Cresswell, Richard 'Dick'

Richard (Dick) Cresswell

RAAF, Wing Commander

Squadron    Number 0383

Two old flying mates touched base in Bendigo yesterday, literally reliving old dreams and past glories.

Wing Commander Dick Cresswell, 80, born 27/7/20, (the first Australian to shoot down a Japanese plane over Australian soil in Darwin) drove from Canberra to catch up with one of Eaglehawk's favourite sons, Ian 'Joe' Lyons, 85.

The pair trained pilots together, survived various battlefields, and came through a range of bizarre wartime events that spanned World War 11 and the Korean War. Dick enlisted 19/7/38. Cmdr Cresswell started the No. 77 squad, in Perth in 1942.  Ian, meanwhile, was in Japan with the 76 squadron.

Nicknamed Joe because of the Australian  Prime Minister Joe Lyons, Ian became one of the most awarded  and most respected operations officers. But he nearly didn't live to tell the tale.

In 1941 he was shot down in the Western Desert.  He survived the fall, and was picked up by a truck full of Scots guards who were in the area at the time.  As an honour, they offered him the front seat.  But he rejected it and sat on the tailgate instead.  The decision saved his life

Shortly afterwards, the truck was blown up and only two men survived.  Ian came home to Australia to recoup, but was totally deaf for the following ten months.

He went to Mildura to train pilots, where he came under the watchful eye of Cmdr. Cresswell.

In Darwin, Cmdr. Cresswell, became the first Australian to shoot down a Japanese plane over Australian soil.  But yesterday he talked about the incident, saying the enemy planes were coming in at night, and he was the only one trained to fly at night.

He was coming back from patrol when 'suddenly right in front of me were Betty Bombers'.  The rest, as they say, was history.  But  Cmdr. Cresswell said he was simply in the right place at the right time.

The pair also recalled a horrific incident at Pohang in South Korea.  Ian shared a tent with several other men, but the standard of equipment was particularly bad.  Eventually, some wires near the canvas came together and the tent was incinerated.

Ian survived because he was Operations Officer and had to gather information for the day's flights.  He was out of the tent at the time. The other men all perished

'As a result I read the riot act back in Australia.'  Cmdr. Cresswell said.  'We weren't prepared for the war'.  The troops were then given American equipment.

The second part of the story - Dick Cresswell

by Andrew Stackpool

CANBERRA'S skies resounded to the roar of Hornet engines on December 19 as an Air Force 'great' was laid to rest.

Former WGCDR Richard 'Dick' Cresswell was saluted with a 'missing man' formation by four 77SQN F/A-18's over his funeral service at Duntroon.  WGCDR Cresswell had commanded the squadron three times, twice in WW11 and  once during the Korean War..  He died aged 86 after suffering a major heart attack on December 13.

In his eulogy, Air Commander Australia AVM John Quaife described Cresswell as 'a legend'.  'I always felt humble in his presence and today is no exception',  AVM Quaife said.

'The modern experience of command remains a challenging experience and all too frequently we are reminded that aviation is a dangerous game, but the contribution of Dick Cresswell, the circumstances of his service, and the results that this extraordinary man was able to achieve, leaves those of us in the modern Air Force in awe and in his debt.'

He was renowned for his outstanding flying skills, courage and 'hard-nosed' leadership during some of the RAAF's most desperate hours.  He enlisted in the RAAF as a cadet in 1938 and graduated as a pilot.  Due to his skills and airmanship, he quickly qualified as an instructor and with the outbreak of war and the developing Japanese threat to the north, in  1942 he was promoted  SQNLDR and selected to raise and command 77SQN.

It wasn't long before 77SQN was in action and on the night of November 23 SQNLDR Cresswell was on patrol when he sighted three Japanese 'Betty Bombers'.  He attacked and hit all three, shooting down one.  It was his first kill and the first successful night kill over Australia,

In April 1943, the squadron was caught up in the savage ground, sea and air combat at Milne Bay and, in the ensuing melees, claimed up to nine enemy bombers and two fighters.  Some of these fell to Cresswell, although he was to be shot down on one occasion as well.

He led 77SQN through some of the most heavy fighting against Japanese positions in New Guinea, Papua and then in Borneo.  He also flew with No. 1 Fighter Wing and then No. 81 Wing.   Later, during the Korean War, he flew 110 missions in Mustangs, 14 in Meteors and 10 in Sabres with the U.S. Air Force.

He received the Commonwealth and American Distinguished  Flying Crosses and American Air Medal for his outstanding  airmanship and leadership, and the President of the Republic of South Korea awarded the Squadron a Presidential Citation.

From his experiences  in two wars, Dick Cresswell was concerned that Australia's fighter pilots should receive combat flying training second to none.  As a result No. 2 (F) Operational Training Unit (the predecessor to 20CU) was reformed in March 1952.  WGCDR Cresswell subsequently assumed command of the Unit.

AVM Quaife said that it was in this posting that his impact on the modern air force can be felt to this day.  'Dick was of the opinion that the system for raining fighter pilots had collapsed with the massive demobilisation of the air force at the close of World War 11 -  In Dick's words, the Korean police action caught the air force with it's pants down'  AVM Quaife said,

In 1954, Cresswell developed and introduced the Fighter Combat Instructors' (FCI) course, which over the subsequent 50 years has grown to a 23-week course developing the high level skills necessary for the air defence and operations of modern fighters.

'Dick Cresswell was an instrumental player in the recovery of air-to-air training and of capturing the doctrine for squadron employment'.   AVM Quaife said.  'The Fighter Combat Instructors'' course remains a vital part of our force preparation to this day and I believe that, more than any other factor, this course - A Dick Cresswell legacy is the reason why Australian fighter pilots were capable of performing  with such distinction in our recent combat operations over Iraq.

WGCDR Cresswell discharged from the RAAF in April 1957, but continued his flying career in a variety of positions.  Highly respected by the aviation community, he retained an active interest in his Service and was a frequent visitor to Air Force establishments.  He was also a vigorous member of the 77SQN Association, and strongly supported the Australian War Memorial.

President of the 77SQN Association,  Jim Treadwell said, "Dick Cresswell was the first Australian to shoot down an enemy aircraft in night combat  over Australia, the first RAAF Commander to lead jet aircraft into battle and the first Australian to go faster than the speed of sound".

'WGCDR Dick Cresswell holds a special place in the RAAF historical record',  Mr Treadwell said.  'I am happy to report that his memory will live on, hopefully in perpetuity, as the four-flag signature design that adorned his Kittyhawk in 1942 now has a permanent place on a selected 77SQN aircraft.'

Over the years Dick flew 'an awful lot of aircraft' including Kittyhawks, Mustangs and Spitfires.

Cmdr. Cresswell was awarded the United States and British Distinguished Flying Cross or DFC.

Ian was awarded the high distinction of the bronze star, after it was recommended by the U.S. and an MBE.

He was discharged 30/4/1957.