Images of 41 Squadron

41 Squadron at War - Pilot Portraits

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Flight Lieutenant Maurice A. L. Balasse, with Flying Officer Peter Graham in the background, sources: Serge Bonge <fa489587@skynet.be> and Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flg. Off. Clive "Joe" Birbeck, who got into the RAF at the age of 16, by lying about his age. He claimed two FW190s in a Spitfire Mk. XII in Autumn 1943, but was later shot down and became a POW whilst flying a Spitfire Mk. XVI; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flg. Off. Bobby Boyd was with 41 Squadron when they transitioned to the Spitfire Mk. XII, and was killed while flying a Mk. XII on 6 September 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flt. Lt. Tommy Burne [background with moustache], in Autumn 1943. He had lost a leg flying Hudsons in the Far East but returned to flying in fighters, and later won the DSO with 41 Squadron. In the foreground is Flt. Lt. Dave Fearon; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flg. Off. Peter Cowell, who joined 41 Squadron while they were flying Spitfire Mk. Vs and transitioned to the Mk. XII, then Mk. XIV; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net>
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Keith R. Curtis, J/22759, two days before his 19th birthday. He enlisted in the RCAF as an Air Crew Cadet in Toronto in July 1941 and was, at the time this photograph was taken, the youngest commissioned officer in the RCAF; picture courtesy of Keith Curtis via his daughter Karen Neale <kneale@lipson.plymouth.sch.uk> Flt. Lt. Keith R. Curtis, J/22759, flew with 41 Squadron in 1943-44, then transferred to 417 Squadron RCAF in October 1944, where this newspaper photograph was taken; picture courtesy of Keith Curtis via his daughter Karen Neale <kneale@lipson.plymouth.sch.uk> Flt. Sgt. Walter "WingCo" East, who was killed during a shipping recce over the Somme Estuary, 3 May 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flt. Lt. Dave Fearon, who was with 41 Squadron through most of 1943, but was later sent to fly in the Far East; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Squadron Leader F. A. O. "Tony" Gaze, DFC**, source and copyright "Fighter Command War Diaries", July 1943 - June 1944, by John Foreman, ISBN 1-871187-43-5.
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Sgt. Peter Gibbs, who shot down 41 Squadron's first V1 "Doodle Bug" on 20 June 1944; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Squadron Leader Arthur Allan 'Pinky' Glen, DFC and Bar, DSO and Bar, joined 41 Squadron in 1941. He become Squadron Leader in early 1944; picture copyright Peter Graham <Peter-skypilot@carrierscottage.freeserve.co.uk>, and reproduced with his kind permission. Pilot Officer Peter Graham joined 41 Squadron in May 1943 after training in Canada and the United States. He was shot down in September 1944 and spent the remaining months of the war in Stalag Luft I; picture copyright Peter Graham <Peter-skypilot@carrierscottage.freeserve.co.uk>, and reproduced with his kind permission. Flt. Lt. L. P. Griffiths, RNZAF, was with 41 Squadron into Autumn 1943, when this photo was taken; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flight Lieutenant Lord Guisborough, 41 Squadron's Intelligence Officer; picture copyright Peter Graham <Peter-skypilot@carrierscottage.freeserve.co.uk>, and reproduced with his kind permission.
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Flg. Off. Douglas "Haybag" Haywood, who was with 41 Squadron through much of 1943, until he was shot down and became a POW on 27 August 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flt. Lt. Douglas Hone, who was B Flight Commander when 41 Squadron transitioned to the Spitfire Mk. XII. He was the last Battle of Britain pilot to retire from the RAF; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Douglas Hone whilst with 615 Squadron, dated 6 July 1941, approximately 11 months prior to joining 41 Squadron; picture source and copyright Tom Harvey <2tomfionaharvey@beeb.net> Squadron Leader Hilary Richard Lionel Hood, DFC. Picture source and copyright Philip Harvey <phil@psharvey.force9.co.uk> Flt. Sgt. John Irvine, who was with 41 Squadron for a short time in Summer 1944 before transferring to 263 Squadron later in Autumn to fly ground attacks in Typhoons. The identity of little girl pictured with Irvine is unfortunately unknown; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net>
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Flg. Off. Ron Johnson, who was with 41 Squadron through much of 1943 and into 1944. He then became a Service Test Pilot with Supermarine, doing much of the test flying on the Spitfire 21; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flt. Lt. R. "Lulu" Lane, who flew with 41 Squadron from 1942 to August 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Squadron Leader R. C. F. Lister. Picture source and copyright Philip Harvey <phil@psharvey.force9.co.uk> Flg. Off. Ron Loweth, at Hawkinge, Kent, in Spring 1943, who served with 41 Squadron through much of 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Squadron Leader Ian Matthew, who joined 41 Squadron from 91 Squadron RAF in November 1943, and commanded the unit until January 1944, when he was replaced by Pinky Glen (above); picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net>
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Flg. Off., later Flt. Lt. Bruce Moffett, RCAF, who joined 41 Squadron in April 43 and flew Spit. XIIs with them until transferring to 91 Squadron as a Flight Commander at the end of February 1944; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Squadron Leader Thomas "Ginger" Neil, DFC. He was CO when 41 Squadron transitioned to the Spitfire Mk. XII. This photo was taken at Hawkinge, Kent, in May 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flt. Lt. Hugh Parry, a Rhodesian, was A Flight CO during much of 1943 until he was shot down and became a POW on 24 September 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flt. Lt. Rex Poynton, who was shot down and killed whilst flying a Spitfire Mk. XII on 23 April 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Plt. Off. Leslie Prickett, who was with 41 Squadron for much of 1943, until he was shot down and became a POW on the same day as Douglas Haywood (above) on 27 August 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net>
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Flt. Lt. D. J. "Denny" Reid at Volkel on 2 March 1945. He was wounded by flak whilst attacking motorised transport during an armed recce to Münster on 25 March 1945, flying Spitfire XIV, MV264; source and copyright Allan Hillman <allan.hillman@btinternet.com> Flg. Off. Kenneth Robinson was shot down and killed over Guernsey by Flak on 7 June 1944 in Spitfire XII, MB881; picture courtesy of Keith Curtis via his daughter Karen Neale <kneale@lipson.plymouth.sch.uk> Edward Andrew Shipman. Picture source and copyright Philip Harvey <phil@psharvey.force9.co.uk> Flg. Off. Tom Slack, who became B Flight CO. He was shot down 18 July 1943 but evaded and returned to the Squadron. On 18 June 1944, he ran out of fuel over the Channel and was rescued. However, he was forced down when his belly tank wouldn't switch over on 23 August 1944 and became a POW; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flt. Lt. T. A. H. "Tom" Slack, was a hobby artist who drew caricatures of many of his fellow pilots; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net>
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Flt. Lt. Don Smith, RAAF, in mid-1943. He took over as A Flight CO in late 1943 or early 1944. In mid-1944, he was sent to 453 Squadron RAAF as their Squadron Leader; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flg. Off. Harry Smith, 41 Squadron Adjutant; source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flg. Off. Jerzy "George" Solak, a Polish pilot who had served in the Battle of Britain. He was with 41 through most of 1943, and claimed a FW190 in a Spitfire Mk. XII on 4 June 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flg. Off. Don Tebbit who flew Spit XIIs and XIVs in 1944-45; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> Flight Lieutenant Ryklof 'Charlie' Van Goens, a Dutch pilot, was Peter Graham's No. 2 when shot down and killed by Allied anti-aircraft fire on 17 August 1944; picture copyright Peter Graham <Peter-skypilot@carrierscottage.freeserve.co.uk>, and reproduced with his kind permission.
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Flight Lieutenant Karel "Sudl" Vykoukal, the only Czech pilot who flew with 41 Squadron, was killed when his aircraft, Spitfire Vb, BL998, was hit by flak over the Seine Estuary, France, on 21 May 1942. Picture source and copyright Michal Havrda <fairlop@email.cz> Flg. Off. Herbert "Wag" Wagner, of the USA. After the United States entered the war, he was given the opportunity to transfer to the USAAF, but decided to stay with the RAF instead. He was shot down in a Spitfire Mk. XII on 2 June 1944 and became a POW; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net> J. T. Webster. Picture source and copyright Philip Harvey <phil@psharvey.force9.co.uk> Flt. Sgt. J. S. Wilson, who flew with 41 Squadron until May 1943; picture source and copyright Dan Johnson <spit12@frontiernet.net>  
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