Archie McKellar
Encyclopedia
Flight Lieutenant
Archibald Ashmore McKellar DSO
DFC
& Bar
(10 April 1912 – 2 November 1940), was a top
fighter ace
of the Royal Air Force
during the Battle of Britain
in World War II
.
Most of McKellar's victories were scored in the Hawker Hurricane
.
, Renfrewshire
, Scotland
, the son of John and Margaret McKellar, of Bearsden
, Dunbartonshire
, McKellar was educated at Shawlands Academy
in the southside of Glasgow
. He joined 32F 1st Glasgow Air Training Corps
On leaving school he joined his father's construction business as a plasterer
.
on 8 November 1936, joining No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAF
. The squadron was based at RAF Abbotsinch, near Paisley
. At the time it was a bomber squadron, but it later converted to the fighter role and was equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire
. As a reserve unit, the members of No. 602 - both pilots and ground staff - were only part-time airmen, doing their service in the evenings, weekends and on a two week annual summer camp. But as war approached, the squadron was put on a full time footing, and RAF Drem
became an air defence fighter unit for Edinburgh and the shipping area around the Firth of Forth
.
On 16 October 1939, the Luftwaffe
made its first attack on Great Britain
, on shipping in the Firth of Forth. Spitfires from No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron
joined 602 Squadron in a defensive counter-air sortie. During one attack, the cockpit canopy of Hauptmann Pohle's Junkers Ju 88
released itself. Pohle tried to fly northwards to take an observation position, but was hit by shells from the Spitfires of Flt Lt George Pinkerton and McKellar. The now stricken aircraft came down three miles east of Crail
, nearly colliding with a Coastal trading vessel
. Pohle was recovered, bleeding from facial wounds suffered in the crash, the other three crew members were dead on impact.Air Chief Marshal
Sir Hugh Dowding, Commander-in-Chief Fighter Command
sent the following message to both squadrons the next day: "Well done. First blood to the Auxiliaries."
McKellar is officially credited with the downing the first enemy aircraft to fall on British soil in World War II. On 28 October 1939 McKellar attacked a Heinkel He-111 of Stab./ Kampfgeschwader 26
. After he had caused it considerable damage, he was then interrupted by the arrival of three Spitfires from 603 Squadron. Although argument rages to this day as to which squadron let alone pilot was the victor, the 'kill' was only part credited to McKellar.
MacKellar holds the distinction of being involved in the first shootdown of an enemy plane during the first attack by the luftwaffe in Britain (which was over water) as well as being involved in the first shootdown of a Luftwaffe plane over British soil. He is also only one of 25 RAF pilots of World War II to achieve the status of "an ace in a day." He achieved this ace in a day status during the Battle of Britain on October 7 by downing five Bf 109's.
moved to RAF Drem, as they converted to Hurricanes. McKellar was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
within No. 605, and became a flight leader.
On 15 August 1940 No. 605 were called up by Air Vice-Marshal Saul to assist in the defence of Tyneside
, which was undergoing a heavy enemy air attack at the time from Norwegian
based He 111s. McKellar was able to down three He 111s during the encounter, but together with two colleagues sustained minor damage to his Hurricane during the engagement.
On 7 September 1940, No. 605 moved on rotation to Croydon Aerodrome. Then led by Squadron Leader
Walter Churchill
, McKellar scored four more victories on 9 September, before taking over from S/L Churchill from the 11 September. His score rose by another four on 15 September. His Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) was gazetted
on 13 September 1940:
On 3 October "this small, trim, voluble, outspoken Scotsman" became one of the select few pilots of Fighter Command to sit for one of Cuthbert Orde
's iconic charcoal portraits.
On 7 October his score rose by another five victories, all Messerschmitt Bf 109
s. Becoming an 'ace in a day' was a feat only achieved by 25 RAF pilots during the Second World War. A Bar
to the DFC followed on 8 October 1940:
During September McKellar shot down eight German aircraft, four of these were claimed on 9 September. On 7 October, McKellar went one better, shooting down five Bf 109s, four of which were destroyed after engaging 60 of the single-engined aircraft near Biggin Hill
.
, (later Squadron Leader) up to meet a flight of Bf 109 Jabos (Bf 109s equipped with bombs), the section took a high altitude to meet the enemy aircraft:
Believed shot down by II./ JG 27's Hauptmann
Wolfgang Lippert
. McKellar's Hurricane MkI (V6879) crashed at the side of Woodlands Manor near Adisham
, Kent
at 18:20hrs.
His Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) was gazetted posthumously on 26 November 1940:
Further recognition came in a Mention in Despatches gazetted on 31 December 1940.
"nominal" dates for the Battle of Britain (10 July to 31 October 1940), he is not listed on the Battle of Britain roll of honour at The RAF Chapel
, Westminster Abbey
. McKellar is buried at the new Eastwood Cemetery, Thornliebank
, Glasgow.
on the 4 January 1941. The machine was written off in an accident on 30 April 1941.
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
Archibald Ashmore McKellar DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(10 April 1912 – 2 November 1940), was a top
The Few
The Few is a term used to describe the Allied airmen of the Royal Air Force who fought the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. It comes from Winston Churchill's phrase "Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few"....
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Most of McKellar's victories were scored in the Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
.
Early life
He was born in PaisleyPaisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the son of John and Margaret McKellar, of Bearsden
Bearsden
Bearsden ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately from the City Centre, and is effectively a suburb, with housing development coinciding with the introduction of a railway line in 1863, and from where the town gets its name...
, Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
, McKellar was educated at Shawlands Academy
Shawlands Academy
Shawlands Academy is a non-denominational secondary school on the southside of Glasgow, Scotland.-Admissions:It has a roll of approximately 1,250 pupils and 90 teachers...
in the southside of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. He joined 32F 1st Glasgow Air Training Corps
Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
On leaving school he joined his father's construction business as a plasterer
Plasterer
A plasterer is a tradesman who works with plaster, such as forming a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls...
.
RAF
McKellar was commissioned into the Auxiliary Air Force as a Pilot OfficerPilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
on 8 November 1936, joining No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAF
No. 602 Squadron RAF
No 602 Squadron is a Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron. Originally formed in 1925 as a light bomber squadron, its role changed in 1938 to army co-operation and in 1939 to that of a fighter squadron....
. The squadron was based at RAF Abbotsinch, near Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
. At the time it was a bomber squadron, but it later converted to the fighter role and was equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
. As a reserve unit, the members of No. 602 - both pilots and ground staff - were only part-time airmen, doing their service in the evenings, weekends and on a two week annual summer camp. But as war approached, the squadron was put on a full time footing, and RAF Drem
RAF Drem
RAF Drem is a former RAF station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Ascend from this Light"....
became an air defence fighter unit for Edinburgh and the shipping area around the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
.
On 16 October 1939, the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
made its first attack on Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, on shipping in the Firth of Forth. Spitfires from No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron
No. 603 Squadron RAF
No. 603 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The primary role of 603 Squadron, since reforming on 1 October 1999, has been as a Survive to Operate squadron, as well as providing Force Protection.-Formation and early years:No...
joined 602 Squadron in a defensive counter-air sortie. During one attack, the cockpit canopy of Hauptmann Pohle's Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
released itself. Pohle tried to fly northwards to take an observation position, but was hit by shells from the Spitfires of Flt Lt George Pinkerton and McKellar. The now stricken aircraft came down three miles east of Crail
Crail
Crail ; ) is a former royal burgh in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland.-History:Crail probably dates from at least as far back as the Pictish period, as the place-name includes the Pictish/Brythonic element caer, 'fort', and there is a Dark Age cross-slab preserved in the parish kirk, itself...
, nearly colliding with a Coastal trading vessel
Coastal trading vessel
Coastal trading vessels, also known as coasters, are shallow-hulled ships used for trade between locations on the same island or continent. Their shallow hulls mean that they can get through reefs where deeper-hulled sea-going ships usually cannot....
. Pohle was recovered, bleeding from facial wounds suffered in the crash, the other three crew members were dead on impact.Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Hugh Dowding, Commander-in-Chief Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
sent the following message to both squadrons the next day: "Well done. First blood to the Auxiliaries."
McKellar is officially credited with the downing the first enemy aircraft to fall on British soil in World War II. On 28 October 1939 McKellar attacked a Heinkel He-111 of Stab./ Kampfgeschwader 26
Kampfgeschwader 26
Kampfgeschwader 26 "Löwengeschwader" was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II .Its units participated on all of the fronts in the European Theatre until it was disbanded in September–October 1944. It operated two of the major German bomber types; the Heinkel He 111 and the Junkers Ju 88...
. After he had caused it considerable damage, he was then interrupted by the arrival of three Spitfires from 603 Squadron. Although argument rages to this day as to which squadron let alone pilot was the victor, the 'kill' was only part credited to McKellar.
MacKellar holds the distinction of being involved in the first shootdown of an enemy plane during the first attack by the luftwaffe in Britain (which was over water) as well as being involved in the first shootdown of a Luftwaffe plane over British soil. He is also only one of 25 RAF pilots of World War II to achieve the status of "an ace in a day." He achieved this ace in a day status during the Battle of Britain on October 7 by downing five Bf 109's.
605 Squadron
In early 1940, No. 605 (County of Warwick) SquadronNo. 605 Squadron RAF
No 605 Squadron was formed as an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron. Initially formed as a bomber unit, it was one of the most successful participants of the Battle of Britain. It also had the distinction of being active during World War II at two fronts at a time, when the squadron was split up between...
moved to RAF Drem, as they converted to Hurricanes. McKellar was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
within No. 605, and became a flight leader.
On 15 August 1940 No. 605 were called up by Air Vice-Marshal Saul to assist in the defence of Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
, which was undergoing a heavy enemy air attack at the time from Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
based He 111s. McKellar was able to down three He 111s during the encounter, but together with two colleagues sustained minor damage to his Hurricane during the engagement.
On 7 September 1940, No. 605 moved on rotation to Croydon Aerodrome. Then led by Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Walter Churchill
Walter Churchill
Group Captain Walter Myers Churchill DSO DFC was a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II.He was a brother of Captain Peter Churchill DSO Croix de Guerre, and Major Oliver Churchill DSO MC, both of whom were SOE officers during World War II....
, McKellar scored four more victories on 9 September, before taking over from S/L Churchill from the 11 September. His score rose by another four on 15 September. His Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC) was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 13 September 1940:
On 3 October "this small, trim, voluble, outspoken Scotsman" became one of the select few pilots of Fighter Command to sit for one of Cuthbert Orde
Cuthbert Orde
Captain Cuthbert Julian Orde was an artist and First World War pilot. He is best known for his war art, especially his portraits of Allied Battle of Britain pilots.-Family background:...
's iconic charcoal portraits.
On 7 October his score rose by another five victories, all Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
s. Becoming an 'ace in a day' was a feat only achieved by 25 RAF pilots during the Second World War. A Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to the DFC followed on 8 October 1940:
During September McKellar shot down eight German aircraft, four of these were claimed on 9 September. On 7 October, McKellar went one better, shooting down five Bf 109s, four of which were destroyed after engaging 60 of the single-engined aircraft near Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill is an area and electoral ward in the outskirts of the London Borough of Bromley in southeast London, United Kingdom.-History:Historically the settlement was known as Aperfield and formed part of the parish of Cudham...
.
Death
By 1 November 1940 McKellar had claimed 21 victories. Taking a section of No. 605 that included Flt Lt Bob FosterRobert Foster (RAF officer)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Mordaunt Foster KCB, CBE, DFC, DL, RAF was a Royal Flying Corps pilot in World War I and a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II and the immediate post-war years....
, (later Squadron Leader) up to meet a flight of Bf 109 Jabos (Bf 109s equipped with bombs), the section took a high altitude to meet the enemy aircraft:
Believed shot down by II./ JG 27's Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Wolfgang Lippert
Wolfgang Lippert (pilot)
Wolfgang Lippert was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. Lippert was credited with 29 victories, five of which were scored in the Spanish Civil War.-Luftwaffe career:...
. McKellar's Hurricane MkI (V6879) crashed at the side of Woodlands Manor near Adisham
Adisham
Adisham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Kent. The village, six miles south-east of Canterbury, and located on the B2046 road between Wingham and Barham, is known as Edesham in the Domesday Book....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
at 18:20hrs.
His Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) was gazetted posthumously on 26 November 1940:
Further recognition came in a Mention in Despatches gazetted on 31 December 1940.
Memorial
As McKellar died outside the Air MinistryAir Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
"nominal" dates for the Battle of Britain (10 July to 31 October 1940), he is not listed on the Battle of Britain roll of honour at The RAF Chapel
RAF Chapel
At the eastern end of Westminster Abbey in the magnificent Lady Chapel built by King Henry VII is the RAF Chapel dedicated to the men of the Royal Air Force who died in the Battle of Britain between July and October 1940....
, Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. McKellar is buried at the new Eastwood Cemetery, Thornliebank
Thornliebank
Thornliebank is a small suburban village in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, south of Glasgow. It is served by Thornliebank railway station and lies to the east of the M77 motorway.-History:...
, Glasgow.
Combat record
Of McKellar's total kills, 13.5 confirmed kills, four probables and one damaged were scored in one particular machine; P3308 between 15 August and 7 October 1940. It became the Hurricane with the highest number of kills in the Battle of Britain. McKellar's Hurricane was handed over to a Czech unit, No. 312 Squadron RAFNo. 312 Squadron RAF
No. 312 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovakian-manned fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.It was first formed at Duxford in July 1940, equipped with Hurricane I fighters and crewed mostly by escaped Czechslovakian pilots. Its first victory was a Junkers Ju 88 above...
on the 4 January 1941. The machine was written off in an accident on 30 April 1941.
| Date | Service | Flying | Kills | Probables | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 October 1939 | Royal Air Force Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world... |
Spitfire | 1/2 *Junkers Ju 88 Junkers Ju 88 The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early... |
flying from RAF Drem RAF Drem RAF Drem is a former RAF station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Ascend from this Light".... with No. 602 Squadron. First WW2 enemy plane shot down into British water. |
|
| 28 October 1939 | Royal Air Force | Spitfire | 1/5 *Heinkel He 111 Heinkel He 111 The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium... |
first enemy plane shot down on British soil since 1918 | |
| 15 August 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | 3 x Heinkel He 111 | having transferred to No. 605 Squadron | |
| 9 September 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | 3 x Heinkel He 111, 1 Bf 109 | flying from Croydon Aerodrome | |
| 11 September 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | replaces S/L Churchill as Squadron Leader | ||
| 15 September 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | 2 x Bf 109,1 x Do 17 | awarded DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... * DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... |
|
| 7 October 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | 5 x Messerschmitt Bf 109 Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s... |
||
| 1 November 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | KIA over Adisham Adisham Adisham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Kent. The village, six miles south-east of Canterbury, and located on the B2046 road between Wingham and Barham, is known as Edesham in the Domesday Book.... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of... , attacking Bf 109s |
||
| TOTALS | 17 + 3 shared kills | 5 probable, 3 damaged | |||