Stanley Orr

Stanley Gordon Orr, DSC & Two Bars, AFC (28 September 1916 – 11 August 2003) was the highest scoring fighter ace of the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

[2][3][4] Having been accepted by the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and holding the rank of sub-lieutenant, Orr gained his naval skills and learnt how to fly while serving on the old First World War vintage carrier HMS Argus.

At Eastleigh, he was trained on the Navy's fighter aircraft: the two seater Blackburn Skua dual fighter–dive bomber and the single seat Sea Gladiator biplane.

Later, the squadron was moved to RAF Detling, in Kent, to provide air cover for Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk.

In June, 806 Squadron was converted to fly the Fairey Fulmar, another two seater fighter, and was posted to the air group on the newly commissioned aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious.

[7] One of the first larger missions Orr took part in was providing the fighter cover for the Fairey Swordfish attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto.

[8] On 10 January 1941, Orr and Sub-Lieutenant Graham Hogg observed two Savoia-Marchetti SM.79s making a torpedo bombing run on Illustrious; after a long chase they managed to shoot one of them down.

Orr, down at sea level and out of ammunition, climbed up through the carrier's anti-aircraft barrage in an attempt to disrupt the dive-bombers' attack.

[4] On his return, Orr feared he would be grounded but in August 1943 he was given a new command—804 Naval Air Squadron, which at the time was land based at RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet) in Northern Ireland and equipped with the Grumman Hellcat.

[13][nb 3] With his new squadron Orr joined HMS Emperor, an American built Ruler-class escort carrier, in December.

Emperor was involved in convoy escort duties and in the spring of 1944, the squadron started attacking German shipping off the Norwegian coast.

[15] Orr, who was in command of the second strike group, remembered: "Upon arrival over Tirpitz it was found that the smoke screen generated by the Germans had ridden half way up the mountains on either side of the Kaafjord.

[2] A mixed formation of 18 aircraft from 804 and 800 Naval Air Squadron on 14 May, led by Orr, attacked shipping near Vikten Island and, along with Lieutenant Blyth Ritchie, he shot down a Heinkel He 115 floatplane.

[16] At the same time he also shared in the destruction of two Blohm & Voss BV 138 flying boats and two more Heinkel floatplanes, for which he was mentioned in despatches.

[2][3] In 1953, Orr was posted to HMS Ocean and on board her he saw operational service in the Korean War, attacking targets on the west coast of Korea.

[3] Upon leaving the service, Orr joined Vospers as their marine superintendent and became involved in their development of fast patrol boats.