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10-10-2007, 12:39 AM
| #1 (permalink) |
| Super Moderator   Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 3,245
You're Top Poster: #3   | Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell, DSO, DFC (and Bar) (1911–1994) From: http://www.awm.gov.au/fiftyaustralians/6.asp Killer Caldwell The highest scoring fighter pilot of the RAAF. Clive Caldwell always wanted to fly; he became an outstanding airman and a popular national hero. Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell, DSO, DFC (and Bar) (1911–1994) Caldwell was in the Royal Aero Club before the war and had already learnt to fly. When war broke out he joined the RAAF and in 1941 was sent to the Middle East, where he flew first P-40 Tomahawks in No. 250 Squadron RAF and later Kittyhawks as commander of No. 112 Squadron RAF. He never liked the nickname, “Killer”, that was bestowed on him. The skill of his flying, and the accuracy of his shooting, soon established Caldwell as a leading “ace” in the Western Desert; eventually he shot down more than 20 German and Italian aircraft. One time in combat, his plane was badly hit and he was wounded. Despite this, he destroyed an enemy Messerschmitt and drove off another. Another day, he shot down five German Junkers Ju 87s. In late 1942 Caldwell returned to assist in the defence of Australia against the Japanese. He took command of No. 1 Fighter (Spitfire) Wing based at Darwin. By August 1943 he had added eight Japanese aircraft to his score. In 1944 he led No. 80 Fighter Wing, and in early 1945 moved to Morotai. As the Americans took an increasing role in the air war, Australian fighter squadrons were left with less important work; many pilots now felt they were risking their lives for little purpose. Discontent culminated in Caldwell and a group of officers proffering their resignations. This became known as the “Morotai Mutiny”. The matter was handled very poorly by the Chief of the Air Staff, who was determined to take some disciplinary action. This resulted in the end of Caldwell’s active flying career. The episode left a bitter taste. After the war, Caldwell became a successful businessman and only spoke modestly of his heroic part in the war.  Harold Freedman, Wing Commander Clive Caldwell, DSO, DFC and Bar 1947 ART26990  Flying “ace”, Flight-Lieutenant Caldwell of No. 250 Squadron RAF, in Libya in late 1941. MED0177  Group Captain Caldwell at Morotai; a scoreboard of his Spitfire records the number of enemy aircraft he destroyed. OG1998  Unit signboard Clive Caldwell retained this sign after the war as a memento of the time, from 1944, when he was commanding officer of No. 80 Fighter Wing RAAF. REL/10555
__________________ Spidge, ------------------------------------------------------- My Avatar is the memorial to the 22 Commonwealth Coastwatchers at the Temakin Cemetery on Betio (Tarawa Atoll) who were beheaded by the Japanese on 15th October 1942. http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat...mem_beito.html "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war." (Winston Churchill made this prophetic pronouncement in a House of Commons speech in 1938, just after Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement with Hitler. Chamberlain returned from Germany with the signed agreement in hand, proclaiming that "peace in our time" had been achieved. Churchill attacked Chamberlain's "politics of appeasement" in this and many other speeches.) What did the Australians do in ww2 and other conflicts? Check out this site: http://www.diggerhistory.info/00-pag...ster-index.htm |
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10-10-2007, 12:45 AM
| #2 (permalink) |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Outer reaches, Melbourne, Victoria
Posts: 3,627
You're Top Poster: #2 | Two books recently out about CRC: http://www.seekbooks.com.au/book/Kil...0733620737.htm Never did understand why Watson gave it that title since CRC didn't like his nickname. And... http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...003900,00.html An excellent review from The Australian newspaper.
__________________ http://www.454-459squadrons.org.au/. http://www.awm.gov.au/index.asp  Aircraft from No. 60 Squadron levelling out for the "run in" to make a mast-head attack on a Japanese coaster off Akyab. Courtesy AWM. |
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10-10-2007, 12:51 AM
| #3 (permalink) | |
| Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 3,245
You're Top Poster: #3 | [quote] Quote:
__________________ Spidge, ------------------------------------------------------- My Avatar is the memorial to the 22 Commonwealth Coastwatchers at the Temakin Cemetery on Betio (Tarawa Atoll) who were beheaded by the Japanese on 15th October 1942. http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat...mem_beito.html "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war." (Winston Churchill made this prophetic pronouncement in a House of Commons speech in 1938, just after Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement with Hitler. Chamberlain returned from Germany with the signed agreement in hand, proclaiming that "peace in our time" had been achieved. Churchill attacked Chamberlain's "politics of appeasement" in this and many other speeches.) What did the Australians do in ww2 and other conflicts? Check out this site: http://www.diggerhistory.info/00-pag...ster-index.htm | |
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10-10-2007, 01:07 AM
| #4 (permalink) |
| Άρης  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Terra something or other
Posts: 5,204
You're Top Poster: #1  | Caldwell's entry in Aces High Volume 1 by Shores & Williams
__________________ _________________  Beaufighter TF Mark Xs (NV427 'EO-L' nearest) of No. 404 Squadron RCAF based at Dallachy, Morayshire, breaking formation during a flight along the Scottish coast. February 1945. |
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