Date of birth:

April 23rd, 1921

Date of death:

October 1990 (Yeovil-Somerset/England, United Kingdom)

Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Promotions:
July 1st, 1939: acting Midshipsman;
November 25th, 1940: acting Sub-Lieutenant;
April 23rd, 1942: Sub-Lieutenant;
May 25th, 1943: Lieutenant;
1944: acting Lieutenant Commander;
December 31st, 1956: Commander.

Career:
July 1st, 1939: Air Branch, Royal Navy;
?: No. 14 Elementary Flying Training School, Elmdon;
December 11th, 1939: No. 7 (FAA) Course, No. 7 Flying Training School, Peterborough;
June 17th, 1940: No. 7 Operational Training Unit;
July 1st, 1940: No. 79 Squadron;
July 20th, 1940: No. 760 Squadron, FAA;
August 31st, No. 804 Squadron, FAA;
?: No. 802 Squadron, FAA;
March 1941: Catapult Fighter Unit, No. 804 Squadron;
May 28th, 1941: Catapult Fighter Unit, No. 804 Squadron, CAM Schip Michael E;
?: Catapult Fighter Unit, No. 804 Squadron, HMS Ariguani (F105);
?: HMS Glory;
1972: Retirement.

On August 26th, 1941 he and Leading Aircraftman Donald Sykes were catapulted with their Fairey Fulmar N4072 from HMS Ariguani to intercept a Focke Wulf Fw 200 Condor. He was able to give one burst of his machineguns before the Condor dissappeared in the clouds. Birrell flew to Northern Ireland and landed on a beach, He found himself in Neutral Ireland so he took off again and landed with almost no fuel again in Northern Ireland.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• - WYNN, K.G., Men of the Battle of Britain, Pen and Sword, 2015.
  - Maurice Andrew Birrell (British) - Crew lists of Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net
  - The Airmen's Stories - Mid.(FAA) M A Birrell
  - Navy List, February 1940
  - Navy List, February 1941
  - Navy List, April 1941
  - Navy List, July 1945
  - Supplement to The London Gazette of 3 October 1952, Issue 39660, Page 5208