Date of birth:

March 13th, 1920 (Cudlee Creek, Australia)

Date of death:

August 8th, 2005

Service number:

742588/112448

Nationality:

Australian

Promotions:
?: Flight Sergeant;
November 3rd, 1941: Pilot Officer on probation (emergency);
?: Flying Officer;
July 21st, 1943: Flight Lieutenant (war subs);
September 1st, 1945: Flight Lieutenant (seniority);
January 23rd, 1946: Flight Lieutenant (extended service);
28 april 1953: Flight Lieutenant (permanent);
September 1st, 1965: Squadron Leader (supplementary list).

Career:
?: Saint Peters College, Adelaide;
November 1938: RAF Volunteer Reserves;
?: No. 2 Flying Training School;
?: No. 6 Operational Training Unit;
May 24th, 1940: No. 17 Squadron;
?: No. 3 School, General Reconnaissance;
July 1941: No. 17 Squadron;
November 3rd, 1941: No. 132 Squadron;
May 1942: Flight Commander, No. 132 Squadron;
?: Fighter Tactics Liauson Officer, US 8th Air Force;
?: Fighter Tactics Liauson Officer, US 9th Air Force;
mei 1944: Central Flying School, Upavon;
?: Advanced Flying Unit, Wrexham;
1951: No. 611 Squadron;
March 13th, 1975: Retirement.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 132 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

January 1st, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 5 Advanced Flying Unit, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

September 29th, 1944

Citation:
"In July, 1944, Flight Lieutenant Fopp was acting as instructor during a night flying test, when his aircraft collided with another aircraft, tearing away the whole of the starboard elevator and about one-third of the starboard tail' plane. In addition, the port tail plane was damaged and all but one foot of the port elevator torn away. The
aircraft'became uncontrollable. Flight Lieutenant Fopp made preparations to abandon the aircraft but by careful piloting was able to regain control and fly it back to the airfield. He lowered the wheels and made preparations for landing but the aircraft went out of control again. With great skill and presence of mind, he raised the flaps and, regaining some degree of control, effected a landing, at the same time succeeding in preventing a blockage of the runway. It was then found' that the tail wheel had also been ripped away in the collision. Throughout the whole incident, this officer showed the greatest coolness and skill and his action was entirely responsible for the safe landing of the aircraft and its occupants."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer collection (CC Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0)
• - The London Gazette of 6 January 1942, Issue 35408, Page 142
  - Supplement to The London Gazette of 1st January 1943, Issue 35841, Page 39
  - Supplement to The London Gazette of 20th August 1943, Issue 36140, Page 3737
  - Supplement to The London Gazette of September 29th, 1944, Issue 36723, Page 4488
  - Supplement to The London Gazette of 30th August 1946, Issue 37708, Page 4389
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 20th November 1953, Issue 40024, Page 6371
  - The London Gazette of 27th August 1965, Issue 43751, Page 8283