Flying ace dies in Vancouver
OTTAWA (CP) — Air Vice-Marshal
Raymond Collishaw, 83. First World War air ace who had at least 60 kills to his credit, died in Vancouver Wednesday, the defence department said.
The Canadian-born Collishaw served in the RAF and its predecessors until he retired in 1943. He received a multitude of decorations for his war service.
Born in Nanaimo, B.C., he joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1908 and before going to Britain to join the Royal Navy Air Service he participated in one of the Scott Antarctic expeditions.
A biography in the defence department says that while he had received credit for 60 kills in the First World War, he could have had more. He was a generous man and would credit victories to others if there were any doubt that the German aircraft may not have been shot down by his guns.
He served in a variety of squadrons including the famous Black Flight, made up mostly of Canadians flying Sopwiths bearing names beginning with Black. His aircraft was named the Black Maria.
After the war be was sent to Russia to fight with the White Russians against the Communists and later he went to Persia (Iran). At the outbreak of the Second World War he was commanding the RAF group in Egypt and while there invented a new way of destroying Italian aircraft on the ground — by dropping high fragmentation bombs.
Winnipeg Free Press (Winnipeg, Manitoba) - Thursday, September 30, 1976
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