Chris Le Roux - Hurricane pilot?

[keith A]

I have been intrigued for years with Chris LeRoux's service and with this in mind looked into contemporaries of his to see if could have flown Fairey Battles or Hurricanes in the Battle of France.

A look in the London Gazette however makes this very unlikely. He received his commission as an Acting probationary Pilot Officer in July 1939, Pilot officer on probation in February 1940 and then again w.e.f. 1 May 1940 (gazetted 20 August 1940).

On the latter date F.J. Aldridge also was made prob. Pilot Officer. Aldridge joined the RAF in June 1939 and therefore is contemporaneous with Le Roux. Aldridge joins his first squadron in September 1940 and therefore it seems reasonable that Le Roux did too. Like many others he may have been sent to 73 Squadron because they were resting, and this would give him the chance to accumulate flying hours.

This squadron left for the Middle East in October and therefore Le Roux may have joined 421 Flight. If so, again it may be possible he exchanged with PO Jas Storrar who joined 73 Squadron for their trip to the Middle East?

His lack of inclusion in those included in lists of fliers in the Battle of Britain shows he did not take part in the battle and therefore a non-operational role in a squadron would seem more likely.

Comments, arguments for and against etc. gratefully accepted.

regards

Keith

[Tom Semenza]

For what it is worth, Aces High had suggested that he was posted to a Battle squadron in France. However in Volume 2 is stated:

"...he attended 6 OTU in May 1940, but on 16th was the subject of a Court Martial enquiry for low flying. The same day however, he was reported posted to 85 Squadron in France. Due to the destruction of that unit's records a few days later, his arrival is not recorded. It is surmised therefore that he did not fly Battles in France, but Hurricanes (briefly). Since he does not appear again until later in 1940, it is assumed that he was wounded soon after his arrival, only resuming operational flying on recovery."

Back to Aces High:

"On recovery he became an instructor near Chester for a while, but in February 1941 was posted to 91 Squadron."

Regards,
Tom

[keith A]

Cheers Tom. I have read that he flew with 73 Squadron, then 85 Squadron then 41 Squadron. Further investigation indicates he was with 41 Squadron December 1940-February 1941.

6 OTU was a fighter training unit so I can't see why he would be sent to fly Battles in the Battle of France.

If indeed he was shot down immediately it seems odd that after he recovered he'd be trusted to instruct anyone. The mention of Chester does seem to indicate he was sent back to 6 OTU - where he committed the low flying offence!

Wss he perhaps sent back for retraining?

regards

Keith

[keith A]

....apologies, he was probably at 7 OTU before joining 41 Squadron on 9 December 1940. Converting to Spitfires? It does blow my neat solution about him replacing Jas Storrar in 73

[Bruce Lander]

Hi Keith,

From " Blood ,Sweat and Courage" pp785 (Part):-

LE ROUX Jacobus Johannes "Chris" (42240) RAF.
Prob P/O 28 Feb 1940: 73 Sqd (Hur) Nantes and Tang 1940 ; P/O 1 May 1940;
Crs 6 6 OTU Sutton Bridge 28 Apr 1940 - 15 May 1940; CM hearing 6 OTU for low flying aquitted 16 May 1940; 85 Sqd (Hur) France 17 May; WIA France evacuated to UK & Hosp, late May 1940; 7 OTU (Spit) Hawarden july - Dec 1940; 41 Sqd 9 Dec 1940 - 19 Feb 1941. 91 Sqd Hawkinge 20 Feb 1940

So never 73 Sqd.

Bruce Lander

[keith A]

Mr Lander, you are a star! I am going to have to buy that book. I dipped into the Library copy it when looking for JB Shepherds career but I need my own

He obviously was shot down pretty quickly because his recovery lasted six weeks, so his service with 7 OTU must have begun around mid-July. I am going to look at Peter Ayerst's bio for some colour on the unit (Le Roux isn't mentioned according to the index). He obviously was an instructor after he converted although a few days in the Battle of France doesn't give me confidence he could impart much about operational service.

best regards

Keith

[keith A]

On Le Roux in 85 Squadron he must have had a very difficult introduction to air combat. Reading of the period 17 May until 21 May 1940 the squadron was very much in action and I am surprised he got to fly at all. Both SLdr "Doggie" Oliver and his replacement Mike Peacock were lost in the same week, that he arrived and apparently the squadron had only three Hurricanes left when they flew to England on 22 May 1940!

The squadron, as you know had a massive engagement on the 19th May which reduced it to a very small fighting group, and in the following days, apart from the remarkable performance of Sgt Howes on 20 May 1940 (four kills and a damaged on a single sortie in combat with KG3!) only the Austrian Count, Manfred Czernin made a claim.

On this basis Le Roux may have joined 85 Squadron on 17 May, may have flown a sortie from 18 May, may have been wounded (19/20 May?), but it seems a difficult equation.

Combined with the problem of his hospitalisation and then, a tyro pilot with next to no combat experience, recently qualified on the Hurricane, being sent to instruct at 7 (Spitfire) OTU?

Peter Townsend took command on 85 Squadron on 23 May 1940. I wonder if he sent Le Roux to 7 OTU to gain more flying hours? From there, after becoming an instructor in the interim, and converting to Spitfires, being sent to 41 Squadron in December 1940?

regards as always, chaps

Keith

[keith A]

Another point is that in July 1940 the squadron began to see some limited action and therefore may have considered replacing its less experienced combat pilots, who had gained flight hours, with more combat-experienced pilots who had fought in France?

[keith A]

Just got my copy of Le Roux's RAF Records. He is posted to 73 Squadron, not 85 Squadron on 18 May 1940! His next posting is to 7 OTU on 25 June 1940. Seven pilots join 73 Squadron on 21 May 1940 ("Twelve Days in May" , p.299) I wonder if he was one of them?

The squadron is back in the UK on 17 June 1940, so it's possible he is posted to 7 OTU after a brief period of leave.

[Bruce Lander]

The 7 Pilots joining 73 Sq. on 21 May were :-
F/Lt.C.W.K.Nicholls, F/O. H.B.Bell-Syer. both from Boscombe Down
P/O. I.D.Hawken and P/O. P.E.G.Carter. both from 605 Sq.
Sgt. W.Millner from AACU, and Sgt. G.W.Garton and Sgt. R.Plenderleith from
43 Sq.
This from Don Minterne's highly detailed history of 73 Sq (Vol 1) pp159.

No mention of Le Roux at all, possibly his posting was cancelled as he was not as experienced as were the above 7.