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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 Robert 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 Laurence 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 plane 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 fell 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 were claimed by other Canadians.
The wing’s scorers included two airmen who downed three planes apiece, both from the Ram Squadron. F/O G. D. Cameron of Toronto destroyed a trio of ME-109s while F/L 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.
F/L D. Pieri of Toronto and Elmhurst, Ill., destroyed two FW-190s and probably destroyed two others.
F/L 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 S/L Dean Dover, DFC, and Bar, of Toronto, who destroyed an ME-109 and shared another with F/O Dean Kelly of Peterborough, Ont. and F/L Donald Gordon of Vancouver with two ME-109's.
Double scorers included F/L J. W. Garland, Richmond, Ont.; P/O Steve Butte, Michel, B.C.; P/O Mac Reeves, Madoc, Ont. and F/O A. H. Fraser, Westmount, Que.
Single scorers included F/L W. Banks, Toronto; F/L B. MacPherson, St. Thomas, Ont.; F/L Basil Doak, Cowansville, Que.; F/O Vic Smith, Toronto; F/O J. C. Lee, Ottawa; P/O D. M. Horsburgh, Carnduff, Sask.; F/L N. Keene, White Lake, B.C.; F/O H. Laurence, Edson, Alta. and F/Sgt Keith Lindsay, 10764 95th St. Edmonton. Lindsay also claimed one probable.
Operations today were restricted by weather but 90 sorties were flown and all aircraft returned. Two locomotives were destroyed and four others damaged in the Cologne area by Spitfire fighter-bombers.
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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
|
one FW190
0.2 Me262
one FW190
one FW190
one FW190
3 Me109s
one FW190
one FW190 |
damaged while a Sergeant with 402 Sq.
destroyed (shared with four other pilots)
probable &
damaged
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed &
damaged |
5.2 / 1 / 3
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