Air Vice-Marshal J.E. ‘JOHNNIE’ JOHNSON CB CBE DSO** DFC* DL

The RAF’s top fighter Ace with 38 confirmed air victories, and probably many others, ‘Johnnie’ Johnson flew with Douglas Bader in
616 Squadron before commanding 610 Squadron. He took part in many operations over the Channel and France, including the great air battles over Dieppe. In the build up to the invasion of France in June 1944, on D-Day and throughout the battle for Normandy, Johnnie Johnson led 144 Canadian Wing consisting of 441, 442 and 443 Squadrons RCAF. In August 1944 he led 127 Canadian Wing with 417,
421, 443 and later 403 Squadrons RCAF.
One of the most inspirational Wing Leaders of the war ‘Johnnie’ led his Canadians across France from Normandy, Arnhem and Nijmegan, the Battle of the Bulge and finally into Germany itself. In April 1945 he was given command of 125 Canadian Wing flying the latest Griffon engine Spitfire Mk.XIV.

Polish Stanislaw Nawarski flew with the French Air Force, escaping to England after the fall of France to join the RAF. He flew Hurricanes but was injured just before the Battle of Britain. In 1941 he joined 302 (Polish) Squadron on Spitfires and flew offensive sweeps on D-Day and throughout the subsequent Allied advance through Normandy, scoring four victories, all Bf109s.

Flight Sergeant RON FARNBOROUGH

After qualifying as a pilot in late 1943 he was immediately posted to join 33 Squadron flying Mk.V Spitfires from Libya in the Middle East, returning to England in early 1944 for the buildup to D-Day.
Converting to Mk.IX Spitfires, he flew fighter patrols over the Normandy beaches on D-Day itself and then, operating from airfields on the continent, flew throughout the invasion in support of the Allied push to Germany.

Flight Lieutenant RODNEY SCRASE DFC RAFVR

Flying Spitfires with 72 Squadron, he operated over North Africa, Sicily and Italy with much success. In early 1944 he transferred back to England joining 1 Squadron at Manston, flying Mk.IX Spitfires on anti V1 patrols in the lead up to D-Day. During the Allied invasion he flew low level strafing attacks on targets of opportunity in Normandy and the Falaise Gap. His unit then reverted to bomber escort duties from Maldeghem in Belgium and flew in support of Operation Market Garden and the Allied counter-offensive in the Ardennes. He finished the war with 4 air victories and 3 damaged.

Flight Lieutenant JIMMY TAYLOR

Completing pilot training in 1941 he joined 16 Squadron, part of the Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. Flying a stripped-down
Spitfire PR Mk.XI he undertook photo-reconnaissance missions during and after D-Day, providing essential information for the Allied landings. Moving to airstrips in Normandy, Amiens and Brussels he flew his last mission on 19 November 1944 when his engine failed over northern Germany and he was forced to bale out, being knocked semi-unconscious by the tail plane.
Landing in Holland he initially evaded capture with the help of a Dutch family, but was eventually caught and spent rest of the war a POW at Stalag-Luft 1 in northern Germany.

Wing Commander J.F. ‘STOCKY’ EDWARDS DFC* DFM

Posted to 94 Squadron RAF in the western Desert on Hurricanes, ‘Stocky’ Edwards then went to 260 Squadron as a Flight Commander. His second tour saw him flying Spitfires with 417 Squadron RCAF in Italy, then with 92 Squadron as a Flight Commander, before commanding 247 Squadron RAF. He returned to England to join the Hornchurch Wing, converting to Tempests in 1944. His final tour was as Wing Leader of 127 Wing RCAF, finishing the war with 16½ confirmed victories.

Wing Commander JAMES D. LINDSAY DFC

James Lindsay got his first victory in May 1944 flying a Mk.IX Spitfire as a Flight Commander with 403 Squadron RCAF over France, and on 2 July he achieved three victories in just one minute! He briefly rejoined 403 Squadron in April 1945, before he was posted to 416 Squadron RCAF, finishing the war with nine confirmed victories.
He later flew in Korea attached to the USAF 39th Fighter Interceptor squadron.

Lieutenant General DON LAUBMAN DFC*

His first posting in England was flying Mk.V Spitfires with 412 Squadron RCAF, re-equipping with Mk.IXs. He flew throughout the build-up to D-Day and subsequent invasion, including the destruction of German forces at Falaise, downing 8 German fighters in the aerial battles over Arnhem. For his second tour he commanded 402 Squadron RCAF but was shot down on 14 April 1945 becoming a POW for the few remaining weeks of the war, having scored 15 confirmed aerial victories.