Anzac Aircrews Edition

Companion Print: Shipping Strike

Published to commemorate the unsurpassed contribution made by the aircrews of the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force who flew the Mosquito in combat during World War II. Edition available outside Australia and New Zealand only by special request, and subject to availability.

The RAAF Edition is limited to 250 prints, signed by:
Air Marshall Sir Ivor Broom KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC, AFC
Squadron Leader R. B. 'Bob' Cowper DFC*
Squadron Leader Terry Kearns DSO, DFC, DFM
Flight Lieutenant F. S. 'Fred' Stevens DFC
Group Captain Brian 'Black Jack' Walker DSO (Companion Print)
Flight Lieutenant S. J. 'Stan' Williams DFC

The Signatures

The edition, or editions, that each pilot has signed is denoted in brackets after their name.

Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB DSO DFC AFC (RAF, Canada, Anzac editions)
Sir Ivor Broom flew Blenheims with 114 Squadron before being posted to Malta still flying Blenheims, which by now where obsolete, in highly dangerous low-level shipping attacks where losses where high. In 1943 he became on of the first Pathfinder Mosquito instructors before moving into the Late Night Striking Force with 571 Squadron. He later formed 163 Squadron. He completed 103 bombing missions including 22 attacks on Berlin, and the Ardennes offensive. Throughout his time on Mosquitoes his navigator was Tommy Broom (no relation). Together the 'Flying Brooms' were an inseparable combination.

Squadron Leader T. J. 'Tommy' Broom DFC (RAF edition)
In the early months of World War Two, Tommy Broom served as an observer with 105 Squadron flying Fairey Battles in France, re-equipping with Blenheims back in England. After a brief period as instructor at 13 OUT, he rejoined 105 Squadron, the first squadron in the RAF to receive Mosquitoes. In January 1942, he navigated many of the daylight raids carried out by 105 Squadron. From 1943 onwards he flew continuously as navigator to Ivor Broom including the low-level attack at 50ft. on the Dortmond-Ems canal and 22 attacks on Berlin.

Squadron Leader R. B. 'Bob' Cowper DFC (Anzac edition)
Joining 153 Squadron (RAF) Bob Cowper was at first flying Defiants before converting over to Beaufighters and in 1943 he flew the Beaufighter in the Malta campaign. With 89 Squadron (RAF) he crashed in Tunisia, having to walk home 65 miles through the grueling Sahara Desert. Bob went from 89 Squadron (RAF) to 108 Squadron (RAF) and then as an instructor teaching night flying. He joined 456 Squadron (RAAF) before D-Day, finishing the war on 'Intruder' missions and 6 air victories. He was Acting C.O. of 456 Squadron at the end of World War Two.

Group Captain John 'Cats-eyes' Cunningham DSO** DFC* (RAF, Canada editions)
John Cunningham joined the RAF in 1935 with 604 Squadron. At the outbreak of World War Two he was based at North Weald flying Blenheims on day escort and night fighter operations. In September 1940 he converted onto Beaufighters equipped with radar, the first aircraft that made night fighting really possible. In November he had the Squadron's first successful night combat. He took command of 604 Squadron in August 1941. After a period at HQ81 Group, he was posted on his second tour to command 85 Squadron equipped with Mosquitoes. In March 1944 with 19 night and 1 day victory he was posted to HQ11 Group to look after night operations.

Wing Commander Moose Fumerton DFC* AFC (Canada edition)
Joining the RCAF in 1939, Moose sailed for England in 1940 to join 32 Squadron (RAF) flying Hurricanes. He transferred to 1 Squadron (RCAF) in November 1940. In June 1941 he was attached to 406 Squadron (RCAF), a night fighter squadron equipped with Beaufighters where he was credited with that squadron's first victory. In October 1941 he joined 89 Squadron, another Beaufighter night fighter unit, for operations in Egypt, the Middle East, and the defense of Malta. In 1943 he was given command of 406 Squadron on Beaufighters, converting to the Mosquito Mk30 on 'Ranger' operations.

Squadron Leader Charles Patterson DSO DFC (RAF edition)
Charles Patterson joined the RAF on the outbreak of WWII and flew Whitneys. He switched to Blenheims in 1940 with 114 Squadron on anti-shipping operations over Norway. After a period instructing he briefly flew Bostons before converting to Mosquitoes with 105 Squadron flying mostly Daylight raids, but also the first night raid to Berlin. In January 1943 he was selected as pilot for the Mosquito Film Unit and flew Mosquito DZ414 (now restored) on over 20,000 operational hours both day and night. In September 1943 he converted 3 Ventura Squadrons to Mosquitoes under Group Captain Pickard. In total he completed an unprecedented 3 tours on Mosquitoes, his final tour being with 487 Squadron (New Zealand) mainly on strikes against V1 sites. On D-Day he flew the film unit Mosquito over the beach head during the invasion.

Air Commodore E. B. 'Ted' Sismore DSO DFC AFC (RAF, Canada editions)
On 31st January, 1943, Mosquitoes bombed Berlin for the first time. Timed to coincide with a speech by Hermann Goering, three Mosquitoes from 105 Squadron led by Squadron Leader R. W. Reynolds and Ted Sismore attacked at exactly 1100 hours to disrupt the Reichmarshall's speech for over an hour. Ted navigated the final large daylight raid by 105 Squadron in May 1943 when both men led the attack on the Zeiss Optical Factory and the glassworks in Jena. Sismore planned the route for the Amiens jailbreak raid, and 'master navigated' the three Gestapo raids in Denmark: Ahaus, Shellhauss and Odensa.

Flight Lieutenant F. S. 'Fred' Stevens DFC (Anzac edition)
After training in Australia and Canada, Fred Stevens found himself in October 1941 flying Bolton Paul Defiants, converting shortly after to Beaufighters, which he throughout 1942. In early 1943 he converted to the Mosquito Mk2 Night Fighter with A1 radar. This was with 456 Squadron (RAAF), they later re-equipped with the Mosquito Night Fighter Mk17. Before D-Day they transferred to Ford in West Sussex for the build up to the invasion, carrying out numerous operations. Later Fred and 456 were involved with attacking V1s at night.

Group Captain Brian 'Black Jack' Walker DSO (Anzac edition)
Brian Walker joined the RAAF in 1935. The outbreak of World War Two found him with 25 Squadron RAAF flying Wirraways. After a period of instructing he went to 12 Squadron before joining 30 Squadron RAAF as Command Officer. This was the first RAAF Beaufighter Squadron. He then went north to New Guinea where his exploits on Beaufighters are legendary. In 1944 he was seconded to de Havilland as test pilot on Mosquitoes. At the end of the year, until the conclusion of the war, he commanded No. 1 Fighter Wing in Darwin flying Spitfires and Mustangs.

Flight Lieutenant S. J. 'Stan' Williams DFC (Anzac edition)
Joining the RAAF in May 1941, Stan Williams left for the U.K. via the U.S., arriving in England after a five month trip. Initially flying Blenheims and Beaufighters, he eventually joined 456 Squadron (RAAF) in 1943 on Mosquitoes, flying out of RAF Ford. The role of 456 at this time was to include 'Ranger' and 'Intruder' missions, as well as night defense, especially prior to D-Day. They also defended against V1s at night. Their last mission of the war was against He177s towing glider bombs en-route to Scapa Flow, they destroyed the lot.