Group Captain Bobby Oxspring
No Photo Available | Group Captain Bobby Oxspring
Robert Wardlow Oxspring was born in Sheffield on 22nd May 1919, the son of a World War 1 decorated pilot of the same name. He joined the RAF in March 1938 on a short service commission and joined 66 Sqn in the December and started operational flying in July 1940, flying throughout the Battle of Britain. His Spitfire X4170 was shot down by Bf109s over Kent on 25th October, baling out with slight injuries (Caterpillar Club Badge). He was awarded the DFC on 8th November. September 1942 saw him awarded a bar to the DFC. Moving to Mediterranean combat, it is thought probable that Oxspring was the pilot who shot down renowned German ace Anton Haffner of JG51 on 2 January 1943. Oxspring led his squadron to be the highest scoring in the North African theatre, and survived his second shooting down of the war, Oxspring was awarded a second bar to his DFC in February 1943. During the war Squadron Leader Oxspring had registered 13 solo kills with 2 shared, 2 probable kills and 4 solo V-1 Flying Bombs destroys and 1 shared. In 1946 he was awarded the Dutch Vligerkruis by Royal Decree of the 31st October 1946 appearing in the London Gazette on 10th January 1947. He was awarded an AFC in January 1949 after leading a team of 54 Sqn Vampires to Canada and the USA, the first jet aircraft to cross the Atlantic. He retired from the service with the rank of Group Captain, having been Station Commander of RAF Gatow, Germany, in 1968 and settled in Lincolnshire near to RAF Cranwell. He died on 8th August 1989.
 Distinguished Flying Cross |  Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross |  Two Bars to the Distinguished Flying Cross |
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