Date of birth:

1917 (Largs/Ayrshire/Scotland, Great Britain)

Date of death:

April 10th, 1946

Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Ronald Arthur Bird, from Largs, Ayrshire, was a graduate of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. He was posted to 804 Squadron at Hatston on 1st July 1940. The squadron was seconded to Fighter Command and its Sea Gladiators were employed on dockyard defence. 804 was later reformed as a Catapult Fighter Unit. On 4th October 1941 Bird was launched in a Fulmar from the Ariguani against a Fw200 Condor which he intercepted and damaged.
On 10th April 1946 Bird was killed in a flying accident whilst serving in HMS Garnet, aged 29. He is remembered on the Fleet Air Arm Memorial at Lee-on-Solent.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Lieutenant-Commander Ronald Arthur

Unit:

Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy

Awarded on:

June 26th, 1945

Citation:
"For courage, daring and tenacity, whilst serving in H.M.S. Searcher, in air strikes off the coast of Norway under very difficult weather conditions."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Lieutenant-Commander

Unit:

Royal Navy

Awarded on:

August 7th, 1945

• - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37148 published on the 22 June 1945
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37220 published on the 10 August 1945
  - Battle of Britain Memorial
  - Fleet Air Arm Museum
  - Fleet Air Arm Archive 1939-1945