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Canadian Pilot Downs 5 Huns In 5-Minute Battle Over Reich
London, Dec. 31, 1944 - (CP) – F/L Richard J. Audet,
22-year-old Spitfire pilot of a Canadian wing operating with the British
2nd Tactical Air Force, had never before downed an enemy aircraft —
but in five blazing minutes over Osnabruck he racked up five kills on
Friday.
His feat was performed as Canadian fliers smashing at German communication
targets in the Rhineland were met by stiff enemy aerial opposition.
Audet's victims were three Focke-Wulf 190's, one Messersehmitt 109 and
an unspecified aircraft.
Pilots in this wing destroyed a total of nine German aircraft, probably
destroyed another two and damaged six. They also smashed at Nazi rail
traffic, destroying four locomotives, damaging 13 and damaging 75 freight
cars.
The wing's four remaining kills were scored by F/L E.C. Ireland of Toronto,
F/L M. Cook of Boston Creek, Ont., F/O Arthur McCracken of Lakefield,
Ont., and F/O Cameron of Toronto. All their victims were
Focke Wulf 190's.
The other two kills went to F/O Robert Lawrence of Edson, Alta., without
firing his guns. He was attacked by five German aircraft over a distance
of about 10 miles and was taking evasive action, turning first toward
an "FW" on his beam. When the latter attempted to follow in
tight circles, it crashed and burst into flames. As he circled he bounced
past an ME. 109 and was just about to open fire when the German, attempting
to make too tight a circle, crashed.
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Born 1919 in Toronto;
Home there;
Enlisted there 6 May 1941.
Trained at :
No.1 ITS (graduated 8 August 1941),
No.7 EFTS (graduated 25 September 1941) and
No.14 SFTS (graduated 19 December 1941).
Commissioned 1943.
Award presented 18 October 1947. |
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Canadian Fighter Pilots Get Biggest Bag of Huns
London, Jan. 2, 1945 - (CP) - Canadian fighter pilots
accounted for at least half of the 94 German planes destroyed by the RAF's
2nd Tactical Air Force New Year's Day when the Luftwaffe made an attempt
to cripple west front airfield operations.
A compilation tonight, based on the latest reports received from the Continent,
showed that RCAF fighters in their biggest day of the war destroyed at
least 36 enemy aircraft and half-a-dozen others fel1 to Canadian sharpshooters
in RAF Squadrons.
The top scoring wing in the 2nd Tactical Air Force during the day of close
to 100 "kills" was the Canadian Spitfire unit which brought
down 24 German machines, probably destroyed another three and damaged
seven. An untold number of probables and damaged planes was claimed by
other Canadians.
The wing’s scorers included two airmen who downed three planes apiece,
both from the Ram Squadron. FO G. D. Cameron of Toronto destroyed a trio
of ME-109s while Flt. Lt. John Mackay of Cloverdale,
B.C. destroyed two ME-109s and an FW-190. Mackay got the last two without
using his guns because they dived into the ground when he chased them.
Flt. Lt. D. Pieri of Toronto and Elmhurst, Ill.,
destroyed two ME-190s and probably destroyed two others.
Flt. Lt. Dick Audet of Lethbridge, Alta., who
last Friday shot down five enemy planes in little more than five minutes,
brought his total to seven with two FW-190s bagged as they roared low
over his field. Friday's quintet were the first aircraft the 22 year-old
Lethbridge airman had downed.
Others from the Canadian wing, who helped to set up the day's record -
the previous top mark for the Canadians in a single day was 22 planes
- included Sqdn, Ldr. Dean Dover, DFC, and Bar,
of Toronto, who destroyed an ME-109 and shared another with FO. Dean Kelly
of Peterborough, Ont. and Flt. Lt Donald Gordon
of Vancouver with two ME-109's.
Double scorers included Flt. Lt. J. W. Garland.
Richmond, Ont., PO. Steve Butte, Michel, B.C.;
PO. Mac Reeves, Madoc, Ont.; and FO. A. H. Fraser,
Westmount, Que.
Single scorers included Flt. Lt. B. Banks, Toronto; Flt. Lt. B. MacPherson,
St. Thomas, Ont.; Flt Lt. Basil Doak, Cowansville, Que.; FO. Vic Smith,
Toronto; FO. J. C. Lee, Ottawa; PO. D. M. Horsburgh, Carnduff, Sask.;
Flt. Lt. N. Keen, White Lake. B.C.; FO. H. Laurence,
Edson. Alta.; and Flt. Sgt. Keith Lindsay. 10764 95th St. Edmonton. Lindsay
also claimed one probable.
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CAMERON, F/O Gregory Donald Angus Tunnicliffe (J16636)
- DFC - No.401 Squadron
Award effective 23 February 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 563/45 dated 29 March 1945.
Flying Officer Cameron has displayed a high standard
of skill and resolution in air operations. He has participated in a large
number of sorties during which he has shown the greatest keenness to engage
the enemy. Flying Officer Cameron has destroyed four enemy aircraft, three
of which he shot down within a few minutes in an engagement against a
large force of fighters in January 1945. Flying Officer Cameron has also
attacked several locomotives and a number of mechanical vehicles with
damaging effect.
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Victories Include :
| 7 Sept. 1942
5 Oct. 1944
10 Dec. 1944
29 Dec. 1944
1 Jan. 1945
20 Apr. 1945
|
1 FW.190
1 Me-262
1 FW.190
1 FW.190
1 FW.190
3 Me-109s
1 FW.190
1 FW.190 |
damaged while a Sergeant with 402 Sq.
destroyed (shared with four other pilots)
probable &
damaged
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed &
damaged |
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