List of World War II aces from the United Kingdom

Last updated

This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from the United Kingdom and the British Empire (Country names as per name at the time of World War II). For other countries see List of World War II aces by country.

Contents

For "turret fighters" such as the Boulton Paul Defiant, the pilot put the aircraft into position with the enemy and it was the gunner who controlled the armament, air victories are credited to both.

List

Abbreviations

Awards

Awards
AwardTitleNotes
AE Air Efficiency Award Awarded for ten years' efficient service in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
AFC Air Force Cross At this time, awarded "for acts of courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy" to commissioned officers and warrant officers. [76] Extended to all ranks in 1993.
CdeG Croix de Guerre A military decoration of both France and Belgium, also commonly bestowed to foreign military forces allied to France and Belgium.
DFC Distinguished Flying Cross At this time, awarded "for acts of gallantry when flying in active operations against the enemy" to commissioned officers and warrant officers. [76] Extended to all ranks in 1993.
DFC* Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar A bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the DFC who receive a second award.
DFC** Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bars A second bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the DFC and Bar who receive a third award.
DFM Distinguished Flying Medal At this time, awarded "for acts of gallantry when flying in active operations against the enemy" to non-commissioned officers and men. [76] Discontinued in 1993.
DSO Distinguished Service Order Awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.
DSO* Distinguished Service Order and Bar A bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the DSO who receive a second award.
DSO** Distinguished Service Order and two Bars A second bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the DSO and Bar who receive a third award.
MC Military Cross At this time, awarded for "distinguished and meritorious services" to officers of the rank of Captain or below, and warrant officers. [77] Extended to all ranks in 1993.
MiD Mentioned in despatches Awarded for gallantry or otherwise commendable service.
VC Victoria Cross Highest British military decoration, awarded for valour in the face of the enemy.
VM Virtuti Militari Highest Polish military award for courage in the face of the enemy

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ N/RO = Navigator/Radar Operator
  2. 1 2 The four aces in a day were Archie McKellar, Ronald Hamlyn, New Zealander Brian Carbury and Antoni Głowacki of Poland.
  3. ↑ Van der Stok scored his first two victories in the Fokker D.XXI during the German invasion in the Netherlands, when he flew a Fokker D.XXI fighter as a member of the 1 JaVA (1st Fighter Sqn) of the Dutch LVA (Army Aviation Bde).
  4. ↑ One of Van der Stok’s Dutch Fokker D.XXI victory claims and two of his Supermarine Spitfire victory claims are disputed
  5. ↑ Van der Stok is the only soldier who won all four Dutch bravery awards that were set during WW2 for bravery and valour: the Bronze Lion (awarded 15 June 1946), the Bronze Cross (Netherlands) (5 October 1944), the Dutch Airman's Cross (21 September 1942) and the Cross of Merit (Netherlands) (3 September 1942). He also won the Officer’s Cross w. palm of the Order of Leopold (Belgium) (24 March 1947), the Belgian CdeG w palm, 3 British campaign medals (1939–1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; France and Germany Star [ verification needed ]), the Cross of Valour (Poland) (9 May 1945), the Dutch Resistance Memorial Cross. He was made an Officer in the Orde van Oranje-Nassau and a (Honorary) Member of the Order of the British Empire (19 November 1947).
  6. ↑ BCRF = Beaufighter Coastal Reconnaissance Flight

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailor Malan</span> South African flying ace (1910–1963)

Adolph Gysbert Malan,, better known as Sailor Malan, was a South African fighter pilot and flying ace in the Royal Air Force (RAF) who led No. 74 Squadron RAF during the Battle of Britain. He finished his fighter career in 1941 with twenty-seven destroyed, seven shared destroyed and two unconfirmed, three probables and sixteen damaged. At the time he was the RAF's leading ace, and one of the highest scoring pilots to have served wholly with RAF Fighter Command during the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Stanford Tuck</span> British fighter pilot and test pilot

Wing Commander Robert Roland Stanford Tuck, was a British fighter pilot, flying ace and test pilot. Tuck joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1935 and first engaged in combat during the Battle of France, over Dunkirk, claiming his first victories. In September 1940 he was promoted to squadron leader and commanded a Hawker Hurricane squadron. In 1941–1942, Tuck participated in fighter sweeps over northern France. On 28 January 1942, he was hit by anti-aircraft fire, was forced to land in France, and was taken prisoner. At the time of his capture, Tuck had claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, six probably destroyed, six damaged and one shared damaged.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm had included personnel from outside the United Kingdom from before the beginning of the Second World War, and many served in the Battle of Britain in summer 1940. Many of these volunteers were British subjects—thus, citizens—coming from territories that made up part of the British Empire. Additionally, a significant part was made up of refugees and exiles from German-occupied Europe and American emigrants.

Flight Commander Frederick Carr Armstrong was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 13 aerial victories.

Captain William Otway Boger was a Canadian World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Phillipps</span> Australian fighter pilot

Roy Cecil Phillipps, MC & Bar, DFC was an Australian fighter ace of World War I. He achieved fifteen victories in aerial combat, four of them in a single action on 12 June 1918. A grazier between the wars, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1940 and was killed in a plane crash the following year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Farnes</span> British World War II flying ace

Paul Caswell Powe Farnes, was a British Royal Air Force fighter pilot, and Second World War flying ace. He flew during the Battle of Britain as one of "The Few", and flew the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire in aerial combat. He scored 8 kills.

Richard John Cork, was a fighter ace in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Cork served in the Battle of Britain as the wingman for Douglas Bader of No. 242 Squadron RAF. When he returned to the Fleet Air Arm in 1941, Cork served with 880 Naval Air Squadron in the Arctic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean. It was during Operation Pedestal in 1942 that he became the only Royal Navy pilot to shoot down five aircraft in one day, and was the leading naval ace using the Hawker Hurricane. He was given command of the 15th Naval Fighter Wing aboard HMS Victorious before being killed in a flying accident over Ceylon in 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Mungo-Park</span> British World War II flying ace

John Colin Mungo-Park, was a Royal Air Force fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1940, and a Bar to the medal in 1941.

Wing Commander Archibald Douglas McNeill Boyd, was a Royal Air Force officer and flying ace of the Second World War, and a businessman.

Squadron Leader Ernest Derek 'Dave' Glaser was a British Royal Air Force officer of the Battle of Britain, and later a notable test pilot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Hunter (RAF officer)</span> British World War II flying ace

Philip Hunter, DSO was a Royal Air Force pilot, squadron commander and a Second World War flying ace, awarded the Distinguished Service Order for leading the destruction of thirty-eight enemy aircraft in only two missions over the Dunkirk evacuation beaches in May 1940. He was killed in action leading his squadron during the Battle of Britain.

William Henry Franklin, DFM and Bar also known as Bill Franklin was a Royal Air Force fighter pilot and a notable Second World War flying ace decorated for gallantry twice, he shot down more than 13 enemy aircraft over the Dunkirk evacuation beaches and during the Battle of Britain before being killed in action.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ ŠAFAŘÍK, Jan Josef. "ALLIED BEAUFIGHTER ACES". Air Aces. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 Thomas 2005.
  3. ↑ "Casualty Details". cwgc.org. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Casualty Details". cwgc.org. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  5. ↑ The 74(F) Tiger Squadron Association - In memoriam, Farewell to old tigers - Harry Baker, Access date 26 March 2018
  6. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories - Sgt F.J. Barker, accessed 20 March 2018
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Warhistoryonline.com The forgotten aces; air gunner aces of WWII, accessed 20 March 2018
  8. ↑ Bowman 2015.
  9. ↑ Telegraph Obituaries W/C E. Barwell
  10. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – P/O E.G. Barwell, accessed 20 March 2018
  11. ↑ "ROYAL AIR FORCE FIGHTER COMMAND 1939–1945 (CH 433)". iwm.org.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Shores & Williams 1994.
  13. ↑ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 144.
  14. ↑ "Fleet Air Arm Archive 1939–1945 - The Men - Commanding Officers". fleetairarmarchive.net. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ↑ Newton, Australian Air Aces, pp. 117–118
  16. ↑ Garrisson 1999, pp. 1–2.
  17. ↑ Garrisson 1999, pp. 120–121.
  18. ↑ SpitfireAssociation.com Bungey, Robert
  19. ↑ "World War 2 Awards.com - Butterfield, Samuel Leslie". TracesOfWar. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  20. ↑ C.E. Casbolt tracesofwar.com
  21. ↑ "Casualty Details". cwgc.org. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  22. ↑ "No. 38514". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 January 1949. p. 302.
  23. ↑ Shores & Williams 1994, p. 661.
  24. ↑ Malta Night Fighter Unit
  25. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – F/Lt. C A Cooke, Access date 20 March 2018
  26. 1 2 Shores & Williams 1994, p. 190.
  27. ↑ "No. 35152". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 May 1941. p. 2569.
  28. ↑ "No. 36777". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 October 1944. p. 5035.
  29. ↑ CWGC. "Squadron Leader Edward Gough Daniel | War Casualty Details 231777". CWGC. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  30. ↑ flight log book of CR Parbury
  31. ↑ "Anthony Eyre DFC". Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  32. ↑ The 74(F) Tiger Squadron Association - In memoriam, Farewell to old tigers - J.C. Freeborn, Access date 26 March 2018
  33. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – Sgt. F. Cooke, Access date 20 March 2018
  34. ↑ "Wing commander Walter Gibb - Telegraph". telegraph. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  35. ↑ "No, there was not a Palestinian in the Battle of Britain | The Battle of Britain Memorial". battleofbritainmemorial.org. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  36. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories - P/O G. H. Hackwood, Access date 20 March 2018
  37. 1 2 Geissinger, Steve (15 October 1997). "Manmade Thunder". The Argus-Press . Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  38. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories - Sgt. R F Hamlyn, Access date 31 May 2018
  39. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – Sgt L.H. Hayden, Access date 20 March 2018
  40. 1 2 "Honor, Dudley Sandry Garton". Traces of War. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  41. ↑ "Group Captain Dudley Honor". The Telegraph. 21 January 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  42. ↑ Jan Josef Šafařík. "Jan J. Safarik: Air Aces Home Page". aces.safarikovi.org. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  43. ↑ Shores & Williams 2008, p. 335.
  44. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories - P/O A.R. de Lisle Inniss, Access date 20 March 2018
  45. ↑ "Squadron Leader Brian Lane 19 Squadron". Archived from the original on 15 November 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  46. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories - LAC G.E. Lille, Access date 20 March 2018
  47. ↑ "www.authpro.com/cgi-bin/auth.fcgi?user=rafweb". authpro.com. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  48. ↑ "Casualty Details". cwgc.org. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  49. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial The Airmen's Stories - P/O J R B Meaker, Access date 1 June 2018
  50. ↑ "Air Vice-Marshal F R L Mellersh (105145)". rafweb.org. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  51. ↑ The 74(F) Tiger Squadron Association - In memoriam, Farewell to old tigers - J.C. Mungo-Park, Access date 26 March 2018
  52. ↑ "Newell Orton" . Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  53. ↑ "Battle of Britain London Monument - Pilot's Stories - SGT. TG Oldfield". Archived from the original on 29 August 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  54. ↑ "Wing Commander Alan 'Red' Owen". Daily Telegraph. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  55. ↑ "No. 36254". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 November 1943. p. 5075.
  56. ↑ "No. 37233". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 August 1945. p. 4223.
  57. ↑ "No. 38338". The London Gazette . 25 June 1948.
  58. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – F/Lt. W Riley, Access date 20 March 2018
  59. ↑ "No. 37228". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 August 1945. p. 4187.
  60. ↑ "No. 36017". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 May 1943. p. 2322.
  61. ↑ "Wing-Commander Wilf Sizer - Telegraph". telegraph. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  62. ↑ "Air Commodore John Sowrey - Telegraph". telegraph. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  63. ↑ Traces of War - Stephen Harbourne Mackay, Access date 26 March 2018
  64. ↑ "Obituary". The Times . Archived from the original on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  65. ↑ Shores 2004, p. 610.
  66. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – Sgt E.R. Thorn, Access date 20 March 2018
  67. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial The Airmen's Stories - F/Lt. P S Turner, Access date 1 June 2018
  68. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – Sgt. R.C. Turner, Access date 20 March 2018
  69. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – Sgt. F.W. Wake, Access date 20 March 2018
  70. ↑ Thomas, A. Defiant, Blenheim and Havoc Aces, Osprey Publishing Oxford, 2012, ISBN   978 1 84908 666 0
  71. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – P/O T.D. Welsh, Access date 20 March 2018
  72. ↑ Thomas 2012.
  73. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – P/O D. Whitley, Access date 20 March 2018
  74. ↑ Mosquito Aces of World War Two. Oxford: Osprey. 2005. p. 88.
  75. ↑ Battle of Britain Memorial Airmen's Stories – P/O M.H. Young, Access date 20 March 2018
  76. 1 2 3 "No. 30723". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1918. p. 6533.
  77. ↑ "No. 29024". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1914. p. 7.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.