WWII RAF Battle Of Britain Spitfire Fighter Ace Al Deere DSO DFC AFC Signed
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:1551072 | Modified Item: No |
| Sub-Type: RAF WWII FIGHTER PILOT | Type: Military |
| Object: SIGNED BOOKPLATE |
You are looking at a small bookplate with the original autograph of the following late great Battle of Britain RAF fighter ace:
Air Commodore Alan Deere DSO OBE DFC* AFC CdeG DFC (US):
The top scoring New Zealand Ace with 22 air to air victories, Alan Deere would go on to become one of the RAF's top pilots. Joining the RAF in 1937, then in September 1938 he joined 54 Squadron flying Gloster Gladiators, then in early 1940 54 Squadron converted to Spitfires. His firs...t near death experience happened when his oxygen cut out while at high altitude and he blacked out, coming around just in time to pull his spitfire out of a dive. At the start of May 1940 he flew in the intense air war over Dunkirk and on 23rd May 1940 he flew in a daring rescue operation. He and P/O Allen escorted their flight commander, James Leathart, to France where he was to land a Miles Master trainer and pick up the C/O of 74 Squadron who had force landed on the airfield at Calais-Marck. While the rescue was made, Alan Deere was at low level with P/O Allen at 8000 feet. As Flight Commander James Leathart prepared for take off in the Master, P/O Allen saw a flight of Me109s approaching them.
Al Deere scored his first air victory, as a strafing Me109 pulled out of its dive. He fired a short burst and the Me109 stalled and crashed into the sea. Al Deere, climbing to help Allen, crossed the path of two more Me109’s, one of which turned towards him. He also turned, firing at the second one, which rolled over and dived away. Chasing the first one, he caught it at treetop height and chased him, firing off the rest of his ammunition before the German pilot headed for home. During the whole fight Deere and Allen scored three Me109s shot down and three damaged. All three RAF aircraft got back to their base at RAF Hornchurch.
During four days - 23rd to 29th May - Al Deere shot down three Me109’s and three Me110’s but he was shot down over Dunkirk while attacking a Do17 and luckily managed to force land in Belgium where he acquired a bicycle and cycled to Dunkirk where he managed to board a destroyer and returned to Hornchurch within 30 hours of taking off. He went on to shoot down seven more enemy fighters and one bomber during the Battle of Britain. In January 1941 became an Operations Room Controller. He returned to operations in May 1941, joining 602 Squadron in Scotland as a Flight Commander.
On August 1st 1941 he became C/O of 602 Squadron and on that day shot down a Me109. When his second operational tour ended in January 1942 he was sent to the USA to lecture on fighter tactics. In May 1942, he became C/O of 403 Squadron, commanding the squadron until August before being posted to staff duties. During a temporary attachment to 611 Squadron in February 1943 he shot down an Fw190. Some days later he was appointed Wing Leader at Biggin Hill. He flew 121 sorties during his six months as C/O and by this time he had twenty-two confirmed air victories, ten probables and eighteen damaged.
He remained in the RAF after WWIIand retired in December 1977.
He passed away in September 1995.
This bookplate / piece would look great mounted in any RAF Battle of Britain book or Spitfire print but especially in Al Deeres book 'Nine Lives'.
International bidders please note any item(s) purchased for over £20 must pay for and be posted by international signed for postage only.
Air Commodore Alan Deere DSO OBE DFC* AFC CdeG DFC (US):
The top scoring New Zealand Ace with 22 air to air victories, Alan Deere would go on to become one of the RAF's top pilots. Joining the RAF in 1937, then in September 1938 he joined 54 Squadron flying Gloster Gladiators, then in early 1940 54 Squadron converted to Spitfires. His firs...t near death experience happened when his oxygen cut out while at high altitude and he blacked out, coming around just in time to pull his spitfire out of a dive. At the start of May 1940 he flew in the intense air war over Dunkirk and on 23rd May 1940 he flew in a daring rescue operation. He and P/O Allen escorted their flight commander, James Leathart, to France where he was to land a Miles Master trainer and pick up the C/O of 74 Squadron who had force landed on the airfield at Calais-Marck. While the rescue was made, Alan Deere was at low level with P/O Allen at 8000 feet. As Flight Commander James Leathart prepared for take off in the Master, P/O Allen saw a flight of Me109s approaching them.
Al Deere scored his first air victory, as a strafing Me109 pulled out of its dive. He fired a short burst and the Me109 stalled and crashed into the sea. Al Deere, climbing to help Allen, crossed the path of two more Me109’s, one of which turned towards him. He also turned, firing at the second one, which rolled over and dived away. Chasing the first one, he caught it at treetop height and chased him, firing off the rest of his ammunition before the German pilot headed for home. During the whole fight Deere and Allen scored three Me109s shot down and three damaged. All three RAF aircraft got back to their base at RAF Hornchurch.
During four days - 23rd to 29th May - Al Deere shot down three Me109’s and three Me110’s but he was shot down over Dunkirk while attacking a Do17 and luckily managed to force land in Belgium where he acquired a bicycle and cycled to Dunkirk where he managed to board a destroyer and returned to Hornchurch within 30 hours of taking off. He went on to shoot down seven more enemy fighters and one bomber during the Battle of Britain. In January 1941 became an Operations Room Controller. He returned to operations in May 1941, joining 602 Squadron in Scotland as a Flight Commander.
On August 1st 1941 he became C/O of 602 Squadron and on that day shot down a Me109. When his second operational tour ended in January 1942 he was sent to the USA to lecture on fighter tactics. In May 1942, he became C/O of 403 Squadron, commanding the squadron until August before being posted to staff duties. During a temporary attachment to 611 Squadron in February 1943 he shot down an Fw190. Some days later he was appointed Wing Leader at Biggin Hill. He flew 121 sorties during his six months as C/O and by this time he had twenty-two confirmed air victories, ten probables and eighteen damaged.
He remained in the RAF after WWIIand retired in December 1977.
He passed away in September 1995.
This bookplate / piece would look great mounted in any RAF Battle of Britain book or Spitfire print but especially in Al Deeres book 'Nine Lives'.
International bidders please note any item(s) purchased for over £20 must pay for and be posted by international signed for postage only.
