John “Bob” Braham was a decorated aviation ace, credited with 29 personal victories, 5 damaged aircraft, and 3 possible shared kills. His first victory was recorded on August 24, 1940. He served with several notable squadrons, including the 29th, 141st, 613th, 305th, 21st, and 107th.
Braham actively participated in the night defense of Great Britain, night intrusions into Europe, and combat on the Western Front. He flew aircraft such as the Blenheim, Beaufighter, and Mosquito before being captured on June 25, 1944, after being shot down by German ace Robert Spreckels. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order with three bars and the Distinguished Flying Cross with three bars, a testament to his exceptional bravery and skill.
A Distinguished Night Fighter Ace
Undoubtedly, Braham was one of the most aggressive pilots ever to take the controls of an aircraft. He concluded the war with 29 victories, 20 of which were achieved in night combat. His first night victory came on the night of August 24-25, 1940, while serving with the 29th Squadron and flying a Blenheim.
He subsequently shot down the next 12 enemy aircraft while flying the powerful Beaufighter fighter. The transition to more advanced aircraft and his innate ability for night combat solidified him as a formidable figure in the dark skies.
Leadership and Continued Success
In December 1942, Braham was appointed commander of the 141st Squadron. He worked intensively to equip his unit with the new, secret ‘Serrate’ anti-radars, becoming an expert in their use. In just four months, he achieved an additional six victories against Luftwaffe night fighters.
Among his victims were German aces such as Heinz Wincke (54 victories), Georg Kraft (14 victories), and August Geiger (53 victories). Throughout his successful missions, Braham was accompanied by at least four different radar operators, most frequently “Stick” Gregory and “Jocko” Jacobs.
His daytime victories occurred between March 5 and May 12, 1944, while flying a Mosquito. However, on June 25, an FW.190 shot him down over Denmark, and Braham was taken prisoner. After the war, he served in the Canadian Army and passed away in 1974 at the age of 53.