William Lawrence "Red" Chisholm

Five Canadian Airmen Win Gallantry Awards

Ottawa, Feb. 2 (1943) (Ch).—Five awards to Canadian fliers serving overseas were included in a list of decorations announced tonight by R.C.A.F. headquarters.
The awards:
D.F.C.
FO. Charles Stanley Wright Proctor, 248 Heath Street West, Toronto;
WO. William Donald Ross, Calgary;
Flt.-Lt. John Harvey Curry, Dallas, Tex.;
Acting Flt. Lt. William Lawrence Chisholm, Kentville, N.S.;
PO. Lorne Edward Kropf, Kitchener.
The citations:
FO. Proctor: "This officer has at all times displayed great skill as a navigator bomb aimer. He was engaged throughout the critical period of the enemy advance and succeeded in spotting enemy concentrations in the battle area and scoring many hits on enemy transport. Throughout these operations on a large variety of targets, his technical ability and conduct have inspired confidence in all with whom he had flown.
WO. Ross: "Since February, 1942, WO. Ross has taken part continuously in operations flying. He has participated in 14 bombing raids on Tobruk, pressing home his attacks regardless of opposition. On one occasion he attacked from 10,000 feet despite having a crippled aircraft. In addition, this officer has made several successful raids on enemy's transport in battle area. At all times his devotion to duty has set a fine example to his crew"
Fit. Lt. Curry: "Flt. Lt. Curry is an outstanding pilot, who displays the greatest determination to engage the enemy regardless of the opposition encountered. He has destroyed at least seven enemy aircraft and is a source of inspiration to his fellow pilots."
Flt. Lt Chisholm: "Flt. Lt, Chisholm has flown on numerous operational sorties. He has always displayed skill and courage and great determination to engage the enemy. He had destroyed at least five enemy aircraft. This officer's invigorating influence and personal example have greatly contributed toward making his flight a formidable fighting unit."
PO. Kropf was a member of the crew of an aircraft of which he was the only Canadian. The citation, which covers the entire crew, reads: "In various capacities as members of aircraft crew (PO. Kropf) they have displayed great gallantry and determination in attacks against targets in enemy-occupied territory."

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CHISHOLM, F/L William Lawrence (J15044) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.92 Squadron
Award effective 1 February 1943 as per London Gazette dated 5 February 1943 and
AFRO 373/43 dated 5 March 1943.

Since July 1942, Flight Lieutenant Chisholm has flown on numerous operational sorties. He has always displayed skill and courage and great determination to engage the enemy. He has destroyed at least five enemy aircraft. This officer's invigorating influence and personal example have greatly contributed towards making his flight a formidable fighting unit.

NOTE: Public Record Office Air 2/8933 has text from an earlier draft recommendation for a non-immediate award as sent on 21 December 1942 from Headquarters, Royal Air Force, Middle East to Air Ministry:

Pilot Officer Chisholm arrived in the Western Desert with No.92 Squadron at the beginning of July when the squadron was flying Hurricane aircraft of No.80 Squadron. On his first patrol one wheel refused to retract; letting his enthusiasm override his good sense he carried on and when the squadron engaged escorted Stukas he succeeded in badly damaging a Stuka. Since that day, both on Hurricane and later on Spitfires, Pilot Officer Chisholm has flown and fought with great courage and shown great determination to get to grips with the enemy; moreover he has displayed considerable skill as a leader of a flight. He has destroyed five enemy aircraft, shared a further two destroyed, has probably destroyed two more and damaged three others.

He has proved himself a cool and capable leader; his invigorating influence and personal example have gone a long way to make "B" Flight a formidable fighting unit.

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Hamilton Flier Notable In 8th Army's Advance

An Airfield Beyond Gabes, North Africa, April 20 (1943) -(CP)- Three Canadian members of a front-line fighter squadron distinguished themselves during the 8th Army's advance, with an impressive record of low-level attacks on enemy tanks, armored vehicles and motor transport.
Flying with a specially-assigned squadron, FO. James Carswell, of Turleford, Sask., FO. Kenneth Bendall of Hamilton, Ont., and PO. John Wilcox of Cobalt, Ont., braved intense ground fire in attacks which set tanks aflame and disrupted armored forces trying to stem Gen. Montgomery's spectacular advance.
Riddled repeatedly with machine-Fun bullets and fragments of flak, their aircraft never failed on any mission they undertook. Bendall and Carswell both had their engines hit, but managed to coax their machines home. Carswell on one occasion had a bullet hole through the hood of his cockpit.
The impressive score of a Canadian pilot with another Spitfire squadron, Flt. Lt. Lawrence (Red) Chisholm, D.F.C. and Bar, former railway brakeman of Kentville, N.S., who is one of the most brilliant R.C.A.F. fighter pilots in the Middle East, continued to grow as the African campaign neared its climax. He destroyed an ME109 and probably destroyed a Macchi 202 in mid-April to raise his score to seven destroyed, with many more probables and damaged.
In one scrap, he led Sgt. Michael Askey, son of a Winnipeg army padre, and a third pilot who was English, against a strong formation of enemy fighters. Chisholm and Askey each got one. Their squadron, led by a famous Battle of Britain pilot, got five that day. Another who added to his score was WO. E. A. Ker of Fenwick, Ont. He destroyed a Macchi 202 over Mareth and an ME109 over the Mediterranean. He has shot down a total of three enemy aircraft and has many probables and damaged to his credit.
Ker is a member of a crack R.A.F. squadron which piled up a combined score of 20 destroyed in March and added another seven before the middle of April.
The English squadron commander has a personal score of 20, the highest number of enemy aircraft destroyed by any fighter pilot entirely in the Middle East.

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CHISHOLM, F/L William Lawrence (J15044) - Bar to DFC - No.92 Squadron
Award effective 23 February 1943 as per London Gazette dated 23 February 1943 and
AFRO 513/43 dated 26 March 1943.

This officer has taken part in the squadron's activities since its arrival in the Western Desert. Throughout he has displayed gallant leadership and outstanding keenness. On one occasion he led the squadron in an attack on a force of enemy fighters and in the ensuing engagement two of them were destroyed without loss. Flight Lieutenant Chisholm, who has destroyed six enemy aircraft, has invariably displayed great courage and devotion to duty.

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--- Canadian Aces ---