Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar : Group Captain C R Caldwell, RAAF, 250 Squadron RAF

Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar. Cross engraved on reverse lower arm with year of award.

Clive Robertson Caldwell was born in Sydney, NSW, in 1910. Educated at Sydney Grammar, he was a keen sportsman and developed an early enthusiasm for aircraft. During the 1930s, a pilot friend provided him with some instruction and experience in flying, and when war was declared he determined, despite being over age, to join the RAAF as aircrew. After modifying his birth certificate to indicate that he was 26 years old, (28 being the cut-off date for pilot training) Caldwell was accepted. Discovering that his intake was destined to become flying instructors, he sought a discharge and re-enlisted with the first Australians selected for the Empire Air Training Scheme. Graduating from the course as a Pilot Officer in January 1941, he was posted to 250 Squadron, RAF, flying P-40 Tomahawk fighters in Syria, Palestine and North Africa. Although frustrated by the time it took to finally record his first victory, (on 26 June) Caldwell's score thereafter mounted rapidly. In January 1942 he was given command of 112 Squadron, RAF, whose 'sharkmouth' P-40 Kittyhawks were already famous, and by May he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar, as well as the Polish Cross of Valour in recognition of his work with that nation's forces. He was also permitted, by special dispensation of General Sikorski, to wear the Polish pilot's badge. By the time he was posted away from the Middle East he had recorded 20.5 confirmed victories and earned the nickname ‘Killer’, which he disliked. Returning to Australia in October 1942, Caldwell was given command of No 1 Fighter Wing, whose three squadrons of Spitfire Mk Vs were operating in defence of Darwin. He added eight Japanese aircraft to his tally before relinquishing command of the wing in August 1943 to become chief flying instructor at 2 OTU. In April 1944 he was given command of No 80 Fighter Wing, equipped with Mk VIII Spitfires. After operations from Darwin, the wing moved to Morotai in December. By this stage, however, the war had moved on, and there was little productive work for it. A mounting sense of dissatisfaction amongst pilots with operations which were seen as pointless led to Caldwell’s involvement in what became known as the ‘Morotai Mutiny’, in which eight senior airmen tendered their resignations. This action, and the disciplinary proceedings which followed, left him embittered about his service career, and he took his discharge from the RAAF in 1946. Australia’s highest scoring ace of the Second World War, Clive Caldwell died in Sydney in August 1994, aged 84. The citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross reads as follows ‘This officer has performed splendid work in the Middle East operations. He has at all times shown dogged determination and high devotion to duty which have proved an inspiration to his fellow pilots. On one occasion during a patrol, he was attacked by 2 Messerschmitt 109's. His aircraft was badly damaged, while he himself received wounds on his face, arms and legs. Nevertheless, he courageously returned to the attack and shot down one of the hostile aircraft. F/ LT. CALDWELL has destroyed at least 4 enemy aircraft.’ The citation for the Bar to the DFC reads as follows; ‘This officer continues to take his toll of enemy aircraft. One day in December, 1941, Flight Lieutenant Caldwell led his flight against a number of Junkers 87's and, during the combat, he personally shot down 5 of the enemy's aircraft being his total victories to 12.’