Close Call for A RCAF Spitfire Pilot

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 11:19 pm

PO "Flash" Pederson RCAF of Corvallis, OR smiles at his good fortune has he examines the bullet proof glass that saved his life. Pederson of 165 Squadron was hit by return fire from a DO-217 he downed during the Dieppe commando raid. Pederson was KIA in Tunisia in Feb. 1943.

kenlyco · **Joined:** Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:05 pm **Posts:** 656

I bet he had a couple when he got back!

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 11:47 pm

Quote:

The Dieppe Raid, also known as The Battle of Dieppe or Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe, Seine-Inférieure on the Northern coast of France on 19 August 1942.

Quote:

Pederson of 165 Squadron was hit by return fire from a DO-217 he downed during the Dieppe commando raid. Pederson was KIA in Tunisia in Feb. 1942.

Wrong year, or a different Dieppe raid, Jack?

Tangmere Mk II · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:48 am

JDK

I think the original post contained an error in the date he was killed in action.

P/O Harold "Flash" Pederson downed a Dornier 217 at Dieppe on 19 August 1942 when flying with 165 Squadron. He later transferred to the USAAF and joined the 52 FG being lost in action on 4 Feb 1943.

Hope this helps!

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:19 am

Thanks Tangmere, that was my guess, but I didn't have the gen - thanks both!

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:55 am

When you're typing in the dark all the keys look the same :shock:

Pederson was flying with the 4th FS from Telergma, Algeria. He was shot down by Eric Rudorffer in a FW-190.
One of his friends had been downed and Pederson was circling him in his chute making sure he wasn't straffed.
He was awarded the DSC and rests in the Golden Gate National Cemetery.
http://www.cem.va.gov/CEMs/nchp/goldengate.asp
BTW My cousin Caroline flew her F-16 combat tour in Iraq with the 4th FS.

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:00 am

Jack Cook wrote:

When you're typing in the dark all the keys look the same :shock:

What? I can't hear you! :wink:

No worries, just one of the few dates I do know didn't fit.

mike furline · **Joined:** Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm **Posts:** 2635

This is at RAF Hendon.

Spitfire P9341 flown by RN Sub. Lt. Blake seconded to 19 Squadron, combat on Sept. 9, 1940 with HE-111H-3. The bullet came from behind piercing Blakes helmet and embedding itself in the windscreen. He was able to see well enough to shoot down the aircraft.

Blakes final tally was 3 Bf-109's and 1 He-111 shot down, plus a Bf-110 and Do-17 damaged.
He was shot down and killed on Oct. 29th 1940. :spit

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:34 am

Great find, Mike.

Famously Dowding said that if Chicago gangsters could ride behind armoured glass, then so could his pilots. The importance of armour, armoured glass and self-sealing tanks was essentially re-learnt by the RAF in France, and one of the very useful bits of advice passed onto the USA.

Interestingly, Blake was obviously a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm pilot seconded to the RAF as one of the measures to help with the Battle of Britain pilot shortage. One of the overlooked groups in that 'close run thing'.

Cheers,

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Close Call for A RCAF Spitfire Pilot

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