List of World War II aces from Australia

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Clive Caldwell, top-scoring Australian ace of World War II, with his Supermarine Spitfire on Morotai, Dutch East Indies, 1944

This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Australia. An "ace" is generally considered to be any pilot who has downed five or more enemy aircraft, though the term has never been officially adopted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).[1] Accordingly, the numbers of victories attained by its fighter pilots were not routinely publicised by the RAAF during the war.[2] Historians have gleaned figures from combat reports, unit histories, personnel records, and award citations, which sometimes recorded the pilot’s tally of victories at the time the decoration was recommended. The top-scoring Australian ace of World War II, Clive Caldwell, is generally credited with 28½ victories, that is 27 solo "kills" and 3 shared, or a total of 30 if shared victories are counted as 1 each.[3][4] His total was almost twice that of the second-highest scoring Australian ace, Adrian Goldsmith with 17.[3][5]

For aces of other countries, see List of World War II aces by country.

A

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Armstrong, Hugo Throssell "Sinker" 11 [5][6] 126, 611, 72 RAF, 452 RAAF DFC* KIA 5 February 1943 [7]
Arthur, Wilfred Stanley "Woof" 8 [5] or 10 [6][8] 3, 75, 76 RAAF DSO, DFC
Atherton, Geoffrey Charles 5 [5][8] 24, 25, 75, 82 RAAF DFC*

B

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Barr, Andrew William "Nicky" 12 [6][8] 3 RAAF MC, DFC*
Bartle, John Phillip "Jack" 7 [5] 112 RAF, 450 RAAF
Bell, Maxwell Heron 5 [5][8] 19 RAF DFC KIA 9 September 1944 [9]
Bisley, John Henry Eric 7 [5][8] DFC
Bowes, Roderick Russell Herbert 6 [5][8] 79 RAF DFC KIA 21 May 1943 [10]
Boyd, Alan Hill 7 [5] 3, 75, 76, 84, 67 RAAF
Boyd, John Livingstone "Tony" 7 [5] 135, 242, 126 RAF DFM KIA 14 May 1942 [11]
Brennan, Paul Virgil 10 [6][8] 64, 249 RAF 452, 79 RAAF DFC, DFM KIFA 13 June 1943
Bretherton, Bruce Albert 12 [5][6][8] 73 255 267 RAF DFC
Bungey, Robert Wilton 5 [5][8] 226, 145 RAF 452 RAAF DFC Died 10 June 1943 [12]
Bunting, Bobby 5 [5][8] 93 RAF DFC
Burney, Henry George 5 [5][6][8] 112 RAF

C

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Caldwell, Clive "Killer" 28½ [6][8] or 30 (27 + 3 shared) [5] 250, 112 RAF DSO, DFC*
Cameron, Alan Cecil 5 [8] or 7 [5] 3 RAAF DFM
Chisholm, Keith Bruce 6 [8] or 7 [5] (5 + 2 shared) 452 RAAF MC, DFM
Clare, Alfred Wattle Benjamin 5 [8] 453, 24, 5 RAAF
Clisby, Leslie Redford 14 [6] or 16 [5][8] 1 RAF DFC KIA 15 May 1940 [13]
Coate, Edward Ernest "Ern" 10 [5][8] 252, 227, 272 RAF DFC*
Cock, John Reynolds 10 [6][8] or 11 (10 + 1 shared) [5] 87, 72 RAF 3, 453 RAAF DFC
Constantine, Alexander Noel 6 [5][8] 141, 273, 136 RAF
Cowper, Robert Barson 6 [5][8] 153, 89, 108 RAF 456 RAAF DFC* Score includes one V-1 flying bomb [5]
Crombie, Charles Arbuthnot 11 [8] or 12 [5][6] 25, 89, 176, 89 RAF DSO, DFC KIFA 26 August 1945 [14]
Cronin, Laurance Francis Marshall 5 [5][8] 453 RAAF, 81 RAF DFC
Cullen, Richard Nigel "Ape" 13 [6] or 16 [5][8] 267, 80 RAF DFC KIA 4 March 1941 [15]
Cundy, William Ronald 5 [8] or 7 (5 + 2 shared) [5] 135, 260 RAF 452 RAAF DFC, DFM
Curchin, John 9 [8] or 12 (8 + 4 shared) [5] 600, 609 RAF DFC
Curtis, Victor Farley 5 [5][8] 3 RAAF KIA 6 January 1943 [16]

F

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Foskett, Russell George 6½ [5][8] 80, 94 RAF OBE, DFC KIA 31 October 1944 [17]
Fry, Charles Horace 5 [5] or 6 [8] 112 RAF DFC*

G

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Gaze, Frederick Anthony Owen 12 [8] or 14 (11 + 3 shared) [5] or 14.5[18] 610, 616, 64, 129, 66, 41, RAF DFC** Score includes one V-1 flying bomb.
Gibbes, Robert Henry Maxwell "Bobby" 10¼ [6][19] or 12 (10 + 2 shared) [5] 450, 3 RAAF DSO, DFC*
Giddy, Peter Radcliffe 5 [5][8] 3 RAAF
Glyde, Richard Lindsay 5 [8] or 6 (3 + 3 shared) [5] 87 RAF DFC KIA 14 August 1940 [20]
Goldsmith, Adrian Philip "Tim" 16¼ [6] or 17 [5][8] 234, 242, 126 RAF 452 RAAF DFC, DFM
Goold, Wilfred Arthur "Wilf" 5 [5][8] 607 RAF DFC
Gordon, Reginald Lloyd 5 or 6 [5][8] 24, 31 RAF DFC*
Graham, Gregory F. 7 [5] 80 RAF

H

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Hammond, Ronald Frank 5 [8] 248 RAF DFM
Hampshire, Keith MacDermott 7 [5][8] or 10 [21] 12, 6, 22, 456 RAAF DSO* DFC
Hillary, Richard Hope 5 [5][8] 603 RAF KIA 8 January 1943
Hughes, Paterson Clarence 15 [6][8] or 17 (14 + 3 shared) [5] 164, 234, 247 RAF DFC KIA 7 September 1940 [22]

J

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Jackson, John Francis "Old John" 8 [5][8][23] 23, 3, 75 RAAF DFC KIA 28 April 1942 [24]
Jackson, Leslie Douglas 5 [5][8] 21, 23, 75 RAAF DFC*
Jeffrey, Peter 5 [8] or 6 (5 + 1 shared) [5][25] 3, 75, 76 RAAF DSO, DFC

K

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Kearney, James Timothy 9 [8] 30 RAAF DFC

L

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Leu, Rudolf Morris "Blue" 7 [5][8] 112 RAF DFM

M

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
McBurnie, Donald Hindle 5 [8] or 6 (5 + 1 shared) [5] 238 RAF, 450, 451 RAAF DFC, DFM
McDonald, Kenneth N 8 [8] 31 RAAF DFC
McIntosh, Lawrence "Laurie" 5 [5][8] 112, 111 RAF
Mailey, Walter Henry Arthur 6 [5][8] 3 RAAF DFM
Mayers, Howard Clive 11 [6][8] or 12 (11 + 1 shared) [5] 94, 601 RAF DSO, DFC*
Millington, William Henry 11 [5] 79, 249 RAF DFC KIA 30 October 1940 [26]

N

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Nitschke, Richard Hastings "Slinger" 5 [5][8] 250 RAF KIA 20 December 1941 [27]

O

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Olive, Charles Gordon Chaloner 6 [8] or 8 [5] 65 RAF, 456 RAAF DFC

P

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Pain, John Francis 8 [5] 32, 261, 73 RAF
Parkinson, Colin Henry 9 [5] or 10 [6][8] 19, 56, 603, 229 RAF DFC
Paxton, Thomas G 6 [5] 250, 30 RAF
Perrin, John Rowley "Jock" 8 [5] or 10 [6][8] 87, 54 RAF 3, 5, 24, 76 RAAF DFC

R

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Rankin, Ronald 5 [8] or 8 (4 + 4 shared) [5] 272, 236, 227 RAF 30 RAAF DFC
Ratten, John Richard 5 [5][8] 72 RAF 453 RAAF DFC KIA 27 February 1945 [28]
Rawlinson, Alan Charles 8 [5] or 10 [6][8] 3, 79 RAAF DFC*
Rees, Stewart William 6 [5][8] 600 RAF DFC
Reid, Leonard Stanley 5 [8] or 7 [5] 504, 185, 130 RAF 79, 452 RAAF DFC
Russell, Ian Bedford Nesbitt "Hack" 8 [8] or 10 [5][6] 245, 607, 609 RAF DFC KIA 1 June 1940 [29]

S

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Saunders, John Henry William 6 [5][8] KIA 22 November 1941 [30]
Scherf, Charles Curnow 14 [5] or 14½ [6][8] 418 RCAF DSO, DFC*
Sheen, Desmond Frederick Burt 6 [5][8] 212, 72 RAF DFC*
Shipard, Mervyn Charles 13 [5] or 14 [6][8] 68, 89 RAF DFC*
Simes, Ronald Henry 6 [5][8] 3 RAAF DFM KIA 9 January 1942 [31]
Smith, Donald Hamilton 5 [8] or 6 (5 + 1 shared) [5] 126, 41 RAF 452, 453 RAAF DFC
Spurgin, Arthur Leslie Mervyn 5 [5][8] 68, 87, 89 RAF 86 RAAF DFC
Steege, Gordon Henry 8 [5][8] 11, 260 RAF, 3, 450 RAAF DSO, DFC
Storey, William John "Jack" 8 [5][8] 135 RAF DFC

T

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Thorold-Smith, Raymond Edward "Throttle" 6 [8] or 7 (6 + 1 shared) [5] 452 RAAF DFC KIA 15 March 1943 [32]
Truscott, Keith William "Bluey" 15 [5] or 16 [6][8] 452, 76 RAAF DFC* KIFA 28 March 1943 [33]
Turnbull, Peter St George Bruce 12 [5][6][8] 3, 75, 76 RAAF DFC KIA 27 August 1942 [34]
Tweedale, Gordon Russell 7 [5][8] 43, 126, 155 RAF DFM KIA 9 May 1942 [35]

W

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Waddy, John Lloyd 15 [8] 15½ [5][6] 250, 260, 92 RAF 4 SAAF 80 RAAF DFC
Whittle, Robert James Clarendon 11 [6][8] or 13 (10 + 3 shared) [5] 250 RAF 86 RAAF DFM
Wilson, Rex Kerslake 8 [5][8] 3 RAAF DFM KIA 9 December 1941 [36]

Y

Name Victories Units Awards Notes
Yarra, John William "Slim" 12 [5][6][8] 232, 64, 233, 185 RAF 453 RAAF DFM KIA 10 December 1942 [37]

Notes

  1. ^ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 1–2
  2. ^ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, p. 32
  3. ^ a b Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, p. 30
  4. ^ Newton, Australian Air Aces, p. 75
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb Newton, Australian Air Aces, pp. 117–118
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Odgers, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 125
  7. ^ "Armstrong, Hugo Throssell". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 31–32
  9. ^ "Bell, Maxwell Herron". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  10. ^ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, p. 118
  11. ^ "Boyd, John Livingstone". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  12. ^ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 120–121
  13. ^ Newton, Australian Air Aces, pp. 77–78
  14. ^ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 127–128
  15. ^ Newton, Australian Air Aces, p. 83
  16. ^ "Curtis, Victor Farley". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  17. ^ "Foskett, Russell George". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  18. ^ "Gaze, Frederick Anthony Owen "Tony"". World War Two Awards. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  19. ^ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, p. 133
  20. ^ "Glyde, Richard Lindsay". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  21. ^ Bowman, Mosquito Fighter/Fighter-Bomber Units of World War 2, p. 95
  22. ^ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 139–140
  23. ^ Andrew Thomas (2005). Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and Commonwealth, p. 103
  24. ^ "Jackson, John Francis". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  25. ^ Thomas, Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and Commonwealth, p. 102
  26. ^ "Commemorative Roll – William Henry Millington". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  27. ^ "Nitschke, Richard Hastings". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  28. ^ "Ratten, John Richard". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  29. ^ "Russell, Ian Bedford Nesbitt". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  30. ^ "Saunders, John Henry William". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  31. ^ "Simes, Ronald Henry". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  32. ^ "Thorold-Smith, Raymond Edward". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  33. ^ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 162–163
  34. ^ "Turnbull, Peter St George Bruce". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  35. ^ "Tweedale, Gordon Russell". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  36. ^ "Wilson, Rex Kerslake". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  37. ^ "Yarra, John William". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.

References


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