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PLUMER, F/L Benjamin Erwin (J10802) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.410 Sq.
Award effective 15 December 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 293/45 dated 16 February 1945
As observer and pilot respectively, Flight Lieutenants Hargrove and Plumer have participated in many sorties. They have displayed a high degree of skill and courage, qualities which were well illustrated one night in October 1944 when they engaged an enemy fighter near Venlo. In the fight, the starboard engine was hit and caught fire. Flight Lieutenant Hargrove quickly put out the fire by means of the extinguishers, as Flight Lieutenant Plumer continued to press home his attack. The engagement ended with the destruction of the enemy aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Plumer afterwards flew his damaged aircraft to an airfield and landed it safely.
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Born 3 November 1917, Bassano, Alberta
Educated there, 1924-1935
Took 2 years of engineering at Queen's University (1936-38)
Before returning to farming
Enlisted in Calgary, 8 March 1941
Trained at
No.2 ITS Regina (graduated 20 September 1941)
No.19 EFTS Virden (21 November 1941) &
No.11 SFTS Yorkton (wings 27 March 1942)
Posted to "Y" Depot, 29 March 1942
Reposted to Central Flying School, Trenton, 26 April 1942
Served at No.5 BGS, 6 June 1942 to 10 September 1943
Arrived in UK 19 September 1943
Further trained at
No.12 (P) AFC, 10 October 1943 to 29 February 1944
No.51 OTU (1 March to 11 April 1944) &
No.54 OTU (11 April to 21 June 1944)
With
410 Squadron (21 June 1944 to 2 April 1945)
409 Squadron (2 April to 1 July 1945)
Repatriated in September 1945
Released from the RCAF on 18 October 1945
Cited with F/L William W. Hargrove (Nav., awarded DFC) |
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Victories Include :
2/3 August 1944
6/7 October 1944
3/4 February 1945
26/27 March 1945
24/25 April 1945 |
one Ju188
one Me110
one He219
one Me110
one FW190 |
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed
destroyed OTG |
410 sqn
410 sqn
410 sqn
410 sqn
409 sqn |
(Nav F/O V.W. Evans)
(Nav F/O W.W. Hargrove)[1]
(Nav F/O E.H. Collis)
(Nav F/L N.W. Bradford)[2]
(Nav P/O H.G. Beynon)[3] |
4 / 0 / 0 plus
1 / 0 / 0 On The Ground
[1] Plumer fired no shots at this plane - seems the
pilot either lost control or situational awareness
[2] Bradford had been Len Kearney's R/O in 1944
[3] Last name sometimes misspelled Benyon |
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