SCOLLAN, Clyde Russell

Stats:

rank: F/O
status: kia
airforce: RCAF    (no: J15263 )
born: 1916-01-08 Hull, Quebec Canada

added by: Calvin Wickham

Clyde Russell Scollan was the son of George & Florence Scollan from Ottawa, Ontario and held a commercial pilot’s license before the war. He enlisted in the RCAF in June 1940, travelling to the UK in July the following year. He joined the newly formed Canadian 416 Squadron as a Sergeant (R53939) in November and spent that winter based in Scotland, not doing very much operationally as the squadron worked up, While with 416 he was promoted to Flight Sergeant, then Warrant Officer and then commissioned in March 1942. On 16 May 1942 he was posted overseas as a potential Flight Commander.

On 2 June 1942 HMS Eagle left Gibraltar carrying 32 Spitfires bound for Malta under Operation Style. On 3 June Scollan successfully landed on Malta and joined 601 Squadron. On 15 June Scollan claimed a Ju 87 probably destroyed. At the end of June the squadron moved to the Middle East, with some pilots completing an 800 mile flight to Mersa Matruh. 601 flew in the defence of the Western Desert.

On 14 July he claimed a one-third share in a Me 109 destoyed; on 4 September a Me109 damaged.

Toward the end of the second battle of El Alamein, on the morning of 10 November Scollan was part of a patrol of six Spitfires on a tactical reconaissance. The patrol was jumped by 8 Me109s. In the dogfight that followed, his plane, EP451, was seen falling out of control and in flames towards the sea in the Sidi Barrani area.

He has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Alamein Memorial.