les june australian fighter ace world war serving royal_air_force raf credited sixteen aerial victories killed action combat career lasting matter months australia ace war born south_australia joined royal_australian_air_force mechanic later accepted flying training graduated pilot chose commission raf arriving britain assigned squadron flying recently introduced posted france following outbreak world war achieved aerial victory april known highly aggressive fighter pilot threw combat odds day period commencing credited destroying german aircraft awarded earlier victories shot flames buried france early career born south_australia june second children carpenter wife née attending les studied engineering evening classes joined royal_australian_air_force raaf mechanic later accepted flying training course victoria april flying formation encountered problems subsequent inquiry found plane loss lack experience graduated pre war arrangement british australian governments volunteered transfer royal_air_force raf sailed europe july august granted year short service commission pilot officer assigned squadron sussex unit operated new speed miles hour machine guns wing training active social life wrote family young lady home adelaide fiancée world war outbreak war september flying officer days later squadron deployed northern france accompanied autumn winter amidst called war succession small clashes took place allied air forces luftwaffe achieved aerial victory april twin engined fighter following day vicinity claimed opened began score heavily estimates remarkable run kills days ranging thirteen destroyed bombers aircraft struck friendly fire french anti aircraft battery ace following day shot german fighters rudder hurricane damaged enemy gunfire breaking combat found bomber drifting took shot forcing land landed nearby tried escape chased german crewmen field firing revolver capturing rugby tackle forced surrender gunpoint proceeded march french authorities rejoining squadron recorded wanted according time magazine reporting exploit weeks later commanding officer remarked bit uncommon pilots bring prisoners known extreme aggression air rushing combat odds credited destruction aircraft claiming reconnaissance planes identified action support historic raid bridges near dutch belgian border achievements day earlier successes awarded citation london gazette june flying officer reported missing day april officer pilot hurricanes attacked shot following day destroyed officer engaged enemy shot enemy aircraft flying officer displayed great courage occasions described cheerful addicted flying premature lines face months air air combat experience considered seasoned squadron scoring ace australian born ace war known giving vent patriotic feelings homeland way raaf personnel served raf permitted continue wearing original dark blue australian uniform wore exchange lighter coloured british variety refused raaf uniform regardless teased condition simply respond wearing raaf uniform went action flight thirty having destroyed german heavy fighters seen going cockpit trailing smoke flames evidently hit cannon fire initially posted missing comrades flying officer plane seen losing height action french later found burnt hurricanes vicinity identified died knowing awarded fellow pilot later said australian thrown reckless abandon magnificent way estimates total number victories short career range common official score attributed sixteen loss raf documentation chaotic retreat france meant squadron records combat claims reconstructed memory surviving personnel date death unclear sources including commonwealth war graves commission claiming following day regardless exact date raf ace war lost action buried military cemetery north eastern france appears australian war memorial canberra
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