DFC Citation Acting Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence HUGHES (39461) (since killed). This officer has led his flight with skill and determination. He has displayed gallantry in his attacks on the enemy and has destroyed seven of their aircraft.
An Australian ace who should be better known by the Australian public. Mind you, other than perhaps Caldwell and Gibbes, I cannot think of an Aussie fighter ace who is a "household name" and even those two are probably, sadly, largely forgotten now. I don't think it'd take much for them to "return" to the public eye though.
Paterson Clarence Hughes DFC (September 19, 1917 – September 7, 1940), was a Royal Australian Air Force fighter pilot, assigned to the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain in World War II. The top-scoring Australian flying ace of the Battle of Britain and one of the 24 Australians who lost their lives during the battle,[1] Hughes has been described as the "real driving force behind No. 234 Squadron RAF."[2] Paterson Clarence Hughes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This is a very good piece and worth a read. Sadly his is one gravestone I do not have as yet.
I forgot that I had posted this in December 2007. http://ww2chat.com/forums/war-air/1219-few-battle-britain-pilots.html
Hi Spidge ! Can I please go off topic and ask you if the Isaac R. Handley who was named on your memorial is the same one that was involved with trying to find Amelia Earhart ?? Katagateman Annie
Hi Annie, I assume you mean the memorial on my avatar? It was the same man. Isaac R Handley, was a retired Master Mariner and Captain of the MB Mauno on Tarawa. He was beheaded along with the other Australian, 17 NZ's & 3 British. He would have been about 74/75 years old. I have been to Tarawa many times. Cheers Geoff
