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Cenotaph record

Alan Christopher Deere

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Alan Christopher AWMM
  • Surname
    Deere AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    Al AWMM
  • Service number
    40370 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    12 December 1917 AWMM AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
    Military Service/Civilian AWMM
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mr T.J. Deere, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status

Service

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
    • 13 Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School, UK, November 1937 AWMM
    • 6 Flight Training School, UK, January 1938 AWMM
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW2 Unknown AWMM
    Age 19 AWMM
    Law Clerk/Civilian AWMM
    United Kingdom, Europe AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
      Wounded 5 times AWMM
    • Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
      Admitted to Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, after baling out of his Spitfire and fracturing his wrist. AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Married Joan Fenton on 18 September 1945. She had served during the war as a driver with the American Ambulance Unit and they had been introduced by a mutual friend at Catterick in March 1941.

      Acting Flight Lieutenant, 26 May 1940.

      On the 10 May 1941, he was scrambled to investigate a Bf 110 flying westwards into British air space. He did not sight the enemy aircraft but after landing was told it had crashed near Glasgow. The pilot, on this ill-fated mission to the British Government, was Rudolf Hess.

      Squadron Leader, 1 August 1941.

      Wing Commander, 1943.

      Wing Leader at Biggin Hill, 1943.

      Wing Commander, 84 Group, RAF, 1944 - 1945.

      Permanent commission with RAF, August 1945. Commanded Polish Mustang Wing.

      Commanded RAF Station Luxford, 1945 - 1946.

      Instructor at RAF College, Bracknell, UK, 1957.

      Group Director of RAF College, Bracknell, October 1957.

      Received the George Cross on 1 January 1958.

      Director of Postings, Air Ministry, October 1959.

      Aide-de-camp (ADC) to the Queen, 1962.

      Assistant Commandant, Cranwell, UK, January 1963.

      Air Commodore and Commander of East Anglia Fighter Section, October - November 1963.

      Led the funeral cortege for Winston Churchill, 30 January 1965.

      Commandant at RAF Halton, UK, November 1965 - October 1967.

      Officially retired, October 1967.

      Director of Sport for RAF (a civilian position) to December 1977.

      During his World War II Flying career he had 22 confirmed victories, 10 probables, and a further 18 enemy aircraft damaged.

      Received Order of British Empire (O.B.E) 1 June 1945

      Portrait in Wynn, K. (1981). The Battle of Britain: 10 July- 31 October 1940 AWMM
    • When Alan Christopher Deere first applied for the army, due to having over 9 siblings, he could not afford to get in. One of his close friends Ivan Thomas Ernest Maney had also applied for the airforce at the same time. Due to poor eyesight he was rejected. Ivan and wife, Margret paid the fees for Alan to be accepted into the War.
      During the war, Alan got shot out of one of his spitfires 8 times over germany, but lived. Public - Allie - Other relative - 8 August 2017 - Great Grandfather, Ivan Manley, was close friends with Alan and has told the story to my grandmother who had passed it onto me.
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    21 September 1995 AWMM
    Age 77 AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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  • BRANDISH
    Alan Deere;markings"kiwi" battles with Britain,gallant a flair!
    Spitfires his favour,downing weary 109s speared
    Eighteen his puncture,tally gunnery "flared."
    Climbing diving,barrel roll sphere
    Strongly "Al" determined he Dares!
    Taking the challenge,above the channel their fire
    Folding the prop,rudder fin stonewalled I retire.
    Manston my landing,of softly clover flyer
    A cat of "nine" lives staying I aspire.
    Bailing out a low chute glide
    Binding those 109s,closely England I side
    My awards of merit,for country I abide!
    Of time now ended,Wendover I stay
    Sprinkles of ashes;for the "Thames" memorial day!

    Copyright:N.J.Deller 12/12/16 (77yrs) "Above the clouds you will find I peer
    Alan Christopher highly Deere."
    Public - Nathan John - 17 August 2017
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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Contributors

Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
09 June 2020Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
17 August 2017Nathan JohnHettstedt GermanyOther
08 August 2017AllieAucklalnd, New ZealandOther relative

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