X-Nico

Charles Crombie

Crombie was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 16 March 1914 to David William Alexander Crombie, a grazing farmer, and his Indian-born British wife Phoebe Janet (née Arbuthnot), the daughter of Lieutenant General Sir Charles Arbuthnot.

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Completing flight training in Australia and Canada, he flew in the European, Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre and South-East Asian theatres, amassing a tally of 12 Axis aircraft shot down, with an additional four probables.

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Later that month, Crombie carried out two raids over Akyab, Burma, the first a strafing attack on Japanese troops in the area, and the second assaulting Japanese shipping.

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 176 Squadron on 28 April 1943, before moving to Air Headquarters, Bengal four days later.

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Also flying Beaufighters, Crombie piloted his first foray with the unit on 21 October, and by the end of the year had been accredited with the destruction of six Axis aircraft, with an additional two probables.

see also