Author: Roberto CiminiPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 50
Book Description
Australia entered World War II on 3 September 1939, following the government's acceptance of the United Kingdom's declaration of war on Nazi Germany. Australia later entered into a state of war with other members of the Axis powers, including the Kingdom of Italy on 11 June 1940, and the Empire of Japan on 9 December 1941. By the end of the war, almost a million Australians had served in the armed forces, whose military units fought primarily in the European theatre, North African campaign, and the southwest Pacific theatre. In addition, Australia came under direct attack for the first time in its post-colonial history. Its casualties from enemy action during the war were 27,073 killed and 23,477 wounded. Many more suffered from tropical disease, hunger, and harsh conditions in captivity: of the 21,467 Australian prisoners taken by the Japanese only 14,000 survived. Les Clisby was from Adelaide and joined the RAAF, graduated as a pilot and in 1937 was seconded to the RAF on a short service commission. He was posted to 1 Squadron and when war was declared in September 1939, went to France as part of the RAF contingent. He flew Hurricanes during that campaign and took part in many combats. When the German blitzkrieg began on 10 May 1940, 1 squadron, like the rest of the RAF in France, struggled against the experienced numerically superior Luftwaffe formations. Clisby once landed alongside a Heinkel he shot down and captured the crew. The sheer intensity of the fighting meant that only a combination of luck and ability meant survival. Clisby's luck ran out on 14 May, in a combat with Messerschmitt Bf110s.
