List of World War II aces from Australia

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.

Name Victories Squadron(s) Awards Notes
Caldwell, CliveClive Caldwell 28½[6][7] or 30 (27 + 3 shared)[5] 250, 112 RAF DSO, DFC & Bar
Goldsmith, AdrianAdrian Goldsmith 16¼[6] or 17[5][7] 234, 242, 126 RAF 452 RAAF DFC, DFM
Hughes, PatersonPaterson Hughes 15[6][7] or 17 (14 + 3 shared)[5] 64, 234, 247 RAF DFC KIA 7 September 1940[8]
Truscott, KeithKeith Truscott 15[5] or 16[6][7] 452, 76 RAAF DFC & Bar KIFA 28 March 1943[9]
Waddy, JohnJohn Waddy 15[7] 15½[5][6] 250, 260, 92 RAF 4 SAAF 80 RAAF DFC
Clisby, LesLes Clisby 14[6] or 16[5][7] 1 RAF DFC KIA 15 May 1940[10]
Scherf, CharlesCharles Scherf 14[5] or 14½[6][7] 418 RCAF DSO, DFC & Bar
Cullen, NigelNigel Cullen 13[6] or 16[5][7] 267, 80 RAF DFC KIA 4 March 1941[11]
Shipard, MervynMervyn Shipard 13[5] or 14[6][7] 68, 89 RAF DFC & Bar
Gaze, TonyTony Gaze 12[7] or 14 (11 + 3 shared)[5] or 14.5[12] 610, 616, 64, 129, 66, 41, RAF DFC & Two Bars Score includes one V-1 flying bomb.
Barr, NickyNicky Barr 12[6][7] 3 RAAF MC, DFC & Bar
Bretherton, BruceBruce Bretherton 12[5][6][7] 73 255 267 RAF DFC
Turnbull, PeterPeter Turnbull 12[5][6][7] 3, 75, 76 RAAF DFC KIA 27 August 1942[13]
Yarra, JohnJohn Yarra 12[5][6][7] 232, 64, 233, 185 RAF 453 RAAF DFM KIA 10 December 1942[14]
Armstrong, HugoHugo Armstrong 11[5][6] 126, 611, 72 RAF, 452 RAAF DFC & Bar KIA 5 February 1943 [15]
Crombie, CharlesCharles Crombie 11[7] or 12[5][6] 25, 89, 176, 89 RAF DSO, DFC KIFA 26 August 1945[16]
Mayers, HowardHoward Mayers 11[6][7] or 12 (11 + 1 shared)[5] 94, 601 RAF DSO, DFC & Bar
Millington, WilliamWilliam Millington 11[5] 79, 249 RAF DFC KIA 30 October 1940[17]
Whittle, RobertRobert Whittle 11[6][7] or 13 (10 + 3 shared)[5] 250 RAF 86 RAAF DFM
Gibbes, BobbyBobby Gibbes 10¼[6][18] or 12 (10 + 2 shared)[5] 450, 3 RAAF DSO, DFC & Bar
Brennan, VirgilVirgil Brennan 10[6][7] 64, 249 RAF 452, 79 RAAF DFC, DFM KIFA 13 June 1943
Coate, EdwardEdward Coate 10[5][7] 252, 227, 272 RAF DFC & Bar
Cock, JohnJohn Cock 10[6][7] or 11 (10 + 1 shared)[5] 87, 72 RAF 3, 453 RAAF DFC
Curchin, JohnJohn Curchin 9[7] or 12 (8 + 4 shared)[5] 600, 609 RAF DFC
Kearney, JamesJames Kearney 9[7] 30 RAAF DFC
Parkinson, ColinColin Parkinson 9[5] or 10[6][7] 19, 56, 603, 229 RAF DFC
Williams, NormanNorman Williams 9 10, 35 RAF, 23 RAAF CGM, DFM & Bar Bomber Command
Arthur, WilfredWilfred Arthur 8[5] or 10[6][7] 3, 75, 76 RAAF DSO, DFC
Jackson, JohnJohn Jackson 8[5][7][19] 23, 3, 75 RAAF DFC KIA 28 April 1942[20]
McDonald, KennethKenneth McDonald 8[7] 31 RAAF DFC
Pain, JohnJohn Pain 8[5] 32, 261, 73 RAF
Perrin, JohnJohn Perrin 8[5] or 10[6][7] 87, 54 RAF 3, 5, 24, 76 RAAF DFC
Rawlinson, AlanAlan Rawlinson 8[5] or 10[6][7] 3, 79 RAAF DFC & Bar
Russell, IanIan Russell 8[7] or 10[5][6] 245, 607, 609 RAF DFC KIA 1 June 1940 [21]
Steege, GordonGordon Steege 8[5][7] 11, 260 RAF, 3, 450 RAAF DSO, DFC
Storey, WilliamWilliam Storey 8[5][7] 135 RAF DFC
Wilson, RexRex Wilson 8[5][7] 3 RAAF DFM KIA 9 December 1941[22]
Bartle, JohnJohn Bartle 7[5] 112 RAF, 450 RAAF
Bisley, JohnJohn Bisley 7[5][7] DFC
Boyd, AlanAlan Boyd 7[5] 3, 75, 76, 84, 67 RAAF
Boyd, JohnJohn Boyd 7[5] 135, 242, 126 RAF DFM KIA 14 May 1942[23]
Graham, GregoryGregory Graham 7[5] 80 RAF
Hampshire, KeithKeith Hampshire 7[5][7] or 10[24] 12, 6, 22, 456 RAAF DSO & Bar, DFC
Leu, RudolfRudolf Leu 7[5][7] 112 RAF DFM
Tweedale, GordonGordon Tweedale 7[5][7] 43, 126, 155 RAF DFM KIA 9 May 1942[25]
Foskett, RussellRussell Foskett 6½[5][7] 80, 94 RAF OBE, DFC KIA 31 October 1944[26]
Bowes, RoderickRoderick Bowes 6[5][7] 79 RAF DFC KIA 21 May 1943[27]
Chisholm, KeithKeith Chisholm 6[7] or 7[5] (5 + 2 shared) 452 RAAF MC, DFM
Constantine, AlexanderAlexander Constantine 6[5][7] 141, 273, 136 RAF
Cowper, RobertRobert Cowper 6[5][7] 153, 89, 108 RAF 456 RAAF DFC & Bar Score includes one V-1 flying bomb[5]
Mailey, WalterWalter Mailey 6[5][7] 3 RAAF DFM
Olive, GordonGordon Olive 6[7] or 8[5] 65 RAF, 456 RAAF DFC
Paxton, ThomasThomas Paxton 6[5] 250, 30 RAF
Rees, StewartStewart Rees 6[5][7] 600 RAF DFC
Saunders, JohnJohn Saunders 6[5][7] KIA 22 November 1941[28]
Sheen, DesmondDesmond Sheen 6[5][7] 212, 72 RAF DFC & Bar
Simes, RonaldRonald Simes 6[5][7] 3 RAAF DFM KIA 9 January 1942[29]
Smith, DonaldDonald Smith 5[7] or 6 (5 + 1 shared)[5] 126, 41 RAF 452, 453 RAAF DFC
Thorold-Smith, RaymondRaymond Thorold-Smith 6[7] or 7 (6 + 1 shared)[5] 452 RAAF DFC KIA 15 March 1943[30]
Atherton, GeoffreyGeoffrey Atherton 5[5][7] 24, 25, 75, 82 RAAF DFC & Bar
Bell, MaxwellMaxwell Bell 5[5][7] 19 RAF DFC KIA 9 September 1944[31]
Bungey, RobertRobert Bungey 5[5][7] 226, 145 RAF 452 RAAF DFC Died 10 June 1943[32]
Bunting, BobbyBobby Bunting 5[5][7] 93 RAF DFC
Burney, HenryHenry Burney 5[5][6][7] 112 RAF
Cameron, AlanAlan Cameron 5[7] or 7[5] 3 RAAF DFM
Clare, AlfredAlfred Clare 5[7] 453, 24, 5 RAAF
Cronin, LauranceLaurance Cronin 5[5][7] 453 RAAF, 81 RAF DFC
Cundy, WilliamWilliam Cundy 5[7] or 7 (5 + 2 shared)[5] 135, 260 RAF 452 RAAF DFC, DFM
Curtis, VictorVictor Curtis 5[5][7] 3 RAAF KIA 6 January 1943[33]
Fry, CharlesCharles Fry 5[5] or 6[7] 112 RAF DFC & Bar
Giddy, PeterPeter Giddy 5[5][7] 3 RAAF
Glyde, RichardRichard Glyde 5[7] or 6 (3 + 3 shared)[5] 87 RAF DFC KIA 14 August 1940[34]
Goold, WilfredWilfred Goold 5[5][7] 607 RAF DFC
Gordon, ReginaldReginald Gordon 5 or 6[5][7] 24, 31 RAF DFC & Bar
Hammond, RonaldRonald Hammond 5[7] 248 RAF DFM
Hillary, RichardRichard Hillary 5[5][7] 603 RAF KIA 8 January 1943
Jackson, LeslieLeslie Jackson 5[5][7] 21, 23, 75 RAAF DFC & Bar
Jeffrey, PeterPeter Jeffrey 5[7] or 6 (5 + 1 shared)[5][35] 3, 75, 76 RAAF DSO, DFC
McBurnie, DonaldDonald McBurnie 5[7] or 6 (5 + 1 shared)[5] 238 RAF, 450, 451 RAAF DFC, DFM
McIntosh, LawrenceLawrence McIntosh 5[5][7] 112, 111 RAF
Nitschke, RichardRichard Nitschke 5[5][7] 250 RAF KIA 20 December 1941[36]
Rankin, RonaldRonald Rankin 5[7] or 8 (4 + 4 shared)[5] 272, 236, 227 RAF 30 RAAF DFC
Ratten, JohnJohn Ratten 5[5][7] 72 RAF 453 RAAF DFC KIA 27 February 1945[37]
Reid, LeonardLeonard Reid 5[7] or 7[5] 504, 185, 130 RAF 79, 452 RAAF DFC
Spurgin, ArthurArthur Spurgin 5[5][7] 68, 87, 89 RAF 86 RAAF DFC

Notes

  1. ↑ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 1–2
  2. ↑ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, p. 32
  3. 1 2 Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, p. 30
  4. ↑ Newton, Australian Air Aces, p. 75
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 Newton, Australian Air Aces, pp. 117–118
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Odgers, The Royal Australian Air Force, p. 125
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 31–32
  8. ↑ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 139–140
  9. ↑ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 162–163
  10. ↑ Newton, Australian Air Aces, pp. 77–78
  11. ↑ Newton, Australian Air Aces, p. 83
  12. ↑ "Gaze, Frederick Anthony Owen "Tony"". World War Two Awards. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "Turnbull, Peter St George Bruce". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "Yarra, John William". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  15. ↑ "Armstrong, Hugo Throssell". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  16. ↑ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 127–128
  17. ↑ "Commemorative Roll – William Henry Millington". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  18. ↑ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, p. 133
  19. ↑ Andrew Thomas (2005). Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and Commonwealth, p. 103
  20. ↑ "Jackson, John Francis". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  21. ↑ "Russell, Ian Bedford Nesbitt". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  22. ↑ "Wilson, Rex Kerslake". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  23. ↑ "Boyd, John Livingstone". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  24. ↑ Bowman, Mosquito Fighter/Fighter-Bomber Units of World War 2, p. 95
  25. ↑ "Tweedale, Gordon Russell". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  26. ↑ "Foskett, Russell George". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  27. ↑ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, p. 118
  28. ↑ "Saunders, John Henry William". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  29. ↑ "Simes, Ronald Henry". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  30. ↑ "Thorold-Smith, Raymond Edward". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  31. ↑ "Bell, Maxwell Herron". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  32. ↑ Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 120–121
  33. ↑ "Curtis, Victor Farley". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  34. ↑ "Glyde, Richard Lindsay". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  35. ↑ Thomas, Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and Commonwealth, p. 102
  36. ↑ "Nitschke, Richard Hastings". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  37. ↑ "Ratten, John Richard". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 29 June 2013.

References

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