David Moore Crook

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

David Moore Crook
Second World War
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross

David Moore Crook,

Second World War
.

RAF career

After attending the

Auxiliary Air Force). He initially joined the squadron on 22 September 1938 as an acting pilot officer,[1] this rank was confirmed on 4 May 1940,[2] and later further back-dated to 9 December 1939.[3] He destroyed a Junkers Ju 87 of Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77) on 9 July, and a Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 13 August. On 15 August 1940, he mistakenly shot down a Blenheim fighter, although the crew was only slightly injured. Two Bf 109's
were claimed on 30 September 1940.

David Moore Crook portrait by Cuthbert Orde, November 1940, reproduced in Spitfire Pilot (1942).

Crook was awarded the

London Gazette of 1 November 1940 said he had, "led his section with coolness and judgment against the enemy on many occasions. He has destroyed six of their aircraft besides damaging several more."[4]

On 8 November he was sent on an Instructor's course at the

Ternhill. He served with 41 OTU in September, then 8 (Coastal) OTU at Dyce
.

Flying Spitfire IX EN662 on 18 December 1944 on a high level photographic sortie, Crook was seen to dive into the sea near Aberdeen. He was officially listed as missing in action. When collecting his belongings they found a Bible and a copy of "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame on his bed. A few days earlier he had celebrated his thirtieth birthday.

Memorials

He left a widow, Dorothy Margaret Crook, of

Battle of Britain Monument in London, and a plane flown by Crook is on display at the Imperial War Museum
in London.

Writings

Crook wrote an autobiographical work about his experiences during the battle entitled Spitfire Pilot, published by

Faber and Faber in 1942. A portrait of Crook by official RAF artist Captain Cuthbert Orde was reproduced on the frontispiece. Crook also wrote Pursuit of Passy, a work of fiction about an RAF pilot who crashes in France and joins the Resistance, published in 1946 by Herbert Joseph. Crook's flying log book is stored at The National Archives in Kew, and is available for public viewing.[7]

A new paperback edition of his memoir Spitfire Pilot was published by Greenhill Books in October 2021.[8][9] The new edition includes an introduction by the British historian Richard Overy, a Preface by the author's daughter Rosemary Lloyd, and an article by Air Vice-Marshal A F C Hunter, Honorary Air Commodore of the No. 609 (West Riding) Squadron.

References

  1. ^ "No. 34570". The London Gazette. 15 November 1938. p. 7198.
  2. ^ "No. 34864". The London Gazette. 4 June 1940. p. 3359.
  3. ^ "No. 35076". The London Gazette. 14 February 1941. pp. 912–913.
  4. ^ "No. 34984". The London Gazette. 1 November 1940. pp. 6348–6349.
  5. ^ "No. 35083". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 February 1941. pp. 1087–1088.
  6. ^ "Commonwealth War Graves Commission – Casualty Details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
  7. ^ "Piece details for AIR 4/21—R.A.F. Pilot's Flying Log Books—Rank and Name: F/Lt. D.M. Crook, D.F.C". The Catalogue. The National Archives. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  8. ISBN 9781784387488
    .
  9. ISBN 978-1784387488
    .

Further reading

  • Kenneth G. Wynn, Men of the Battle of Britain

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Moore_Crook&oldid=1217791378"