Canadian Spitfire Ace...

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Interesting story from the National Post this morning.

http://www.canada.com/national/natio...3-eef01e89b1cc

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Canadian Spitfire ace given credit for shooting Rommel
Others have claimed hit

Randy Boswell
CanWest News Service


April 27, 2004


A Canadian pilot long recognized for his Second World War heroics -- including three sorties on D-Day alone -- is now being credited with knocking legendary German field marshal Erwin Rommel out of action in the crucial weeks following the invasion of Normandy.

The story of how Spitfire ace Charley Fox strafed Rommel's staff car as it sped through the French countryside on July 17, 1944, is finally becoming clear after almost 60 years of uncertainty over who wounded the man known as "the Desert Fox," the Nazis' greatest field commander.

A U.S. air crew initially claimed to have fired on Rommel's car. Many historical accounts say South African pilot J.J. Le Roux carried out the strike.

But a Quebec historian researching the controversy at the Library and Archives of Canada says the official operational record book of Mr. Fox's unit, 412 Squadron, puts the Ontario-born pilot in the air at the right time and place to have taken out Rommel.

"Charley Fox is probably the guy that fired at Rommel's car," concludes Michel Lavigne, author of several books about the Second World War. "This is the official account from the time, usually filled out by a clerk with the squadron, recording when planes took off and came back. It's very precise, very exact."

Mr. Lavigne's findings confirm Mr. Fox's own log entry from that day and his recollections of swooping down on a German staff car and watching the bullet-riddled vehicle veer off the road.

"We took off late in the afternoon," recalls Mr. Fox, 84, who lives in London, Ont., and is to be installed as honorary colonel of his old war-time unit, 412 Squadron, at a ceremony this week in Ottawa.

"As soon as we got airborne at Bernieres-sur-mer, we started heading towards Caen and we split up into three sections of four, and we were to look for 'targets of opportunity' -- anything that was moving. It was the other side of Caen, and I saw this staff car coming along between a line of trees on a main road," says Mr. Fox. "I made no motion until it was just about 9 o'clock, and I did a diving, curving attack down and I probably started firing at about 300 yards. I saw hits on it and I saw it start to curve and go off the road -- and by then I'm on my way."

Mr. Fox says the incident remains "very clear in my mind." And the July 17 entry in his own wartime log book records "1 staff car damaged" along with the destruction of a transport vehicle. At the end of the entry, Mr. Fox had written: "? Rommel -- Yes."

The attack ended Rommel's brilliant career. While still recovering from severe head injuries suffered in the car crash, he was implicated in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler and forced to swallow poison pills in October, 1944.

Mr. Fox ended the war with credit for nine enemy aircraft and 153 vehicles and locomotives destroyed or damaged. He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and bar -- equivalent to a second DFC -- for "exceptional courage and skill."

Mr. Fox says initially he wasn't interested in pushing a claim for the attack on Rommel. "The day that this happened, July 17, that evening the Americans claimed that they got him with a P-47," he recalls. "As far as I was concerned, end of story."

Recently, though, Mr. Fox was approached by artist and Spitfire enthusiast Lance Russwurm about helping him depict the attack on Rommel in a painting. Around the same time, Mr. Lavigne told Mr. Fox about his archival findings.

Mr. Fox compared notes with the historian and agreed to offer his input on the artwork. At his investiture on Friday as honorary colonel, Mr. Russwurm's painting of Rommel Under Attack will be presented to 412 Squadron.

© National Post 2004

[Keith Webb]

Jiff, I notice he lives in London... if you can scrounge a video camera and mic, even a cassette recorder, this is a wonderful opportunity to meet someone who was involved in something rather famous during the war.
If he'll let you, scan his photographs too... even if you can't record anything, you'll not regret the experience of meeting someone like this.
As you know, I do this quite a lot and it's such a privilege to meet these people and hear their stories firsthand.
And may I encourage anyone else to do this and record their stories while you can, in any way you can.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Geoff/Keith;

Would you believe that CFPL News here in London beat you to it, they had an interview with him on the 6pm news cast. Nick Papa...what ever his name is interviewed him. Mr Fox is apparently writing a book, but I didn't catch when its to be published.

Cheers

[Tony Smith]

This isn't one of those "names have been changed to protect the innocent" things, is it?

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Tony Smith
This isn't one of those "names have been changed to protect the innocent" things, is it?

Good one Tony!!!...But the reporter's real name is Nick (with a Greek or who knows, maybe Greek Cypriot last name - Papa&^%$#...)

Cheers

[servicepub (RIP)]

The following is from a CD-ROM I just produced. The CD "Courage & Service" has all WWII awards to Army, Navy and Air Force. Note the comment about Fox concentrating on vehicles.

FOX, F/L Charles William (J6364) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.412 Squadron - Award effective 18 December 1944 as per London Gazette dated 29 December 1944 and AFRO 379/45 dated 2 March 1945. Born in Guelph, Ontario, 26 February 1920. Home Guelph, Ontario. Decorator. Enlisted in Hamilton, 16 October 1940. Trained at No.2 ITS (graduated 23 December 1940), No.10 EFTS (graduated 21 February 1941) and No.6 SFTS (graduated 27 July 1941); awarded wings 27 July 1941. Retained in Canada as an instructor (No.6 SFTS, 21 October 1941 to May 1943). Posted to No.1 OTU, Bagotville, 14 May 1943 and posted overseas 26 August 1943. arriving 1 September 1943. Posted to No.57 OTU, 12 October 1943, then to No.412 Squadron (10 January 1944 to 28 January 1945). To No.410 Repair and Salvage Unit, 28 January 1945; to staff duties, No.126 Wing Headquaters, 28 March 1945. Returned to Canada, 7 August 1945; released 26 September 1945. Served in RCAF Auxiliary from 1 March 1954 to 31 May 1961, chiefly with No.420 Squadron as a pilot and fighter controller. Credited with the following aerial victories: 28 June 1944, one FW.190 damaged; 20 August 1944, one FW.190 damaged; 27 September 1944, two FW.190s destroyed plus two damaged; 24 December 1944, one FW.190 destroyed; 27 December 1944, one Bf.109 destroyed; 29 December 1944, one Ju.88 damaged. He flew 320 operational hours and 224 sorties, the last of which was on 28 April 1945. Archives photo PL-28263 shows him beside cannon of a Spitfire.

"This officer has displayed exceptional courage and skill in pressing home his attacks against the enemy. These operations have been particularly directed against mechanical transport in the course of four consecutive days. Flight Lieutenant Fox destroyed or damaged at least sixty-four enemy transports and since the invasion of Normandy has destroyed a total of 127 vehicles. Many of these attacks were completed in the face of very intense anti-aircraft fire from enemy positions. This record has been a fine example to his fellow pilots and he has contributed much to the success obtained by his squadron."

FOX, F/L Charles William (J6364) - Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross - No.412 Squadron - Award effective 19 February 1945 as per London Gazette dated 27 February 1945 and AFRO 625/45 dated 13 April 1945.

"Since August 1944 this officer has led his section against a variety of targets, often in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. He has personally destroyed or damaged twenty-two locomotives and thirty-four enemy vehicles, bringing his total to 153 vehicles destroyed or damaged. In addition he has destroyed at least a further three enemy aircraft and damaged two others. In December 1944 Flight Lieutenant Fox led his squadron on an attack against enemy airfields in the Munster area and personally destroyed another hostile aircraft, bringing his total to four. Through his quick and accurate reporting a further four enemy aircraft were destroyed. Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross, this officer has continued to display outstanding skill, coolness and determination."

Amazing story!

The truth always comes out .... eventually!

Good that this one has.

I Love My Canadians (and I don't mean beer!

[Murray]

Another story about Charley Fox in this mornings London Free Press.


http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/London...28/438792.html

[John McGillivray]

There is a short note in today’s Montreal Gazette (May 1st) about Charley Fox’s investiture as Honorary Colonel of 412 Squadron. There is also a photo of him standing beside the painting of his attack on Rommel.

Richard Rohmer was a pilot of a reconnaissance P-51 in Normandy. If I remember correctly, he claims in his book Patton’s Gap, that he was the one who first saw the staff car that was carrying Rommel, and he was the one who directed the Spitfires onto the target.

[Mark W. Tonner]

The Ontario Provincal Police have confirmed that decorated Second World War veteran Charley Fox, D.F.C., age 88, of London, Ontario, died yesterday afternoon (18 Oct 08) in a traffic accident north of Tillsonburg, Ontario.

[Grant Bowker]

Besides being a decorated veteran Charley Fox was a volunteer who spoke to schools about military service, a community volunteer, the Honourary Colonel for 412 Squadron (the same squadron he flew with during the war, they flew Spitfires then and are now a transport squadron) and an all around gentleman. While he was still lively, he admitted to not feeling as young as he once did. He remained both sharp witted and witty. He was a gentleman in the best sense of the word.

[Cammy]

I'm with Keith on this one,as I do the same as Keith here in Alberta. These are amazing historical experiences to listen to directly from the vets who helped make history. To have them tell us about them is a privelidge...

I interviewed one 1stSSF veteran who while recuperating from wounds had Patton visit him in a field hospital in Italy.They chatted for a bit,and Patton told him if he could have a group like the 1stSSF under him,he could take Europe in a month!
He presented the soldier with a purple heart,thanked him and walked away.Not ten minutes later,American officials came into the tent,swooped down and took his purple heart away! Apparently,this was not long after the face smacking incident...
I just read Charlies post...this is why it is so important to talk to these veterans,please help do what you can to preserve history.
A few months after I interviewed this 1stSSF veteran passed away as well.



www.memoriesrecoveredproject.com

Check it out!