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Collyns, Basil Gordon “Buck”

Date of birth:
February 24th, 1913 (Greymouth/South Island, New Zealand)
Date of death:
August 20th, 1944 (Cherbourg, France)
Buried on:
Commonwealth War Graves Villeneuve-Saint-Georges Old
Grave: 93.
Service number:
NZ.391368
Nationality:
New Zealander (1907-1947, Dominion UK)

Biography

Basil Gordon Collyns was the son to Guy Shuckburgh Collyns and Jean Collyns and was married to Margaret Lucy Collyns.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Flight Lieutenant
Unit:
No. 19 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:
October 17th, 1944
Citation:
"This officer, now on his second tour of operational flying, has completed a large number of sorties. As flight commander, he has led his flight with outstanding skill and courage and has inflicted much damage on the enemy. During August, 1944, the squadron met a large force of enemy aircraft, and Flight Lieutenant Collyns displayed considerable ability and initiative by leading his flight to attack the enemy top cover, thus enabling the remainder of the squadron to engage the lower enemy formation. This officer has destroyed 7 enemy aircraft and damaged many others."

LG 36750/4748.
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Sources

Photo