Roderick Aeneas Chisholm
Air Commodore Roderick Aeneas Chisholm, CBE, DSO, DFC & Bar (23 November 1911 – 7 December 1994) was a British night fighter pilot, flying ace—a title awarded to a pilot credited with shooting down at least five enemy aircraft in aerial combat—and a highly decorated British airman of the Second World War. As a Beaufighter night-fighter pilot between 13 March and 9 July 1941, he was credited with seven aerial victories, one probable and one damaged.
Roderick Aeneas Chisholm | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Rory |
| Born | 23 November 1911 Bridge of Allan, Scotland |
| Died | 7 December 1994 (aged 83) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1931–1946 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Commands held | Fighter Interception Unit (1942–43) |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar Mentioned in Despatches (2) |
Chisholm had been a night fighter pilot with No. 604 Squadron RAF, flying the Bristol Beaufighter. During the war, he had been credited with seven night aerial victories, one probable and one damaged in 1941. Following a rest period, he returned to operations briefly in 1943 ending his combat career with nine victories. Chisholm championed radar-equipped night fighter intruder operations over Europe to apply pressure to the German air defence system and reduce losses to Bomber Command. He was appointed to the staff of a new organisation, named No. 100 Group RAF, created in 1943 for this purpose. As second in command of 100 Group from November 1943, his mission in Germany at the end of the war was to gather any useful information on enemy tactics and technology. He later wrote a book about his experiences entitled Cover of Darkness, published in 1953.[1][2]
References edit
- Citations
- ^ Bowman 2011, p. 19
- ^ Chisholm 1953, pp. 86–90
- Bibliography
- Bowman, Martin (2011). 100 Group (Bomber Support): RAF Bomber Command in World War II. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-84415-418-0.
- Chisholm, Roderick (1953). Cover of Darkness. London: Chatto and Windus. OCLC 1244740.
External links edit
- "Air Commodore R A Chisholm". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- "Roderick Aeneas". TracesOfWar.com. Retrieved 12 September 2013.