Robert Wardlow Oxspring was born in Sheffield, in the United Kingdom, on 22 May 1919. His father, also named Robert, had served in the First World War as an infantryman in the British Army before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps; he flew with No. 54 Squadron and then No. 66 Squadron and was credited with sixteen aerial victories, and twice awarded the Military Cross. Oxspring was educated at Sheffield's De la Salle College and then, in March 1938, joined the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Oxspring's initial training was at No. 4 Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School at Brough and after passing this phase in May, he was granted a short service commission as an acting pilot officer. He then trained at No. 2 Flying Training School at Brize Norton and at the end of the year was sent to No. 66 Squadron, in which his father had previously served. Known as 'Bobby' in RAF service, he was described by a fellow pilot, Hubert Allen, as "a tallish, good-looking, fair-headed bloke". No. 66 Squadron was based at Duxford and in the process of equipping with the Supermarine Spitfire fighter; it was the second RAF squadron to become operational with the aircraft.
Second World War
On the outbreak of the Second World War, No. 66 Squadron was tasked with interception duties and also conducted patrols along the North Sea coastline. In mid-May 1940, Oxspring was posted to No. 263 Squadron as a reinforcement pilot after it had served in the Norwegian campaign but after ten days he returned to No. 66 Squadron, now based at Horsham St Faith. At the end of May the squadron assisted in the provision of aerial cover for the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk.
Battle of Britain
For the early stages of the Battle of Britain, No. 66 Squadron was based at Coltishall and was mostly engaged in patrolling duties. Oxspring's first aerial victory was achieved on 29 July, when he shared in the destruction of a Heinkel He 111medium bomber near a shipping convoy several miles from Lowestoft. He reported seeing the bomber ditch in the sea and its crew take to a dinghy. In early September his squadron moved to No. 11 Group's sector, being based at Kenley becoming more intensively involved in the aerial fighting over the southeast of England. Oxspring, now holding the rank of flying officer and commanding one of the squadron's flights, shot down a He 111 to the east of Rye on 11 September.
On 15 September, now known as Battle of Britain Day, Oxspring destroyed a Dornier Do 17 medium bomber to the south of Chatham and damaged a pair of He 111s over Gravesend. He shot down one Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter and damaged a second about 10 miles (16km) north of Hawkinge on 18 September. A He 111 was destroyed by Oxspring near Hastings on 24 September and three days later he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110heavy fighter and damaged a Do 17 over Kent. On the last day of the month, he destroyed a Bf 109 in the vicinity of Biggin Hill. He shot down another Bf 109 over Chatham on 5 October. His last aerial victory of the Battle of Britain was on 13 October, when he destroyed a Bf 109 to the east of Maidstone. On 25 October Oxspring was shot down over Tunbridge Wells but was able to bail out, albeit with minor wounds. The wreckage of his Spitfire came down at Capel.
By this time the pace of operations had slowed with the Luftwaffe switching to nighttime bombing raids although No. 66 Squadron remained in No. 11 Group's sector, relocating to Biggin Hill in November. The same month, in recognition of his services of the previous several weeks, Oxspring was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). The citation, published on 8 November in the London Gazette, read:
One day in September, 1940, Flight Lieutenant Oxspring was engaged on an offensive patrol with his squadron. Whilst acting as rear guard, he sighted and engaged several Messerschmitt Bf 109's 3,000 feet above. After driving them off, he led his section in an attack against a large formation of enemy bombers and succeeded in destroying a Dornier 17 at short range and also in damaging two Heinkel III's. He has at all times led his section with skill and determination, and has destroyed six enemy aircraft.
—London Gazette, No. 34987, 8 November 1940
He was one of the The Few selected by Fighter Command to have a portrait drawn by the official war artist Cuthbert Orde, sitting for it on 9 December. Little flying was done over the winter months but the squadron became re-equipping with the updated Spitfire Mk IIa. In February 1941 it relocated to Exeter and then Cornwall where the squadron engaged in patrolling duties. Two months later, Oxspring was rested from operations and assigned to No. 59 Operational Training Unit at Crosby-on-Eden as an instructor.
Circus offensive
Oxspring in May 1942 standing in front of his personal aircraft when with No. 91 Squadron at Hawkinge
Oxspring returned to operations in September with a posting to No. 616 Squadron at Westhampnett but was there for just a week when he was transferred to No. 41 Squadron. By this time he held the rank of flight lieutenant and commanded one of the squadron's flights. Based at Tangmere and equipped with Spitfires, No. 41 Squadron was engaged in the RAF's Circus offensive as well as Rhurbarbs, flying sorties to German-occupied Europe.. In January 1942, Oxspring was appointed commander of No. 91 Squadron. Like his previous unit, this was equipped with Spitfires and engaged in the Circus offensive but was operating from Hawkinge.
After six months of leading No. 91 Squadron, Oxspring was given a new command; this was the Spitfire-equipped No. 7 Squadron, which was based at Biggin Hill and engaged in offensive operations. Arriving at the squadron on 12 July, he flew his first sortie, a diversion raid to Abbeville, with it the next day. He probably destroyed a Focke Wulf 190 fighter near Calais on 26 July, as the squadron carried out a sweep to St Omer.
On 13 August Oxspring, along with seven of his pilots, was attached to No. 222 Squadron; he was to lead it in Operation Jubilee, the Allied amphibious attack on Dieppe. In the early morning of 19 August, the squadron provided aerial cover for the beach at Dieppe and did not engage any Luftwaffe fighters. Later in the morning, it again sortied to Dieppe to help cover the Canadian forces evacuating the beaches after the attack was abandoned. Oxspring resumed command of No. 72 Squadron three days later. In September, he was subsequently awarded a Bar to his DFC, at least in part due to his leadership of No. 222 Squadron during its operations over Dieppe. The published citation read:
This squadron commander has rendered much valuable service. His skill, whether in attacks on the enemy's ground targets and shipping or in air combat, has been of a high order. He has destroyed at least 7 enemy aircraft.
—London Gazette, No. 35709, 15 September 1942
North Africa
In October, No. 72 Squadron began preparing for a move to an overseas posting. It duly went to Gibraltar and onto Algiers, commencing operations from Maison Blanche on 17 November. Oxspring achieved his first aerial victory in North Africa on 25 November, when he damaged a Bf 109 and claimed another as probably destroyed, both near Mateur. The next day, he damaged a Junkers Ju 88 medium bomber near Djedeida. He damaged a Macchi C.202 fighter, also in the vicinity of Djedeida, on 29 November and the following day damaged a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 medium bomber over Tunis. It is thought probable that Oxspring was the pilot who shot down German flying ace Anton Hafner of JG 51 on 2 January 1943.
Having led his squadron to be the highest scoring in the North African theatre, and survived his second shooting down of the war, Oxspring was awarded a second Bar to his DFC in February 1943, with the citation reading:
During initial operations from forward airfields in North Africa Squadron Leader Oxspring led his formation on many sorties. He destroyed one enemy aircraft, bringing his total victories to 8. His outstanding devotion to duty and fine fighting qualities have been worthy of high praise.
—London Gazette, No. 35904, 12 February 1943
Later war service
In April, Oxspring was posted to the headquarters of No. 242 Group, in Medjez, where he was involved in the coordination of air support operations on behalf of the Allied ground forces advancing into Tunisia. Later in the year, he returned to the United Kingdom and took up a post at the headquarters of Fighter Command, working as a staff officer in the Tactics and Training Branch. In early January 1944 he was promoted to temporary squadron leader, and two months later was appointed leader of No. 24 Wing. He was promoted to squadron leader (war substantive) on 15 June. the rank he held when the conflict ceased in 1945.
During the war he had registered 13 solo kills with 2 shared, 2 probable kills and 4 solo V-1 flying bombs destroyed and 1 shared.
Postwar service
After the end of the war in Europe, Oxspring was posted to the Central Fighter Establishment at Tangmere. Granted a permanent commission in the RAF as a flight lieutenant in September, he then went to the United States to undertake a staff officers course at Fort Leavenworth. His next post was back in the United Kingdom, training on jet fighters. On 10 January 1947, he was one of the British officers given royal recognition of the award of the Dutch Airman's Cross. Later that year he was promoted to squadron leader.
On 22 September 1949 he led a flight of five Vampire Mk.3 aircraft from 73 Squadron RAF on a tour of Italy to promote the aircraft to the Italian Air force. Flying VF345 Oxspring with a broken radio was unable to find the airfield at Malpensa. Almost out of fuel he chose to land in a field with the other four Vampires also out of fuel following him. All five pilots made successful landings without any serious injuries.
Promotion came twice more, to wing commander on 1 January 1953, and finally group captain on 1 January 1960.
He was appointed Station Commander of RAF Gatow in Berlin, where a section of the fence was the Berlin Wall. He retired on 23 February 1968.
Later life
Oxspring wrote the book Spitfire Command (1984, William Kimber & Co Ltd (publisher)], ISBN0-7183-0537-X; republished 2003 by Cerberus, ISBN978-1-84145-033-9).
Oxspring died on 8 August 1989, and is buried at Cranwell Parish church, Lincolnshire. His medals, which in addition to his DFC with two bars, AFC and Airman's Cross, included the 1939–1945 Star with Battle of Britain clasp, the Air Crew Europe Star with France and Germany clasp, the Africa Star with North Africa 1942-43 clasp, the Italy Star, the War Medal 1939–1945, and the 1953 Coronation Medal, was put up for auction in 2008 following the death of his wife. They fetched £44,000.
Cull, Brian (2017). Battle for the Channel: The First Month of the Battle of Britain, 10 July – 10 August 1940. Stroud: Fonthill. ISBN978-1-78155-625-2.
Docherty, Tom (2009). Swift to Battle: No. 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action, Volume 1: 1937 to 1942, Phoney War, Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, Offensive Operations. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. ISBN978-1-84415-829-4.
Rawlings, John (1976). Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: MacDonald & James. ISBN0-354-01028-X.
Shores, Christopher; Williams, Clive (1994). Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII. London: Grub Street. ISBN1-898697-00-0.
Wynn, Kenneth G. (2015). Men of the Battle of Britain: A Biographical Directory of the Few. Barnsley: Frontline Books. ISBN978-1-39901-465-6.
