Stanley Malcolm "Red" McClarty

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Sarnia, Winnipeg Aces Each Down Two Huns

By P/O STANLEY HELLEUR, A Canadian Airfield in France, June 27, 1944 - (CP) - Four more ME-109's fell today to sharpshooters of S/L Dal Russel's Canadian Spitfire squadron over France. F/L Harry Dowding, D.F.C., of Sarnia, and F/O Stan McClarty of Winnipeg each destroyed two.
The squadron, one of the recently arrived units from Canada, now part of the Canadian wing led by Wing Cmdr. Johnny Johnson, spotted six Messerschmitts flying at low altitude and peeled to the attack from about 8.000 feet.
Both Dowding, who raised his own score to six destroyed, and McClarty were close on the tails of the victims when they made the kills. McClarty, for whom it was first blood, in fact, was so close he flew through the burning wreckage and scorched the propeller, starboard wing and elevator rudders of his Spit so badly the paint was peeled off.

One Big Sheet of Flame
"I guess I wasn't much more than 50 yards away from him when he blew up," the young redhead said. "He seemed to go up in one big sheet of flame and I was smelling fire and brimstone and burnt rubber. It was a little too close for comfort."
Only disappointed man in the squadron was F/O Larry Robillard, D.F.M., of Ottawa, who first went down to the attack and had two Me's as sitting ducks in front of him. "But when I pressed the button not a darned thing happened," he said. "The guns jammed. I'll never get a better chance than that."
Dowding's aircraft hadn't come to a full stop at its dispersal bay before his ground crew, led by LAC Maurice Smith of Ottawa, the armorer, were on the wings and asking Dowding all about it. "That makes four Gerries knocked off by guns that I have worked on," said Smith.

Co-Workers
Smith's coworkers were LAC Johnny Christie, fitter, from Calgary, and LAC Bill Rigby, rigger, from Winnipeg.
It was a 'first’ for McClarty's ground crew and one of their immediate problems was getting paint to inscribe two swastikas on the fuselage of the scorched aircraft LAC. Jack Smale of Montreal was the armorer; LAC Charley Grasley, Lawson, Sask., the rigger, and Jack Squires, Tramping Lake, Sask., the fitter.

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McCLARTY, F/L Stanley Malcolm (J14006) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.442 Sq.
Award effective 15 December 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 293/45 dated 16 February 1945.

This officer has displayed exceptional keenness for operational flying. He has taken part in a large number of varied sorties and has set a fine example of skill and tenacity. He has effectively attacked very many mechanical vehicles and several locomotives. In air fighting he has destroyed three enemy aircraft.

NOTE: DHist file 181.009 D.2833 (RG.24 Volume 20632) has recommendation dated 26 October 1944 which bears comparison. As of that date he had flown 164 sorties (202 hours 25 minutes and was commanding "B" Flight:

Flight Lieutenant McClarty has continually proven himself to be an exceptional fighter pilot in his extraordinary keenness and ability to attack the enemy on the ground and in the air. As a Flight Commander and a leader of many dive-bombing sorties, his results have been particularly praiseworthy. At all times his leadership has materially contributed to the successes of the squadron. In combat he has destroyed three enemy aircraft, probably destroyed one and damaged two others.

In particular, in one sortie he destroyed two and damaged a third enemy aircraft. Against ground targets he has destroyed and damaged 65 MET [Mechanical Enemy Transport] and damaged nine locomotives. In order to achieve this score he has attacked wherever the enemy could be found, often in areas very heavily defended by flak. His complete disregard for enemy opposition and his continued successes have won the deepest respect and admiration of the squadron.

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Air Force Casualties

Feb. 26 1946
OVERSEAS
Killed On Active Servic

McClarty, S. M., D.F.C., Flt.-Lieut., Winnipeg, Man.

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Victories Include :

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--- Canadian Aces ---

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