Date of birth:

March 30th, 1914 (Pietmaritzburg/Natal, South Africa)

Date of death:

April 10th, 1999

Service number:

90134

Nationality:

South African

Charles "Paddy" Green attended Cambridge Universtity in 1932-1935 where he was a member of the skiing team and also was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, whilst still an undergraduate.
As a British bobsledder he won the bronze medal in the four-man event at the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
In 1937 he joined No. 601 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force.
He was called up on the outbreak of war and posted in October 1939 on no. 9 Squadron. Early 1940 he became Flight Commander. He had just claimed his first victory over a Me 109 when he was hit and badly wounded on May 23th. It took him considerable time to recuperate and did not fly until October when he was put in command of 421 Flight. On the 12th he was shot down again and again being wounded. This time he was back in the air much quicker as he claimed a victory at the end of November. The Flight was expanded into No. 91 Squadron and he became the commanding officer in January 1941. As his tour ended in June, he was posted at HQ, Fighter Command as Squadron Leader Tactics. In November he joined No. 600 Squadron to become a night fighter. In june 1942 he was posted to command No. 125 Squadron. In December he was sent out to North Africa tot take over command of No. 600 Squadron where a claimed a victory over a Ju 88. During the invasion of Sicily he claimed four victories in one day. In February 1944 he was posted to Italy to command 1 Mobile Operations Unit of Desert Air Force. He later commanded a Wing of Boston bombers.
He was released from the RAF in 1947 end went to live in Canada.
Little else is known regarding this pilot.

Citations:
March 26th: Pilot Officer (commission)
xx xx xx: Flying Officer
September 3th, 1940: Flight Lieutenant
December 1st, 1941: Squadron Leader (temp)
September 4th, 1942: Squadron Leader (war sub)
xx xx xx: Wing Commander
March 31st, 1959: Group Captain

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Unit:

No. 91 (Nigeria) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

April 18th, 1941

Citation:
"This officer has shown marked powers of command, organisation and initiative. He has personally led a great number of sorties and, on several occasions, his fine fighting spirit has led to the destruction of the enemy. He has personally destroyed at least two enemy aircraft and his devotion to duty has contributed largely to the outstanding success of his squadron."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Wing Commander

Unit:

No. 600 (City of London) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

August 20th, 1943

Awarded for:

Operation Husky

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Group Captain

Awarded on:

April 11th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Group Captain

Awarded on:

July 28th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Group Captain

Awarded on:

January 1st, 1946

• - SHORES, CH. & WILLIAMS, C., Aces High, Grub Street, London, 1994.
  - The London Gazette Issue 35139 published on the 18 April 1941
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36140 published on the 17 August 1943
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36463 published on the 7 April 1944
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36630 published on the 25 July 1944
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37407 published on the 28 December 1945
  - The South African Military History Society
  - Aviation News | Aviation Industry & Airline Statistics | flightglobal.com