Gerald Geoffrey "Jerry" Racine

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"George (Starkey, in Dec. 1943) now had to endure a stretch of idleness at No. 1 PRC in Bournemouth. Gerry Racine's squadron blew into town one night, and the following morning the ceilings in their hotel were decorated with footprints! Britain in wartime demanded some personal adjustments."

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Hugh Halliday, in his excellent but hard-to-find book "TYPHOON & TEMPEST the Canadian Story," gives us this little piece of Racine history ...

"Another notable escapade in the days before D-Day involved F/L Gerald G. Racine (J58OO), a native of St. Boniface, Manitoba, and citizen of Montreal on enlistment. Like many other RCAF pilots, he had been retained in Canada as an instructor until the spring of 1943, and had not arrived overseas until July 1943. He joined No. 263 Squadron on October 28, 1943, and eventually achieved an enviable record. On February 13, 1944, the squadron attacked an airfield near Chartres. While the Commanding Officer, S/L G.B. Warnes (RAF), destroyed a Bf.109 in aerial combat, Racine went down to strafe five additional Messerschmitts being refueled. Three of these were destroyed in what the unit diarist described as "a remarkable conflagration."
Nine days later, on February 22, Racine witnessed what can only be described as a foolish tragedy. No. 263 was on a shipping reconnaissance near Guernsey when Warnes had to ditch. While the other pilots orbited, Racine and F/O R.B. Tuff (RAF) came low enough to see the CO swimming towards his dinghy pack. Tuff thought Warnes was hurt, and said he was going to abandon his aircraft and help Warnes. Racine advised against it, but Tuff baled out anyway. Racine continued to circle, hoping to draw a rescue craft, but none appeared before he had to fly back. Near home he had trouble with the fuel feed while changing tanks; he finally landed wheels up at Roborough. Tuff's bravery was for naught; both he and Warnes were lost.
March 31, 1944, was the highlight of Racine's career. At 1904 hours he took off in MN170, leading three Tiffies. Their mission was to catch Ju.88s at Vannes and Kerlin Bastard at last light as they came home from Bay of Biscay patrols. The formation entered France at naught feet near He Groix, then patrolled between there and the mainland under 10/10 cloud. Visibility was bad. In wandering, Racine separated from the others who eventually got home. He straggled, met flak near Morlaix, then was reported missing. A search failed to turn him up, but on April 16 the squadron diary carried a jubilant entry:
In the evening we heard that 'Gerry' Racine, RCAF, had returned to London after being shot down near Morlaix on the night of 31 March. Later, we learnt from him that he had been attacked by a ME.410, had then got on its tail, and destroyed it with one long, true burst, then had found his controls jammed and had to bale out. The rest is, or must be, silence, but we believe that Gerry had some extremely remarkable adventures.
Racine had indeed evaded capture and escaped France with the aid of the French Resistance, SOE, and his own command of French. He was immediately pulled from operations and repatriated to Canada.
Typhoon operations before D-Day were chiefly to prepare the way for the Army. That included a systemic campaign to wipe out enemy radar systems, so that the Allied air and naval forces might approach the coast undetected until the last moment. Unfortunately, radar sites bristled with anti-aircraft guns and the Typhoon units paid a price."

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RACINE, F/L Gerald Geoffrey (J5800) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.263 Sq.
Award effective 19 September 1944 as per London Gazette dated 29 September 1944 and
AFRO 2373/44 dated 3 November 1944.

This officer has taken part in many fighter operations against enemy airfields in France. In February, 1944, he participated in the destruction of an enemy aircraft and later in the same month badly damaged three Messerschmitt 109s on the ground during a determined attack on Chartres airfield. On another occasion an aircraft of his squadron was forced down onto the sea. Flight Lieutenant Racine remained circling in the area until forced to make a hazardous landing from lack of fuel. In March 1944, during a sortie against an enemy airfield in the Brest Peninsula, Flight Lieutenant Racine engaged an enemy aircraft and shot it down. His own aircraft was damaged and he was forced to abandon it by parachute. With great coolness and courage he evaded capture and succeeded in returning to his squadron. He has invariably displayed outstanding gallantry and as a flight commander has inspired his pilots with the utmost confidence.

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CANADIAN AIRMEN HIGHLY HONOURED

Ottawa, Sept. 29, 1944 — Sqdn. Ldr. G. B. Ellwood, Portage la Prairie, Man.; Sqdn. Ldr. L. L. MacKinnon, Ponoka, Alta. and Sqdn. Ldr. G. A. Sweany, Toronto, all holders of the Distinguished Flying Cross, have been awarded the Distinguished Service Order, R.C.A.F. headquarters announced last night.
The announcement, which also included the award of three D.F.C.s, said they were awarded for "outstanding and continuous service of exceptionally high order." The recipients :

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Victories :

His actual victories are a problem. The citation to his DFC appears to be in error when saying that three enemy aircraft were "badly damaged" when they were in fact destroyed. DHist records do no indicate victories prior to attack on Chartres airfield. Yet in November 1944 he applied for operational wings. He listed 18 sorties from 3 February 1944 (dive bombing Noball site, 55 minutes) to his being downed on 31 March 1944. In this form he claims several victories, none of which can be traced through the citation, combat report or intelligence reports. His list (with appropriate comments by Hugh Halliday, is as follows:

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West Hill High

escapers

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--- Canadian Aces ---

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