Paul Farnes

Paul Caswell Powe Farnes
Birth name Paul Caswell Powe Farnes
Born (1918-07-16) 16 July 1918
Boscombe, Hampshire
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Air Force
Years of service 1938 — 1958
Rank Wing commander
Unit
Commands held
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards

Wing Commander Paul Caswell Powe Farnes, DFM (born 16 July 1918) is a famed World War II Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot and one of "The Few" surviving pilots of the Battle of Britain. Farnes had a total of 8 kills (comprising 7 and 2 shared destroyed, 2 'probables' and 11 damaged)[1] during the Second World War.[2]

Early life

Born in Boscombe, Hampshire in 1918, Farnes joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) in April 1938.

World War II

Farnes was mobilized in July 1939. He joined No. 501 Squadron RAF in September 1939 and remained with the squadron when it went to France in May 1940. He claimed his first victories during the Battle of France, claiming 'shares' in two bombers downed and a He 111 shot down solo.[3] During August 1940 he claimed 5 more and in October 1940 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) and commissioned as an officer.[4]

In February 1941 Farnes was posted to No. 57 OTU as an instructor. In November 1941 he transferred to No. 73 OTU in Aden. Farnes was posted to No. 229 Squadron RAF in North Africa as a flight commander in February 1942. He flew with the squadron on 27 March 1942 to Malta where he later took command of the squadron. He returned to North Africa in late May 1942. He was then posted to Iraq where he joined the RAF headquarters staff and remained there until March 1945. On return to the United Kingdom he took command of No. 124 Squadron RAF, a command he retained until the end of World War II.

Later life

After the war Farnes became a liaison officer for training centres with the Air Ministry. In 1948 he became a flying instructor. Farnes remained in the RAF until 1958, retaining the rank of wing commander.

In 2010, Farnes said

"I'm very proud of having fought in the Battle of Britain, it is thought of as being a considerable achievement. Whether we like it or not, and the Navy do not, but if you talk sensibly about it people accept it as an iconic occurrence.[5]"

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ 'Aces High' Shores & Williams, 1994, page 257
  2. ↑ Harding, Thomas (24 August 2006). "It's baloney, say RAF aces". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  3. ↑ 'Aces High' Shores & Williams, 1994, page 257
  4. ↑ "Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM - Art prints and originals signed by Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM". Military-art.com. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  5. ↑ "Battle of Britain: in men and machines". BBC News. 19 August 2010.
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