Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Flight Sergeant Richmond ( Red) Blumer claimed his first success in air combat on 8th September 1943 when he destroyed a Focke-Wulf Fw190 over Northern France and at the end of the month his ‘tally’ stood at 2 ‘Destroyed’ Fw190′s and one half-shared ‘Destroyed’ Fw190. After one more success, this time against a Messerschmitt Me109 in October 1943, ‘Red’ Blumer’s luck ran out.

On 6th November 1943 he was shot down by flak north of Rouen during a ‘Rhubarb’ sortie, but managed to avoid capture by the Germans and eventually made contact with the French Resistance who guided him to neutral Switzerland . Classed as an ‘Evader’ by the Swiss authorities, he was sent to an RAF Camp in that country, but weeks later the young RAAF pilot again made contact with the French Resistance who guided him down towards Spain, but this time the Germans caught him. His plucky nature however saw ‘Red’ Blumer slip away from his captors and he then managed to reach Spain before heading to Gibraltar and a safe return to England .

After a period of convalescence, W/O Blumer re-joined No.91 Squadron at RAF West Malling during the early days of June 1944 as the Allied invasion of Occupied Europe gained a foothold in Normandy . Soon however, V-1 Flying Bombs began to appear over the skies of southeast England and No.91 Squadron were put to task on ‘Anti-Diver’ patrols to combat the menace of the pilot-less missiles heading towards London. After one such ‘Anti-Diver’ patrol on Sunday 25th June, ‘Red’ Blumer put down his Spitfire RM617 at Staplehurst Advanced Landing Ground to refuel and after taking-off again for the short return flight to West Malling, the Spitfire suddenly spun in and crashed killing the 23 years old Aussie. Today ‘Red’ rests at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey and his gallant sacrifice is remembered by the Shoreham Aircraft Museum.

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