World War II Flying Ace. The son of Kenneth A. Blatchford, a former mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1936 and earned his flying wings in January, 1937. He was with Squadron 41 at the outbreak of World War II and was credited with the first air kill by a Canadian pilot when he shot down a Heinkell 111 on October 7, 1939. In November, 1940 he was the leader of a squadron that destroyed 8 hostile planes and damaged 5 more. During the course of that battle, after he had spent all of his ammunition, he disabled an enemy plane by deliberately ramming it with his own aircraft. He then made 2 feint head-on attacks on enemy fighters causing them to break away and flee from battle. He became an Ace during the Battle of Britain when he shot down 5 enemy planes in a single day. For his efforts he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was a Wing Commander flying out of Digby, England when he was killed in action somewhere over the English Channel. His plane was never found. His name is inscribed on the Runnymede War Memorial at Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey, England.
World War II Flying Ace. The son of Kenneth A. Blatchford, a former mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1936 and earned his flying wings in January, 1937. He was with Squadron 41 at the outbreak of World War II and was credited with the first air kill by a Canadian pilot when he shot down a Heinkell 111 on October 7, 1939. In November, 1940 he was the leader of a squadron that destroyed 8 hostile planes and damaged 5 more. During the course of that battle, after he had spent all of his ammunition, he disabled an enemy plane by deliberately ramming it with his own aircraft. He then made 2 feint head-on attacks on enemy fighters causing them to break away and flee from battle. He became an Ace during the Battle of Britain when he shot down 5 enemy planes in a single day. For his efforts he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was a Wing Commander flying out of Digby, England when he was killed in action somewhere over the English Channel. His plane was never found. His name is inscribed on the Runnymede War Memorial at Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey, England.
Bio by: DXA
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