Les Clisby

Leslie Redford (Les) Clisby, (29 June 1914 – 15 May 1940) was an Australian fighter ace of World War II. Serving with the Royal Air Force (RAF), he was credited with sixteen aerial victories before being killed in action during the Battle of France. In a combat career lasting a matter of months, he was Australia's first ace of the war.

Born in South Australia, Clisby joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a mechanic in 1935, but was later accepted for flying training. He graduated as a pilot in 1937, and chose to take a commission with the RAF. After arriving in Britain, he was assigned to No. 1 Squadron, flying the recently introduced Hawker Hurricane. Posted to France following the outbreak of World War II, he achieved his first aerial victory on 1 April 1940.

Clisby became known as a highly aggressive fighter pilot, who threw himself into combat irrespective of the odds. In a five-day period, commencing on 10 May 1940, he was credited with destroying at least eight German aircraft. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for these and earlier victories, he was himself shot down in flames on 15 May. He was buried in France.

Early career

Born in McLaren Vale, South Australia, on 29 June 1914, Clisby was the second of four children to carpenter Albert Clisby and his wife Mabel, Chapman. While attending Nailsworth Junior Technical School, Les studied engineering in evening classes at the South Australian School of Mines and Industries in Adelaide. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a mechanic in 1935. He was later accepted into the flying training course at Point Cook, Victoria.

On 24 April 1936, Clisby was flying in formation when he encountered problems and bailed out. An inquiry found that the plane's loss was due to his lack of experience.

On 26 August 1937, he was granted a five-year short-service commission as a pilot officer, and assigned to No. 1 Squadron at RAF Tangmere in Sussex. The unit operated the new Hawker Hurricane, a monoplane with a top speed of over and four machine guns in each wing. In among training and an active social life, Clisby wrote to his family of a young lady back home in Adelaide becoming his fiancée. Through the autumn and winter of 1939–40, amid the so-called Phoney War, a succession of small and indecisive clashes took place between the Allied air forces and the Luftwaffe. As the Battle of France opened on 10 May, Clisby began to score heavily, with estimates for his run of "kills" in the next five days ranging from eight to thirteen or more.

Flying Officer Clisby (second from left) and fellow officers of No. 1 Squadron RAF in France, April 1940. Pilot Officer Robert Lawrie Lorimer (third from left) would die in the same action as Clisby the following month. Clisby destroyed two Dornier Do 17 bombers on 10 May, after which his aircraft was struck by friendly fire from a French anti-aircraft battery. He became an ace the following day,

By now Clisby had become known for his extreme aggression in the air, rushing headlong into combat irrespective of the odds and often alone. For his achievements that day, as well as his earlier successes, Clisby was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). The citation was promulgated in the London Gazette on 14 June:

Described as being "extrovert, profane, perpetually cheerful and addicted to flying", Clisby also had "premature lines" on his face. and was well known for giving vent to patriotic feelings for his homeland in another way. All RAAF personnel who served with the RAF were permitted to continue wearing their original dark-blue Australian uniform until it wore out, after which they were to exchange it for the lighter-coloured British variety. Clisby flatly refused to give up his RAAF uniform, regardless of how shabby it became. When teased about its condition, he would simply respond, "It will see me through". Regardless of the exact date, he was the first RAF ace of the war to be lost in action.