CROSBY, F/O Robert Gordon (C22655) - Mention in Despatches - No.438 Squadron - Award effective 1 January 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 379/45 dated 2 March 1945. Born 11 March 1916 in Vancouver. A geologist; enlisted in Vancouver, 12 September 1940. To No.1 MD, Brandon, 12 September 1940; to No.2 ITS, Regina, 14 October 1940; promoted LAC on 4 November 1940 and posted to No.5 EFTS, Lethbridge; to No.3 SFTS, Calgary, 23 December 1940 where he remained until 1 March 1941. Attended Central Flying School, Trenton, 2-26 March 1941 and promoted Sergeant 27 March 1941. On staff of No.19 EFTS, Virden, 15 May 1941 to 13 September 1942 (promoted WO1 on 27 September 1941); at No.6 SFTS, Dunnville, 11 October 1942 to 13 January 1943 (when he finally qualified for RCAF pilot's badge, 30 December 1942 and commissioned 31 December 1942). At the time he reported to No.6 SFTS he had flown 86 hours15 minutes (dual day), 1,154 hours 30 minutes (solo day), two hours (dual night) and 34 hour 20 minutes (solo night). Posted overseas via No.3 PRC, February 1943. No.14 (P) AFU, 16 March 1943; to No.5 (P) AFU, 16 March 1943 (same day ?); to No.55 OTU, 20 April 1943; to No.56 Squadron, 13 July 1943 (but may not have reported before 16 July 1943). First operational sortie on 9 September 1943. Flew 12-15 ops, 20 operational hours with that unit. Promoted Flying Officer, 1 July 1943. Shot down 3 January 1944. He had gone out at 1125 hours with his Flight Commander, F/L Brian L.G. Hawkins, on an Offensive Patrol over northern France - a "rhubarb" in Pas de Calais area. Crossed coast at 5-6,000 feet above cloud, dived through it and pulled up into it. Cloud was at 3,000 feet. No flak reported by Hawkins - but Crosby was hit, baled out, and evaded (JP446). Attacked a target (not sure what it was - a train ?). Arrived in Gibraltar on 28 April 1944. Repatriated to Canada but was back in Britain as of 11 August 1944. With No.438 Squadron, 29 August 1944 (NOTE: May have crash and burned on 6 November 1944 ). Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 12 November 1944. To No.439 Squadron, 20 November 1944. Missing in action again, 22 January 1945; reported safe, 27 January 1945. Promoted Squadron Leader, 4 December 1944. Repatriated 3 May 1945 and released 25 September 1945. RCAF photo PL-41348 (ex UK-18079 dated 10 January 1945) shows him standing beside cockpit of his Typhoon soon after being appointed a squadron Commanding Officer. Public Records Office Air 2/9229 has recommendation dated 19 July 1944 submitted by S/L A.R. Hall, Commanding Officer of No.56 Squadron: Flying Officer R.G. Crosby having been forced to abandon his aircraft whilst on an operational sortie over France near Hucqueliers by his courage and resourcefulness, overcoming difficulties, made his escape back to England. I consider his efforts merit the award of the Mention in Despatches. This is accompanied by a report filed by him with MI.9, having left Gibraltar on 5 May 1944. Another copy is available in Public Record Office WO 208/3319. I took off from Martlesham Heath at 1230 hours on 3 January 1944 in a Typhoon aircraft on a "rhubarb" northwest of Hesdin (N.W. Europe 1:250,000, Sheet 1, G 9513) flying number two to Flight Lieutenant Hawkins. I attacked the target west of Embray (G 9127) and after breaking off the attack due to jammed starboard guns, I found the Glycol vapour was pouring from around the exhaust ports. I called up number one and told him that I would have to abandon aircraft. I baled out from approximately 1,000 feet. I landed in a clearing in a small wood west of Hucqueliers (G 8835). I hid my parachute, mae west and harness and ran into another wood nearby, where I hid in the undergrowth until evening. At dusk I began walking in a southeasterly direction and found a jacket on a scarecrow. At 2100 hours I reached the outskirts of Avesnes (G 933) where I went to a house. I was given food, a hat and a pitchfork and escorted to a crossroads east of Maninghem (G 9031). I then walked to Radingham (H 0033) where I spent the remainder of the night in a barn. In the morning (4 January) I approached one of the farm workers, and he took me to the farm house where I was given food. After the meal I started walking to Matringhem (H 0631) where I approached a man. He gave me a meal and took me to a woman who kept me in her home overnight. Her son supplied me with a jacket, trousers, shoes, raincoat, a hat and food. On the evening of 5 January a man called and escorted me to his home at Verchin (H 0625) where I exchanged some of my clothing. I stayed there one night. On 6 January he took me by horse wagon to Renty (G 9937) to the home of a woman friend of his. I stayed at this house for two nights. This woman communicated with Paris on my behalf. On the morning of 8 January Gestapo officers called at the house looking for someone who was in hiding there. The daughter of the house roused me out of bed and escorted me across the fields to a farm house. The Gestapo searched the house, but did not discover my aids box, which had been left lying on the table. The woman of the house was arrested. I hid in a barn at the farm house until the afternoon, being fed by the farmer. In the afternoon the girl returned with a car accompanied by a driver and an American pilot (2nd Lieutenant Paul Mariot). I was taken in the car to a house in a village (name unknown) where a doctor was obtained for Mariot, who was injured in a crash landing. Mariot and I stayed at this house until midnight, when the doctor took us by car to Verchin, where I stayed at the same house as on 5 January. The American was taken to another house. I stayed overnight, and on 9 January I met another American pilot (Lieutenant Neil Lathrop) at the house of a helper. Lathrop accompanied me to the house where I was staying, and we remained there until the following day (10 January) when we went to the house where Mariot was staying. The three of us stayed there until 12 January when we went to another house in the village, where Lathrop and I stayed until 22 January. Mariot was moved to the doctor’s house on 13 January, and I did not see him again. On 22 January Lathrop and I were moved to another house in the village, where we stayed until 18 February. We were then moved to the house where I had met Lathrop. During this time I met another two Americans, Sergeant Paul Pearce and Sergeant Bill Hendrickson. They stayed in the village after out departure. We stayed at this house for approximately ten days, when we were moved to another house in the village, where we stayed until 10 March; we were then taken by car to Pauquembergues ( 0237). The remainder of our journey was arranged for us. For purposes of Air Ministry Honours and Awards Committee, this was edited to the following citation: Flying Officer Crosby was compelled to abandon his aircraft when on an operational sortie over France on 3rd January 1944. He landed in a small wood near Hucqueliers and, after burying his parachute and life saving jacket, ran off into another wood and hit until evening. At dusk he moved on and after taking a jacket from a scarecrow, went to a house on the outskirts of Avesnes where he was given a hat and a pitchfork. Flying Officer Crosby was then escorted to some cross roads and spent the rest of the night in a barn. Next morning a farm worker took him to a farm house where he was fed. Continuing his journey he met another man who gave him food and took him to a woman who sheltered him. From this point Flying Officer Crosby's journey home was made with the aid of helpers. He arrived in the United Kingdom, via Gibraltar, on the 6th May 1944. CROSBY, S/L Robert Gordon (C22655) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.439 Squadron - Award effective 23 March 1945 as per London Gazette dated 3 April 1945 and AFRO 765/45 dated 4 May 1945. Award sent by registered mail 24 February 1950. During a lengthy operational career this officer has attacked the enemy with determination on a wide variety of sorties. He has led fighter patrols, anti-shipping missions, armed reconnaissances, and dive-bombing operations against railway sidings, strong points, and enemy troop concentrations. During the recent German offensive in Belgium, his squadron under his leadership destroyed or damaged a large number of enemy vehicles and shot down six enemy fighters in three days. Squadron Leader Crosby has invariably led his squadron with outstanding courage and determination against even the most heavily defended targets. NOTE: On 22 January 1945 he was reported missing, believed killed. He actually survived, but a report filed by F/L J. Carr (Acting Commanding Officer, No.439 Squadron) makes for interesting reading: Nine aircraft of this squadron took off at 1610 hours on 22 January 1945 led by S/L Crosby, on a Ramrod carrying 1,000-lb bombs (C.25 tail fused), to dive bomb the town of Uetterath, Germany, which is about five miles north of Geilenkirchen [sic]. On reaching the target area, the squadron orbited once over the target and then S/L Crosby led it into a 70 degrees dive from approximately 7,500 feet. He appeared to fly straight into a concentrated barrage of heavy, light and accurate flak. At 1645 hours, his No.2, F/O Harrison, saw strikes on his aircraft and almost immediately a huge black puff of black smoke which turned into a red ball of flame. The whole of the aircraft with the exception of the engine and parts of the wings disintegrated and went down flaming and crashed into the town of Uetterarth. F/O Harrison claims that the bombs were still on when the aircraft exploded but lost sight of them in the debris. S/L Crosby was not seen to have baled out. A letter dated 23 March 1945 reads: In view of the fact that the officer concerned has been involved in three serious accidents, i.e. shot down by an enemy aircraft, burned on making a forced landing whilst on operations, and has had his aircraft explode and disintegrate when he received a direct hit by flak, it is considered that he has incurred excessive duress and has consequently been withdrawn from further operational flying. over the target and then S/L Crosby led it into a 70̊ dive from approximately 7,500 feet. He appeared to fly straight into a concentrated barrage of heavy, light and accurate flak. At 1645 hours, his No.2, F/O Harrison, saw strikes on his aircraft and almost immediately a huge black puff of black smoke which turned into a red ball of flame. The whole of the aircraft with the exception of the engine and parts of the wings disintegrated and went down flaming and crashed into the town of Uetterarth. F/O Harrison claims that the bombs were still on when the aircraft exploded but lost sight of them in the debris. S/L Crosby was not seen to have baled out. A letter dated 23 March 1945 reads: In view of the fact that the officer concerned has been involved in three serious accidents, i.e. shot down by an enemy aircraft, burned on making a forced landing whilst on operations, and has had his aircraft explode and disintegrate when he received a direct hit by flak, it is considered that he has incurred excessive duress and has consequently been withdrawn from further operational flying.