Tom Neil
Encyclopedia
Wing Commander
Thomas Francis "Ginger" Neil, DFC*
, AFC
, AE
is a famed World War II Royal Air Force
fighter pilot, ace and one of the few remaining survivors of the Battle of Britain
. Neil scored a total of 14 kills during the Second World War.
in 1938 at the age of 18. He was called up to full-time service at the outbreak of war. He was posted to No. 8 FTS on 1 December 1939 and was commissioned on completion of the course. He was posted to No. 249 Squadron RAF
in May 1940 where he flew Hurricanes
during the Battle of Britain
alongside "Tich Palliser"
.
Neil was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
, on 8 October 1940 and was awarded a Bar to his DFC on 26 November 1940. He embarked with 249 Sqn on HMS Furious
on 10 May and sailed for Gibraltar
, and on arrival the squadron transferred to HMS Ark Royal
. The squadron flew to Ta' Qali on 21 May 1941 to take part in the Battle of Malta
.
In December 1941, Neil was transferred and eventually became liaison officer to the US 9th Air Force's
100th Fighter Wing
.
Neil retired from the RAF in 1964 at the rank of Wing Commander.
. He returned to Great Britain in 1967, settling in Norfolk
where he became a director in the shoe industry, and later became secretary of his local Chamber of commerce
. He retired in the early 1980s.
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Thomas Francis "Ginger" Neil, 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...
, 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"...
, AE
Air Efficiency Award
The Air Efficiency award, abbreviated to AE when placed after a holder's name, was a United Kingdom honour given for ten years' efficient service in the Reserve Air Forces of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and Empire. Unlike other long service and meritorious conduct awards, both officers and...
is a famed World War II 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...
fighter pilot, ace and one of the few remaining survivors of 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...
. Neil scored a total of 14 kills during the Second World War.
Military career
Neil joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer ReserveRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
in 1938 at the age of 18. He was called up to full-time service at the outbreak of war. He was posted to No. 8 FTS on 1 December 1939 and was commissioned on completion of the course. He was posted to No. 249 Squadron RAF
No. 249 Squadron RAF
No. 249 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active in the sea-patrol, fighter and bomber roles during its existence.-First formation:...
in May 1940 where he flew Hurricanes
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...
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...
alongside "Tich Palliser"
George Palliser
Flight Lieutenant George Charles Calder "Tich" Palliser, DFC, AE was a famed World War II Royal Air Force fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain, and was one of the remaining members known as "The Few".- Early life :...
.
Neil was awarded the 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...
, on 8 October 1940 and was awarded a Bar to his DFC on 26 November 1940. He embarked with 249 Sqn on HMS Furious
HMS Furious (47)
HMS Furious was a modified cruiser built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Designed to support the Baltic Project championed by the First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, Lord John Fisher, they were very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. Furious was modified while...
on 10 May and sailed for Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, and on arrival the squadron transferred to HMS Ark Royal
HMS Ark Royal (91)
HMS Ark Royal was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War.Designed in 1934 to fit the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty, Ark Royal was built by Cammell Laird and Company, Ltd. at Birkenhead, England, and completed in November 1938. Her design...
. The squadron flew to Ta' Qali on 21 May 1941 to take part in the Battle of Malta
Battle of Malta
The Battle of Malta took place on 8 July 1283 in the entrance to the Grand Harbour, the principal harbor of Malta, when a galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a fleet of Angevin galleys commanded by William Cornut and Bartholomew Bonvin...
.
In December 1941, Neil was transferred and eventually became liaison officer to the US 9th Air Force's
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
100th Fighter Wing
404th Air Expeditionary Group
The 404th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. It is attached to Seventeenth Air Force [Air Forces Africa], stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
.
Neil retired from the RAF in 1964 at the rank of Wing Commander.
Post RAF Life
After retiring from the RAF, Neil returned to the USA to lead a British consultancy company in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He returned to Great Britain in 1967, settling in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
where he became a director in the shoe industry, and later became secretary of his local Chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
. He retired in the early 1980s.
Publications
Neil has written a number of books on his experiences:- From the Cockpit: Spitfire (1990)
- Onward to Malta (1992)
- Flight into Darkness (2006)
- Questions of Guilt and Other Stories: The Stories of Wing Commander Tom Neil (2008)
- Gun Button to Fire: A Hurricane Pilot's Dramatic Story of the Battle of Britain (2010)