LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Ronald Henry SIMES DFM
Service No: 402259
Born: Tenterfield NSW, 28 October 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 July 1940
Unit: No. 3 Squadron
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM), 7 April 1942
Died: Air Operations: (No. 3 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft), Libya, 9 January 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Johnson Simes and Edith Amelia Simes; husband of Mary Josephine Simes, of Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Tenterfield NSW
Remembered: Column 266, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
DFM Citation: “During the past six weeks Sergeant Simes has shown the greatest keenness to engage the enemy. In December 1941, during combat in the El Aden area, he damaged three enemy aircraft before being shot down in enemy territory. Despite this, he succeeded in making his way to our troops during the night, although he had been involved in a tank battle on the way. In January 1942, while participating in a Squadron patrol over the Agedabia area, the squadron encountered a large formation of enemy fighters, numbering about 50. In the ensuing engagement, Sergeant Simes destroyed three of them. This brought his total enemy aircraft destroyed to 6.5. His character and strong personality has been a great influence in this unit both on the ground and in the air.” (London Gazette 7 April 1942 Air 2/4/782)
During an escort task for Maryland aircraft to Marsa Brega on 9 January 1942, Sergeant Simes flying a Kittyhawk aircraft was shot down near the target area.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9301, 402259
Bibliography:
Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002