FORDE, Derek Nigel

Stats:

rank: S/L
status: survived
airforce: RAF    (no: 41536 )
born: 1917-06-17 United Kingdom

added by: Adrian Dwyer

From Mark Hillier: "Derek Nigel Forde was born on October 17th, 1917 and joined the RAF on a short service commission in August 1938. He was with 145 Squadron in May 1940 and on the 27th was shot down over Dunkirk in combat with Me110’s. He was unhurt and re-joined the squadron.
Forde was posted to 605 Squadron at Croydon on September 26th, 1940. By 1942 he was serving with 72 Squadron and went with it to North Africa in November. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 26th February 1943) being then credited with
at least three enemy aircraft destroyed. On April 24th, 1943 Forde damaged a Me 109.
At some point later in the war Forde was shot down over France and sustained hip and leg injuries but managed to escape back to the UK via the Pyrenees, aided by the French Resistance.
He stayed on in the RAF and retired on February 8th, 1953, as a Squadron Leader.
Forde died on January 16th, 1979."

From Key Aero: "On October 2 a dozen Hurricanes took off from Croydon at 14:11 hours to patrol Kenley and Biggin Hill at 20,000ft. A dogfight with a group of Bf 109s broke out to the east of Tonbridge and R4118’s luck ran out. Flown by Plt Off Derek Forde as Yellow 1, the Hurricane returned with Category II damage - beyond repair on site. In less than two months R4118 had flown 49 sorties with 11 different pilots and had been directly or partially responsible for the destruction of five enemy aircraft."

From ToW:
MD Citation:
"This officer, flying a Spitfire, was compelled to bale out in Northern France on 23rd July 1941. He hid in a field all next day to avoid enemy soldiers who were searching for him and next day made his way south, eventually crossing the Line of Demarcation on 9th August. Shortly afterwards his companion was arrested but he went on and eventually crossed the Pyrenees on 23rd September. Here he was arrested and after a short period of internment was released and repatriated from Gibraltar on 12th October."

Published in the London Gazette dd. 1st January 1943.

DFC Citation:
"Fit. Lt, Forde has a long record of operational flying. At the commencement of the war he served in France and later fought in the Battle of Britain. Since October, 1942, in North Africa, Fit. Lt. Forde has successfully led formations on many sorties and machine gun attacks, in which enemv transport has been damaged. He has destroyed at least three enemy aircraft."

key dates:
October 1939 - September 1940: Pilot No. 145 Squadron;

September 1940 - May 1941: Pilot No. 605 Squadron;

May 1941: Pilot No. 1 PRU;

May 1941 - 1942: Pilot No. 145 Squadron;

1942 - 1943: Flight Commander No. 72 Squadron;

1943 - 1945: Squadron Leader.