Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, 13 March 1922; home there. Enlisted at Calgary, 26 August 1941. Attended Manning Depot in Brandon, Manitoba. Trained at No.3 ITS (graduated 10 April 1942), No.22 EFTS (graduated 3 July 1942) and No.2 SFTS (wings and commission, 23 October 1942). Posted to "Y" Depot, Halifax for overseas movement, 7 November 1942. To OTU and then to No.421 Squadron, 20 July 1943. After several other postings, reached No. 411 Squadron, 23 October 1944. Killed in Action 3 March 1941.
411 Grizzly Bear Squadron (Inimicus Inimico). Flight Lieutenant Audet was an ace, he was credited with destroying eleven and one half enemy aircraft including two ME-262 German Jet fighter aircraft. He had shot down five aircraft in one mission. Flight Lieutenant Audet was strafing a railway siding and lost his life when his Spitfire aircraft MK 950 was shot down by light flak near Munster, Germany. Distinguished Flying Cross - No.411 Squadron - Award effective 16 February 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 563/45 dated 29 March 1945; Award presented to next-of-kin, 5 November 1946. See H.A. Halliday, The Tumbling Sky, for biographical details. Article in early issue of Journal of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society also expands. The citation reads - "This officer has proved himself to be a highly skilled and courageous fighter. In December 1944 the squadron was involved in an engagement against twelve enemy fighters in the Rheine/Osnabnick area. In a most spirited action, Flying Office Audet achieved outstanding success by destroying five enemy aircraft. AUDET, Fit Richard Joseph (J20136) - Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross - No. 411 Squadron - Award effective 9 March 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 625/45 dated 13 April 1945. The citation reads - "This officer is an outstanding fighter pilot. Since his first engagements towards the end of December 1944, he has completed numerous sorties during which he has destroyed a further six enemy aircraft bringing his total victories to eleven. Flight Lieutenant Audet has also most effectively attacked numerous locomotives and mechanical vehicles. His skill and daring have won the highest praise." Detail by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.
Audet, Richard Joseph (Flight Lieutenant)
Killed in Action 1945-March-03
Birth Date: 1922-March-13
Born: Masinasin, Alberta
Parents: Son of Paul and Edewisca Audet of Masinasin, Alberta.
Spouse: Husband of Iris Christina Audet, of Pinner, Middlesex.
Home: Lethbridge, Alberta
Enlistment: Calgary, Alberta
Enlistment Date: 1941-August-26
Service
RCAF
Unit
411 Sqn- Squadron
Inimicus Inimico Hostile to an Enemy
Base
RAF Digby
Rank
Flight Lieutenant
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
J/20136
Prev: R/131515
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Unit Desciption
411 Sqn Inimicus Inimico ("Grizzly Bear")
History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Spitfire Mks. IIA,VB, IXB, IXE, XVI, XIV)
The squadron was the sixth of the RCAF's squadrons to be formed overseas in WWII. It was the fourth fighter squadron to be so formed. It was established at Digby, Lincolnshire, England 
on June 16, 1941. It flew Spitfire aircraft in the defence of Great Britain, formed part of the Canadian Kenley Wing within No. 11 Group, Fighter Command, and after D-Day moved to France on June 19, 1944, in a fighter and ground support role. It then supported the Allied armies, moving through France, the Low Countries and Germany. It was one of four RCAF day fighter units retained in Germany as part of the British Air Forces of Occupation before being disbanded at Utersen, Germany on March 21, 1946.
In the course of hostilities, the squadron flew 10,747 sorties for the loss of 48 aircraft and pilots, of whom 4 were killed, 4 wounded, 19 presumed dead. The squadron claimed 84 enemy aircraft destroyed, 3 probably destroyed and 44 damaged. On the ground, they claimed 367 motor vehicles and 26 locomotives. The squadron had 5 aces (shot down 5 or more enemy aircraft), of which Flight Lieutenant R.J. Audet DFC & Bar accounted for 5 enemy aircraft within 2 minutes in a single sortie on Dec 29 1944. He was killed on March 5, 1945, by which time his score had mounted to 11.5, including 2 Me 262 jets. Other aces were: Flight Lieutenant H.C. Trainor DFC & Bar, Flight Lieutenant J.J. Boyle DFC, Squadron Leader E.G. Lapp DFC, and Flying Officer M.G. Graham DFC. Overall, the squadron was awarded 1 DSO, 2 MBE, 2 Bars to DFC, 19 DFCs and 1 MiD. Battle Honours were: Defence of Britain 1941-44, English Channel and North Sea 1942-43, Fortress Europe 1941-44: Dieppe, France and Germany 1944-45: Normandy 1944, Arnhem, Rhine. Wikipedia, Kostenuk and Griffin
Maps for Movements of 411 Squadron 1941-46
MAP 1: 411Squadron Movements 1941-44 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
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MAP 2: 411 Squadron Movements Detail of Map 1
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MAP 3: 411 Squadron Movements in Europe 1944-46
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411 Squadron History Summary 1941-46
411 Squadron History Summary 1941-46 Page 2
411 Squadron History Summary 1941-46 Page 3
History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Harvard II, Chipmunk, Vampire III, Silver Star, Sabre 5, Expeditor, Otter, Kiowa)
411 Squadron was reformed as an auxiliary fighter squadron at RCAF Station Downsview Ontario on 1 October 1950, and was known as the ‘County of York’ squadron. With North American Harvards and de Havilland Chipmunks as trainers the squadron operated the de Havilland Vampire III until 1956, then transitioned to the Canadair Sabre Mark V, with the Canadair Silver Star used as a trainer.
In October 1958, 411 was moved from Air Defence Command to Air Transport Command, and became a light transport squadron flying the Beech Expeditor C-45. The squadron adopted a Search and Rescue (SAR) role in spring of 1960 with the acquisition of the DHC-3 Otter. The Expeditor was retired in 1966.
On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces as No. 411 “County of York†Air Reserve Squadron. In 1969, 411 Squadron was transferred from Air Transport Command to 10 Tactical Air Group, and the squadron's primary role changed to the support of army operations. It continued to hold a secondary SAR role, and to do mapping surveys and sovereignty flights in the Canadian arctic. In 1981, the Otter was retired and the squadron transitioned to the CH-136 Kiowa (OH-58) helicopter, which it operated in a reconnaissance and tactical support role. The squadron finally disbanded on 1 Jan 1998.
RCAF Station Downsview