Group portrait of pilots of No. 452 (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Kirton-in-Lindsey, ...

Group portrait of pilots of No. 452 (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Kirton-in-Lindsey, the first fighter squadron of which the flying personnel (with the exception of two flight commanders) are entirely Australian. It became operational in May 1941. Identified left to right: 287473 Sergeant (Sgt) Paul St John Makin; 400141 Flying Officer (FO) Keith Kipling Cox (killed in an accident in the United Kingdom, 23 January 1944); possibly Archie Stuart; Flight Lieutenant (F/LT) Brendan Eamonn Fergus "Paddy" Finucane RAF, DSO, DFC & two Bars (killed during operations over Etaples, France, on 15 July 1942, aged 21 years); 407078 Ian Arthur Lace Milne ; 402120 Sgt James Neate Hanigan (killed on active service at Carlisle, England, on 7 September 1941, aged 24 years); 402129 Frederick Revis McCann; 402144 Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) Raymond Edward Thorold-Smith (killed during operations over the Timor Sea on 15 March 1943, aged 24 years); 257414 Sqn Ldr Robert Wilton Bungey DFC (killed in a ground accident in South Australia on 10 June 1943, aged 28 years); 400166 Flying Officer (FO) William Douglas Willis (killed during operations near Rouen, France, on 18 September 1941, aged 24 years); possibly 402007 Flt Lt Alex Roberts; 400148 FO Donald Edwin Lewis (accidentally killed over the English Channel on 21 January 1942, aged 19 years); possibly Flt Lt Dougas; 404086 Sgt Andrew Gordon Costello (killed during operations over the United Kingdom on 5 July 1941, aged 23 years); 400213 Sqn Ldr Keith William "Bluey" Truscott DFC & bar (killed in an accident near Exmouth Gulf, WA, on 28 March 1943); 402115 Sgt Richard George Gazzard (killed during operations over Belgium on 19 August 1941, aged 21 years). Absent: 404087 Pilot Officer Raife James Cowan, 408022 Justin O'Byrne (later POW); 402232 PO William Davies Eccleton (killed in action in France on 19 August 1941, aged 25 years); PO R T Holt.