World War 2
During the Battle of Britain, 10 July to 31 October 1940 some 49 pilots flew with 41 Sqn. In a mere four months, eleven pilots of 41 Sqn would not survive the conflict. Here we recognise the Squadron aircrew, EngO and IntO from the Battle of Britain alongside others of note during the War .
Sqn Ldr Petrus H. “Dutch” Hugo – OC 41 SqnCommanded 41 Sqn from November 1941 to April 1942, having arrived in the UK from South Africa in late 1938 to undertake flying training. He joined the Squadron with a DFC and Bar having already claimed many aerial victories and survived being shot down. While on 41 Squadron he claimed a further 3 victories and was promoted to Wg Cdr in April 1942. “Dutch” became highly decorated, within a month of leaving the Squadron he gained a DSO after destroying 1 enemy aircraft, damaging another and then bailing out. He retired to Tanzania as a Group Captain in 1950.
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Flt Lt John T. ‘Terry’ Webster
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Sqn Ldr Hilary R. L. ‘Robin’ Hood DFC – OC 41 SqnCommanded 41 Sqn from 22 April to 5 September 1940. During his tenure he claimed 3 destroyed and one damaged enemy aircraft. He was killed in action, aged 32, over Essex on 5 September 1940. Although debris from his aircraft was found, his body has never been recovered.
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Plt Off John S. Darrant – EngOServed on 41 Sqn from 25 November 1939 to 13 August 1940. He was Mentioned in Despatches four times during the War, awarded an OBE in 1946, and retired as a Wg Cdr in 1953 after 36 years’ service in the RAF.
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Fg Off Thomas W. P. L. ‘Gizzie’ Chaloner, The Rt Hon Lord Gisborough – IntOServed on 41 Sqn from 6 May 1940 to 19 Jun 1945. A former World War I B.E.2c pilot, escaped PoW and Territorial Army Major, he rejoined the RAF at the outbreak of World War II aged 50.
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Sgt Plt Frank UsmarServed on 41 Sqn from 18 June to 27 September 1940, in that time claiming one destroyed, one probably destroyed and one damaged enemy aircraft. He was Mentioned in Despatches in 1945 and retired as a Sqn Ldr in September 1964.
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Plt Off Edward A. ‘Shippy’ ShipmanServed on 41 Sqn from 10 October 1936 to 1 September 1940. During his tenure, he claimed one destroyed He111, one shared destroyed He111, and one shared destroyed Me110. He was awarded an AFC in January 1945 and retired as a Wg Cdr in December 1959.
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Plt Off Ronald W. ‘Wally’ WallensServed on 41 Sqn from 26 March to 8 August 1938, and from 7 October 1938 to 5 September 1940 when he was struck by heavy cannon fire from a Me109E. Severely wounded and with a seized engine, he was unable to move the canopy to bail out and force landed near Hornchurch. He did not return to service until April 1941. Later he received an AFC and was promoted to Sqn Ldr.
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Plt Off Eric S. ‘Lockie’ Lock DSO DFC and BarServed on 41 Sqn from 18 June to 17 November 1940. He was destined to become of the RAF’s greatest Aces, credited with 29 aerial victories. On 17 November 1940, he was severely injured in a 41 Sqn dogfight with 70 Me109Es. Whilst recuperating in hospital he was awarded the DSO and was rapidly promoted to Flt Lt. On 3 August 1941, aged 22, he failed to return from a ground attack mission near the Pas-de-Calais and is believed to have been shot down. Neither his body nor his aircraft have ever been found. He is remembered today on the Runnymede Memorial.
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Sqn Ldr Robert C. F. Lister DFC – OC 41 SqnCommanded 41 Sqn from 8 to 14 September 1940. Previously awarded a DFC and a Mention in Despatches for his service in 1937. In his first week on the Squadron he was shot down, managing to bale out but wounded so severely that he did not return to fly with 41 again.
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Sgt Plt Cyril S. ‘Bam’ BambergerServed on 41 Sqn from 17 September to 19 October 1940, in that time claiming one destroyed and 2 damaged enemy aircraft. He was awarded the DFC in 1943 and retired as a Sqn Ldr in Jan 1959.
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Plt Off Harry H. Chalder
Served on 41 Sqn from 15 to 28 September, when he was shot down and managed to bale out despite serious wounds. He was rushed to hospital and received treatment but succumbed to his injuries on 10 November 1940, aged 25.
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Plt Off Denys E. ‘Den’ MilehamServed on 41 Sqn from 30 September 1940 to 8 February 1941, during that time claiming one destroyed and 2 damaged Me109E. He was shot down and killed in a dogfight on 15 April 1942, aged 22.
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Sgt Plt Leslie R. CarterServed on 41 Sqn from 1 October 1940 to 3 February 1941. After a flight to 35500ft, with the canopy frozen partly open, he suffered such severe frostbite to his fingers that it was months before he regained the full use of his hands. Previously, he had also baled out following a mid-air collision with another Spitfire. He was presumed shot down and killed on 6 July 1941, aged 21.
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Plt Off George H. ‘Ben’ Bennions DFCServed on 41 Sqn from 16 February 1936 to 1 October 1940. With 22.5 victories, he was the 2nd most successful 41 Sqn pilot of the Battle. Despite being shot down and sustaining severe burns and injuries to his right arm and leg, as well as losing his sight in one eye, he flew again and retired as a Sqn Ldr in March 1958.
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Flt Lt Anthony D. J. ‘Tony’ Lovell DFC – OC B Flt
Served on 41 Sqn from 20 Aug 1938 to 23 May 1941. Eventually tallying 14 victories, he earned a DFC whilst flying on 41 Sqn during the Battle of Britain. Later, he went on to be awarded a Bar to his DFC and a DSO and Bar, also assuming an acting Wg Cdr position. On 17 Aug 1945 he was killed in a flying accident when performing a slow roll at low altitude, aged 26.
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Sgt Plt Robert A. AngusServed on 41 Sqn from 12 October 1940 to 20 February 1941, claiming one damaged enemy aircraft before he was shot down by a Luftwaffe Ace and baled out into the Channel. Considering the day’s wintery conditions and water temperature, it is thought he succumbed to the effects of hypothermia and was never recovered. He was 21 years old. He is remembered today on the Runnymede Memorial.
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Fg Off William J. M. ‘Scotty’ ScottServed on 41 Sqn from 13 July 1939 to 8 September 1940, when he was shot down and killed off Dover, aged 25. His body washed up at Dover on November 1940. He had shot down one Me109E and probably destroyed another in the two days prior to his death.
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Plt Off Roy C. ‘Henry’ FordServed on 41 Sqn from 16 Dec 39 to 23 May 41. Following the Battle of Britain he became the production Test Pilot for Hawker Aircraft Ltd and 18 months later attended the first (No.1) Test Pilot course held at The Empire Test Pilots’ School at Boscombe Down.
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Plt Off Eric S. AldousServed on 41 Sqn from 12 to 28 September 1940 having previously served 3 months with 610 Sqn. He damaged an Me109E on 18 September but was shot down and wounded ten days later. Hospitalised until December 1940, he was then posted to 55 OTU as a flying instructor.
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Plt Off Norman M. BrownServed on 41 Sqn from 12 October 1940 to 6 April 1941, following a brief tenure with 611 Sqn. He was injured when he flew into a balloon cable in Nov 1940 and left the RAF 5 months later, going into work for the Forestry Commission.
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Flt Lt Edgar N. ‘Norman’ Ryder DFC – OC A FltServed on 41 Sqn from 30 Jun 1937 to 17 Jan 1941. An eventful flying career saw him claim 13 victories, earning him a DFC on 41 Sqn and then later a Bar to his DFC. After baling out for the third time in the war, he was captured and held as a PoW for over 3 and a half years until his liberation in May 1945. He retired as Gp Capt, Stn Cdr RAF Duxford with a CBE in December 1960.
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Fg Off John N. ‘Mac’ Mackenzie DFCServed on 41 Sqn from 17 Sep 1938 to 9 Mar 1941. He claimed 15.5 victories during the war, earning a DFC while on 41 Sqn. He transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1944, returning to the RAF in 1946. He retired as a Sqn Ldr in 1958 and emigrated to New Zealand to set up a car dealership.
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Sqn Ldr Donald O. Finlay – OC 41 SqnCommanded 41 Sqn from 14 September 1940 until 9 August 1941. As well as being the longest serving Officer Commanding of World War II, he was also a Silver Medal winning Olympic 110m Hurdler from the Berlin 1936 Games and introduced a demanding fitness programme for the Sqn pilots and ground crew. He retired as a Gp Capt in February 1959.
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Sqn Ldr Terry Spencer DFC - OC A FltServed 41 Squadron between 28 May 1944 and 4 Jan 1945. He claimed eight V-1s destroyed whilst based in the UK and later led the units' s advance party to is first continental base at Diest, Belgium. He was shot down twice during his service, escaping by bicycle on the first occasion to return to allied lines. He was demobilised in Feb 1946 and went onto be a very successful photographer for LIFE and People magazine.
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Sgt Aharon RemezSgt Aharon Remez served on 41 Squadron as Sgt Aircrew between 1945-46. He later rose to become the Commander of the Israeli Air Force in 1948 and went on to be one of the founding members of IAI. He later returned to the UK as the Israeli ambassador between 1965 and 1970.
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