Stanley Orr
Encyclopedia
Stanley Gordon Orr DSC
& Two Bars
, AFC
(28 September 1916 – 11 August 2003) was the highest scoring fighter ace
of the Royal Navy
during the Second World War. Flying with the Fleet Air Arm
he was credited with the destruction of 17 aircraft. His success was recognised by the awards of the Distinguished Service Cross
and Two Bars
, an Air Force Cross
and a Mention in Despatches.
He took part in campaigns over Norway and Dunkirk in 1940 and then moved to the Mediterranean aboard . During this time he was involved in the Battle of Taranto
, the defence of Malta, the Battle of Cape Matapan
, and land based operations in Egypt. Later in the war in 1944, he was involved in the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz
. At the end of the Second World War he remained in the Navy, becoming a test pilot at the Empire Test Pilots' School
. He saw further action during the Korean War
, when he served aboard as Commander
(flying). His last job in the Navy was in command of the Hovercraft
trials unit. Upon leaving the Royal Navy in 1966, he became a marine superintendent at Vospers.
. Leaving Humber after two years he joined Vale Engineering, which produced sports cars. His interest in flying started in 1936 when he was employed by Handley Page working on the prototypes for the Hampden and Halifax bombers. In 1939 he applied to join the Royal Air Force
but was turned down after failing a medical eyesight test. Soon after, he successfully passed the same test in the same room but with a different doctor and joined the Fleet Air Arm
of the Royal Navy
.
, Orr gained his naval skills and learnt how to fly while serving on the old First World War vintage carrier . As a qualified pilot, he attended the air gunnery school before being posted to 759 Naval Air Squadron at Eastleigh
, Hampshire
, in February 1940. At Eastleigh, he was trained on the Navy's fighter aircraft: the two seater Blackburn Skua
dual fighter–dive bomber and the single seat Sea Gladiator biplane
.
Stanley Gordon Orr married Myra Page in 1940. His first operational posting came in May 1940 when he joined 806 Naval Air Squadron
, which was based at Hatson in the Orkney Islands
. The squadron was equipped with the Blackburn Skua and Blackburn Roc
, another two seater fighter, and at the time was tasked with attacking German shipping and oil storage facilities in Norway. Later, the squadron was moved to Detling
, in Kent
, to provide air cover for Operation Dynamo
, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force
from Dunkirk. In June, 806 Squadron was converted to fly the Fairey Fulmar
, another two seater fighter, and was posted to the air group on the newly-commissioned aircraft carrier .
.jpg)
Illustrious left Scapa Flow
in August and arrived in the Mediterranean by September. Orr became an ace
in the following months, claiming seven aircraft shot down out of 30 claimed by his squadron. Orr's victories included a CANT Z.501
flying boat
on 2 September and on 4 September off the Dodecanese
he shared in the shooting down of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
bomber. One of the first larger missions Orr took part in was providing the fighter cover for the Fairey Swordfish
attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto
. Other missions included attacks on German army positions at Bardia
, bombing Tripoli
in Libya, and attacks on the Rhodes
airfields. Orr was also awarded his first Distinguished Service Cross
(DSC) for his service during these missions.
On 10 January 1941, Orr and Sub-Lieutenant Graham Hogg observed two Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
s making a torpedo bombing run on Illustrious; after a long chase they managed to shoot one of them down. The Italian planes, however, had just been a diversion, because at the same time three squadrons of Junkers Ju 87
from Sturzkampfgeschwader 1
and Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
arrived over the carrier. The Ju 87s were circling the fleet at 11000 feet (3,352.8 m), out of the range of the navy's anti-aircraft guns. They then targeted the carrier, diving down and hitting her six times. Orr, down at sea level and out of ammunition, climbed up through the carrier's anti-aircraft barrage in an attempt to disrupt the dive-bombers' attack.
With Illustrious damaged and unable to land her remaining seven Fairey Fulmar fighters, the aircraft were ordered to land at RAF Hal Far
in Malta
.
From RAF Hal Far, 806 Naval Air Squadron provided air cover for Malta and Illustrious which was berthed in the Grand Harbour
at Valleta, under repair. On 5 February Orr shot down a Junkers Ju 88
that was bombing the city. In total, flying in the defence of Malta, Orr added five more victories to his record and was awarded a second DSC. The damage to Illustrious could not be repaired at Malta so she was sent to the United States for repairs. Meanwhile, 806 Naval Air Squadron remained in the Mediterranean, joining another Illustrious class aircraft carrier
,.
On board Formidable, Orr's squadron provided the fighter cover for her Fairey Albacore
s and Fairey Swordfish during the Battle of Cape Matapan
in March 1941 and the bombing of Tripoli. Orr shot down a Ju 88 during this time. Another victory followed on the 21 April. Flying over Tripoli, Orr and Sub-Lieutenant Graham Hogg forced a Dornier Do 24
n flying boat down with its engine on fire. Each time it tried to take off again the pair carried out another attack until it eventually sank. When Formidable was put out of action by German Ju 87 dive bombers, 806 Naval Air Squadron was again sent to operate from land. This time they were based at the naval Dekheila Airfield near Alexandria
in Egypt and, at the same time, were re-formed with Hawker Hurricane
fighters. In June, the squadron took part in operations against the Vichy French in Palestine.
. A year later in August 1942, he was sent along with 80 officers and men to the United States to form 896 Naval Air Squadron. The squadron was equipped with Grumman Martlets at Norfolk, Virginia
and then joined . A shortage in American aircraft carriers resulted in the lending of Victorious to the United States Pacific Fleet
where she was known by the alias USS Robin and her aircraft were repainted with American markings. Orr was prevented from joining them in the Pacific when he contracted poliomyelitis
in March 1943. He spent 10 weeks at Pearl Harbor
in an iron lung
before making a complete recovery and was later sent home to Britain.
, which at the time was land based at Eglinton
in Northern Ireland
and equipped with the Grumman Hellcat.
With his new squadron Orr joined , a Ruler class escort carrier
, in December. The Emperor was involved in convoy escort duties and in the spring of 1944, the squadron started attacking German shipping off the Norwegian coast.
The presence of the German battleship Tirpitz
in Altafjord
in Norway was a constant threat to the Arctic convoys
and required the Royal Navy to retain a large aircraft carrier force with the Home Fleet to conduct operations along the Norwegian coast and to provide cover for these convoys. In March 1944 the fleet formed a large strike force in an attempt to destroy the Tirpitz in Operation Tungsten
. The force included the fleet carrier
s and , which were tasked with carrying the main strike force of Fairey Barracuda
s and Vought F4U Corsairs, while the main fighter force was provided by the escort carriers Emperor, which was equipped with Grumman Hellcats, together with and , carrying Grumman Wildcats.
Orr, who was in command of the second strike group, remembered:
For his part with this operation, Orr was awarded the second Bar to his DSC.
Flying in a mixed formation of 18 aircraft from 804 and 800 Naval Air Squadron on the 14 May, Orr led the formation, attacking shipping near Vikten Island
and along with Lieutenant
Blyth Ritchie, he shot down a Heinkel He 115
float plane. At the same time he also shared in the destruction of two Blohm & Voss BV 138 flying boats and two more Heinkel float planes, for which he was mentioned in dispatches
.
as the chief flying instructor. Later he was transferred to Boscombe Down
where he joined the Empire Test Pilot School. While undertaking this role, he gained experience flying jet fighters and four engined bombers. He then served as a Royal Navy test pilot for two years and a half years. During this time he was heavily involved with experiments landing tricycle-undercarriage jet aircraft on aircraft carriers, for which he was awarded the Air Force Cross
. In 1953, Orr was posted to and onboard her he saw operational service in the Korean War
, attacking targets on the west coast of Korea. After this he returned to Boscombe Down as the commanding officer of the Naval Test Squadron, a role he undertook for three years. He was promoted to commander
and his squadron was awarded the Boyd Trophy
after being judged the most efficient squadron in the entire Fleet Air Arm. Orr’s final appointment was in command the Inter service Hovercraft Trials Unit based at Lee-on-Solent. During his service Orr flew over 100 different aircraft and retired from the Royal Navy in 1966.
Upon leaving the service, Orr joined Vospers as their marine superintendent and became involved in their development of fast patrol boats. Five years later he left Vospers and became a commercial agent for a number of engineering firms. In 1999, Orr's wife, Myra, died. Orr died four years later on 11 August 2003. He was survived by two sons.
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
& Two Bars
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...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(28 September 1916 – 11 August 2003) was the highest scoring 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 Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the Second World War. Flying with the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
he was credited with the destruction of 17 aircraft. His success was recognised by the awards of the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
and Two Bars
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...
, an Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
and a Mention in Despatches.
He took part in campaigns over Norway and Dunkirk in 1940 and then moved to the Mediterranean aboard . During this time he was involved in the Battle of Taranto
Battle of Taranto
The naval Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War. The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, flying a small number of obsolescent biplane torpedo bombers from an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea...
, the defence of Malta, the Battle of Cape Matapan
Battle of Cape Matapan
The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second World War naval battle fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the southwest coast of Greece's Peloponnesian peninsula...
, and land based operations in Egypt. Later in the war in 1944, he was involved in the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
. At the end of the Second World War he remained in the Navy, becoming a test pilot at the Empire Test Pilots' School
Empire Test Pilots' School
The Empire Test Pilots' School is a British training school for test pilots and flight test engineers of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft at MoD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, England. It was established in 1943, the first of its type...
. He saw further action during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, when he served aboard as Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
(flying). His last job in the Navy was in command of the Hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
trials unit. Upon leaving the Royal Navy in 1966, he became a marine superintendent at Vospers.
Early life
Stanley Gordon Orr was born on the 28 September 1916, in London, England. The son of a stockbroker, he was educated at Paxton Park boarding school until the Wall Street crash left his father in financial difficulties; he then attended the Regent Street Polytechnic and started an apprenticeship at HumberHumber (car)
Humber is a dormant British automobile marque which could date its beginnings to Thomas Humber's bicycle company founded in 1868. Following their involvement in Humber through Hillman in 1928 the Rootes brothers acquired a controlling interest and joined the Humber board in 1932 making Humber part...
. Leaving Humber after two years he joined Vale Engineering, which produced sports cars. His interest in flying started in 1936 when he was employed by Handley Page working on the prototypes for the Hampden and Halifax bombers. In 1939 he applied to join 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...
but was turned down after failing a medical eyesight test. Soon after, he successfully passed the same test in the same room but with a different doctor and joined the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
Second World War
Having been accepted by the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and holding the rank of sub-lieutenantSub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
, Orr gained his naval skills and learnt how to fly while serving on the old First World War vintage carrier . As a qualified pilot, he attended the air gunnery school before being posted to 759 Naval Air Squadron at Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, in February 1940. At Eastleigh, he was trained on the Navy's fighter aircraft: the two seater Blackburn Skua
Blackburn Skua
The Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm which combined the functions of a dive bomber and fighter. It was designed in the mid-1930s, and saw service in the early part of the Second World War...
dual fighter–dive bomber and the single seat Sea Gladiator biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
.
806 Naval Air Squadron
806 Naval Air Squadron was a fighter squadron in the Fleet Air Arm that existed from February 1940 to December 1960 and saw active service in Norway, the Dunkirk evacuation and the Malta Convoys.-Formation:...
, which was based at Hatson in the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
. The squadron was equipped with the Blackburn Skua and Blackburn Roc
Blackburn Roc
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brew, Alec. The Turret Fighters: Defiant and Roc. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 2002. ISBN 1-86126-497-6....
, another two seater fighter, and at the time was tasked with attacking German shipping and oil storage facilities in Norway. Later, the squadron was moved to Detling
Detling
Detling is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone in Kent, England. The parish is located on the slope of the North Downs, north east of Maidstone, and on the Pilgrims' Way....
, in 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...
, to provide air cover for Operation Dynamo
Operation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
from Dunkirk. In June, 806 Squadron was converted to fly the Fairey Fulmar
Fairey Fulmar
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
, another two seater fighter, and was posted to the air group on the newly-commissioned aircraft carrier .
Mediterranean
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
in August and arrived in the Mediterranean by September. Orr became an 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...
in the following months, claiming seven aircraft shot down out of 30 claimed by his squadron. Orr's victories included a CANT Z.501
CANT Z.501
The CANT Z.501 Gabbiano was a single engine flying boat that served with the Italian Regia Aeronautica during World War II. It had a crew of four or five and was used mainly for reconnaissance. Initially a successful aircraft, it was obsolete by 1940, but was still used throughout World War II,...
flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
on 2 September and on 4 September off the Dodecanese
Dodecanese
The Dodecanese are a group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, of which 26 are inhabited. Τhis island group generally defines the eastern limit of the Sea of Crete. They belong to the Southern Sporades island group...
he shared in the shooting down of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello was a three-engine bomber/transport aircraft serving in the Italian Regia Aeronautica during World War II...
bomber. One of the first larger missions Orr took part in was providing the fighter cover for the Fairey Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto
Battle of Taranto
The naval Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War. The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, flying a small number of obsolescent biplane torpedo bombers from an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea...
. Other missions included attacks on German army positions at Bardia
Bardia
Bardia is a geographic region in the Democratic Republic of Nepal.Bardia comprises a portion of the Terai, or lowland hills and valleys of southern Nepal. The Terai is over 1,000 feet in elevation, and extends all along the Indian border...
, bombing Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
in Libya, and attacks on the Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
airfields. Orr was also awarded his first Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
(DSC) for his service during these missions.
On 10 January 1941, Orr and Sub-Lieutenant Graham Hogg observed two Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
s making a torpedo bombing run on Illustrious; after a long chase they managed to shoot one of them down. The Italian planes, however, had just been a diversion, because at the same time three squadrons of Junkers Ju 87
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
from Sturzkampfgeschwader 1
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1
Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 was a Luftwaffe Dive bomber-wing of World War II. It was formed in November 1939-History:StG 1 was formed in November 1939 and remained active until October 1943, when all Sturzkampfgeschwader were renamed Schlachtgeschwader 1 .-Norwegian campaign:Fliegerkorps X was the only...
and Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 Immelmann was a Luftwaffe Dive bomber-wing of World War II. It was named after Max Immelmann in 1939.The unit was originally formed as Fliegergruppe Schwerin in 1934; the first Stuka wing of its type, attaining the sobriquet 'Immelmann' in 1935...
arrived over the carrier. The Ju 87s were circling the fleet at 11000 feet (3,352.8 m), out of the range of the navy's anti-aircraft guns. They then targeted the carrier, diving down and hitting her six times. Orr, down at sea level and out of ammunition, climbed up through the carrier's anti-aircraft barrage in an attempt to disrupt the dive-bombers' attack.
With Illustrious damaged and unable to land her remaining seven Fairey Fulmar fighters, the aircraft were ordered to land at RAF Hal Far
RAF Hal Far
The RAF Hal Far airfield in Malta, titled HMS Falcon during the Royal Navy base, was constructed and opened on 1 April 1929, and was used by Royal Navy air crews. It was the first permanent airfield to be built in Malta. It was transferred to the Maltese Government and redeveloped as from January...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
From RAF Hal Far, 806 Naval Air Squadron provided air cover for Malta and Illustrious which was berthed in the Grand Harbour
Grand Harbour
Grand Harbour is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been used as a harbour since at least Phoenician times...
at Valleta, under repair. On 5 February Orr shot down a 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...
that was bombing the city. In total, flying in the defence of Malta, Orr added five more victories to his record and was awarded a second DSC. The damage to Illustrious could not be repaired at Malta so she was sent to the United States for repairs. Meanwhile, 806 Naval Air Squadron remained in the Mediterranean, joining another Illustrious class aircraft carrier
Illustrious class aircraft carrier
The Illustrious class was a class of aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy that were some of the most important British warships in World War II...
,.
On board Formidable, Orr's squadron provided the fighter cover for her Fairey Albacore
Fairey Albacore
The Fairey Albacore was a British single-engine carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber built by Fairey Aviation between 1939 and 1943 for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and used during the Second World War. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance as well as delivering...
s and Fairey Swordfish during the Battle of Cape Matapan
Battle of Cape Matapan
The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second World War naval battle fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the southwest coast of Greece's Peloponnesian peninsula...
in March 1941 and the bombing of Tripoli. Orr shot down a Ju 88 during this time. Another victory followed on the 21 April. Flying over Tripoli, Orr and Sub-Lieutenant Graham Hogg forced a Dornier Do 24
Dornier Do 24
-See also:-References:* -External links:* * * * * * * * *...
n flying boat down with its engine on fire. Each time it tried to take off again the pair carried out another attack until it eventually sank. When Formidable was put out of action by German Ju 87 dive bombers, 806 Naval Air Squadron was again sent to operate from land. This time they were based at the naval Dekheila Airfield near Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
in Egypt and, at the same time, were re-formed with 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...
fighters. In June, the squadron took part in operations against the Vichy French in Palestine.
United States
In August 1941 Orr, having spent 18 months on operations, returned home and became a flying instructor at RNAS YeoviltonRNAS Yeovilton
Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, is an airfield of the Royal Navy, sited in South West England a few miles north of Yeovil in Somerset...
. A year later in August 1942, he was sent along with 80 officers and men to the United States to form 896 Naval Air Squadron. The squadron was equipped with Grumman Martlets at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and then joined . A shortage in American aircraft carriers resulted in the lending of Victorious to the United States Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
where she was known by the alias USS Robin and her aircraft were repainted with American markings. Orr was prevented from joining them in the Pacific when he contracted poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
in March 1943. He spent 10 weeks at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
in an iron lung
Iron lung
A negative pressure ventilator is a form of medical ventilator that enables a person to breathe when normal muscle control has been lost or the work of breathing exceeds the person's ability....
before making a complete recovery and was later sent home to Britain.
804 Squadron
On his return, Orr feared he would be grounded but in August 1943 he was given a new command—804 Naval Air Squadron804 Naval Air Squadron
804 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy, formed in November 1939 from part of 769 NAS Sea Gladiators which had been detached to RNAS Hatston. The squadron was merged into 800 NAS in June 1944 and subsequently reformed in September.-World War II:During World War II, she...
, which at the time was land based at Eglinton
Eglinton, County Londonderry
Eglinton is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies east of Derry, to which it serves as a sleeper village, and west of Limavady. Many inhabitants of the village work in Derry city and send their children to school there. Eglinton had a population of 3,165 people in the 2001...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and equipped with the Grumman Hellcat.
With his new squadron Orr joined , a Ruler class escort carrier
Ruler class escort carrier
The Ruler class of escort aircraft carriers served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War. All twenty-eight ships were built by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in the United States and supplied under Lend-Lease; They were the most numerous single class of aircraft carriers in...
, in December. The Emperor was involved in convoy escort duties and in the spring of 1944, the squadron started attacking German shipping off the Norwegian coast.
The presence of the German battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
in Altafjord
Altafjord
Altafjord is a fjord in the municipality Alta in Finnmark county, Norway, and is about 38 kilometres long. In the inner southern part of the fjord, near the town of Alta, is the outlet of the 200 kilometre long river Altaelva...
in Norway was a constant threat to the Arctic convoys
Arctic convoys of World War II
The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United Kingdom and North America to the northern ports of the Soviet Union—Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. There were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945...
and required the Royal Navy to retain a large aircraft carrier force with the Home Fleet to conduct operations along the Norwegian coast and to provide cover for these convoys. In March 1944 the fleet formed a large strike force in an attempt to destroy the Tirpitz in Operation Tungsten
Operation Tungsten
Operation Tungsten was a British naval operation during World War II. it was one of a number of aerial attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz while she was in Norwegian waters...
. The force included the fleet carrier
Fleet carrier
A fleet carrier is an aircraft carrier that is designed to operate with the main fleet of a nation's navy. The term was developed during the Second World War, to distinguish it from the escort carrier and other lesser types...
s and , which were tasked with carrying the main strike force of Fairey Barracuda
Fairey Barracuda
The Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo- and dive bomber used during the Second World War, the first of its type used by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to be fabricated entirely from metal. It was introduced as a replacement for the Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore biplanes...
s and Vought F4U Corsairs, while the main fighter force was provided by the escort carriers Emperor, which was equipped with Grumman Hellcats, together with and , carrying Grumman Wildcats.
Orr, who was in command of the second strike group, remembered:
"Upon arrival over Tirpitz it was found that the smoke screen generated by the Germans had ridden half way up the mountains on either side of the Kaafjord. Each flight attacked their pre-briefed gun sites once it was clear that no enemy fighters were in the area. The Hellcat proved itself to be an excellent gun platform on this mission."
For his part with this operation, Orr was awarded the second Bar to his DSC.
Flying in a mixed formation of 18 aircraft from 804 and 800 Naval Air Squadron on the 14 May, Orr led the formation, attacking shipping near Vikten Island
Flakstadøya
Flakstadøya is an island in Lofoten in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in Flakstad municipality.The island is connected to Moskenesøya in the west by Kåkern Bridge, and to Vestvågøya through the undersea tunnel Nappstraumtunnelen....
and along with Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Blyth Ritchie, he shot down a Heinkel He 115
Heinkel He 115
The Heinkel He 115 was a World War II Luftwaffe seaplane with three seats. It was used as a torpedo bomber and performed general seaplane duties, such as reconnaissance and minelaying. The plane was powered by two 720 kW BMW 132K nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines...
float plane. At the same time he also shared in the destruction of two Blohm & Voss BV 138 flying boats and two more Heinkel float planes, for which he was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
.
Later career
In September 1944, Orr was posted to RNAS HenstridgeHenstridge
Henstridge is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated miles east of Sherborne in the South Somerset district, near the border with Dorset. The parish includes the hamlet of Yenston...
as the chief flying instructor. Later he was transferred to Boscombe Down
MoD Boscombe Down
MoD Boscombe Down is an aircraft testing site located at Idmiston, south of Amesbury, in Wiltshire, England. It is run and managed by QinetiQ, the company created as part of the breakup of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in 2001 by the UK Ministry of Defence...
where he joined the Empire Test Pilot School. While undertaking this role, he gained experience flying jet fighters and four engined bombers. He then served as a Royal Navy test pilot for two years and a half years. During this time he was heavily involved with experiments landing tricycle-undercarriage jet aircraft on aircraft carriers, for which he was awarded the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
. In 1953, Orr was posted to and onboard her he saw operational service in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, attacking targets on the west coast of Korea. After this he returned to Boscombe Down as the commanding officer of the Naval Test Squadron, a role he undertook for three years. He was promoted to commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
and his squadron was awarded the Boyd Trophy
Boyd Trophy
The Boyd Trophy is a silver model of a Fairey Swordfish, which was presented by the Fairey Aviation Company Limited in 1946, in commemoration of the work for Naval Aviation of Admiral Sir Dennis Boyd, KCB, CBE, DSC RN...
after being judged the most efficient squadron in the entire Fleet Air Arm. Orr’s final appointment was in command the Inter service Hovercraft Trials Unit based at Lee-on-Solent. During his service Orr flew over 100 different aircraft and retired from the Royal Navy in 1966.
Upon leaving the service, Orr joined Vospers as their marine superintendent and became involved in their development of fast patrol boats. Five years later he left Vospers and became a commercial agent for a number of engineering firms. In 1999, Orr's wife, Myra, died. Orr died four years later on 11 August 2003. He was survived by two sons.