| P51 Mustang FX986 Mt- | 122 Sqn | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date : | 17 juin 1944 | Mission : | Reconnaissance armée | ||||||||||||||||
| Décollage : | Ford | ||||||||||||||||||
| Causes de la perte : | Abattu par un Me 109 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lieu de la perte : | Marville-les-Bois (28) | ||||||||||||||||||
 | Sqn Ldr | Ernest Leslie | JOYCE | RNZAF | 40770 | KIA |  | ||||||||||||
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| “N.Z.40770 Flight Sergeant Ernest Leslie JOYCE, Royal New Zealand Air Force, No.73 Squadron. During a long and continuous period of service, this airman has performed splendid work. In low level machine gun attacks on enenemy ground targets he has displayed great determination and achieved much success. On one occasion, at night, he participated in an attack on the aerodrome at Martuba. Despite heavy defensive fire he machinegunned dispersed aircraft on the ground from only 50 feet. In this vigorous attack he assisted in the probable destruction of several enemy aircraft. On another occasion at night, he observed a Junkers 88 flying at some 400 feet above him. Skilfully manoeuvring his aircraft he closed in on the rear of the enemy aircraft whose pilot began to take violent evasive action. Flight Sergeant Joyce, however countered every move and, eventually closing in, shot down the enemy aircraft from close range. He has destroyed at least 5 enemy aircraft, 2 of them at night. Throughout, his operational career, this airman has displayed great gallantry, tenacity and devotion to duty. “ Second supplement to The London Gazette of TUESDAY, the 18th of AUGUST, 1942 | |||||||||||||||||||