RAF Battle of Britain WINSKILL DFC signed evader photo

  Air Commodore Archie Little Winskill KCVO CBE DFC
WWII Fighter Command Ace

Winskill was born in Penrith 1917. He joined the RAFVR in April 1937 as an Airman u/t Pilot and was called to full-time service at the outbreak of war.  From September 1939 to June 1940, Winskill was a staff pilot at BGS, Evanton, Scotland. He was commissioned in August and after converting to Spitfires at 7 OTU, Hawarden, he was posted to 72 Squadron on October 4, moving to 603 Squadron at Hornchurch on the 17th.  Winskill claimed a Bf 109 probably destroyed on the 28th, shared a He 111 on November 21 and two CR 42s destroyed on the 23rd.
In January 1941 Winskill was posted to 41 Squadron at Hornchurch and later became a Flight Commander. He destroyed a Bf 109 on August 14 and later in the month was shot down near Calais. With the help of the French Resistance, he evaded capture and returned to England in December 1941, via Spain and Gibraltar. Winskill was awarded the DFC (6.1.42), being then credited with at least three enemy aircraft destroyed.
He formed 165 Squadron at Ayr on April 6 1942 and commanded it until August. He then took command of 222 Squadron at Drem until September, when he became CO of 232 Squadron at Turnhouse. Winskill took the squadron to North Africa in November.  On a sweep over the Mateur area on January 18 1943, he was shot down by heavy ground fire whilst attacking an important enemy road convoy.  He ditched his crippled aircraft in the sea, he swam ashore.  He found himself behind enemy lines, but successfully evaded capture and return to his squadron in disguise and with the help of some friendly Arabs.  Winskill destroyed a Ju 87 and shared another on April 7, damaged a FW 190 on the 27th, destroyed a Ju 88 and a Bf 109 on the ground at La Sebala airfield on May 7 and damaged a Me 323 on the ground on the 8th. With his tour completed, Winskill was awarded a Bar to the DFC (27.7.43) and returned to the UK.
He commanded CGS, Catfoss from September 1943 to December 1944.  He then went to Army Staff College, Camberley for a course, after which he was posted to a staff job at Air Ministry in June 1945.  Winskill was made a CBE (11.6.60) and retired from the RAF on December 18 1968, as an Air Commodore. He was Captain of the Queen's Flight from 1968 to 1982 and was created a KCVO in 1980 (CVO 1973).

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