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PEARCE, Norman John

Stats:

rank: F/O
status: survived
airforce: RCAF    (no: C37909 )
born: Canada

added by: Justin
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73 squadron

(30-03-45)
17.10 hours. The last but not least sortie of the day was completed by P/O J.W Gilchrist with F/O N.J Pearce & LT T.S Harper who were engaged on a dusk patrol of Gospić to Zagreb for possible enemy fighter activity. Their luck was in when they intercepted 3 DO.17's and a FW.190 just north of Gospić. One DO.17 was destroyed and one FW.190 was damaged without loss to ourselves. F/O Pearce the Canadian officer who was responsible for destruction of the DO.17 brought the Squadrons total up to 321 enemy aircraft destroyed.

Awarded D.F.C on the 21.08.45

Squadrons:

Squadrons add
AirforceSqdrnDate
RAF 73 1944-11-01

Aircraft:

Aircraftadd
SerialNoteDate
MA484 Sector recce 1944-11-24
PT497 Sector recce 1944-11-25
MA464 Air test 1944-11-26
MA620 Practice bombing 1944-11-27
PT497 Tactical recce over Southern Yugoslavia. Much bomb damage seen. No road activity. 1944-12-01
PT498 Sweep S.Yugo weather bad no suitable targets seen 1944-12-03
MA484 Bombed & strafed town of Kiseljak in Yugoslavia 1944-12-04
MJ992 Flying practice 1944-12-07
Half Squadron moving to Athens tomorrow F/O Pearce included. 1944-12-07
MJ629 To Brindisi 1944-12-08
Brindisi to Kalamaki Greece. 1944-12-08
MJ629 Brindisi to Kalamaki, Greece. 1944-12-08
MA464 Strafing E.L.A.S gun positions on the surrounding hills. 1944-12-11
Straffed slit trenches at Lofos Filopappou 1944-12-13
PT621 Stafing mortar positions & dug outs on Lofos Strefi hill 1944-12-16
MA484 From Kalamaki to Brindisi. 1944-12-19
MA484 From Brindisi to Kalamaki 1045 to 1245. 1944-12-19
MA484 From Brindisi to Kalamaki 1045 to 1245. 1944-12-19
NH271 Escort to Rocket Beaufighters engaged in strafing M.T's etc 1944-12-20
PT671 Ordered to straf M.T's on the outskirts of town. 1944-12-28
Escort to rocket carrying Beaufighters engaged in attacking E.L.A.S buildings. 1945-01-01
NH271 Sweep north Athens bomb line, destroyed 2 M.T's. 1945-01-05
PT618 Sweep of north Athens bomb line, destroyed 6 M.T's 1945-01-05
MJ629 Swept north Athens bomb line, destroyed 2 M.T's 1945-01-06
MJ629 Escort to armored column in northern districts. Strafed personal. 1945-01-07
PT498 Patrol armoured column north Athens. Destroyed one 75mm field gun. 1945-01-09
PT498 Patrol armoured column in Athens area. No claims. 1945-01-09
MA484 Recce for E.L.A.S gun positions, nothing seen. 1945-01-11
MJ835 Recce & escort to the armored coloum, 1 M.T destroyed. 1945-01-13
PT681 Practice flying 1945-01-24
The Greek campaign finished 73 squadron returned to Canne (Foggia) to resume offensive sweeps over Yugoslavia. 1945-01-27
MA484 Sweep road leading out of Sarajevo. One M.T damaged. 1945-02-08
PT497 To Prkos but returned to base owing to weather. 1945-02-12
PT497 To Prkos 1110 to 1230 1945-02-13
PT497 Shipping recce over Northern Dalmatian Islands. Nothing seen. 1945-02-13
PT497 Weather & shipping recce covering North Dalmatian Islands. 1945-02-14
PT497 Staying gun posts near Rab town on Rab Island. 1945-02-15
PT498 Weather & shipping recce. 1945-02-16
PT668 Sweep of Maribor, turned back owning to weather conditions. 1945-02-18
EN135 Air test 1945-02-21
PT497 From Biferno to base 1030 to 1045 1945-02-22
MJ525 To Prkos 1210 to 1305 1945-02-22
MJ525 Sweep Ljubljana & Kočevje. Returned to Prkos owing to weather. 1945-02-22
MJ629 Air test 1945-02-28
MA731 Prkos to base. 0845 to 1000 1945-03-02
MA731 Sweep Senj, Zagreb & Varaždin, weather deteriorated during the flight. Unable to complete. 1945-03-02
MA731 To Prkos from base. 1205 to 1325 1945-03-05
MA731 Sweep of Zagreb, forced back foul weather conditions. 1945-03-05
MA731 Return to base from Prkos. 1945-03-05
MJ525 Air test 1945-03-08
MA796 Prkos to base 1945-03-09
MA796 Base to Prkos 0635 to 0730 1945-03-10
MA796 Escorted DC.3 transport from Yugoslavia coast to Livade L.G 1945-03-10
MA796 Prkos to base 1350 to 1440 1945-03-10
MA484 Air test. 1535 to 1605 1945-03-11
MA484 Air test. 1710 to 1740 1945-03-11
MA620 Air test 1945-03-12
MJ525 To Prkos from base. 1025 to 1115 1945-03-13
MJ525 Escort Halifax dropping supplies in the Ljubljana area. 1945-03-13
MJ525 Sweep N. from Rab Island, damaged 2 small boat & 2 schooners. 20mm flak encountered. Lt Collins hit when attacking gun positions. Baled out & picked up by PBY later. 1945-03-13
MJ525 Sweep Senj & Karlovac, nothing seen. 1945-03-14
MJ525 Air test 1945-03-15
MJ525 Air test 1945-03-15
MA484 To Prkos 1040 to 1130 1945-03-17
MA484 Target 105mm gun positions Rab Island. Forced back by weather, all bombs jettisoned. 1945-03-17
MA484 Sweep Ljubljana & Celag, no movement seen. 1945-03-18
MA484 Bombed marshalling yard bombs fell on target. 1945-03-18
MA484 Weather recce out to Rab & east to Bihac. 0530 to 0650 1945-03-19
MA484 No sign of reported M.T convoy, bombed rail-river bridge S. of Karlovac. All bombs near misses. 0845 to 1000 1945-03-19
MA484 Bombed Bridge S. of Karlovac 1 direct hit on centre of bridge. Also hits to northern approach. 1945-03-19
MA484 Bombed Bridge (same out) all bombs near misses. 1420 to 1535 1945-03-19
JL255 Base to Prkos 0900 to 0955 1945-03-21
JL255 Escort DC.3 to Livade L.G & return. 1100 to 1315. 1945-03-21
JL255 Sweep Ljubljana & Selje. No incidents 1945-03-21
MH607 Air test 1945-03-23
MH607 Base to Prkos 0745 to 0835 1945-03-24
MH607 Recce for reported M.T's near Bosanska Krupa. Enemy column found nearing town. Bombs hit crossroads, staffed and 7 M.T's destroyed. 1000 to 1115 1945-03-24
MH607 Bombed stone road-river bridge at Otočac. Near misses. Looked for wrecked M.T.B, found. 1945-03-24
MA620 Air test 1945-03-24
MJ349 Base to Prkos 1100 to 1150 1945-03-26
MJ349 Escort DC.3 transport to Livade & return. 1945-03-26
MJ349 Escort DC.3 transport to Livade & return. 1945-03-26
MJ349 Prkos to base 1715 to 1805 1945-03-26
MJ349 Airborne from Prkos, returned owing to foul weather. 1945-03-29
MJ349 Base to Prkos 1945-03-30
MJ349 Recce Bihac, Boston Krupa. At Sisak damaged 3 M.T's. 1945-03-30
MJ349 Dusk patrol Gospic to Zagreb. Saw 3 DO.17 & one Fw190. F/O Pearce destroyed one Do17. The Fw190 was damaged. 1945-03-30
JL239 Patrolled Gospic for E/A nothing seen. 1945-03-31
MJ349 Bombed enemy barracks at Gospic. 2 direct hits 2 near misses. 0630 to 0720 1945-04-01
MJ349 Bombed Gospic, hit 3 building. No flak or movement sen. 0930 to 1100 1945-04-01
MJ349 Dusk patrol for E/A Gospi, Karlovac & Bihac areas. No sightings. 1945-04-01
MJ349 Bombed Petrinja. All bombs close together in center of town. 1945-04-02
MJ349 Bombed Gospic then saw two ME.109s. F/O Pearce destroyed one & Lt Harper claimed a probable. 1945-04-02
73 squadron move to Prkos. 1945-04-02
MK568 Sweep Gospić, senja & Korlovac, no enemy movement. 1945-04-03
MJ349 Patrolled Karlovac, Sisak, Bihać & Gospić. No movement. 1805 to 1940 1945-04-03
MJ349 Weather recce 0515 to 0630 1945-04-05
MJ349 Sweep Otocac. Attacked 1 M.T a flamer. 1945-04-05
PV120 Tac/recce Covered Bihać to Jaruga attacked 1 loco & damaged. See another Loco but didn't attacked. Also many M.Ts seen 1945-04-09
PT498 Recce, bombed N. of Zenica. 6 direct hits 3 M.T's destroyed 3 damaged. Severe damaged the road. Inaccurate flak from convoy. 1945-04-10
MH607 Air test 1945-04-11
MH607 Bombed railroad bridge W. of Maglaj, 2 near misses 2 bombs damaged road way. After stafed M.T's 10 destroyed. 1945-04-11
PV120 Sweep between Zavait & Broćanac. Sighted 200 to 300 M.T's. Pilots impression thinks convoy is digging in. Strafed staff car flamer 2 M.T's damaged.r 1945-04-12
MJ349 Bombed fort at Ostrožac 4 near misses 2 bombs fail to explode. 1945-04-13
MH607 Airborne to bomb targets at Istria. 1 pilot have fuelling trouble so returned to base. 1945-04-17
MJ778 Target Kocevje marshalling yard. 5 bombs on rail tracks, 3 hit rail buildings smoke to 500ft. 1945-04-19
MJ349 2nd time today bombing marshaling yard. 4 direct hits 2 near misses. 1945-04-19
MH607 3 aircraft bombed 15 stationary M.T's & horse drawn vehicles. All bombs near misses. Couldn't straf owing to the terrain. 1945-04-20
MJ349 Air test 1945-04-22
MJ629 Recce. Weather conditions 10/10 cloud. Sortie aborted returned to base 1945-04-23
MJ629 Recce covering the areas Okucani, Zagreb & Generalski Stol. Bombs near misses on logo's, strafed & destroyed 1 loco. 1945-04-24
PT551 Air test 1945-04-24
MH607 Escorted 2 M.T.B's which were assisting over craft evacuating personnel from coast of Istria. 1945-04-25
MH607 Recce, bombed railway tunnel approximately 12 miles north of Fiume (Rijerk) claiming 2 near misses. 1945-04-26
MJ778 Weather recce 1945-04-29
MJ629 Recce taget Trieste. Section recalled owing to weather conditions. Bombs jettisoned. 1945-05-03
MJ349 Target group of M.T's moving North into Austria. Bombs fell wide at road bridge. 6 M.T's, 1 staff car & 3 H.D.V's strafed & damaged. 1945-05-04
V-E day 1945-05-08
MH607 Practice flying 1945-05-11
We are on the move again. The squadrons aircraft are flying from Prkos to Brindisi (Italy) today. The ground crew board L.S.T No.77 1945-05-15
MA484 Close formation flying. 1945-05-24
MH607 Formation flying. 1945-05-28
F/O Pearce leaves the squadron. Canadian pilots are being recalled to proceed home. 1945-06-06

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