Reade Franklin Tilley

Reade Tilley

RCAF   USAAF    Col.  -   DFC

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Distinguished Flying Cross
Pilot Officer Reade Franklin TILLEY (Can/J.15011)
Royal Canadian Air Force, No. 126 Squadron

This officer is a most determined pilot who has destroyed at least 4 enemy aircraft. On 3 occasions, by making feint attacks after having expended all his ammunition, he has successfully driven off enemy fighters which attempted to machine-gun our aircraft as they landed. He has displayed great gallantry.

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Born in Clearwater, Florida
Home there
Enlisted in Hamilton, 10 June 1940
Trained at
No.1 ITS
No.2 EFTS &
No.2 SFTS, Uplands
Graduating 25 January 1941
Commissioned August 1941
Joined No.121 "Eagle" Squadron in May 1942
Posted to No.601 Squadron in April 1942
Arrived in Malta on 20 April 1942 via carrier USS Wasp
Soon afterwards was posted to No.126 Squadron.
Left Malta on 16 August 1942
Transferred to the USAAF on 12 October 1942 and
Retired with the rank of Colonel.

Award handed to him 9 October 1942.

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TILLEY, P/O Reade Franklin (J15011) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.126 Squadron
Award effective 1 June 1942 as per London Gazette dated 5 June 1942 and
AFRO 916/42 dated 19 June 1942.

This officer is a most determined pilot who has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft. On three occasions, by making feint attacks after having expended all his ammunition, he has successfully driven off enemy fighters which attempted to machine gun our aircraft as they landed. He has displayed great gallantry.

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Bridgeport Aviator Wins Flying Cross
F/O Ernest F. Paige, Who Enlisted in Hamilton, Receives High Award

London, June 5, 1942 — (CP Cable) — Awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross to P/O Ernest Franklyn Paige, of Bridgeport, Ont., and P/O Reade Franklin Tilley, of Clearwater, Fla., were announced to-day.
Paige, a pilot of the coastal command's RCAF "Demon" squadron, is recuperating in the hospital after an attack on a convoy last month. The citation said that, "regardless of a fierce defensive barrage, he pressed home the attack and, although seriously wounded, flew his aircraft back to base."
Paige, 26, was commissioned at Saskatoon. He joined the RCAF at Hamilton two years ago.
The citation of Tilley, a pilot of the R.A.F., said: "On three occasions, by making feint attacks after he had expended all ammunition, he has driven off enemy fighters which attempted to machine-gun our aircraft as they landed."

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Credited with the following victories:

24 Mar 1942
28 April 1942
08 May 1942
09 May 1942
10 May 1942

14 May 1942

23 May 1942
09 July 1942

12 July 1942
14 July 1942
23 July 1942

one FW.190
one Bf.109
two Bf.109s
one MC.202
one Bf.109
one Bf.109
two Bf.109s
one Bf.109
one Re.2001
one Bf.109
one Ju.88
one Re.2001
one Bf.109
one MC.202

 probable
damaged
destroyed
damaged
probable &
damaged
destroyed &
damaged
destroyed
destroyed &
destroyed
damaged
probable
damaged		 121 Sq. Spit AD463
601 Sq. Spit BR195 "Q"
126 Sq. (& all the following)




(two separate sorties)





7 / 3 / 6

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American Aces

--- Canadian Aces ---

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On these pages I use info from the Air force Association of Canada's web site
in Hugh Halliday's excellent Honors & Awards section,
Newspaper articles via the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC)
as well as other sources both published and private

 

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