250271 Flt.Sgt. Clifford Alfred Noel Curnock Royal Air Force 607 Squadron from:London My father, Clifford Curnock never talked about the war and he passed away in 1985 after a long illness. Recently I found this story relating to him, taken from 607 Squadron records, in a book and thought I would share it.
Burma, 28th of April 1944
"As this tragedy occurred 607 Squadron were in action. The rest of the Squadron had arrived from Wanjing and the Squadron were at readiness by 3pm. It rained in the morning, but it cleared by afternoon and then 6 Spitfires were scrambled to intercept an aircraft making for Silchar.
The bandit was coming in from the south-east and as height was gained, a Dinah recce aircraft was spotted at 25,000 feet by Black Section, Flight Sergeant C.A.N Curnock and Flight Sergeant Townsend who were 4,000 feet above it. As the Dinah crossed in front of them from left to right the two fighters dived at it, return fire coming from the Dinah's rear gunner. Six attacks were made, Curnock firing all his ammunition and Townsend most of his. The Jap pilot weaved and dived, carried out skidding turns in his attempts to avoid the Spitfires but it was eventually left with smoke pouring from it's port engine. An Army report later observed that the Dinah was last seen losing height rapidly, with one engine smoking, towards hills 25 miles south-east of Imphal. Curnock's Spitfire, B, was slightly damaged by return fire."
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