Frank Reginald Carey

Infobox Military Person
name= Frank Reginald Carey
born= birth date|1912|5|7
died= death date and age|2004|12|6|1912|5|7
placeofbirth= Brixton, London, England
placeofdeath= Chichester, West Sussex, England


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
serviceyears= 1927-1960
rank= Group Captain
branch= Royal Air Force
commands=
unit=
battles= World War II
awards= Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross & Two Bars Air Force Cross Distinguished Flying Medal Silver Star (US)
laterwork=
Group Captain Frank Reginald Carey CBE, DFC & Two Bars, AFC, DFM (7 May 1912 - 6 December 2004) was an English World War II fighter ace with 25 victories, three shared destroyed, four unconfirmed destroyed, four probables and eight damaged. [Holmes 1998, p. 84.]

Early life

Carey was born in Brixton, London and educated at Belverdere School, Haywards Heath. He joined the Royal Air Force in September 1927 as an aircraft apprentice and later an airframe fitter. In 1935 Carey was selected for pilot training and passed out as a Sergeant Pilot joining 43 Squadron.

World War Two

On 30 January 1940, soon after the war started, Carey shared the destruction of a Heinkel He 111 of "KG 26" on his first aerial combat. Carey was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal an on 1 March 1940 was commissioned. In April 1940 he joined 3 Squadron, on their arrival in France on 10 May 1940 he claimed four Heinkel He 111s, with another claimed on the next day. He continued to add to his victories until May 14 1940 when he shot down a Dornier Do 17 near Louvain he was hit by gunfire and crashed near Brussels. Official posted as missing in action he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and bar for his actions. Suffering only from a leg wound Carey was evacuated back to England in June where he re-joined 43 Squadron at RAF Tangmere as a Flight Commander.

Battle of Britain

As the Battle of Britain unfolded Carey increased his number of victories. At the height of the Battle on 18 August 1940 Carey was leading the squadron against a raid of Ju 87s and Bf 109s over Thorney Island. He shot down a Ju 87 of "StG 77" but was shot in the knee, due to enemy action he could not land at Tangmere and had to crash land his Hawker Hurricane at Pulborough. After medical treatment and recuperation Carey was posted to a training unit as an Instructor, returning to operations with 245 Squadron. Shortly after he returned to training until he was posted to RAF Baginton to form 135 Squadron and become the Squadron Commander.

Far East

In December 1941 Carey was posted to Burma and on 29 January 1942 he claimed his first Japanese victory when he shot down a Nakajima Ki-27 of the 77th "Sentai" over Rangoon. By February he was promoted to Wing Commander and continued to add to his victories. His last claim was on 25 October 1942 when a Nakijima Ki-43 Oscar was a possible victory. He was attacked on take-off from Chittagong by a number of Oscars and after a battle at very low level an Oscar flew into a hill. Carey then commanded RAF Alipore and was promoted to Group Captain in November 1944.

Post War

Australia

He returned to England in 1945 and held a number of staff appointments until his retirement in 1960. When he left the RAF he became a Commander of the British Empire and then worked for Rolls Royce Aero Division in Australia. On his retirement from Rolls Royce he returned to England. Carey married three times and had two daughters, he died in 2004.

Awards and decorations

*Distinguished Flying Medal - 1 March 1940
*Distinguished Flying Cross and bar - 31 May 1940
* Second bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross - 24 March 1942
*Air Force Cross - 1 January 1945
*Silver Star (United States) - 11 June 1946
*Commander of the British Empire - 11 June 1960

References

* Spick, Mike "Allied Fighter Aces". London, UK: Greenhill Books, 2004. ISBN 1-85367-587-3
* Holmes, Tony. "Hurricane Aces 1939 - 1940". London: Osprey Publishing. 1998. ISBN 978-1-85532-597-5

External References

* [http://www.the-battle-of-britain.co.uk/pilots/Ca-pilots.htm Battle of Britain]