june march australian fighter ace world war serving royal_air_force raf credited sixteen aerial victories killed action born newcastle new_south_wales living london seen action spanish civil war joined raf following outbreak world war served initially transport pilot squadron middle_east seeking fighters posted squadron flying claimed axis aircraft unit converted nicknamed physical bulk awarded destroying enemy aircraft single sortie february credited victories engagement march day shot killed escort duty albania regia age early career born newcastle new south wales june son david originally wife hero boy uncle future major general taken england early age parents attended studying fired love adventure competed racing later saw action member spanish civil war suffering wound stomach necessitated england caught friends reluctant talk conflict wars future fought air living joined royal_air_force raf granted short service commission acting pilot officer august completing probation following promoted flying officer december shortly outbreak world war posted middle_east early wartime service squadron transport unit passengers freight egypt transport duties sought fighters long able effect transfer squadron flying type war began fighter pilot joining squadron fighter tactics pat leading british aces war nicknamed colleagues imposing physique described fellow pilot big smiling long armed giant irresistible offensive spirit fearless october detailed search single missing allied truck failing locate vehicle spotted italian ground attack aircraft south immediately engaged gaining credit probably destroying italians reported aircraft returning base squadron greece following month assist resisting italian invasion achieved confirmed victory engined bomber near december promoted flight lieutenant day january claimed second kill day offensive patrol albania fourteen squadron attacked bombers reported destroying firing aircraft shot section claimed fighter bomber successive days february respectively recorded victories mission february albania sending flames escorting allied bombers discovered formations nearby shot later remarked hadn left slightly wounded hand bullet raf claimed italian aircraft destroyed including february italian sources reported shot killing pilot damaged combat later destroyed fire attempted forced landing february attacked engined taking greece simply attempting prevent getting airborne refused stop destroying second pass result add official score italian plane flight time destruction hurricanes time squadron began february total aerial victories stood enemy aircraft destroyed plus probable earned reputation extreme aggression air favourite tactic duel head intended victim aircraft firing closing speed miles hour quoted saying interesting pull away colleagues reportedly said came fight single enemy aircraft left sky battle came home guns opened score hurricane february shooting escorting light bombers albania day described greatest air battle period officially credited shooting italian planes engagement record unit combat report read battle right albania found got went flames found formations took aimed starboard engine caught fire crashed flames climbed crashed flames attacked climbing got caught fire went flames immediately fired cockpit took fire rolled crashed come home achievements february raf successful day campaign awarded italian sources recorded damaged february shot claimed raf fact claimed multiple kill march comrades chased group bombed greece catching retreating bombers south west squadron claimed destroyed probable credited destroying probably destroying italians reported bombers lost following day march flying hurricane escorting group near southern albania bombed target italian warships return flight flight lieutenant ordered hurricanes hunt pairs warships number italian fighters seen lone attacked occasion reported shooting watching spiral moment second jumped hurricane seen aircraft crashed near australian killed years old citation london gazette march february officer pilot formation aircraft attacked large force enemy bombers escorted fighters displaying remarkable skill flight lieutenant shot enemy aircraft ensuing action destroyed enemy aircraft consistently shown great resource courage official history australia war puts number victories thirteen total score commonly estimated sixteen sixteen half buried park memorial cemetery albania appears australian war memorial canberra
Nigel Cullen