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Green, Charles Patrick

    Date of birth:
    March 30th, 1914 (Pietmaritzburg/Natal, South Africa)
    Date of death:
    April 10th, 1999
    Service number:
    90134
    Nationality:
    South African (1910-1961, Union)

    Biography

    Charles "Paddy" Green attended Cambridge Universtity in 1932-1935 where he was a member of the skiing team and also was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, whilst still an undergraduate.
    As a British bobsledder he won the bronze medal in the four-man event at the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
    In 1937 he joined No. 601 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force.
    He was called up on the outbreak of war and posted in October 1939 on no. 9 Squadron. Early 1940 he became Flight Commander. He had just claimed his first victory over a Me 109 when he was hit and badly wounded on May 23th. It took him considerable time to recuperate and did not fly until October when he was put in command of 421 Flight. On the 12th he was shot down again and again being wounded. This time he was back in the air much quicker as he claimed a victory at the end of November. The Flight was expanded into No. 91 Squadron and he became the commanding officer in January 1941. As his tour ended in June, he was posted at HQ, Fighter Command as Squadron Leader Tactics. In November he joined No. 600 Squadron to become a night fighter. In june 1942 he was posted to command No. 125 Squadron. In December he was sent out to North Africa tot take over command of No. 600 Squadron where a claimed a victory over a Ju 88. During the invasion of Sicily he claimed four victories in one day. In February 1944 he was posted to Italy to command 1 Mobile Operations Unit of Desert Air Force. He later commanded a Wing of Boston bombers.
    He was released from the RAF in 1947 end went to live in Canada.
    Little else is known regarding this pilot.

    Citations:
    March 26th: Pilot Officer (commission)
    xx xx xx: Flying Officer
    September 3th, 1940: Flight Lieutenant
    December 1st, 1941: Squadron Leader (temp)
    September 4th, 1942: Squadron Leader (war sub)
    xx xx xx: Wing Commander
    March 31st, 1959: Group Captain

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    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Acting Squadron Leader
    Unit:
    No. 91 (Nigeria) Squadron, Royal Air Force
    Awarded on:
    April 18th, 1941
    Citation:
    "This officer has shown marked powers of command, organisation and initiative. He has personally led a great number of sorties and, on several occasions, his fine fighting spirit has led to the destruction of the enemy. He has personally destroyed at least two enemy aircraft and his devotion to duty has contributed largely to the outstanding success of his squadron."
    Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Acting Wing Commander
    Unit:
    No. 600 (City of London) Squadron, Royal Air Force
    Awarded on:
    August 20th, 1943
    Awarded for:
    Operation Husky
    Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
    Citation:
    "In recent operations over Sicily, Wing Cdr. Green and F/O. Gillies, as pilot and observer respectively, have flown together in many sorties. They have displayed outstanding skill and determination, and within a period of three successive nights, destroyed seven enemy aircraft, four of them on one sortie. Wing Cdr Green has displayed exceptional ability, and his untiring efforts have been reflected in the fine fighting qualities of his squadron, which has destroyed some 56 enemy aircraft."
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Acting Group Captain
    Awarded on:
    April 11th, 1944
    Orden Otechestvennoi voiny 1
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Group Captain
    Awarded on:
    July 28th, 1944
    Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Acting Group Captain
    Awarded on:
    January 1st, 1946
    Mentioned in Dispatches

    Sources

    Photo