Frank Reginald Carey

Frank Reginald "Chota" Carey, (7 May 1912 – 6 December 2004) was a Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot and flying ace who served during World War II.

Frank Reginald Carey was born in Brixton, London on 7 May 1912 to Alfred John Carey (b. 1885) and Elsie Mabel Carey (née Whatson, b. October 1889).

Frank was the eldest of three sons—Hugh John (b. 1914) and Roy Gerald (b. 1916).

Carey had vague memories of World War I and aviation as a child.

During the Zeppelin and German bombing campaign over England his parents strapped a table over his bed to afford the young Frank some protection from bomb fragments.

During the war his mother became ill with tuberculosis.

The family moved to Lindfield, north of Haywards Heath in Sussex.

Alfred hoped the country air would be better for her than the smog-filled London.

Elsie succumbed to her condition on 26 November 1924.

After her death Alfred pursued his career as a trainee engineer and work as a chauffeur.

Born in Brixton, London, Carey was educated at Belvedere School before he joined the RAF in September 1927 at the age of 15 as an apprentice metal rigger.

After completing the apprenticeship Carey was assigned to No. 43 Squadron RAF based at RAF Tangmere.

Alfred set up an ironmongers company soon after, but the Wall Street Crash of 1929 forced Carey senior into bankruptcy.

Carey was educated at Belverdere School, Haywards Heath; a relative paid for the brothers' education there.

A former pupil of Belverdere had become a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force (RAF).

In 1933 he converted to the role of fitter at RAF Worthy Down.

In 1935 he applied to become a fighter pilot and completed the training in 1936.

Carey was posted back to 43 Squadron and by 1939 was an established pilot.

At the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 Carey flew defensive patrols over eastern Scotland, where he gained his first successes.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) in February 1940 for several shared air victories.

Commissioned as pilot officer in April 1940, he transferred to No. 3 Squadron RAF and participated in the Battle of France.

In May he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for seven enemy aircraft shot down and two probably shot down.

On 14 June he received a Bar to the DFC and a promotion to flying officer.

From 9 July to 18 August 1940 Carey flew in the Battle of Britain.

He accounted for a further nine enemy aircraft destroyed, three probably destroyed, and one damaged but was wounded in July and again in August.

His wounds were severe and he took no further part in the battle.

In November 1940 he was posted to Operational Training Unit (OTU) 52 as an instructor.

Carey was given command of No. 135 Squadron RAF, as acting squadron leader, in August 1941.

In December the squadron began moving to India, with Carey leading the formation against the Japanese invasion of Burma.

In February 1942 he was promoted to wing commander and by the end of the year had shot down nine Japanese aircraft.

Carey was taken off operations and sent to RAF Amarda Road in India as Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Air Fighting Training Unit 1 in 1943.

In November 1944 he was promoted to group captain and left Burma for Egypt as AOC at OTU 73.

Carey was mentioned in the 1945 New Year Honours list.

In July 1945 he moved to England as Group Captain Tactics at the Central Flying Establishment until the Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945.

Carey was credited with 23 enemy aircraft shot down, six shared destroyed, four unconfirmed destroyed, seven probable, two destroyed on the ground and ten damaged.

Of the 23 credited destroyed in air combat, 15 were German and 8 Japanese.

Following World War II he spent two years at Staff College, Camberley and continued his career in the RAF until 1958, when he moved to Australia as Air Adviser to the United Kingdom High Commissioner.

Carey retired from the RAF in June 1960 and went to work for the Rolls-Royce Aero Engine Division in Australia.

On 3 June 1960 he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

After his retirement Carey returned to England and died in Chichester, aged 92.