The signatories
Air Commodore Alan Deere
Alan Deere was born in Westport, New Zealand, on 12th December,
1917. He joined the Royal Air Force in October 1937 and was posted
to 54 Squadron in September 1938.
Based at Hornchurch during the Dunkirk evacuation and during
a four day period (23rd to 29th May) he shot down three Messerschmitt
Bf109 and three Messerschmitt 110. This resulted in him being
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).
During the Battle of Britain Deere destroyed seven more enemy
fighters and one bomber and was awarded and was awarded a Bar
to his DFC. Later he was to win the Croix de Guerre. In January
1941 Deere became Operations Room Controller but returned to
action in May when he joined 602 Squadron as a Flight Commander.
Deere was sent on a propaganda tour of the United States in January,
1942. On his return he took command of 403 Squadron before becoming
Wing Leader at Biggin Hill. By the end of the Second World War
he had twenty-two confirmed victories, ten probables and eighteen
damaged. He had also been shot down himself seven times |
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Wing Commander Bob Doe
Bob Doe joined the RAF shortly after his 18th birthday, and
in 1939 was posted to his first Squadron with a mixture of Blenheims
and Battles. In March 1940 these were replaced by Spitfires,
for Doe it was love at first sight. During a dogfight Doe found
himself on the tail of a 109. Doe scored many hits sending the
109 crashing into the sea. As he pulled away he was overshot
by a 110 so he quickly shot that down as well!! Victories mounted
for Doe. On one occasion Doe encountered a BF 109 over Portsmouth
chasseing it out to sea Doe struck at a range of 100ft, the 109
slowed immediately and Doe watched as the canopy flew off and
could see the German pilot struggling to control his aircraft.
Doe flew alongside the stricken aircraft until it splashed into
the sea. Doe was posted to fly Hurricanes with no 238 Sqn, he
reported that the Hurricane was more manoeuvrable than the Spitfire
and also a better gun platform. During the latter stages of the
war he also flew the Mustang, Bob Doe finished the war with 14
victories.
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Group Captain Sir Hugh Dundas
A member of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Dunds was called
up early in the war, serving with 616 Squadron. After a promising
start as a fighter pilot, Dundas was shot down and injured during
the Battle of Britain, but quickly returned to his squadron which
in early 1941 was at Tangmere and came under the command of Wing
Commander Douglas Bader. After receiving the DFC, Dundas became
Flight Commander in 610 Squadron. December 1941 brought another
promotion as commanding officer of 56 Squadron, the first in
the RAF to be converted to Typhoons. Posted to the Mediterranean
in 1943, he led 244 Spitfire Wing from Malta and later Italy.
In 1944, Dundas was awarded the DSO and became one of the youngest
Group Captains in the RAF. 'Cocky' Dundas ended the war with
eleven victories
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Group Captain Brian Kingcome
Kingcome entered the RAF Royal Air Force College, Cranwell
in 1936. At the outbreak of War, he was based at Hornchurch serving
with No. 65 Squadron. He took part in the battle of France and
the battle of Dunkirk.He was then posted to No. 92 Squadron atTangmere
in May 1940, where he assumed temporary command over No. 92 Squadron,
and later took full command. During this time he and his pilots
achieved the highest success rate of any squadron in the entire
Battle of Britain.
After serving with 92 Squadron, Kingcome was briefly posted as
flight commander at No 61 Operational Training Unit in late 1941.
In February 1942, he returned to operations as CO of No. 72 Squadron
RAF. Almost immediately he was ordered to provide escort cover
for the ill-fated Fleet Air Arm Swordfish attack on the German
capital ship Gneisenau, the cruiser ship Prinz Eugen and the
capital ship Scharnhorst as they sailed through the Channel in
an attempt to reach Kiel, Germany during operation Channel Dash.
He then became Wing Leader at Kenley in June 1942, and late in
the year posted to the Fighter Leader's School at Charmey Down.
In May 1943 he was posted to North Africa to command No. 244
Wing RAF and in September he was promoted to Group Captain at
the age of 25.
With 244 Wing, Kingcome found himself leading five Spitfire squadrons:
No. 92 Squadron, No. 145 Squadron, No. 601 Squadron, No. 417
Squadron RCAF and No. 1 Squadron SAAF during the Italian Campaign.
In October, he attended the RAF Staff College at Haifa. On completion,
Kingcome was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer in No. 205 Group,
which comprised all of the RAF heavy bomber squadrons in the
theatre. In spite of his staff position, Kingcome flew several
missions as a waist-gunner in a B-24 Liberator over northern
Yugoslavia. Kingcome ended the war with 8 victories, 3 shared
destroyed, plus a score of probables and damaged..
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