Russell Foskett Russell George Foskett OBE , DFC ( 7 May 1917 – 31 October 1944 ) was an Australian flying ace of the Second World War . Born in a suburb of Sydney , New South Wales , Foskett was employed as a clerk in 1940 when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force . Accepted as a pilot under the Empire Air Training Scheme , he completed his training in Australia and Southern Rhodesia , before transferring for service over North Africa . In subsequent aerial engagements , Foskett was officially credited with the destruction of 6½ Axis aircraft and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross . Appointed to command No . 94 Squadron RAF , he was transferred to the Mediterranean Theatre in 1944 . Foskett was killed on 31 October 1944 , after his aircraft developed engine trouble and he was forced to bail out over the Aegean Sea , where his parachute failed to open . Early life . Foskett was born in the Sydney suburb of Roseville , New South Wales , on 7 May 1917 to Edward George Foskett , an accountant , and his wife Dora Mabel ( née Cotterill ) . Foskett was educated at Hornsby Junior Technical School , before going on to study accountancy . He later gained employment as a clerk in the credit department of Shell Co . of Australia Pty Ltd . In his youth , Foskett was active in scouting as a Rover as well as sport , particularly hockey ; he was a member of the Gordon district hockey club and represented New South Wales . Second World War . Training . On 18 September 1940 , Foskett enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force for service during the Second World War . Accepted for flight training under the Empire Air Training Scheme , he received his initial flight instruction at No . 2 Initial Training School , Bradfield Park . Completing this course on 9 November , Foskett was advanced to leading aircraftman and posted to No . 2 Embarkation Depot . On 10 December , he embarked from Sydney bound for Africa . Foskett disembarked at Southern Rhodesia in January 1941 , following a three - week voyage . Allocated to the Initial Training Wing , he completed a two - week stint with the unit before proceeding to No . 25 Empire Flight Training School . On graduating from the school , Foskett was posted to No . 20 Service Flying School for advanced flight instruction on 5 March ; he was promoted to acting sergeant the following day . On 23 April , Foskett was awarded his flying badge , becoming a fully qualified pilot . North Africa . Promoted to the substantive rank of sergeant on 10 June 1941 , Foskett was transferred to the RAF Headquarters , Middle East the following day . He spent two weeks with the headquarters , prior to moving on to No . 71 Operation Training Unit . In July , Foskett was posted to No . 80 Squadron RAF , flying Hawker Hurricane s over North Africa . Commissioned as a pilot officer on 15 March 1942 , Foskett was further promoted to acting flight lieutenant in July and appointed a flight commander of the squadron the following month . The commanding officer of No . 80 Squadron , Donald Jack , later commented of Foskett during this time : " the man , who was a born leader . . . had everything required ; enthusiasm , aggression , humour , a zest for life and boundless energy " . On 3 November 1942 , Foskett led his squadron in a sortie over El Alamein against a formation of Stuka dive bomb ers that were escorted by Messerschmitt 109 s . During the ensuing engagement , seven Stukas were shot down , with an additional eight probably destroyed and several others damaged . Foskett himself shot down two of the Axis aircraft before he was hit by fire from one of the Messerschmitts . Forced down , Foskett landed his aircraft in a minefield , where he was safely extracted by a formation of the British Army in the area . Returning to his squadron that evening , Foskett resumed flying duties the following morning . Foskett was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions during the engagement . The announcement and accompanying citation for the award was published in a supplement to the " London Gazette " on 4 December 1942 , reading : No . 94 Squadron . Foskett continued to undertake sorties with No . 80 Squadron until late March 1943 , when his operational tour came to an end . Promoted to acting squadron leader , he was posted as a staff officer to the headquarters of No . 209 Group , located in Haifa , Palestine , on 25 May . Foskett ' s service with the headquarters lasted until 6 October , when he was appointed as commander of No . 94 Squadron RAF . Based in the Libyan town of El Adem , the squadron was equipped with Hawker Hurricanes and consisted of a mixture of Commonwealth personnel , in addition to a contingent of Yugoslavian pilots . Foskett administered and led No . 94 Squadron as it operated over North Africa and the Middle East throughout 1944 . Noted as " outstanding " as " a fighter pilot and commander " during this time , Foskett was consequently Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the wings of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force by King Peter II . The squadron was re - equipped with Supermarine Spitfire s during February that year , and it was while piloting one of these aircraft that Foskett scored his final victory of the war . On 6 June , Foskett was involved in a sweeping sortie over Crete when he became engaged with a Junkers Ju 52 . In the ensuing battle , Foskett managed to shoot down the opposing aircraft over Tmimi , Libya . During October 1944 , No . 94 Squadron was relocated to Kalamaki , Greece . On 31 October 1944 , Foskett was returning to base following an operation when his Spitfire developed engine trouble between the islands of Skiathos and Skópelos over the Aegean Sea . He attempted to bail out of the aircraft , but his altitude was too low for his parachute to open , and he was consequently killed . Foskett ' s body was later recovered , and he was buried at sea ; he is commemorated on the Malta Memorial . Foskett ' s younger brother Bruce William , a Royal Australian Air Force navigator , had been killed in an operation over Berlin the previous February . By the time of his death , Foskett had been officially credited with a tally of 6½ Axis aircraft shot down . For his command of No . 94 Squadron , Foskett was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire , which was posthumously announced in a supplement to the " London Gazette " on 1 January 1945 . On 16 February 1946 , Foskett ' s father , Edward , attended an investiture ceremony at Government House , Sydney , where he was presented with his late son ' s Officer of the Order of the British Empire and Distinguished Flying Cross by the Governor - General of Australia , Prince Henry , Duke of Gloucester .