Charles Crombie Charles Arbuthnot Crombie DSO , DFC ( 16 March 1914 – 26 August 1945 ) was an Australian flying ace of the Second World War . Born in Brisbane , Queensland , he was working as a jackeroo when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in May 1940 . Completing flight training in Australia and Canada , he flew in the European , Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre and South - East Asian theatres , amassing a tally of 12 Axis aircraft shot down , with an additional four probables . In a particular attack on 19 January 1943 , Crombie intercepted a formation of four Japanese bombers over India . Despite his aircraft being set alight early in the engagement , he shot down two of the bombers and severely damaged a third before he was forced to bail out . He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for this action . Returning to Australia late in 1943 , he was promoted to squadron leader and posted as a flight instructor with No . 5 Operational Training Unit . Crombie was killed in a flying accident in August 1945 . Early life . Crombie was born in Brisbane , Queensland , on 16 March 1914 to David William Alexander Crombie , a grazing farmer , and his Indian - born British wife Phoebe Janet ( née Arbuthnot ) , the daughter of Lieutenant General Sir Charles Arbuthnot . During his youth , Crombie was educated at the Sydney Church of England Grammar School in North Sydney . Completing his schooling , he was employed as a jackeroo on his family ' s property near Warwick , Queensland . In 1934 , Crombie enlisted in the Citizens Military Force and was allotted to the 11th Light Horse Regiment . His service with the unit was to last until 1938 , by which time he had obtained the rank of sergeant . Second World War . Training , European and Middle Eastern theatres . With the ambition of becoming a pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force , Crombie undertook instruction in civil flying . Completing his course , he enlisted in the Air Force on 24 May 1940 . He was initially posted to RAAF Base Richmond , before transferring to No . 2 Initial Training School at RAAF Bradfield Park in June , where he was advanced to leading aircraftman . The following month , Crombie was attached to No . 5 Empire Flight Training School . On finishing his stint with the unit , he was posted to No . 2 Embarkion Depot on 18 September . In a ceremony two days later , Crombie married Betty Deane - Butcher ; the couple would later have a son . On 3 October 1940 — two weeks after his wedding — Crombie embarked a ship at Sydney , bound for Canada . He arrived three weeks later , where he completed an additional two months of advanced flight training . Crombie was commissioned as a pilot officer on 17 January 1941 , and set sail for the United Kingdom nine days later . In May , he was attached to the Royal Air Force ' s No . 25 Squadron , piloting Bristol Beaufighter s . While with the unit , he flew his first operational sortie on 13 June ; he was promoted to flying officer the next month . Crombie continued to serve with the squadron until October , by which time he had flown a total of twelve operational sorties over the European theatre , including two raids ; one over Germany , and the other to Brest , France . Crombie was transferred to the Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre and posted to No . 89 Squadron RAF in October 1941 , operating over Egypt and Malta . Also flying Beaufighters , Crombie piloted his first foray with the unit on 21 October , and by the end of the year had been accredited with the destruction of six Axis aircraft , with an additional two probables . Throughout 1942 , the squadron continued to operate over North Africa and the Middle East , with Crombie adding three more aircraft to his tally . South - East Asia . In January 1943 , Crombie was once again transferred , this time to No . 176 Squadron RAF stationed in India , operating in support of operations in the Burma Campaign ; he arrived at his new post on 12 January and was promoted to flight lieutenant five days later . By the time he left the Middle East , Crombie had been accorded an official tally of nine Axis aircraft shot down , with two probables . In the evening of 19 January 1943 , Crombie was airborne over India with his navigator Warrant Officer Raymond Moss . At approximately 20 : 45 , the pair intercepted a formation of four Japanese bombers flying over Budge Budge . Crombie flew his aircraft towards the group but his initial attack drew fire from the bombers , setting the starboard engine ablaze . Despite the damage , he pushed ahead with the assault and shot down one of the bombers . Flames from the burning engine then began to sweep back , and Crombie ordered Moss to bail out . Alone , Crombie continued the assault , shooting down a second bomber , before turning his attention to a third . Due to his efforts , the penultimate aircraft was " so badly damaged . . . that it could not have reached its base " . At this time , Crombie sought out the fourth and final machine . However , his petrol tank exploded , and he was forced " to bale out with his clothing alight " . He landed in " the most God awful swamp " , and walked for three or four hours before he reached an army unit in the area , which returned him to his squadron . As a result of their " cool courage " , Crombie was awarded a " well deserved " Distinguished Service Order , with Moss receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross . The notification and accompanying citation for the decorations was promulgated in a supplement to the " London Gazette " on 19 February 1943 , reading : Crombie completed his final patrol with No . 176 Squadron on 28 April 1943 , before moving to Air Headquarters , Bengal four days later . Later that month , Crombie carried out two raids over Akyab , Burma , the first a strafing attack on Japanese troops in the area , and the second assaulting Japanese shipping . On 25 May , the announcement that Crombie had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross was published in a supplement to the " London Gazette " . The decoration came as a result of his " High standard of courage and keenness whilst flying " with No . 89 Squadron in the Middle East , carrying out " . . . Intruder patrols and . . . low level attacks on enemy bases " in addition to his personal destruction of Axis aircraft . Crombie piloted his final sortie of the war from Air Headquarters , Bengal on 7 July 1943 . His operational tour now finished , he embarked for Australia in August , arriving in Melbourne on 27 September . By the time Crombie ' s tour completed , he had been accorded an official tally of 12 aircraft shot down , with an additional creditation of four probables . Home duties and death . On his return to Australia , Crombie was posted for duties as an instructor with No . 5 Operational Training Unit at RAAF Base Williamtown in December 1943 . In March 1944 , Crombie piloted a Beaufighter from Brisbane to New Guinea , flying the aircraft in the local area for a period of eleven days testing the machine , before returning to Richmond , New South Wales . He was promoted to acting squadron leader on 1 September , and made chief flying instructor of No . 5 Operational Training Unit , heading the group ' s two sections of Beaufighter and de Havilland Mosquito aircraft . On 8 May 1945 , to celebrate Victory in Europe Day , 12 aircraft from No . 5 Operational Training Unit were detailed to do a flypast over Newcastle , New South Wales . Crombie headed the group , which comprised six Beaufighters followed by six Mosquitoes ; the final aircraft in the group was piloted by Flight Lieutenant Charles " Bud " Tingwell . The flypast concluded successfully , and the formation returned to base . However , as the group neared the airdrome , the other pilots disobeyed Crombie ' s orders and carried out a feint attack on the installation . He called the men into his office and reprimanded them as a result . On 26 August 1945 , Crombie was flying a Beaufighter on a test flight . He completed the flight and returned to base . Coming in to land , a problem occurred in one of the engines and he fell short of the runway ; Crombie was killed in the resulting collision . Survived by his wife and one - year - old son , his funeral was attended by all the personnel of No . 5 Operational Training Unit . He was subsequently buried in Sandgate War Cemetery . Fellow No . 5 Operational Training Unit instructor Bud Tingwell later described him as " one of the best pilots in the air force " .