F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

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Temujin
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F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

Post by Temujin » Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:21 am

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Photo of Richard (Dick) Audet – Richard "Dick" Audet, 411 Sqn, RCAF, became an ace on December 29, 1944, when he shot down five enemy fighters in one day. He was flying his friend Jack Boyle's aircraft, DB-G (RR 201), according to the logbook. In this photograph, Audet is with his own aircraft, a Spitfire IX, DB-A (MK 950, coded R for a time), in which he was killed while strafing locomotives on March 3, 1945. DND Photo PL 41719, Steve Sauve.

29 December 1944: Flying Officer Richard Joseph Audet, Royal Canadian Air Force, was a section leader of No. 411 Squadron, an RCAF squadron under the control of the Second Tactical Air Force, Royal Air Force. The squadron was based at an advanced airfield in The Netherlands.

In the early afternoon, Audet’s Yellow Section engaged a flight of twelve Luftwaffe fighters, four Messerchmitt Bf 109s and eight Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, near Rheine, in northwestern Germany.

Flying a Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IX .5, RR201, Flying Officer Audet led his section into the attack. He later reported:

I was leading Yellow section of 411 Squadron in the Rheine/Osnabruck area when Control reported Huns at Rheine and the squadron turned in that direction. An Me 262 was sighted and just at that time I spotted 12 e/a on our starboard side at 2 o’clock. These turned out to be a mixture of approximately 4 Me 109’s and 8 FW 190’s.

1) I attacked an Me 109 which was the last a/c in the formation of about twelve all flying line astern. At approximately 200 yds and 30° to starboard at 10,000 feet I opened fire and saw strikes all over the fuselage and wing roots. The 109 burst into flames on the starboard side of the fuselage only, and trailed intense black smoke. I then broke off my attack.

2) After the first attack I went around in a defensive circle at about 8500 feet until I spotted an FW 190 which I immediately attacked from 250 yards down to 100 yards and from 30° to line astern. I saw strikes over cockpit and to the rear of the fuselage. It burst into flames from the engine back, and as I passed very close over top of it I saw the pilot slumped over in his cockpit, which was also in flames.

3) My third attack followed immediately on the 2nd. I followed what I believed was an Me 109 in a slight dive. He then climbed sharply and his coupe top flew off at about 3 to 4,000 feet. I then gave a very short burst from about 300 yards and line astern and his aircraft whipped downwards in a dive. The pilot attempted or did bale out. I saw a black object on the edge of the cockpit but his ‘chute ripped to shreds. I then took cine shots of his a/c going to the ground and bits of parachute floating around. I saw this aircraft hit and smash into many flaming pieces on the ground. I do not remember any strikes on this aircraft. The Browning button only may have been pressed.

4) I spotted a FW 190 being pursued at about 5,000′ by a Spitfire which was in turn pursued by an FW 190. I called this Yellow section pilot to break and attacked the 190 up his rear. The fight went downwards in a steep dive. When I was about 250 yards and line astern of this 190 I opened fire. There were many strikes on the length of the fuselage and it immediately burst into flames. I saw this FW 190 go straight into the ground and burn.

5) Several minutes later while attempting to form my section up again I spotted an FW 190 from 4000 feet. He was at about 2000 feet. I dived down on him and he turned in to me from the right. Then he flipped around in a left hand turn and attempted a head-on attack. I slowed down to wait for the 190 to flypast in range. At about 200 yds and 20° I gave a very short burst, but couldn’t see any strikes. This a/c flicked violently, and continued to do so until he crashed into the ground. The remainder of my section saw this encounter and Yellow 4 (F/O McCracken) saw it crash in flames.

—Post Mission Report of Flying Officer R. J. Audet, 29 December 1944

This air battle had been Flying Officer Audet’s first engagement with enemy aircraft. It was over within a matter of minutes. For his actions of 29 December 1944, Richard Audet was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/no-411-squadron/

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Re: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

Post by Temujin » Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:30 am

Name: AUDET, RICHARD JOSEPH
Initials: R J
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force
Unit Text: 411 Sqdn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 03/03/1945
Service No: J/20136
Awards: D F C and Bar
Additional information: Son of Paul and Edewisca Audet; husband of Iris Christina Audet, of Pinner, Middlesex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 278.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

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Re: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

Post by Temujin » Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:47 am

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Re: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

Post by Temujin » Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:53 am

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Re: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

Post by Temujin » Sun Dec 30, 2018 1:04 am

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Re: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

Post by ensouvenir2019 » Sat Jun 22, 2019 10:37 pm

Hi,
My son will go to Europe in two weeks to pay tribute to the Canadians who lost their lives during World War II. He participates in the Juno 75 program with other students. He must honor a soldier when he is there and he chose Richard Dick Audet. Is it possible to know where you found these documents? He would like to be able to join them in his research work and bring them with him on his journey. Thank you

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Re: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

Post by BFBSM » Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:00 pm

Where these images originated, I cannot say, however, images from Audet’s Service file are available on the Ancestry site in the Canada, WWII Service Files of War Dead, 1939-1947 Database.

Mark

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Re: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

Post by Temujin » Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:16 pm

ensouvenir2019 wrote:
Sat Jun 22, 2019 10:37 pm
Hi,
My son will go to Europe in two weeks to pay tribute to the Canadians who lost their lives during World War II. He participates in the Juno 75 program with other students. He must honor a soldier when he is there and he chose Richard Dick Audet. Is it possible to know where you found these documents? He would like to be able to join them in his research work and bring them with him on his journey. Thank you
Yes, I got these all from Ancestry.ca. You can access the records of all Canadian WW2 dead are on Ancestry. All the original records are from Library and Archives Canada, where your can also access them by appointment (see Library and Archives Canada website for more details on how to access records).

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