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Sqn Ldr Patrick Gifford DFC, Castle Douglas

 
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spoons



Joined: 09 Jan 2007
Posts: 4991
Location: St John's Town of Dalry

PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:53 pm    Post subject: Sqn Ldr Patrick Gifford DFC, Castle Douglas Reply with quote

UKNIWM Ref: 44393

Location inside St Ninian’s Episcopal church in Castle Douglas at OS Map Ref: NX 765 619

Name: GIFFORD, PATRICK
Initials: P
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Squadron Leader
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force (Auxiliary Air Force)
Unit Text: 3 Sqdn.
Age: 30
Date of Death: 16/05/1940
Service No: 90188
Awards: D F C
Additional information: Son of Patrick and Helene Alma Gifford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 4.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Patrick Gifford was by all accounts everyone’s idea of a fighter pilot. Educated at Melrose, Sedburgh and Edinburgh university, qualified solicitor, Procurator Fiscal, Depute Clerk of the Peace, Secretary of the local NFU and former member of the town council. He was also an all round sportsman involved in tennis, cricket and rugby also an excellent skier and rifle shot and he was well known for driving high speed sports cars between Castle Douglas and Edinburgh! He is credited with shooting down the first German plane over Britain on 16th October 1939 while flying his Mark 1 Spitfire from RAF Turnhouse and was awarded the DFC for this and a later combat. He was shot down and killed (although his body was not recovered) on 16th May 1940 over Flanders in his Hurricane.

His logbook is on display in the Scottish United Services Museum in Edinburgh.

Gillespie, Gifford and Brown are still a prominent firm of solicitors in Dumfries and Galloway.



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spoons



Joined: 09 Jan 2007
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 4:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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spoons



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Location: St John's Town of Dalry

PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On 15th May 1940, whilst serving with 1 Sqn and flying Hurricane I (L1610), he force landed near Wevelghem and the aircraft was abandoned. However the next day he was not so lucky. He was flying Hurricane I (P2825) when he was shot down in combat with Me110s of ZG1 aged 30. He has no known grave.

I know that Bill Simpson from Edinburgh is researching this man so if anyone has any further information, I will be happy to pass it on.

\Paul
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spoons



Joined: 09 Jan 2007
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Location: St John's Town of Dalry

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I received a mail from Bill Simpson about Patrick Gifford and here is an extract.............

"Thank you also for your 'appeal' on my behalf! Anything that I can get will be appreciated! If Gifford had survived he would have been 99 years old so there are few of his contemporaries left which is making it difficult to get any first hand accounts of him. In RAF history terms, I feel he is rather a forgotten man - in a history of 3 Squadron published a few years ago, his name isn't even mentioned and yet he was a CO killed in action and the first Auxiliary to command a regular squadron.

I'm currently working on a biography which I'm hopeful will be published in due course. I don't have a publisher as yet but I have done some writing for Pen & Sword so we'll see if they might be interested"

\Paul
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spoons



Joined: 09 Jan 2007
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Location: St John's Town of Dalry

PostPosted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This Friday will be the 70th anniversary of the 'Battle of the Forth' which saw Sqn Ldr Gifford shoot down the first German aircraft over British soil. The October issue of Britain at War magazine has an 8 page article on the events of that day in which Gifford features heavily of course. If you are interested in this article, please send me a PM.

\Paul
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john burnett



Joined: 29 Jan 2007
Posts: 790
Location: Fife

PostPosted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 5:23 pm    Post subject: Gifford Reply with quote

Recent newspaper article.

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Adam Brown
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 7312
Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)

PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paul

Do you know if Gifford is on other memorials, school, university etc?

Thanks

Adam
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spoons



Joined: 09 Jan 2007
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Location: St John's Town of Dalry

PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

He is listed on the Castle Douglas civic memorial http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=661

This individual memorial in St Ninian's Church.

St Ninian's church memorial http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=1932&highlight=gifford

He is not listed on any other local memorials that I have identified. He was educated at Melrose, Sedburgh and Edinburgh university but I don't have any details of relevant memorials from there.

\Paul
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spoons



Joined: 09 Jan 2007
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Location: St John's Town of Dalry

PostPosted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A new memorial to Patrick Gifford is to be unveiled on 16th May. See here for details http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=5280

\Paul
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