Jack Rae

John Donald "Jack" Rae, DFC & Bar (15 January 1919 – 19 December 2007) was a New Zealand flying ace of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) during the Second World War. He was officially credited with the destruction of twelve enemy aircraft, eight probably destroyed, and six damaged.

Jack Rae
Some pilots of No. 485 Squadron's B flight, 1942, with Jack Rae standing on the left
Nickname(s)JD
Born(1919-01-15)15 January 1919
Auckland, New Zealand
Died19 December 2007(2007-12-19) (aged 88)
Kerikeri, New Zealand
AllegianceNew Zealand
Service/branchRoyal New Zealand Air Force
Years of service1940–1945
RankFlight Lieutenant
UnitNo. 485 (New Zealand) Squadron
No. 603 Squadron
No. 249 Squadron
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross & Bar

Born in Auckland, Rae was educated at Auckland Grammar. He joined the RNZAF following the outbreak of the Second World War. Sent to England to serve with the Royal Air Force in 1941, he flew Supermarine Spitfires over the Channel Front with No. 485 (New Zealand) Squadron. In April 1942, he was attached to No. 603 Squadron, which was tasked with flying Spitfires from the American aircraft carrier USS Wasp to the island of Malta. He then spent a period of time on Malta as part of No. 249 Squadron before returning to England to resume service with No. 485 Squadron. Forced down over France in August 1943, he spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war. After the war, he established a business manufacturing clothing and spent his later years living in Kerikeri. He died in 2007, aged 88.

Early life

John Donald Rae, known as Jack or JD,[1] was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 15 January 1919, the son of E. Rae and his wife.[2] He was educated at Cornwall Park School and then at Auckland Grammar.[3] When he finished his schooling, he took up employment as a stonemason.[4]

Second World War

Soon after the outbreak of the Second World War, Rae joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). After his flight training in New Zealand was completed, in March 1941[3] he was sent to England to serve with the Royal Air Force (RAF). With the rank of sergeant pilot he was posted to the RAF's No. 485 (New Zealand) Squadron in mid-July 1941.[5] The squadron had been formed earlier in the year and its flying personnel were mainly New Zealanders but with British administrative staff and ground crew.[6] By the time of Rae's arrival, it was operating Spitfire Mk. IIs from Redhill airfield, as part of No. 11 Group's Kenley Wing.[7] However, the squadron soon received an improved model of Spitfire, the Mk. V.[8]

Rae, who decorated his Spitfire with the emblem of his former high school, Auckland Grammar,[9] shot down his first aircraft, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 12 August 1941. He destroyed another Bf 109 less than a week later.[10] On 12 February 1942, No. 485 Squadron flew a mission escorting bombers attempting to disrupt the Channel Dash by the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. During this mission, Rae damaged two Bf 109s.[11] He shot down a Focke Wulf Fw 190 on 28 March 1942.[10]

Malta
A Spitfire, bound for Malta, taking off from the flight deck of the USS Wasp

In April 1942, as part of Operation Calendar, Rae was attached to No. 603 Squadron which was tasked with delivering Spitfires to Malta to reinforce the aerial defences of the island. Embarking on the USS Wasp, he flew his Spitfire from the carrier's flight deck and landed at the RAF base at Tekali, Malta, on 20 April.[4][12] Shortly after his arrival, the airfield was raided which destroyed two of the Spitfires.[13] The squadron remained on the island as part of its defence and Rae flew his first mission on 22 April, a scramble to intercept raiding enemy aircraft during which his gunsight failed.[14]

On 1 May, Rae was part of a group of four Spitfires scrambled to deal with an incoming Italian bombing raid. They were instead met with Bf 109s, one of which damaged his aircraft. Wounded in the leg, Rae had to bale out over the sea 7 miles (11 km) from Malta. The prevailing breeze carried him to the island, where he landed near Rabat and encountered a Maltese farmer who was initially aggressive until he realised Rae was an RAF pilot.[3][15] After recovering from his wounds, he was posted to No. 249 Squadron, also flying Spitfires at Malta. He flew his first patrol with his new squadron on 5 June.[16] He damaged a Bf 109 on 12 June when scrambled along with three others to meet approaching German fighters.[17] Several days later, he encountered Italian fighters, shooting down a Reggiane Re.2001 and damaging another.[18] He destroyed an Italian CANT Z.1007 bomber on 4 July, one of three attempting to bomb Grand Harbour.[19] He claimed a Bf 109 shot down on 7 July[20] and a Macchi C.202 two days later.[21] Another C.202 was shot down by Rae on 13 July when No. 249 Squadron was called upon to assist in dealing with a large bombing raid on Luqa.[22]

Further success followed on 27 July, when Rae claimed a probable Bf 109 and a damaged C.202 during an interception of another bombing raid on Luqa. A share in the probable destruction of a Junkers Ju 88 was achieved the next day.[23] By the end of the month, the wounds to his leg had become infected and Rae was hospitalised and eventually repatriated to the United Kingdom for treatment. By this time, he had been promoted to pilot officer.[24]

Channel Front
A line up of Spitfire Vbs of No. 485 (NZ) Squadron

After convalescing from the wounds received on Malta, Rae had a period of leave and then performed instructing duties.[25] In December 1942 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in recognition of his service while operating from Malta.[26] The citation, published in the London Gazette, noted the award was for:

...gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations.

— London Gazette, No. 35809, 1 December 1942[27]

Rae rejoined No. 485 Squadron in May 1943, which was now operating out of Biggin Hill.[25] He shared in the destruction of a Fw 190 on 27 July 1943 and this was then followed with the sole credit for shooting down a Bf 109 on 9 August, when his section of four Spitfires, led by Squadron Leader Johnny Checketts, accounted for seven Me 109s.[10][28] On 17 August, while flying cover for a bombing raid being carried out by Martin Marauders, he shot down two Me 109s.[29] During an escort mission on 22 August, the squadron was surprised by 50 to 60 German fighters. Rae was one of four New Zealanders to be shot down, having to force land in France and becoming a prisoner of war (POW).[30] Prior to this, Rae was due to be promoted and made a flight commander in another squadron. He had been recommended by Checketts for a bar to his DFC[31] and not long after Rae's capture, this award was announced.[32] The published citation read:

Flying Officer Rae is an outstanding and determined pilot. He has undertaken many sorties displaying gallant leadership and great skill. Within recent weeks, Flying Officer Rae has shot down 4 enemy aircraft, bringing his total victories to at least 11. He has displayed exceptional keeness and devotion to duty.

— London Gazette, No. 36183, 24 September 1943[33]

Rae was incarcerated at Stalag Luft III, a POW camp well to the southeast of Berlin, in what is now Żagań, in Poland.[34] He made one escape attempt which placed him in solitary confinement for a time. This meant that he was not involved in the Great Escape and avoided being one of the 50 escapees that were recaptured and eventually murdered. As the war drew to a close, the POWs at Stalag Luft III were force marched deeper into Germany. They were liberated by the advancing Allied forces near Hamburg at the end of the war.[4]

Repatriated to New Zealand, he was discharged from the RNZAF in 1946 as a flight lieutenant, having ended the war with sole credit for eleven enemy aircraft destroyed and a half share in the destruction of two more for a total of twelve victories. He was also credited with eight probable enemy aircraft destroyed and six damaged.[26][35]

Later life

Returning to civilian life, he married Vera Grant; she was the sister of Reg Grant, a wing commander in the RNZAF who had been killed during the war.[36] With Vera, he set up and ran a factory manufacturing clothing.[4] He was also involved in volunteer work, particularly for the International Red Cross which had provided aid when he was a POW in Germany. He was also a Rotarian and spent his final years in Kerikeri. He died on 19 December 2007, survived by four children. His wife had predeceased him.[1][4] His memoirs were published by Grub Street in 2001.[37]

Notes
  1. "Air Ace Takes Final Flight". The Bay Chronicle. 18 February 2009. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  2. "Births". Auckland Star. 22 January 1919. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. "Auckland Pilot: Defence of Malta". New Zealand Herald. 4 September 1942. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  4. "NZ Ace in Europe's Sky". The Press. 23 February 2008. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  5. Lambert 2011, p. 289.
  6. Wells 1984, pp. 13–17.
  7. Wells 1984, p. 33.
  8. Wells 1984, p. 42.
  9. "Fighter Pilot's Insignia". New Zealand Herald. 21 October 1941. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  10. Wells 1984, p. 165.
  11. Thompson 1953, pp. 336–337.
  12. Cull & Galea 2005, pp. 56–58.
  13. Cull & Galea 2005, pp. 64–65.
  14. Cull & Galea 2005, p. 74.
  15. Cull & Galea 2005, pp. 91–92.
  16. Cull & Galea 2005, pp. 151,157.
  17. Cull & Galea 2005, p. 162.
  18. Cull & Galea 2005, p. 175.
  19. Cull & Galea 2005, p. 184.
  20. Cull & Galea 2005, p. 194.
  21. Cull & Galea 2005, p. 201.
  22. Cull & Galea 2005, pp. 207–208.
  23. Cull & Galea 2005, pp. 229–230.
  24. Cull & Galea 2005, p. 237.
  25. Lambert 2011, p. 290.
  26. Hanson 2001, p. 405.
  27. "No. 35809". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 December 1942. p. 5267.
  28. Orange 2006, p. 89.
  29. Wells 1984, p. 101.
  30. Wells 1984, p. 106.
  31. Orange 2006, p. 91.
  32. "More Awards: Gallant Airmen". Evening Post. 7 October 1943. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  33. "No. 36183". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 1943. p. 4246.
  34. Carroll 2004, p. 58.
  35. Spick 1997, pp. 218–219.
  36. Lambert 2011, p. 308.
  37. "Kiwi Spitfire Ace". World Cat. Retrieved 29 February 2020.

References
  • Carroll, Tim (2004). The Great Escapers: The Full Story of the Second World War's Most Remarkable Mass Escape. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 1-84018-795-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Cull, Brian; Galea, Frederick (2005). Spitfires Over Malta: The Epic Air Battles of 1942. London: Grub Street. ISBN 1-904943-30-6.
  • Hanson, C. M. (2001). By Such Deeds: Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force 1923–1999. Christchurch: Volplane Press. ISBN 0-473-07301-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Lambert, Max (2011). Day After Day: New Zealanders in Fighter Command. Auckland: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86950-844-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Orange, Vincent (2006). Johnny Checketts: The Road to Biggin Hill. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-904943-79-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Spick, Mike (1997). Allied Fighter Aces: The Air Combat Tactics and Techniques of World War II. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 1-85367-282-3.
  • Thompson, H. L. (1953). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. I. Wellington: War History Branch. OCLC 270919916.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Wells, Kevin W. (1984). An Illustrated History of the New Zealand Spitfire Squadron. Auckland: Hutchinson Group. ISBN 0-09-159360-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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