• Bristol Beaufighter

Date of birth:

November 23rd, 1911

Date of death:

December 7th, 1994

Service number:

90233

Nationality:

British

Roderick Chisholm worked in the Oil Industry before he joined the Auxiliary Air Force in 1931. He resigned his commission and transferred to the AuxAF Reserve of Officers in 1935 afther which his career took him to Persia. On the outbreak of hostilities war he reported to HQ British Forces Iraq, was passed fit for flying and returned to the UK in early 1940, where he re-joined No 604 Squadron, now equipped with Beaufighter night-fighters, and between 13 March and 9 July 1941 he gained seven confirmed victories, one probable and one damaged. In early 1942, he was rested as a controller at Middle Wallop but in March he was posted to HQ No 81 Group. Here he was responsible for the organisation of the training of night-fighter crews for Fighter Command.
In June he was appointed OC of the Fighter Interception Unit at Ford and here gained his final two victories, one in July 1943 and the other in November. Having developed bomber support operations with the FIU, he joined the staff of the newly formed No 100 Group as Senior Air Staff Officer. At the end of the war he undertook the interrogation of Luftwaffe night fighter pilots including the top-scoring night fighter, Major Hans-Joachim Schnauffer and he returned to his peace-time employment in 1946. He wrote an autobiography of his wartime experiences callrd 'Cover of Darkness'.

Promotions:
March 16th, 1931: Pilot Officer
September 16th, 1932: Flying Officer
January 24th, 1935: Flying Officer (Reserve)
June 22nd, 1941: Flight Lieutnenant (war sub)
October 20th, 1942: Squadron Leader (war sub)
June 3th, 1944: Wing Commander (war sub)
December 14th, 1944: Group Captain (war sub)

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flying Officer

Unit:

No. 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

April 11th, 1941

Citation:
"This officer has completed many hours operational flying at night. He has at all times shown the greatest keenness and determination to seek and destroy the enemy and, during one night in March, 1941, he succeeded in destroying two Heinkel 111's."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Unit:

No. 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

February 10th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Group Captain

Unit:

Fighter Interception Unit (FIU), Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

January 14th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Air Commodore

Unit:

SASO, No. 100 Group, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

January 1st, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Air Commodore

Awarded on:

June 14th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Air Commodore

Awarded on:

January 1st, 1946

• - SHORES, CH. & WILLIAMS, C., Aces High, Grub Street, London, 1994.
  - The London Gazette Issue 35134 published on the 11 April 1941
  - The London Gazette Issue 35203 published on the 27 June 1941
  - The London Gazette Issue 35451 published on the 10 February 1942
  - Sixth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35845 published on the 29 December 1942
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36329 published on the 11 January 1944
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36607 published on the 11 July 1944
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36866 published on the 29 December 1944
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36888 published on the 9 January 1945
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37119 published on the 8 June 1945
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37407 published on the 28 December 1945
  - Air of Authorities