Squadron Leader Donald Carlson

Born in Owhango on October 4 1912, Carlson was only just inside the twenty-five year age limit when he joined the RAF in August 1937. By the outbreak of war he was an experienced pilot and by 1941 was a flight commander with 74 Squadron. On sorties in June and July he shot down two Bf 109’s with two listed as probables and one damaged.

After a rest period Carlson was given command of 154 Squadron in March 1942. Formed with Spitfires only four months earlier, the unit was flying convoy patrols off the east coast of England. 154 joined the Hornchurch Wing in June and began flying offensive sweeps over France. 
 
On 30 July 1942 154 escorted Hurricanes on a disastrous bombing mission to St. Omer. 
 
The British force was engaged by large numbers of enemy fighters as it crossed the French coast and on the return home was pursued as far as mid-Channel. Eight Spitfires and three Hurricanes were lost and it is believed that five FW 190’s were destroyed, Carlson sharing in the destruction of one. 
 
Carlson led the squadron on four patrols over Dieppe on 19 August 1942 during the Combined Operations raid on the French port. While covering the withdrawal of troops the Spitfires intercepted and drove off Dornier bombers attacking the ships. Carlson shared in the destruction of a Do 21. 
 
In September he was awarded the DFC before making preparations to move to Gibraltar in early November to take part in the invasion of North Africa. 154 was one of the first Spitfire units to land at Djidjelli airfield on 12 November. Immediately in action, it claimed fourteen enemy bombers destroyed, three probables and another six damaged during its first two weeks in North Africa. Carlson destroyed a Ju 88 on 13 November. 
 
The New Zealander was posted in March 1943, having by then been credited with six enemy aircraft destroyed, and did not fly operationally again. As Station Commander at RAF Bone, Algeria, in 1944 and on the operational staff at Aur HQ Levant in 1945, he stayed on in the RAF Fighter Control Branch after the war. Donald Carlson retired on 7 May 1958, as a Squadron Leader.