Charles Arbuthnot Crombie, DSO, DFC (16 March 1914 – 26 August 1945) was an Australian aviator and flying ace of the Second World War.

Despite his aircraft being set alight early in the engagement, he shot down two of the bombers and severely damaged a third before he was forced to bail out.

[1] With the ambition of becoming a pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force, Crombie undertook instruction in civil flying.

Crombie was commissioned as a pilot officer on 17 January 1941 and set sail for the United Kingdom nine days later.

Crombie continued to serve with the squadron until October, by which time he had flown a total of twelve operational sorties over the European theatre, including two raids; one over Germany, and the other to Brest, France.

Also flying Beaufighters, Crombie piloted his first foray with the unit on 21 October, and by the end of the year had been accredited with the destruction of six Axis aircraft, with an additional two probables.

Throughout 1942, the squadron continued to operate over North Africa and the Middle East,[1][3] with Crombie adding three more aircraft to his tally.

By the time he left the Middle East, Crombie had been accorded an official tally of nine Axis aircraft shot down, with two probables.

Crombie flew his aircraft towards the group but his initial attack drew fire from the bombers, setting the starboard engine ablaze.

He landed in "the most God awful swamp",[1] and walked for three or four hours before he reached an army unit in the area, which returned him to his squadron.

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy: — Distinguished Service Order.

89 Squadron in the Middle East, carrying out "... Intruder patrols and ... low level attacks on enemy bases" in addition to his personal destruction of Axis aircraft.

By the time Crombie's tour completed, he had been accorded an official tally of 12 aircraft shot down, with an additional accreditation of four probables.

In March 1944, Crombie piloted a Beaufighter from Brisbane to New Guinea, flying the aircraft in the local area for a period of eleven days testing the machine, before returning to Richmond, New South Wales.

5 Operational Training Unit, heading the group's two sections of Beaufighter and de Havilland Mosquito aircraft.

However, as the group neared the aerodrome, the other pilots disobeyed Crombie's orders and carried out a feint attack on the installation.

Coming in to land, a problem occurred in one of the engines and he fell short of the runway; Crombie was killed in the resulting collision.