"The Few" Battle of Britain Pilots

[spidge]

ST JAMES, SUTTON ON HULL, EAST RIDING - WAR MEMORIAL - Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence Hughes DFC
Flight Lieutenant
Paterson Clarence Hughes DFC RAAF
234 Squadron RAF





born: 17 September 1917 killed in action: 7 September 1940
photo: courtesy of Malcolm Booth, Pat's nephew in NSW

Pat was credited with 14 downed enemy aircraft, plus other shared planes, making him the highest scoring Non-British Fighter Pilot in the Battle of Britain.

One fact that came to light, a great deal later, was that Pat is also credited with shooting down a very well-known German airman indeed, none other than Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, the famous "One That Got Away".
This was the German Luftwaffe prisoner who escaped from British POW camps several times, only to be recaptured every time. After an escapade in which he very nearly nicked a Spitfire to fly home in, and along with other notorious German escapees, von Werra was shipped off to Canada - our version of Colditz, I suppose - and finally made his successful escape from a moving train at night into the snow and thence to cross the frozen St Lawrence River in a stolen rowing boat to freedom in the US . . just a few months before America came into the war. He was repatriated to Germany to continue his flying career, only to lose his life in Russia on the Eastern Front.

[Kyt]

His 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.

LG'd 22 October 1940