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John Fraser Drummond

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Drummond and Pilot Officer Bill Williams both attempted beam attacks from either flank. They missed and continued turning towards each other, and their Spitfires collided. Drummond baled out but was too low for his parachute to open effectively. Still alive after hitting the ground, a priest was able
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Pilot Officer John Fraser DRUMMOND (40810). During operations in Norway, this officer shot down two enemy aircraft and seriously damaged a further three. On one occasion, as pilot of one ,of two Hurricanes which attacked four Heinkel Ill's, he damaged one of the enemy aircraft and then engaged two of
540:, the RAF church in London. He is also recorded in the book of remembrance, the casualties list and on the roll of honour in St Georges Chapel at Biggin Hill. There is also a plaque at Wellington School commemorating John Drummond and another old boy who flew in the Battle of Britain, Edward Graham. 332:
That same afternoon he attacked a formation of four He 111s. He claimed one downed and damaged two more, but again was hit by return fire, piercing the windscreen, clipping his goggles and helmet before ricocheting out of the cockpit hood.
458:. Fighting through the Bf 109 fighter escort they attacked the Ju 88 bombers. Having damaged one, Drummond pulled away chased by three Bf 109s. He turned circle, attacking and damaging two of them, arriving safely back at Biggin Hill. 307:. Although Drummond hit the starboard engine he was hit in turn by return fire, causing his cockpit to fill with smoke. He turned to return to Bardufoss but his engine failed. Bailing out, he landed in the freezing waters of 249:
He passed his medical in November 1937 and began training in April 1938. He was granted a short service commission as an acting pilot officer on probation with effect from 4 June 1938. In January 1939 he was assigned to
507:. When his body was examined, Drummond was found to have been wounded in his left arm and leg. Bill Williams, it later transpired, had been shot through the head so was already dead when the planes collided. 1386: 329:
On 7 June he was in the air at 04.00 when he saw three He 111s. He attacked the two, hitting one that he last saw flying damaged towards the Swedish border, claiming this as a victory.
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the others. Despite heavy return fire, Pilot Officer Drummond pressed home his attack, silenced the rear guns of both aircraft and compelled the Heinkels to break off the engagement.
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Drummond's funeral took place at St Michael's church, Blundellsands, Liverpool, on 15 October 1940, four days before his 22nd birthday. He is buried in Thornton Garden of Rest.
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that was attacking a Hurricane, following it until he ran out of ammunition. He saw two more Bf 109s about to attack him, but managed to half-roll and return to base safely.
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was intercepted and all 9 Spitfires of the patrol descended on it. They were hindered by iced-up windscreens that prevented them from using their deflector sights.
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on major cities. On 21 September a bomb smashed into a Drummond family home in Liverpool, killing John's grandmother and aunt while they slept.
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Throughout September Drummond and 92 Squadron were involved in sporadic sorties to defend south eastern England. Meanwhile, the Luftwaffe began
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His Spitfire, R6616 crashed close by, landing on a flintstone wall that bordered Jubilee Field (now Easthill Drive) and St Mary's Convent in
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After the German invasion of Norway on 9 April, No. 46 Squadron was part of the British air forces sent to Norway. They sailed on
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A capable student, he passed his school certificates in a wide range of subjects and left with the senior prize for divinity.
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On 5 October he took off a few minutes after the rest of the squadron. Before he could catch up, he saw twelve Bf 109s over
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tried to escape but Drummond pressed home his attack, firing short bursts until Kuepper was forced down in a pond near
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and launched a solo attack. He fired on the rear fighter, hit it then watched it crash in the sea. He then attacked a
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On the morning of 23 September, flying Spitfire QJ-T (X4422), Drummond attacked a Bf 109 attacking another Spitfire.
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attacking a destroyer over Ofotfjord. He shot down one of them, watching it force-land and burst into flames.
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of 4 (H)/31 flying low over the water, finally bringing it down two miles from the French coast. Its pilot,
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began the same day. Unlike the other squadron pilots, he did not fly his Hurricane to the aircraft carrier
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Aces High – A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII
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For the next ten weeks he flew convoy and defensive patrols and trained Polish and Czech pilots to fly
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During the war Drummond had claimed 8 aircraft destroyed (and 1 shared), 3 'probables' and 4 damaged.
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on 19 October 1918. From the age of eleven he attended boarding schools (Deytheur Grammar School in
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Aces High: The Fighter Aces of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in World War II. Volume 2
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After a short spell working at a timber merchant with his father, he applied to join the RAF.
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The younger of two siblings, he was born to middle-class parents, William and Nellie, in
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Aces High: The Fighter Aces of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in World War II
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was sunk on the return journey, killing eight of Drummond's fellow Hurricane pilots.
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On the morning of 10 October 1940 Drummond was part of a patrol east of Brighton. A
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on 26 July 1940 with a citation that mentioned that last day's exploits in detail.
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On 29 May flying Hurricane L1794 Drummond saw four enemy aircraft and attacked a
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Drummond first saw action on 9 September, defending an attack on
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to administer the last rites before Drummond died in his arms.
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The next day 92 Squadron intercepted an incoming raid over the
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
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John Fraser Drummond: 92 Squadron and the Battle of Britain
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On 21 October 1939 the squadron attacked a formation of
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Press Packs: The Battle of Britain Season – First Light
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but instead returned with the ground crew component on
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Shores, Christopher. & Williams, Clive. (2002).
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drew his portrait. Out of the 3,000 or so pilots in
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On 2 June he was patrolling in Hurricane W2543 over
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission casualty details
358:For his service in Norway Drummond was awarded the 398:, serving with several legendary pilots including 266:briefly before the squadron was re-equipped with 1427:Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II 1368: 1407:People educated at Wellington School, Somerset 1117: 1115: 1113: 1111: 999:John Fraser Drummond: 46 Squadron in Norway 536:He is listed in the book of remembrance at 1412:People educated at Deytheur Grammar School 1144:Aces High; Shores & Williams, page 233 523:Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne 31: 1108: 390:No. 92 Squadron and the Battle of Britain 1362:The Merseyside Few: John Fraser Drummond 1052: 1050: 1048: 1046: 1044: 992: 990: 988: 986: 984: 982: 930: 928: 877:and 92 Squadron Operations Record Book) 542: 513: 1170: 1124:John Fraser Drummond: Death and Funeral 907:The Airmen's Stories – F/O J F Drummond 558:Geoffrey Wellum's best-selling memoir, 1422:Royal Air Force pilots of World War II 1369: 421:. On 11 September Drummond attacked a 1041: 979: 925: 900: 898: 896: 894: 573: 547:Gravestone in Thornton Garden of Rest 521:John Drummond is commemorated on the 292:and by 27 May 1940 were stationed in 1226:Best of The Few: 92 Squadron 1939–40 1147: 527:Battle of Britain Monument in London 1127:, The Merseyside Few, 14 April 2010 1062:, The Merseyside Few, 14 April 2010 1002:, The Merseyside Few, 14 April 2010 13: 1182:, BBC Press Office, 20 August 2010 940:, The Merseyside Few, 7 April 2010 891: 351:. This was fortuitous for him, as 336:The British evacuation of Norway, 14: 1438: 1417:Military personnel from Liverpool 1355: 1204:Fighter Boys: Saving Britain 1940 296:in the far north of the country. 1392:British World War II flying aces 937:John Fraser Drummond: Background 869:(Sources for all combat record: 394:On 5 September he was posted to 1196: 1138: 16:British World War II flying ace 1073: 1027: 1013: 965: 951: 570:playing John Fraser Drummond. 551: 1: 1326:Shores, Christopher. (1999). 1268:Shores, Christopher. (1999). 880: 476:During the Battle RAF artist 473:Klaeden, was taken prisoner. 244: 218: 1314:Men of the Battle of Britain 849: 7: 1290:Wellum, Geofrfrey. (2003). 1224:Robinson, Michael. (2001). 233:Wellington School, Somerset 10: 1443: 744:1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109E 721:1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109E 360:Distinguished Flying Cross 185:Distinguished Flying Cross 1202:Bishop, Patrick. (2004). 836:1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109E 747:1 * Messerschmitt Bf 109E 280: 180: 155: 141: 131: 121: 113: 101: 93: 83: 62: 42: 30: 23: 1382:Royal Air Force officers 885: 818:1* Messerschmitt Bf 110 487: 1312:Wynn, Kenneth. (1989). 1342:Hurricane Aces 1939–40 1340:Holmes, Tony. (1998). 1294:. . Wiley; 1 edition. 548: 376: 1344:. Osprey Publishing. 546: 514:Funeral and memorials 451:and captured unhurt. 371: 114:Years of service 1228:. Michael Robinson. 1083:. 27 September 1940. 914:on 27 September 2011 774:Messerschmitt Bf 110 698:Messerschmitt Bf 109 423:Messerschmitt Bf 109 193:John Fraser Drummond 37:John Fraser Drummond 25:John Fraser Drummond 1316:. . Gliddon Books. 677:2 * Heinkel He 111 672:1 * Heinkel He 111 654:1 * Heinkel He 111 311:and was rescued by 88:Thornton, Liverpool 1270:Aces High Volume 2 875:Aces High Volume 2 857:8 kills, 1 shared 796:1 * Junkers Ju 88 666:Hurricane I L1805 648:Hurricane I L1793 627:Hurricane I N2543 604:Hurricane I L1794 574:Combat Record 1940 549: 365:Citation from the 338:Operation Alphabet 305:Kampfgeschwader 26 203:who flew with the 1330:. . Grub Street. 1308:978-0-4714-2627-1 1286:978-1-9023-0403-8 1272:. . Grub Street. 1264:978-1-8986-9700-8 1250:. . Grub Street. 1242:978-0-9540-6740-3 1220:978-0-0065-3204-0 1096:Missing or empty 867: 866: 808:Spitfire I X4051 787:Spitfire I X4487 760:Spitfire I X4330 733:Spitfire I X4422 709:Spitfire I X4422 685:Spitfire I N3248 441:Jagdgeschwader 26 400:Bob Stanford Tuck 213:Battle of Britain 190: 189: 165:Battle of Britain 1434: 1191: 1190: 1189: 1187: 1174: 1168: 1167: 1166: 1164: 1151: 1145: 1142: 1136: 1135: 1134: 1132: 1119: 1106: 1105: 1099: 1094: 1092: 1084: 1077: 1071: 1070: 1069: 1067: 1054: 1039: 1038: 1031: 1025: 1024: 1017: 1011: 1010: 1009: 1007: 994: 977: 976: 969: 963: 962: 955: 949: 948: 947: 945: 932: 923: 922: 921: 919: 902: 578: 577: 538:St Clement Danes 264:Gloster Gauntlet 209:Second World War 173: 160:Second World War 103: 69: 52: 50: 35: 21: 20: 1442: 1441: 1437: 1436: 1435: 1433: 1432: 1431: 1367: 1366: 1358: 1199: 1194: 1185: 1183: 1176: 1175: 1171: 1162: 1160: 1153: 1152: 1148: 1143: 1139: 1130: 1128: 1121: 1120: 1109: 1097: 1095: 1086: 1085: 1079: 1078: 1074: 1065: 1063: 1056: 1055: 1042: 1033: 1032: 1028: 1019: 1018: 1014: 1005: 1003: 996: 995: 980: 971: 970: 966: 957: 956: 952: 943: 941: 934: 933: 926: 917: 915: 904: 903: 892: 888: 883: 840:Henschel Hs 126 837: 748: 576: 556: 516: 490: 482:Fighter Command 467:Henschel Hs 126 412:Geoffrey Wellum 392: 283: 247: 221: 205:Royal Air Force 169: 150:No. 92 Squadron 148: 146:No. 46 Squadron 108:Royal Air Force 89: 71: 67: 66:10 October 1940 54: 53:19 October 1918 48: 46: 38: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1440: 1430: 1429: 1424: 1419: 1414: 1409: 1404: 1399: 1394: 1389: 1384: 1379: 1365: 1364: 1357: 1356:External links 1354: 1353: 1352: 1338: 1324: 1310: 1288: 1266: 1244: 1222: 1198: 1195: 1193: 1192: 1169: 1146: 1137: 1107: 1072: 1040: 1026: 1012: 978: 964: 950: 924: 889: 887: 884: 882: 879: 865: 864: 861: 858: 855: 853: 851: 847: 846: 844: 842: 834: 829: 826: 822: 821: 819: 816: 814: 809: 806: 802: 801: 799: 797: 794: 788: 785: 781: 780: 778: 776: 770: 761: 758: 754: 753: 745: 742: 740: 734: 731: 727: 726: 724: 722: 719: 710: 707: 703: 702: 700: 694: 692: 686: 683: 679: 678: 675: 673: 670: 667: 664: 660: 659: 657: 655: 652: 649: 646: 642: 641: 639: 637: 631: 628: 625: 621: 620: 618: 616: 614:Heinkel He 111 610: 605: 602: 598: 597: 594: 591: 588: 585: 582: 575: 572: 555: 550: 515: 512: 489: 486: 456:Thames estuary 439:Kuepper of 8./ 404:Brian Kingcome 391: 388: 367:London Gazette 324:Junkers Ju 87s 301:Heinkel He 111 282: 279: 262:. He flew the 246: 243: 231:, Powys, then 229:Llansantffraid 220: 217: 188: 187: 182: 178: 177: 176: 175: 157: 153: 152: 143: 139: 138: 135: 133:Service number 129: 128: 126:Flying Officer 123: 119: 118: 115: 111: 110: 105: 99: 98: 97:United Kingdom 95: 91: 90: 87: 85: 81: 80: 70:(aged 21) 64: 60: 59: 44: 40: 39: 36: 28: 27: 24: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1439: 1428: 1425: 1423: 1420: 1418: 1415: 1413: 1410: 1408: 1405: 1403: 1400: 1398: 1395: 1393: 1390: 1388: 1385: 1383: 1380: 1378: 1375: 1374: 1372: 1363: 1360: 1359: 1351: 1347: 1343: 1339: 1337: 1336:1-8986-9700-0 1333: 1329: 1325: 1323: 1322:0-947893-15-6 1319: 1315: 1311: 1309: 1305: 1301: 1300:0-4714-2627-X 1297: 1293: 1289: 1287: 1283: 1279: 1278:1-9023-0403-9 1275: 1271: 1267: 1265: 1261: 1257: 1256:1-8986-9700-0 1253: 1249: 1245: 1243: 1239: 1235: 1234:0-9540-6740-1 1231: 1227: 1223: 1221: 1217: 1213: 1212:0-0065-3204-7 1209: 1205: 1201: 1200: 1181: 1180: 1173: 1158: 1157: 1150: 1141: 1126: 1125: 1118: 1116: 1114: 1112: 1103: 1090: 1082: 1076: 1061: 1060: 1053: 1051: 1049: 1047: 1045: 1036: 1030: 1022: 1016: 1001: 1000: 993: 991: 989: 987: 985: 983: 974: 968: 960: 954: 939: 938: 931: 929: 913: 909: 908: 901: 899: 897: 895: 890: 878: 876: 872: 862: 859: 856: 854: 852: 848: 845: 843: 841: 835: 833: 830: 827: 824: 823: 820: 817: 815: 813: 810: 807: 804: 803: 800: 798: 795: 793: 789: 786: 783: 782: 779: 777: 775: 771: 769: 765: 762: 759: 756: 755: 752: 751:Junkers Ju 88 746: 743: 741: 738: 735: 732: 729: 728: 725: 723: 720: 718: 714: 711: 708: 705: 704: 701: 699: 695: 693: 691: 687: 684: 681: 680: 676: 674: 671: 669:10m E Narvik 668: 665: 662: 661: 658: 656: 653: 650: 647: 644: 643: 640: 638: 636: 635:Junkers Ju 87 632: 629: 626: 623: 622: 619: 617: 615: 611: 609: 606: 603: 600: 599: 595: 592: 589: 586: 583: 580: 579: 571: 569: 568:Alex Waldmann 565: 561: 554: 545: 541: 539: 534: 532: 528: 524: 519: 511: 508: 506: 501: 497: 495: 494:Dornier Do 17 485: 483: 479: 478:Cuthbert Orde 474: 472: 468: 464: 459: 457: 452: 450: 449:Isle of Grain 446: 442: 438: 433: 431: 426: 424: 420: 415: 413: 409: 405: 401: 397: 387: 385: 381: 375: 370: 368: 363: 361: 356: 354: 350: 349: 348:Arandora Star 343: 339: 334: 330: 327: 325: 322:. He saw two 321: 316: 314: 313:HMS Firedrake 310: 306: 302: 297: 295: 291: 290: 278: 276: 271: 269: 265: 261: 257: 253: 242: 239: 236: 234: 230: 226: 216: 214: 210: 206: 202: 198: 194: 186: 183: 179: 174: 172: 166: 163: 162: 161: 158: 154: 151: 147: 144: 140: 136: 134: 130: 127: 124: 120: 116: 112: 109: 106: 100: 96: 92: 86: 82: 78: 74: 65: 61: 57: 45: 41: 34: 29: 22: 19: 1341: 1327: 1313: 1291: 1269: 1247: 1225: 1203: 1197:Bibliography 1186:10 September 1184:, retrieved 1178: 1172: 1161:, retrieved 1155: 1149: 1140: 1131:10 September 1129:, retrieved 1123: 1098:|title= 1081:Bootle Times 1080: 1075: 1066:10 September 1064:, retrieved 1058: 1029: 1015: 1006:10 September 1004:, retrieved 998: 967: 953: 944:10 September 942:, retrieved 936: 916:, retrieved 912:the original 906: 874: 870: 868: 860:3 probables 651:2m N Narvik 559: 557: 552: 535: 520: 517: 509: 502: 498: 491: 475: 470: 460: 453: 436: 434: 427: 416: 408:Allan Wright 393: 384:RAF Hawarden 377: 372: 366: 364: 357: 352: 347: 341: 335: 331: 328: 317: 298: 288: 284: 275:Heinkel 115s 272: 260:Lincolnshire 248: 240: 237: 222: 192: 191: 170: 156:Battles/wars 68:(1940-10-10) 18: 1402:1940 deaths 1377:1918 births 1350:1-855325977 1292:First Light 1163:9 September 918:9 September 828:Spitfire I 792:High Halden 560:First Light 553:First Light 419:Biggin Hill 396:92 Squadron 252:46 Squadron 207:during the 1371:Categories 881:References 863:4 damaged 630:SE Narvik 593:Probables 525:, and the 445:Grain Fort 268:Hurricanes 245:RAF career 219:Background 201:flying ace 94:Allegiance 49:1918-10-19 1089:cite news 832:Dungeness 768:Westerham 764:Sevenoaks 737:Maidstone 713:Tonbridge 690:Dungeness 587:Location 505:Portslade 463:Dungeness 437:Feldwebel 430:The Blitz 380:Spitfires 309:Ofotfjord 294:Bardufoss 287:HMS  256:RAF Digby 254:based at 225:Liverpool 117:1938–1940 79:, England 73:Portslade 58:, England 56:Liverpool 812:Brighton 805:30 Sept 790:1m from 784:27 Sept 757:27 Sept 730:24 Sept 706:23 Sept 682:11 Sept 596:Damaged 471:Leutnant 353:Glorious 342:Glorious 289:Glorious 102:Service/ 1397:The Few 717:Chatham 688:10m NW 663:7 June 645:7 June 624:2 June 601:29 May 584:Flying 566:, with 447:on the 171:† 1348:  1334:  1320:  1306:  1298:  1284:  1276:  1262:  1254:  1240:  1232:  1218:  1210:  1159:, CWGC 850:TOTAL 825:5 Oct 772:0.3 * 608:Narvik 590:Kills 531:Crosby 320:Narvik 281:Norway 181:Awards 167:  104:branch 84:Buried 77:Sussex 886:Notes 739:area 581:Date 488:Death 137:40810 1346:ISBN 1332:ISBN 1318:ISBN 1304:ISBN 1296:ISBN 1282:ISBN 1274:ISBN 1260:ISBN 1252:ISBN 1238:ISBN 1230:ISBN 1216:ISBN 1208:ISBN 1206:. . 1188:2010 1165:2010 1133:2010 1102:help 1068:2010 1008:2010 946:2010 920:2010 873:and 838:1 * 766:– S 749:1 * 715:– N 696:1 * 633:1 * 612:1 * 410:and 142:Unit 122:Rank 63:Died 43:Born 1302:or 1280:or 1258:or 1236:or 1214:or 564:BBC 382:at 346:SS 303:of 258:in 235:). 197:DFC 1373:: 1110:^ 1093:: 1091:}} 1087:{{ 1043:^ 981:^ 927:^ 893:^ 406:, 402:, 386:. 369:: 315:. 215:. 195:, 75:, 1104:) 1100:( 1037:. 1023:. 975:. 961:. 51:) 47:(

Index


Liverpool
Portslade
Sussex
Royal Air Force
Flying Officer
Service number
No. 46 Squadron
No. 92 Squadron
Second World War
Battle of Britain

Distinguished Flying Cross
DFC
flying ace
Royal Air Force
Second World War
Battle of Britain
Liverpool
Llansantffraid
Wellington School, Somerset
46 Squadron
RAF Digby
Lincolnshire
Gloster Gauntlet
Hurricanes
Heinkel 115s
HMS Glorious
Bardufoss
Heinkel He 111

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