TUFF, Robert Bruce
| Service Number: | 409257 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 July 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Seddon, Victoria, Australia, 11 July 1922 |
| Home Town: | Prahran, Stonnington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk, Commonwealth Public Service, Taxation Department |
| Died: | Flying Battle, English Channel, 22 February 1944, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England, United Kingdom. Panel 258. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Box Hill Taxation Office WW2 Roll of Honour, Runnymede Air Forces Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flying Officer, 409257 | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 409257 |
Help us honour Robert Bruce Tuff's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by David Barlow
Flying Officer Robert Bruce Tuff 409257 was killed when Hawker Typhoon IB JR302 of 263 Squadron RAF crashed near the island of Guernsey - his body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial
Biography contributed by Michael Stewart
I was reading Wing Leader by Johnnie Johnson who was top scoring fighter ace for the RAF during WW11.
In it he makes mention of the circumstances and demise of F/O Robert TUFF. Johnson's account is supported by a Google summary of the incident.
As David Barlow has already stated F/O TUFF was flying Typhoon IB JR302 HE-Z of 263 Squadron.
The squadron were on an Armed Shipping Partol 20 miles N/W of Guernsey (English Channel) when Squadron Leader G.B Warnes had to abandon his aircraft for reasons unknown.
The Squadron circled the downed airman and saw him trying to reach his dingy and but he was struggling in the adverse sea conditions and he may have been injured.
TUFF radioed his companions that he was abandoning his aircraft and going to assist his leader. Neither pilots survived the incident and are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
F/O Tuff was recomended for the George Cross but this was downgraded to a MID.