Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum logo

Brown, Mark Henry (Hilly) MC (Wing Commander)

Killed in Action 1941-November-12

Birth Date: 1912 (age 29)

Home: MacGregor, Manitoba

Decorations: MC, DFC & Bar, CDGF, MM


Military CrossDistinguished Service Cross BarMilitary MedalCroix de Guerre France
Service
RAF
Unit
249 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Pugnis Et Calcibus With fists and heels
Base
RAF Church Fenton
Rank
Wing Commander
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
37904
249 Squadron (Pugnis Et Calcibus) Awarded the French Croix de Guerre, the Czechoslovakian Military Medal and Military Cross. W/C MH (Hilly) Brown MC DFC & Bar CG MM (RCAF) was killed when his Hurricane IIa aircraft Z 2397 was hit by flak during a fighter sweep over Sicily. AVM Lloyd, Officer Commanding, Mediterranean said of W/C Brown's loss in a letter to W/C Brown's father "There is one consolation. That is that the raid was a great success, as indeed it would be, for W/C Brown planned the whole operation and went over and saw to it himself." W/C Brown joined the RAF straight out of a pilot's course with the Brandon Flying Club in 1936, hoping to use the RAF as a training resource in his quest to become a commercial pilot in Canada. The evening before leaving for England to continue his training, a neighbor's son gave him a tunic button from his father's WWI Royal Flying Corps tunic for luck and W/C Brown wore in on his own uniform for the duration of his service. He was the Commanding Officer of 1 Squadron during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain; he was an ace, credited with destroying twenty and one half enemy aircraft. W/C Brown and Flying Officer Allan Angus DFC from McCreary, Manitoba were both aces in May, 1940. This was a time of confusion for all squadrons in the Battle of France and many records were lost. These two Manitobans tied for being the first Canadians to become aces in WW II A special dedication service was held at the school in MacGregor, Manitoba in 1982, with plaques, pictures, and original uniforms of W/C Brown. One special guest was Squadron Leader Roland Dibnah DFC of Winnipeg, Manitoba, the only surviving member of 1 RAF Squadron, who flew with Pilot Officer Brown in the Battle of France. Pilot Officer Dibnah was shot down in May, 1940 and missing so Squadron Leader P Halahan wrote the Dibnah family in Winnipeg saying, "I'm sure your son is alright and I've recommended him for the DFC for his superb fighting." In 1980 Squadron Leader Roland Dibnah's mother died, Roland found the original letter and sent it to RAF Headquarters in London, England. He received his DFC 40 years after the recommendation. He too was an ace with 9 enemy aircraft to his credit and flew all during the war but was never decorated. Ex Squadron Leader Roland Dibnah DFC died in Feb 1990 at Vancouver, British Columbia. For a full story see the book Wings of the Morning by Flying Officer Angus's sister, Jean Segall. Detail from Frank E Croft, MacLeans, October 1, 1942
Home
Google MapMacGregor, Manitoba
Target
Google MapKasina Sicily aerodrome
Burial
Google MapCatania War Cemetery
III G 24

Hurricane Z2397

Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc.
Source BBMF

The Hawker Hurricane is a single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s"“1940s that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Hurricane developed through several versions, as bomber-interceptors, fighter-bombers, and ground support aircraft in addition to fighters. Versions designed for the Navy were popularly known as the Sea Hurricane, with modifications enabling their operation from ships. Some were converted to be used as catapult-launched convoy escorts. By the end of production in July 1944, 14,487 Hurricanes had been completed in Britain and Canada.

A major manufacturer of the Hurricane was Canadian Car and Foundry at their factory in Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ontario. The facility's chief engineer, Elsie MacGill, became known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes". The initiative was commercially led rather than governmentally, but was endorsed by the British government; Hawker, having recognized that a major conflict was all but inevitable after the Munich Crisis of 1938, drew up preliminary plans to expand Hurricane production via a new factory in Canada. Under this plan, samples, pattern aircraft, and a complete set of design documents stored on microfilm, were shipped to Canada; the RCAF ordered 20 Hurricanes to equip one fighter squadron and two more were supplied to Canadian Car and Foundry as pattern aircraft but one probably did not arrive. The first Hurricane built at Canadian Car and Foundry was officially produced in February 1940. As a result, Canadian-built Hurricanes were shipped to Britain to participate in events such as the Battle of Britain. Canadian Car and Foundry (CCF) was responsible for the production of 1,451 Hurricanes. Wikipedia and Harold A Skaarup Web Page


YouTube Hurricane

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Hurricane

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Kestrek Publications Hurricane - Kestrel Publications

last update: 2021-12-21 01:11:03

Hurricane IIA or B or C Z2397

Operated by No. 249 Squadron Hurricane IIa aircraft #Z 2397 was hit by flak during a fighter sweep over Sicily.

© Canadian Warplane Heritage 2024

To search on any page:
PC — Ctrl-F
Mac — ⌘-F
Mobile — or …