Tomahawk Mk.IIb Unit:
3 Sqn, RAAF Serial: X (AN343) Pilot – F/O Bruce Evans.
North Africa. He was shot down and KIA on November 15th, 1941.
Kittyhawk Mk.I Unit: 3 Sqn, RAAF Serial: CV-J North Africa, 1943.
P-40L (Kittyhawk Mk.II) Unit: 3 Sqn, RAAF Serial: CV-V Pilot – CO of 3
Sqn, RAAF (in future Air Vice Marshall) Brian A. Eaton
BY DAVID WILSON
On 20 September 1939, the Australian Government approved the
plan to raise a six-squadron air expeditionary force for service overseas.
Although this plan was later negated by the decision in November that RAAF
resources should be employed to ensure the success of the Empire Air Training
Scheme, a RAAF flying unit was deployed to the Middle East to assist the 6th
Division of the Second Australian Imperial Force as an element of General
Wavell’s army that was protecting the Suez Canal and Egypt. This unit was 3
Squadron, which had been flying Hawker Demon two-seat biplane fighters from
Richmond. Under the command of Squadron Leader I.D. McLachlan, the squadron
personnel departed from Sydney aboard the Orontes on 5 July 1940. The personnel
arrived at Port Tewfik on 20 August. They commenced training with Westland
Lysander army cooperation aircraft at Ismailia, before moving to Helwan, south
of Cairo, on 16 September. At Helwan 3 squadron was finally equipped with two
flights of Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters, four Gloster Gauntlet biplane
fighters, and a flight of army cooperation Lysander aircraft from RAF sources.
The Gladiator pilots trained in air fighting tactics, the Gauntlets were used
as improvised dive- bombers and the Lysander crews practised for their tactical
reconnaissance role, before the Gladiators and the Gauntlets were flown to
Gerawla, east of Mersa Matruh, early in November.
The squadron fought the Italian Air Force (Regia
Aeronautica) for the first time on 19 November 1940. Flight Lieutenant B.R.
Pelly, escorted by Squadron Leader P.R. Heath, and Flying Officers A.C. Alan
Rawlinson and H.H. Alan Boyd, was reconnoitring east of Rabia, when the
formation was intercepted by eighteen Fiat CR-42 fighters. The Australian
Gladiators, for the loss of the popular Heath, claimed to have shot down or
damaged six Italian fighters. From this time until the commencement, on 9
December, of Wavell’s offensive to force the Italians from Sidi Barrani, the
squadron maintained three fighters on stand-by to counter any enemy aerial
incursions. The fighters were not required, but the unit did undertake practice
dive-bombing exercises with the Western Desert Force.
In a brilliant campaign, General Richard O’Connor forced the
more numerous Italian forces from the fortress of Bardia and captured Tobruk.
After cutting off the retreating Italian Army at Beda Fomm on 7 February, the
Western Desert force was poised to attack Tripoli. However, the situation that
developed in Greece during January 1941 resulted in the weakening of the desert
force to bolster the Greek Army against German invasion. The Regia Aeronautica
proved ineffectual in combating the superiority of the three RAF fighter
squadrons, one of which was the Gladiator-equipped 3 Squadron, which, for the loss
of five Gladiators and two pilots (Flight Lieutenant C.B. Gaden and Flying
Officer J.C. Campbell), was credited with the destruction of twelve enemy
aircraft. During February the Australian squadron was equipped with Hawker
Hurricane monoplane fighters and, from its base at Benina, was assigned the
task of defending Benghazi from attacks by Luftwaffe aircraft based in Sicily
and Tripolitania. Due to the lack of early warning facilities and the Luftwaffe
tactics of attacking just before dawn or after dusk, 3 Squadron could claim
only one success—on 15 February, Flying Officer J.H.W. Saunders succeeded in
destroying a Junkers JU-88.
Luftwaffe operations indicated that General Erwin Rommel,
who had arrived in Tripoli during the later days of February with the Afrika
Korps to assist the Italians, would not be prepared to accept a passive role.
On 24 March, he initiated an offensive which resulted in the capture of
Benghazi on 3 April, and the subsequent retreat of the British forces to the
vicinity of Bardia by the 11th, leaving the 9th Australian Division surrounded
in Tobruk. The RAF fighter squadrons had limited success in covering the
retreat and protecting the British forces from the Luftwaffe. During the
ten-day, 800-kilometre retreat, 3 Squadron operated from nine separate bases.
After evacuating from Benini on 3 April, it undertook a fighting withdrawal.
Although it was impossible to supply adequate cover for the retreating troops,
the squadron did claim some victories against the Luftwaffe. Eight Hurricanes
destroyed five Junkers JU-87s during the afternoon of 5 April while they were
covering the withdrawal of the 2nd Armoured Division near Charruba. An hour
later Flight Lieutenant J.R. ‘Jock’ Perrin led a formation of nine Hurricanes
that surprised twelve JU-87s and claimed the destruction of nine of the enemy.
On 14 April, the squadron was operating from Sidi Barrani when Flying Officer
W.S. ‘Wulf’ Arthur and Lieutenant A.A. Tennant (South African Air Force)
combined to shoot down two twin-engined BF-110s near Tobruk. The following day
Squadron Leader Peter Jeffrey shot down a Junkers JU-52 transport and
successfully strafed three more that had just landed near the Bardia–Capuzzo
road. The Australian squadron was withdrawn to Aboukir, for rest, on 20 April.
The reverses in the Western Desert, the fall of Greece and
the invasion of Crete marked the nadir of British fortunes in the Middle East
and Mediterranean. There was no respite for the hard-pressed Wavell and his
forces. As 3 Squadron was being withdrawn for rest, the situation in Vichy
French-controlled Syria compelled military action to prevent the potential that
German aircraft could refuel at Syrian bases and threaten the oilfields of
Persia and Iraq. Wavell, who was preparing for Operation Battleaxe, an
offensive to be mounted in June with the aim of relieving Tobruk, was ordered,
in combination with Free French Forces, to invade Syria to prevent any such
incursions. The force assigned for the Syrian campaign comprised the 7th
Australian Division, the 5th Indian Brigade, some composite mechanised units
and the Free French Division. A light-bomber squadron, one army cooperation and
one fleet air arm squadron, as well as two and a half fighter squadrons
supplied air support. Having converted to the American Curtis P-40 Tomahawk
fighter at Lyddia in Palestine, 3 squadron was to play a prominent role in the
campaign. Their first operation was a strike by five Tomahawks that left six
French Morane fighters destroyed on the ground at the Rayak airfield on 8 June.
That afternoon four Tomahawks escorted Bristol Blenheims that attacked oil
tanks at Beirut. The squadron flew various roles over the next two weeks:
interceptions, naval patrols, tactical reconnaissance, close air support of the
ground troops and bomber escort duties, all of which gave the opportunity to
engage the enemy in combat. On 14 June, Peter Jeffery led eight Tomahawks into
combat against a like number of JU-88s (with Italian markings) during which
three of the German bombers were shot down.
The Anglo-French advance proceeded quickly until 12 June,
when the Australians were halted by Vichy French counterattacks near
Merdjayoun. The Free French had advanced to within sixteen kilometres of
Damascus, and the British fighter units supported both forces by offensive
patrolling. On the 15th, 3 Squadron reconnaissance flight sighted twelve Vichy
tanks and 30 motor vehicles near Sheikh Meskine, and Jeffrey and Flying Officer
Peter Turnbull each destroyed a Vichy Glenn Martin bomber. Attacks on enemy
targets in the Kuneitra area failed to prevent the Vichy French ground forces
from threatening the British line of communications. The Vichy Air Force was
active, and the demand for protective patrols by the limited British fighter
force could not be met.
The hardening of Vichy French resistance led to a
reorganisation and reinforcement of the attacking forces. Lieutenant General
Lavarack assumed command of I Australian Corps, which had been augmented by a
brigade from the 6th British Division and an independent force (Habforce) moved
from Iraq to threaten Palmyra. Air reinforcements consisted of the combined 260
Hurricane squadron (comprising RAF pilots and RAAF ground crew) and a Blenheim
bomber squadron, thus enabling 3 Squadron to be allocated to support the
Australian Corps. The Australian Tomahawks attacked tactical targets and the
aggressive strafing of enemy airfields destroyed many enemy aircraft on the
ground. Tomahawks also escorted the Blenheims on raids to assist Habforce. On
the 28th, nine 3 Squadron Tomahawks escorted Blenheims on a raid before
intercepting and shooting down all six enemy Glen Martin bombers that were
attacking Habforce units. Flight Lieutenant Alan Rawlinson was credited with
three victories; Peter Turnbull was credited with the destruction of two
bombers and Sergeant R.K. Wilson claimed the remaining bomber. However, action
was not always in the Australians’ favour. On 10 July, they were escorting
Blenheims on a raid near Hammara when five Dewoitine fighters, attacking from
below the formation, shot down three of the Blenheims before the Tomahawks
could intervene. But retribution was swift. Peter Turnbull shot down two
Dewoitines and Flying Officer John Jackson, Pilot Officer E.H. Lane and
Sergeant G.E. Hiller claimed one each.
When Syrian operations were suspended on 12 July, 3 Squadron
moved to protect Beirut from possible German air reaction from bases in the
Dodecanese Islands and Crete, before returning to the Western Desert, where it
resumed operations from Sidi Haneish on 3 September. Many of the original
pilots, like Rawlinson, Perrin and Turnbull, returned to Australia toward the
end of 1941. In May, Squadron Leader Gordon Steege had been posted from 3
Squadron to assume the command of 450 Squadron, which finally became
operational with Australian ground and aircrews in January 1942. The dilution
of experience within 3 Squadron continued with the appointment, on 13 June
1941, of Flight Lieutenant B.R. Pelly to command the newly arrived 451
Squadron. When Pelly returned to Australia he passed the command to Squadron
Leader V.A. Pope, RAF on 25 June 1941. Despite its lack of experience, the unit
built its proficiency during a series of artillery shoots, photographic and
tactical reconnaissance sorties.
Operation Battleaxe proved a failure and the lull in ground
operations resulted in 451 Squadron flying only 372 sorties in the period 1
July–14 October. On 9 August, Pope inaugurated photographic sorties to
photograph the German positions surrounding Tobruk, and plans were made for a
detachment of two Hurricanes from the squadron to operate from within the
perimeter. These aircraft operated for some months, where, despite almost daily
aerial reconnaissance missions and air raids, the Axis forces were never aware
of the underground shelters in which they were housed. Despite increasing
Luftwaffe activity in September—the squadron lost six aircraft—the unit was
able to report the presence of enemy tanks near Acroma on 11 September and to
closely monitor the movements of this column as it advanced to Rabia and then
its withdrawal to its start line.
Operation Crusader, the offensive planned by General
Auchinleck, the new Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in the Middle East,
to destroy the German Army’s armoured forces, relieve Tobruk and clear
Tripolitania, commenced on 18 November. Both the Australia fighter squadrons
were involved in the preparatory and subsequent operations. The RAF fighter
squadrons were reorganised into three groups: one party would move to a forward
airfield to prepare for the arrival of the aircraft; a second party would
maintain the aircraft and then follow and relieve the first party that would
then be available to move further forward. These two groups preceded the third
group— the headquarters, workshops, stores and transport—thus ensuring the
mobility of the squadron. Given the fluidity of the subsequent actions in North
Africa, this proved a sensible arrangement. Although the BF-109F flown by the
Luftwaffe was superior to the desert-modified British Tomahawk and Hurricane
fighters, the Luftwaffe did not seriously impair the tactical reconnaissance
operations of 451 Squadron or engage 3 Squadron fighter sweeps. On 22 November,
two aerial battles were fought that established the superiority of the British
fighter units. During the morning 3 Squadron escorted a formation of Blenheim
bombers when they were intercepted by fifteen BF-109s. In the ensuing melee,
three Tomahawks and two BF-109s were shot down. That afternoon 3 Squadron
joined with 112 Squadron, RAF, in a battle with twenty BF-109s. Although the
Germans had the height and speed advantage, the two formations assumed
defensive circling manoeuvres, with individual pilots seeking to exploit any
momentary vulnerability of their opponents. Being further from their home bases
that the British, the German fighters, due to lack of fuel, were forced to
break the stalemate by disengaging and flying west.
Although the ebb and flow of the ground battle between the
Eighth Army and the Afrika Korps fluctuated between the combatants, the Axis
aerial situation, despite the balance of aircraft losses being in favour of the
Luftwaffe, did not, in general terms, threaten RAF freedom of action during the
campaign. The 451 Squadron Hurricanes, allotted to undertake tactical
reconnaissance for XIII Corps, did so with little interference from enemy
aircraft. The squadron did, however, lose personnel as a result of the fluid
ground battle. On 27 November, Flight Lieutenant Carmichael, Sergeant ‘Nil’
Fisher, Corporal Keith Taylor and Aircraftman Don Bailey, Arthur Baines,
‘Tubby’ Ward and five other airmen were captured by an enemy column that
attacked the landing site at Sidi Azeies.
The fighters however, were able to give substantial cover to
the ground forces. For example, on the afternoon of 25 November Peter Jeffery
led 3 and 112 Squadrons over Sidi Rezegh, where they encountered an enemy
formation of 70 BF-110s and JU-87s that were attacking New Zealand troops. The
RAF Squadron engaged the top cover of German and Italian fighters, while 3
Squadron attacked the BF-110s and JU-87s. Much to the delight of the ground
troops, the Tomahawk pilots dispatched seven of the enemy, probably destroyed
one and damaged another eight, for the loss of one Tomahawk. The British force
destroyed a total of ten enemy aircraft.
Early in December, 3 Squadron re-equipped with the Curtis
P-40E Kittyhawk. This aircraft was a development of the basic P-40, but was
more heavily armed than its predecessors. In the meantime 450 Squadron had
deployed to Gambut Main, where it joined the Desert Air Force on 16 February
1942. Six days later Sergeant R. Shaw claimed its first aerial victory: a JU-88
shot down in flames.
Rommel, with his usual resilience, mounted a counterattack
in January 1942. The Eighth Army withdrew to Gazala, where Auchinleck planned
to hold the Germans prior to initiating a British offensive. The defence was
based on a series of strong points such as Bir Hacheim and Knightsbridge,
which, together with the armoured killing ground that became known as ‘The
Cauldron’, was synonymous with the heavy fighting. The two Australian fighter
squadrons, 3 and 450, were active from the opening of the battle on 27 May.
During that day 3 Squadron Kittyhawks dropped 22 250-pound bombs, damaging
several tanks. Consequent actions were a mix of ground attack sorties in
support of the British Army or protecting the same from the incursions of the
Luftwaffe: the Free French defensive position at Bir Hacheim was the target for
350 enemy sorties per day. The statistics for operations flown on 16 June
indicate the intensity of the Australian squadrons’ effort. From only thirteen
aircraft available, 3 Squadron flew 62 operational sorties while 450 Squadron
flew 25 bomber escort missions and then another fifteen fighter-bomber missions
later in the day.
After the bloody battles of June, the Eighth Army was forced
to withdraw under the wings of the Desert Air Force to a defensive position
with its right flank resting on the Mediterranean Sea and its left protected by
the impassable Qattara Depression. On 1 July Rommel opened the first Battle of
El Alamein, advancing toward El Alamein and the approaches to El Ruweisat. The
Desert Air Force opposed this advance with vigour. The two Australian squadrons
flew with Boston light bombers to attack Deir el Shein, fighting a running
battle with BF-109s during the outward journey that resulted in the loss of a
Kittyhawk. With the priority given to close support of the troops on the ground
and the interdiction of German transport, aerial victories were few. One was
claimed on 4 July—a relatively typical operational day during the battle. The
two Australian units reconnoitred the coastal road to Daba and strafed a supply
column near Ras Gibeisa. That afternoon they bombed landing grounds west of
Daba before 450 Squadron machine-gunned a long column of enemy transport on the
road. Flight Sergeant D.H. McBurnie shot down a BF-110 reconnaissance aircraft.
To finalise the operations for the day, 3 Squadron bombed trucks at Sidi Abd el
Rahman and 450 Squadron spied on enemy movements as far west as Fuka.
Although 3 and 450 Squadrons were active in covering the
British retreat, 451 was withdrawn to Haifa in Palestine during February 1942.
During March the squadron deployed to Cyprus to protect the island from
high-flying German reconnaissance aircraft. The squadron removed the armour and
half the guns to lighten the Hurricanes to improve their performance. One
pilot, Flight Lieutenant R.T. Hudson, claimed to have flown his Hurricane to an
altitude of 12 000 metres (2000 metres above the fighter’s normal service
ceiling), but only one success was claimed. Flying Officers Lin Terry and Jack
Cox combined to shoot down an Italian Cant 107-C reconnaissance aircraft. On 8
January 1943, the unit moved to Mersa Matruh, from where they were involved in
mundane patrols over the Nile Delta. Even the attachment of three Supermarine
Spitfires did not improve morale. In the first six months of 1943, the unit had
a single action. On 22 February, a JU-88 had the better of a brief fight. On 23
July 1943, 451 Squadron lost three of six Hurricanes that had joined a strike
force of Martin Baltimore light bombers, Beaufighters and Spitfires on an
ineffective strike on targets on Crete.
The squadron was re-equipped with Spitfires and commenced a
new phase of operations from Poretta, Corsica on 23 April 1944, when it
escorted a formation of 24 North American B-25 Mitchell bombers to attack a
railway bridge at Orvieto, Italy. During the return flight the formation was
intercepted, and Flying Officer Wallis claimed a share in the destruction of a
FW-190 fighter. Even though the majority of the bomber escort and armed
reconnaissance flights from Poretta were unopposed, the Luftwaffe was still
capable of making its presence felt. On the night of 11 May, a JU-88 dropped
anti-personnel bombs on Poretta, killing two pilots and six of the squadron
ground staff. In the air the Luftwaffe was less deadly. On 25 May, Flight
Lieutenants House, Thomas and Bray each claimed the destruction of a FW-190
after a sharp encounter over Roccalbegna, north of Rome, accounting for three
of the seven enemy aircraft shot down by 451 Squadron during the month. Another
highlight was the covering of the landing by French commandos on the island of
Elba.
Squadron Leader W.W.B. Gale assumed the command of 451
Squadron early in July, but was shot down a week later while engaged in a
reconnaissance flight over the bridges spanning the Arno River between Florence
and Empoli. Squadron Leader G.W. Small assumed command on 7 July. Next day the
squadron moved to St Catherine, from where it flew fighter sweeps over
Marseilles and Toulon prior to flying cover for the Allied landing on the coast
of southern France on 15 August. The unit moved to St Cuer, from where, as has
been already noted, it deployed to Hawkinge.
While 451 Squadron was stalled in Palestine, the two other
Australian fighter squadrons were withdrawn for rest before participating in
the second Battle of El Alamein. During this period Flying Officer A.W. ‘Nicky’
Barr enhanced his reputation. On 11 January 1942, he claimed victories over a single
Italian Fiat G-50, and two BF-109s. During the combat Barr was wounded in the
legs, and his Kittyhawk was badly damaged, forcing Barr to crash land behind
enemy lines. Assisted by the local tribesmen, Barr was able to gain information
on enemy dispositions that proved valuable after his return to the unit. Barr
was promoted to the rank of squadron leader and assumed temporary command of 3
Squadron. On 30 May, Nicky made a spectacular high-speed crash landing, but was
able to return to the Allied lines on foot, having passed though a tank battle
en route. However, on 25 June Barr, badly wounded, bailed out of his severely
battle-damaged Kittyhawk. He was captured, but managed to escape from
captivity. In an eight-month period evading recapture in Austria and Italy, he
eluded the enemy again and again, finally becoming involved with an Allied
Airborne Special Services unit, for which he was awarded the Military Cross. He
had previously been awarded a DFC and bar, and remains, with a score of twelve
enemy aircraft to his credit, the highest scoring 3 Squadron pilot of the
Second World War.
At the end of September the Kittyhawks reverted to the
fighter-bomber role, when they attacked Axis positions near Sidi Abd el Rahman
and Ghazal. Sorties during October were a mixture of interceptions,
fighter-bomber and bomber-escort missions. These missions enabled the
respective commanders of 3 and 450 Squadrons, Squadron Leaders R.H. ‘Bobby’
Gibbes and J.E.A. Williams, to blood new pilots, thus ensuring that the units were
at peak efficiency for duties during the forthcoming battle at El Alamein.
General Montgomery began the battle on 23 October 1942, but
it was not until 4 November that the Axis forces were in full retreat. The
British fighter units escorted light bomber formations, undertook tactical
reconnaissance flights and strikes against Luftwaffe bases. Throughout the
battle, the Luftwaffe resisted stoutly, despite the long-range efforts of the
Kittyhawks to disturb their airfields. Although profitable, these operations
were not without cost; 450 Squadron lost its commander when he was forced down
near Buq Buq on 31 October. Williams was captured and, like Catanach, was
imprisoned in Stalag Luft III, one of the Gestapo victims to be executed as a
result of his efforts in the ‘Great Escape’.
Once the Eighth Army broke through the Axis lines, the
Desert Air Force was utilised to hinder the enemy retreat. Between 6 and 19
November, the fighter units were based at seven separate airfields. One task
was escorting light bomber formations. On 9 November, Sergeant Dave Borthwick,
of 450 Squadron, was part of the high cover for a formation of Bostons when he
was shot down. Although wounded, he managed to parachute to the relative safety
of the desert. On landing, he used his parachute material to bind his wounds.
Despite his bindings, he could not walk, and crawled on hands and one leg for
four days, eating beetles and licking the early morning dew from desert plants
to sustain him. He finally found an Arab tomb, and was discovered by a King’s
Royal Rifle Regiment patrol. He had lost 25 kilos in weight during his ordeal.
Borthwick was awarded an MID for his fortitude.
So keen was the fighter force that on 9 November the advance
parties of the 3 and 450 Squadron’s ‘B’ echelons appear to have been leading
the whole Allied Forces pursuit. For example, a 3 Squadron party was located to
the west of Sidi Barrani when they were strafed by BF-109s while watching the
forward element of the Eighth Army’s armoured spearhead advancing behind them.
Similarly, a 450 Squadron ‘B’ echelon was advised by the surprised armoured
column commander who found them that it may be wiser for them to wait on the
fall of Sidi Barrani before proceeding to the airfield. The advance from
Amiriya, near Alexandria, was so rapid that 3 Squadron had advanced 800
kilometres in ten days and operated from five separate airfields. On 18
December the Australians had reached the airfield at Marble Arch in Libya. The
effort was marred by the loss of five 3 Squadron ground crew members, the
victim of an enemy landmine that had been laid near the landing field.
Despite the Allied landing in Morocco during November 1942,
ensuring that the Axis forces in North Africa could not recover the initiative
in the theatre, hard fighting ensued before the final African victory. The
Australians had a reputation of making every effort to rescue downed pilots
during the campaign—successful rescues had been previously completed by, among
others, Peter Jeffery and Flying Officer Lou Spence—and the effort of Bobby
Gibbes to rescue Sergeant Rex Bayley on 21 December 1942 is an excellent
example of the hazards involved. Six 3 Squadron aircraft successfully strafed
the German airfield at Hun, leaving six enemy fighters destroyed in their wake.
Defending anti-aircraft fire shot down two of the attackers. One of the victims
was Rex Bayley, who, after successfully crash landing his Kittyhawk, radioed
that he was unhurt. Gibbes, despite Bayley’s protestations, landed his
aircraft. After releasing the half-full drop tank from the Kittyhawk’s
fuselage, Gibbes unstrapped himself from the cockpit and moved the ejected tank
from under the aircraft. When Bayley arrived, Gibbes removed his own parachute
and sat on his lap. The take-off was hazardous. There was only 300 metres
available before the ground dropped off into a wadi. Under full power, the
Kittyhawk became airborne, but not before the port wheel of the undercarriage
was demolished when it hit the earth on the opposite side of the wadi. On landing
at Marble Arch, Gibbes skilfully balanced the aircraft on its remaining
starboard wheel on landing. The aircraft ground looped, but suffered only minor
damage. Incidentally, Gibbes was himself shot down on 14 January 1943, but
evaded capture for five days before returning to Allied lines.
The Allies accepted the final surrender of Axis forces in
Tunisia on 13 May 1943. During the March 1943 breakthrough of Rommel’s
defensive line at Mareth, the squadrons flew similar roles to those at El
Alamein, and contributed to the inability of the Luftwaffe to resupply and
protect the Axis troops in Tunisia. For 3 Squadron to have been— with the
exception of Operation Battleaxe—involved in every major operation during the
North African campaign was a proud achievement. With over 200 victories, it was
the highest scoring Desert Air Force squadron. 450 Squadron had, with less
opportunity, also made its mark. In sixteen months of operations this squadron
destroyed 47 enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat, and, to give some credence to
the varied role of fighter-bombers with the Desert Air Force, destroyed 584
enemy motor vehicles.
Australian fighter pilots also served with the RAF. The most
outstanding was Clive Robertson Caldwell, who, with 28 confirmed victories, was
the highest scoring Australian ‘ace’ of the Second World War. By the time he
arrived back in Australia during September 1942, he had scored at least twenty
victories and commanded 112 Squadron, RAF. He was acknowledged as a superb
shot, and his ‘shadow shooting’ technique—a pilot would fire live rounds at the
ground shadow of an accompanying aircraft, thus honing his skills in deflection
shooting as well as allowing for the time taken for the projectiles and targets
to meet at the same spot (leading the target). He was awarded a DSO, DFC and
bar and the Polish Cross of Valour while in the Middle East. A contemporary was
John Lloyd Waddy, who served in 250 Squadron, RAF, and 4 Squadron, South
African Air Force (SAAF), before returning to Australia in February 1943.
During his service in the Middle East he was awarded a DFC and scored twelve
aerial victories.
