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In February 1945, the local Volksgemeinschaft
in the German town of Gelsenkirchen-Buer,
a "people's community" of local residents,
received authorization from the head of the
"security police" to execute anyone without
reason. When Audet was brought into this
environment, where indiscriminate killings
by civilians, police, and soldiers were not
only commonplace but also encouraged,
it is not difficult to imagine the fate that might
have befallen him. Whether Dick Audet was
murdered or died while attempting to escape,
and who was responsible, will likely never be
known. His body was never found.
During 83 combat missions, F/Lt Audet
achieved 11 confirmed aerial victories
(and destroyed two additional aircraft on
the ground). He was twice awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross (the second
posthumously on March 9, 1945). Audet flew
a total of 15 operational missions in the Spitfire
RR201 DB
-
G “Sweet Sue V” between December
29, 1944, and February 3, 1945, achieving seven
confirmed aerial victories (six Fw 190Ds and
one Me 262, along with two more aircraft
destroyed on the ground).
Thanks to Audet's exceptional achievements,
"Boyle's" Spitfire RR201 ranks among the most
famous Spitfires of World War II.
Sources:
BRACKEN, Robert: Spitfire Canadians
CHAPIS, Stephen, THOMAS, Andrew: Osprey
Aircraft of the Aces 136 Allied Jet Killers of
World War 2
CALDWELL, Donald: The JG 26 War Diary,
Volume Two 1943 -1945
NIJBOER, Donald: Osprey – Aviation Elite Units
No. 126 Wing RCAF
SHORES, Christopher, THOMAS, Chris:
2nd Tactical Air Force Vol.2 - Breakout to
Bodenplatte - July 1944-Jan 1945
SHORES, Christopher, THOMAS, Chris: 2nd
Tactical Air Force Vol.3 - From the Rhine to
Victory - Jan-May 1945
THOMAS, Andrew: Osprey Aircraft of the Aces
122 Spitfire Aces of Northwest Europe 1944-45
National Archives, files: AIR-27-1804-23, AIR-
27-1804-24, AIR-27-1804-25, AIR-27-1804-26,
AIR-27-1804-27, AIR-27-1804-28, AIR-27-
1804-29, AIR-27-1804-30, AIR-27-1804-31 and
AIR-27-1804-32
valka.cz: Audet, Richard Joseph
wartimes.ca: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411
Squadron RCAF
acesofww2.com: Dick Audet
http://spitfiresite.com
HISTORY
Color profile of Spitfire RR201 DB
-
R "Sweet Sue V" with rapid identification markings updated as of January 3,
1945. All fighter aircraft in the Second Tactical Air Force (2nd TAF) featured revised Type C1 roundels with yellow
outer rings, removed remnants of invasion stripes on the underside, a black-painted spinner, and overpainted
fuselage bands originally in SKY color. This scheme was used until early February 1945, when RR201 was recoded
from "G" to "R."
Color profile of Fw 190D-9, W. Nr. 210079,
flown by Lt. Theo Nibel of 10./JG 54 from Varrelbusch
base, Germany during Operation Bodenplatte
on January 1, 1945.
INFO Eduard10
December 2024