Combat Report, 1 June 1940, NA, AIR 50/10/160.
[35] Bishop, Fighter Boys, p.93.
[36] Burns, p.64.
[37] V. Orange, Park: The Biography of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park GCB, KBE, MC, DFC, DCL, Grub Street, London: 2000, p.88.
[38] C. Shores and C. Williams, Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII, Grub Street, London, 1994, pp.366–67. 39 Burns, pp.168–69.