Michael Crossley

Michael Nicholson Crossley
Birth name	Michael Nicholson Crossley
Nickname	Red Knight
Born	May 20, 1912(1912-05-20) Halford, Warwickshire, England
Died	1987 South Africa
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1936 — 1943
Rank	Wing Commander
Unit	No. 32 Squadron RAF
Commands held	No. 32 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Distinguished Service Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross

Wing Commander Michael Nicholson Crossley DSO, OBE, DFC was a Royal Air Force Flying ace who, during the Second World War, led No. 32 Squadron RAF in the Battle of Britain.

Crossley shot down 20 enemy aircraft and shared in the destruction of two others with one 'probable' and one 'damaged'. All of his victories were scored in the Hawker Hurricane.^[1]

Early life

Born in Halford, Warwickshire on 29 May 1912, Crossley was educated at Eton College and The College of Aeronautical Engineering in Chelsea before he joined the RAF in 1936. He was posted to No. 32 Squadron after training, and became a Flight Commander just before the outbreak of war.

Second World War

Crossley first saw combat during the Battle for France, strafing German troop carrying transports at Ypenburg Airfield in Holland. By the start of June he had claimed six enemy aircraft destroyed, including four Messerschmitt Bf 109s.^[2] As a result of his actions he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on the 21 June 1940.

During the Battle of Britain, Crossley was promoted to Squadron Leader on 16 August after the departure of John "Baron" Worrall to Biggin Hill. Between 12–18 August he shot down another 10 aircraft and was credited with one shared. Crossley survived being shot down twice on 18 and 25 August.^[3] On the 18 August 1940, known as The Hardest Day, Crossley and his Squadron were heavily engaged in the morning and afternoon battles. In the last raid of that day, he was shot down.

Crossley was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on the 20 August 1940. The Squadron was withdrawn to rest in late August. Crossley remained with the unit until April 1941, when he was sent as Test Pilot for the British Air Commission in the USA. Promoted to Wing Commander in September 1942, he returned to the UK in 1943, where he was made Wing Leader, RAF Detling. However soon after Crossley's operational flying career ended when he contracted tuberculosis. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1946 before discharge from the RAF later that year.

After the war he emigrated to South Africa to farm, where he died in 1987.

Crossley was nicknamed "Red Knight" after he had commanded "Red Section" of No. 32 Squadron.^[3]

Further reading

• Holmes, Tony. (1998). Hurricane Aces 1939 - 1940. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN-13: 978-1-8553-2597-5
• Shores & Williams. (1994) Aces High. Grub Street.

References

1. ^ Holmes 1998, p. 85.
2. ^ Holmes 1998, p. 51.
3. ^ ^{a b} Holmes 1998, p. 84.

Persondata
Name	Crossley, Michael Nicholson
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	20 May 1912
Place of birth	Halford, Warwickshire, England
Date of death	1987
Place of death	South Africa