Cronin, Laurance Francis Marshall

     
Příjmení:
Surname:
Cronin Cronin
Jméno:
Given Name:
Laurance Francis Marshall Laurance Francis Marshal
Jméno v originále:
Original Name:
Laurance Francis Marshall Cronin
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Hodnost:
Rank:
poručík Flying Officer
Akademický či vědecký titul:
Academic or Scientific Title:
- -
Šlechtický titul:
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- -
Datum, místo narození:
Date and Place of Birth:
17.07.1918 Canterbury, Victoria
17.07.1918 Canterbury, Victoria
Datum, místo úmrtí:
Date and Place of Decease:
XX.07.1991 Beaconsfield, Victoria
XX.07.1991 Beaconsfield, Victoria
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(maximálně tři)
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Other Notable Facts:
(up to three)
stíhací eso
5-0-5 vítězství
Fighter Ace
5-0-5 Claims
Související články:
Related Articles:

Zdroje:
Sources:
Shores C. - Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street, London 1994
Shores C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London 1999
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Cronin-Laurance-Francis-Marshall-t86634#320837 Version : 0
     
Příjmení:
Surname:
Cronin Cronin
Jméno:
Given Name:
Laurance Francis Marshall Laurance Francis Marshal
Jméno v originále:
Original Name:
Laurance Francis Marshall Cronin
Všeobecné vzdělání:
General Education:
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Vojenské vzdělání:
Military Education:
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Důstojnické hodnosti:
Officer Ranks:
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Průběh vojenské služby:
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Vyznamenání:
Awards:
Poznámka:
Note:
- -
Zdroje:
Sources:
Shores C. - Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street, London 1994
Shores C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London 1999
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Cronin-Laurance-Francis-Marshall-t86634#502995 Version : 0
Flying Officer Laurance Francis Marshall "Larry" Cronin


RAAF No.400913



"Larry" Cronin joined the RAAF in 1940 and received his pilot training under the Empire Air Training Scheme back home in Australia. On completion of this he was sent to Britain in 1942 where he underwent operational training and was subsequently posted to 453 Squadron RAAF in August.


The "Fifty-Four" was formed just two months before his arrival, after its predecessor was destroyed during fighting in Singapore, Malaysia and Java. It was now armed with Spitfire Mk.V fighters and was completing training before deploying over occupied Europe. But "Larry" hadn't even had time to settle in and after less than two months he was moving again. His new unit became 81 Squadron RAF.


"Eighty-one" was at Wellingore airfield at the time of his arrival, preparing for service overseas. However, this was nothing new for the unit, as it had served with Hurricanes Mk.IIB in northern Russia between August and November 1941. This time, however, the hot sands of North Africa awaited her. In late October, the unit's personnel moved to Gibraltar, where they took delivery of new Spitfires Mk.VC.


On 8 November 1942, the Allies launched an invasion of the French North African colonies, and later that day the squadron's Spitfires moved to the occupied Algerian airfield of Maison Blanche. From there, the pilots then participated in the protection of the invading beaches and occupied ports.


"Larry" had already participated in these operations, but his first success came in the new year of 1943, on 3 January, when he damaged a Ju 88 bomber at Bone. It was also at this time that 81 Squadron received its first Mk.IX Spitfires. On it, Cronin won the remaining victories in the Mediterranean.


He scored another success on 26 March, when he damaged a Bf 109, and closed his "African score" exactly one month later by damaging another hundredth.

In May 1943, the Axis forces in Africa capitulated, and in June the "Eighty-One" moved to Malta, from where it was to participate in the upcoming landings in Sicily.
Operation Husky was launched on the night of 9 July, but "Larry" did not increase his account until almost a month later.


On 25 July 1943, a large formation of enemy transport aircraft was announced heading for Sicily. Several RAF units were dispatched to intercept it, but only the Spitfire Group of the 322nd Wing, under which the 81st Squadron belonged, was successful. Other Spitfires belonged to 152nd and 242nd Squadron. The Allied pilots reported a dogfight with over thirty Ju 52 accompanied by about 20 Bf 109s and C.202 and the battle ended in great success for them. With the loss of one machine, they reported 28 victories, with the "Eighty-One" claiming 4 Ju 52s destroyed and three escorting Bf 109 Gs. "Larry" contributed to this success by destroying two 100s.


Although the enemy formation was not that large, consisting of ten Ju52/3m from I./TG 1, accompanied by a dozen Bf 109 Gs from II./JG 27 and I./JG 77, a smaller group of Italian C.202s also operated in the area from 161°Gruppo, but suffered heavy losses. Not a single Ju 52 transport escaped unscathed, 7 fighters were shot down, one of them Italian, and several others were damaged. Perhaps the greatest loss was Oblt. Heinz-Edgar Berres, commander of 1st/JG 77 and winner of 52 dogfights, who disappeared in a brand new Bf 109 G-6 BF+QU (W.Nr.18101).


Cronin's last victory in Europe came on 14 September 1943, when he shot down one Fw 190 over Salerno. At that time his unit was already operating from the occupied Sicilian airfield of Milazzo-East and "Larry" was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer.


In November, the unit began to rearm to Mk.VIII Spitfires, but at the same time it was facing another move. India became the squadron's new destination. The first Spitfires arrived at Alipore airfield on 4 December 1943, and in January 1944 the unit moved to Imphal airfield and joined the fighting over Burma. At this time, the Japanese attack in the Arakan area began and 81 Squadron participated in supporting the Allied forces.


By February, the situation of the Commonwealth forces in the Arakan area had stabilised and 81 Squadron returned to Imphal. In this area the Allies were preparing a major offensive and the Spitfires were to "blind" the Japanese reconnaissance. And here "Larry" won his first victory in Asia.


On March 5, Operation Thursday was launched. The objective was to drop more than 10,000 Chindits with equipment behind enemy lines, using transport planes and gliders on pre-prepared areas in the jungle. All the while, Allied fighters operated in the area of operation to "drive off" any Japanese aircraft. The next day, "Larry" had the same task.


At 7.40 a.m., he took off with his number on alert against a reported scout. It was a powerful Ki-46 flying at 30,000 feet. Up to that point, this machine had been an unassailable adversary for most Allied fighters in Burma, but it posed little problem for the Mk.VIII Spitfires.


After a climb of several minutes, the Cronin Ki-46 caught up and immediately attacked. After the first burst, however, one of his guns jammed, making it very difficult to aim. After a few more bursts, however, the aircraft went into an uncontrolled dive and crashed south of Pale. As it later turned out, "Larry's" fire killed the pilot of the machine, who belonged to the 1st Chutai 8th Sentai, Ensign Toshikaza Kotani. It was also his unit's 99th victory.


However, Allied activities had already been detected by the Japanese and the airfields became targets of air attacks. To reinforce the defenses, a section of Spitfires of the 81st Squadron was sent to the "Broadway" airfield on 10 March, "Larry" was the pilot of one of them:


"Terribly small runway and very uneven. Jungle all around - planes landing from treetop height. Glider wreckage lying everywhere. About 90 people killed in glider crashes on landing."


The planes stayed on the area overnight, and later were there from dawn to dusk. On March 13, the Japanese discovered "Broadway" and launched a series of air attacks. The first came around 2.25 p.m., when over 40 Ki-43s from the 64th and 204th Sentai appeared over the airfield. The mobile radar did not pick up the attack in time and the six Spitfires present were ordered to launch late. The last of the Spitfires pulled away from the surface just as the Japanese fighters appeared and became easy prey for them. Its pilot, F/Sgt A. Campbell, was killed. The remaining pilots, however, took advantage of the superiority of their machines and claimed four victories, one scored by Cronin, who damaged yet another Ki-43.


In reality, however, they shot down M. Kane's machine from 204. Sentai, which went down, and severely damaged the aircraft of des. Okada from the other unit, which made an emergency landing at Mandalay. The Japanese attack was relatively successful, however, as they destroyed the L-5 link on the ground, damaged the flightless Spitfire and the aforementioned mobile radar, and killed or wounded several soldiers. Cronin later recalled the action:


"Today more than 30 enemy fighters attempted to strafe our new base. The radar failed, warning us only 5 minutes before the attack. Sgt. Campbell and I were the last to take off. Attacked directly over the airfield - Campbell was killed instantly. I was attacked by eight Japs as soon as I got airborne. I narrowly escaped death. I saw them when they were 80 yards behind me, shooting like mad. I finally shook them off, they didn't hit me once - the miserable bastards! I wiped one of them out - nearly knocked him out of the cab. I now have 5 destroyed."


Four days later the situation repeated itself, but it went very badly for 81 Squadron. All day the Japanese attacked various targets, during one of these actions 15 Ki-43s belonging to the 204th Sentai broke off from the large formation and attacked "Broadway". Only a pair of Spitfires made it into the air this time. The first to take off was the unit commander, S/Ldr Whitamore, who shot down one of the attackers but was himself hit and lost his life in the wreckage of his machine. The second to go down was F/O A. Peart. He also destroyed one Ki-43, then got into a long dogfight with several fighters, his Spitfire taking one hit after another. He couldn't protect the airfield, which was going through hell. Four Spitfires were destroyed or badly damaged, and "Larry" witnessed the entire attack:


"Eventually the Japanese figured out that if they flew in at low altitude, right over the hilltops, our radar wouldn't pick them up until it was too late. Today they came this way - over 20 of them. The commander and Peart managed to get airborne, but were immediately attacked. The commander shot down one enemy in flames, but was immediately killed by another Jap. Peart also got one and disappeared with him. Capt. Maclean (SAAF), A Squadron commander, Lt. Gasson (SAAF), F/O Fell (Canadian) and F/Lt Coulter (RAF) were strapped into their aircraft ready for take-off when the Japanese appeared above the trees. F/Lt Coulter was killed and his aircraft burned. The others escaped but their planes were destroyed. Peart landed elsewhere, refueled and returned with his story. Our pilots were withdrawn at night aboard the DC-3."


The loss of a popular and experienced commander affected the entire unit and was one of the heaviest losses of the entire RAF during the fighting in Burma.


Cronin claimed his last victory on 12 April 1944, when ten Spitfires were sent against a large group of Japanese fighters. There was a brief skirmish, after which Cronin and Capt. Maclean each claimed damage to one Oscar.


"Larry" thus scored a total of 5 certain victories and damaged another 5 aircraft, for which he received a DFC. He had previously been promoted to the rank of Flying Officer (Lieutenant).


Cronin remained at the front until the second half of 1944, when he returned to Australia. Here he first served as a staff pilot with the 2. OTU in Mildura, then served in 1. TU in Sale.
After the war he left the RAAF and worked in his father's accountancy firm in Melbourne, later moving the firm to Beaconsfield, Victoria, where he worked until his death in 1991.



Victory table
Date
Unit
Aircraft type
Location
Enemy
3.1.1943
81st Squadron
Spitfire Mk.VC FL-G
Bone
Ju 88 ps.
26.3.1943
81st Squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX EN195/FL-C
Mateur area, J Beja
Bf 109 ps.
26.4.1943
81st Squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX EN202/FL-M
Medjez-el-Bab
Bf 109 ps.
25.7.1943
81st Squadron
Spitfire Mk.VC JL188
Cannitello
Bf 109 G marked.



northern Sicily
Bf 109 G zn.
14.7.1943
81st Squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX MB531
Salerno
Fw 190 zn.
6.3.1944
81st Squadron
Spitfire Mk.VIII JF630/FL-C
J Palel, JV Imphal
Ki-46 zn.
13.3.1944
81st Squadron
Spitfire Mk.VIII JF630/FL-C
"Broadway"
Ki-43 zn.



"Broadway"
Ki-43 pš.
12.4.1944
81st Squadron
Spitfire Mk.VIII JG314
Tulihal
Ki-43 Lt.




Sources:
Cull, B. - Malizia, N. - Galea, F.: Spitfires Over Sicily, Grub Street, London 2000
Price, A.: Late Marque Spitfire Aces 1942-45, Osprey Pub., Oxford 1996
Shores, C. - Williams, C.: Aces High, Grub Street, London 1994
Shores, C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London 1999
Shores, C.: Air War For Burma, Grub Street, London, 2005
Thomas, A.: Spitfire Aces of Burma and the Pacific, Osprey Pub., Oxford 2009
www.wikipedia.org
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Cronin-Laurance-Francis-Marshall-t86634#320839 Version : 0
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