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PEARCE, Norman John

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

added by: Justin
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73 squadron

Flying Officer Norman Pearce of Portage la Prairie was posted to No. 73 Sqdn. in November 1944. Apart from patrols seeking elusive enemy aircraft, he was engaged in attacks on ground targets. Pearce was credited with numerous successes—six vehicles destroyed on Jan. 5, 1945; two more (plus a 75-mm gun) on Jan. 9; direct bomb hits on bridges on March 17 and 30; and locomotives damaged on April 9 and 17, 1945. He also shot down a Dornier 17 bomber 13 kilometres north of Gospic, Yugoslavia, on March 30, closing to 45 metres to finish the job. On April 2, 1945, he destroyed a Croatian Bf.109G in the Karlovac area. Pearce was described as an inspiration to pilots and ground crews, and was awarded a DFC.

(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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