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-------------------------------------------------- Feels ‘Like Anybody Else’ Killing Hun, Air Ace Says
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From the left : Lou Plummer, Tommy Brannagan & Bill Myers are three Spitfire pilots from Windsor, Ontario. The night before they destroyed six Focke Wolfe 190's between them. Myers was the big gun with three, Brannagan who led the squadron, bagged two and Plummer got one Windsor Flyers Have Great DayWith the RCAF in Normandy, July 14, 1944 - (CP Cable) - A Canadian Spitfire squadron led by S/L Tommy Brannagan, of Windsor, Ont., shot down ten FW190's at dusk yesterday over Laigle, France. It was the greatest single squadron mark yet achieved in the fighter group commanded by Air Vice-Marshal Harry Broadhurst. |
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With the R.C.A.F. in France, July 14, 1944 - (CP) - In their second spectacular victory in little more than a week, an R.C.A.F. Spitfire squadron commanded by Sqdn. Ldr. Tommy Brannagan, Windsor, Ont., Thursday night shot down in flames without loss to themselves 10 of a formation of 12 Focke-Wulf 190's spotted flying at tree-top level near Argentan, about 10 miles south of Caen.
Recently when the squadron ran into some Germans it destroyed five and its score stands now at 15 confirmed victories in two sorties, a record unequalled by any other fighter squadron in Normandy.
The squadron is part of the celebrated Canadian wing led by Wing-Cmdr. J.E. (Johnny) Johnson, much-decorated English airman from Nottingham, who, with 35 planes downed in air combat, is the leading Allied ace in this theatre.
Three of the German aircraft destroyed late Thursday fell before the guns of FO. Bill Myers of Windsor, Ont., a veteran of between 80 and 90 operational flights, whose only previous score was a half-share in the destruction of an enemy dive-bomber.
Brannagan himself got two. Flt. Lts. G.E. Mott of Sarnia, Ont., and J.C. Copeland of Toronto, FO's Lloyd (Lou) Plummer of Toronto, B.M. Mackenzie of Stettler, Alta., and D.H. Kimball of Onatucket, N.B., each got one.
Three of Thursday evening's victors also shared in the previous five-plane triumph when Brannagan shot down two and Kimball and Mott each got one.
Brannagan has been in command of the squadron for only a fortnight. The youthful airman, who started his second tour without any rest period, said the Germans "didn't have a chance because apparently they didn't see us until we were right down on them." He said the FW's were carrying bombs.
Typhoon fighter-bombers destroyed a bridge and smashed a section of rail track near Fleury-sur-Orne last night, in a dive-bombing assault against enemy lines of communication behind the battlefront.
The City of Ottawa squadron took off from this advanced base in two flights. One, led by Flt. Lt. Harold Gooding of Ottawa, smashed the bridge, and another flight led by the squadron commanding officer, Sqdn. Ldr. Bill Pentland of Calgary, struck the rail tracks approaching a second bridge near Etavaux, further north.
WO. Pat McConvey, 116 Barton Avenue, Toronto, said two planes ahead of him bombed the bridge with one direct hit right in the center. "The bridge was sagging in the center like a V when I last saw it," he added.
FO. John Dewar of London, Ont. reported, “I think the bridge had a little bent in it before we got there—anyway it's sure got one now.”
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With the R.C.A.F. in Normandy, July 27, 1944 – (CP) - Canadian Spitfire pilots flying from beachhead airfields today destroyed at least 12 enemy aircraft. In an early morning sweep, F/L D.E. Noonan, Kingston, a City of Oshawa squadron pilot, destroyed a FW 190. He made his kill as the enemy aircraft was about to land. His victim crashed without a shot being fired while taking evasive action. F/L G.E. Mott, Sarnia, shot down a FW 190 over Argences. Mott, whose sixth victory this is, belongs to a squadron led by S/L Tommy Brannagan, Windsor. F/L W.R. McRae, Port Arthur, F/L G.W. Johnson, Belleville, and P/O M.H. Havers, Hamilton, all accounted for ME 109's.
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Tommy Brannagan, Normandy 1944 - from Ron Lake's collection
Ottawa, Sept, 25.—The Department or National Defense for Air today issued Casualty List No. 997 of the Royal Canadian Air Force, showing next of kin of those named from Ontario include:
Missing After Air Operations
BRANNAGAN, Thomas Anthony, Sqdn. Ldr. Thomas Brannagan (father), 877 Langlois Ave., Windsor.
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Ottawa, Aug. 28, 1944 - (CP) - Air force headquarters announced tonight 10 awards — three Distinguished Service Orders, four Distinguished Flying Crosses and three Distinguished Flying Medals — to members of the RCAF serving overseas.
The D.S.O. went to three officers who previously had received the D.F.C. They were honored for continuing to display exceptional skill, determination and devotion to duty. The awards:
D.S.O.
S/L G. D. S. Koester, D.F.C., Guatemala.
S/L J. R. McDonald, D.F.C., Victoria.
F/L H. B. Hay, Edmundston, N.B.
D.F.C.
S/L B. D. C. Patterson, Calgary.
F/L D. W. McGowan, Saskatoon.
F/L T. A. Brannagan, Windsor.
F/O G. H. Farquharson, Corbyville, Ont.
D.F.M.
Sgt. D. C. Harkness, whose wife, Mrs. P. L. Harkness, lives at 400 Woodfield Rd., Toronto.
Sgt. D. R. McEvoy, Lindsay Ont., (reported missing June 16, 1944).
Sgt. D. J. Webb of Kelowna, B.C.
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BRANNAGAN, F/L Thomas Anthony (J10762) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.441 Sq.
Award effective 21 August 1944 as per London Gazette dated 29 August 1944 and
AFRO 2373/44 dated 3 November 1944.
F/L Brannagan has displayed qualities of leadership. He is a resolute and determined fighter pilot and has destroyed at least three enemy aircraft in addition to several enemy locomotives and ground installations. He has played a large part in the training of new personnel and the success of his unit is in no small measure due to him. F/L Thomas Brannagan DFC |
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Ottawa, Jan. 18, 1945 - The Department of National Defense for Air today issued Casualty List No. 1094 of the Royal Canadian Air Force, showing next of kin of those named from Ontario. Previously Missing on Active Service, Now Reported Prisoners of War (Germany):
BRANNAGAN, Thomas Anthony. S/L. Thomas Brannagan (father), Windsor.
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Liberated CanadiansOttawa, May 15, 1945 - (CP) - Defense Headquarters yesterday issued four lists giving names of Canadians liberated by the Allies from German prison camps. Among officers and other ranks mentioned in the four lists totaled 448, bringing to 3,545 the number of army personnel officially announced as liberated in Europe. Those named from Ontario in today's list follow:
Free at last - Tommy Brannagan [left] & George Mercer shortly after their release. (Photo credit: "The Royal Canadian Air Force at War 1939 - 1945" by Larry Millberry & Hugh Halliday) |
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19 Aug 1943 28 Mar 1944 28 April 1944 5 July 1944 13 July 1944 |
1/2 Me109 one Me410 one u/i s/e e/a 1/2 Ga. Goeland one FW190 one FW190 two FW190s |
destroyed (w/ Dowding) S of Flushing & destroyed OTG destroyed (w/ Les Moore) destroyed & damaged Alencon destroyed W of Argentan |
4 / 0 / 1 plus 2 OTG
Also claimed 40 MET destroyed
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In January 2000 the City of Windsor adopted a resolution to name the main terminal of their airport after him. On August 14, 2004 The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association hosted the “Spitfire Swing – Brannagan Tribute Dance” in their WWII hangar at Windsor Airport. |
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