Keith Truscott

Keith William Truscott
Keith Truscott c. 1941
Nickname(s)	"Bluey"
Born	17 May 1916 Prahran, Victoria
Died	Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Years of service	1940–1943
Rank	Squadron Leader
Unit	No. 452 Squadron (1941–42)
Commands held	No. 76 Squadron (1942–43)
Battles/wars	Second World War European theatre South West Pacific theatre Battle of Milne Bay
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar Mentioned in Despatches

Keith William "Bluey" Truscott DFC & Bar (17 May 1916 – 28 March 1943) was a World War II ace fighter pilot and Australian rules footballer with the Melbourne Football Club. He was the second highest Australian World War II ace credited with 20 confirmed victories and 5 unconfirmed victories.

Early life and sporting career

File:Melbourne high school cricket.jpg

The Melbourne High School cricket team. Miller is standing at right. Truscott is seated with shield.

Truscott was born in Prahran, Victoria, on 17 May 1916, to William Truscott and Maude Truscott (née Powell). He attended Melbourne High School, where he captained the First XI for the school in cricket. While there, he mentored the young Keith Miller, who entered the First XI at the age of 14 and went on to be regarded as Australia's finest all round cricketer. After completing his schooling Truscott worked as a school teacher and clerk.

Truscott played 44 games (and kicked 31 goals) of VFL football as a half-forward flanker from 1937–1940, playing in Melbourne's 1939 and 1940 premiership victories.

War service

Truscott joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in July 1940, a move that attracted much publicity. He almost failed pilot training; among other problems it was ascertained that he had a poor ability to judge heights. In the words of the Australian Dictionary of Biography: "[Truscott] never fully came to terms with landing and persistently levelled out about 20 ft (6 m) too high." Nevertheless, Truscott completed flight training in Canada and joined No. 452 Squadron RAAF, flying Spitfires in England on 5 May 1941. He destroyed at least 16 Luftwaffe aircraft, was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and was made a flight commander.

Truscott was later made acting squadron leader and in 1942, Truscott was posted back to Australia where he joined 76 Squadron, flying Kittyhawks. By this stage Truscott was, along with Clive Caldwell, one of the most famous RAAF pilots.

File:AWM 026647 P-40 Milne.jpg

Truscott, commanding No. 76 Squadron RAAF, taxis along Marsden Matting at Milne Bay, New Guinea in September 1942.

Truscott's squadron was posted to Gurney Field in Milne Bay, Papua and played a significant role in the Battle of Milne Bay where he was mentioned in dispatches for his actions. 76 Squadron was later transferred to Darwin, Northern Territory, for a time, and then Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia. Truscott was killed in an accident in Exmouth Gulf on 28 March 1943. His Kittyhawk hit the sea at high speed, after he made a mock diving attack against a low-flying Catalina. The surface of the sea was unusually smooth that day, and it is believed that Truscott misjudged its proximity. His body was recovered and he was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth.

Memorials

Truscott's life and service was honoured in a number of ways. The RAAF later named a base on the northern coast of the Kimberley region as Truscott Airfield. The Melbourne Football Club's award for the Best and Fairest player was also named in his honour: the "Bluey" Truscott Memorial Trophy.

At Melbourne High School, a scholarship is awarded in his name to a student displaying all-round achievement in academic, sporting and extra-curricular activities. For reasons unknown it was discontinued, apparently in 1948. In 1994, an Old Boy, Dr John Miller AO, winner of the 1946/47 Bluey Truscott Scholarship, Principal Ray Willis and the MHSOBA re-established the Bluey Truscott Scholarship. Dr John Miller provided the Bluey Truscott bronze plaque (hanging in the school foyer) and the "John Miller Distinguished Achievement Medal" to be awarded to all subsequent MHSOBA Bluey Truscott winners.

Truscott Street in North Ryde, Truscott Avenue in Matraville, Sydney, Truscott Street in Campbell, Australian Capital Territory, Truscott Street in Geelong are also named in his honour.

Honours and awards

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• Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar (DFC*) – awarded 17 October 1941 and 27 March 1942
• 1939-1945 Star
• Air Crew Europe Star
• Pacific Star
• Defence Medal
• War Medal 1939–1945 (With Oakleaf, Mention in Despatches published in London Gazette 26 March 1943)
• Australia Service Medal 1939-45
• Mentioned in Despatches

See also

• List of World War II aces from Australia
• List of Victorian Football League players who died in active service

References

• Main, J. & Allen, D., "Truscott, Keith DFC and Bar", pp. 342–348 in Main, J. & Allen, D., Fallen – The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War, Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002. ISBN 1-74095-010-0
• Southall, I., Bluey Truscott: Squadron Leader Keith William Truscott, R.A.A.F., D.F.C. and Bar, Angus and Robertson, (Sydney), 1958.

External links

• Keith Truscott's statistics from AFL Tables
• Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour: Keith William Truscott DFC & BAR (400213)
• Stephens, "Truscott, Keith William (Bluey) (1916–1943)", Australian Dictionary of Biography
• Bio at Australian War Memorial
• Details of his aircraft
• National Archives of Australia Casualty report file
• National Archives of Australia Service Record – Keith William Truscott, Service Number 400213