Distinguished Flying Cross : Flying Officer B A Grace, 76 Squadron RAAF

Distinguished Flying Cross. Engraved reverse lower arm with year of award.

Bert Augustus ‘Mick’ Grace was born was born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1912. He was employed as a company director when he enlisted in the RAAF on 29 April 1940. He had learned to fly before the war, and after training at Mascot, New South Wales and Archerfield, Queensland he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in November 1940.

Grace embarked for England in December 1940, and after further operational training was posted to 258 Squadron RAF in March 1941, flying Hurricane fighter aircraft. He was promoted to Flying Officer in May.

In September 1941 Grace was posted to 453 Squadron RAAF at Singapore, flying Brewster Buffalo aircraft. The squadron moved to Ipoh in northern Malaya in mid-December to meet the Japanese invasion. During this move the Australian pilots engaged the Japanese in combat for the first time, and Grace claimed his first aerial victory. The squadron was withdrawn to Singapore Island ten days later in the face of the swift Japanese advance. Operations against a numerically superior Japanese force continued from Singapore, and on 17 January, Grace and another Australian pilot claimed three aerial victories near Malacca. By February the squadron’s position on the island became untenable. The unit was withdrawn to Sumatra ten days before the fall of Singapore, returning to Australia in March.

Grace was posted to the newly formed 76 Squadron in March 1942, one of the first Australian squadrons to be equipped with the P-40 Kittyhawk. After several months training with their new aircraft, the squadron deployed to Port Moresby in July 1942, and moved to Gurney Field at Milne Bay in August, where they and 75 Squadron played a critical role in halting the Japanese amphibious assault.

Grace’s squadron was relieved in September 1942 and returned to Australia. The following month he was posted to 9 Operational Group as a staff officer in charge of training. During this period he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross reads:

‘This officer has been engaged on operational flying duties in England, the Middle East, Malaya, and at New Guinea and has completed over 350 hours operational flying, destroying at least four enemy aircraft.

Since joining No. 76 Squadron he has proved a capable leader and has at all times shown keenness to engage the enemy and has displayed courage of the highest order.

Whilst at Gurney Field this officer led a flight of six aircraft on an interception to 20,000 feet and when returning the weather closed in. Flying Officer Grace, however, skilfully brought all six aircraft through cloud to the sea and in extremely poor visibility and bad weather led his flight back to the aerodrome. His part in the almost continuous operations conducted against the enemy by his squadron at Milne Bay was a notable one.

He has displayed exceptional devotion to duty and has shown himself eager to grapple with superior numbers of the enemy.’


Grace was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in April 1943, and was posted to 2 Operational Training Unit as a flying instructor in the same month.

In March 1944 he was given command of 82 Squadron. Initially destined for Hughes Airfield in the Northern Territory, the squadron were instead based at Townsville, Queensland. After a period of training, Grace and his squadron deployed to Port Moresby in August 1944, moving to Noemfoor Island in September. 82 Squadron were engaged in patrolling and strafing flights against enemy installations, airfields and shipping. Grace was promoted to Squadron Leader in January 1945.

In March 1945 the unit was moved to the island of Morotai, and operations continued. 82 Squadron then moved to the island of Labuan off Borneo in June 1945. Grace led the first aircraft to arrive on the island on 25 June. 82 Squadron were then engaged in close support of army operations on the island of Borneo until the cessation of hostilities on 15 August.

Bert Grace was discharged from the air force in September 1945.

• 1939-45 Star : Squadron Leader B A Grace, RAAF
• Atlantic Star : Squadron Leader B A Grace, RAAF
• Pacific Star with 'Burma' clasp : Squadron Leader B A Grace, RAAF
• Defence Medal : Squadron Leader B A Grace, RAAF
• British War Medal 1939-45 : Squadron Leader B A Grace, RAAF
• Australia Service Medal : Squadron Leader B A Grace, RAAF