514

-2- (centre aligned)
H.M.S. Eagle on the 23rd February 1942 to proceed to the Middle East on posting to No. 249 Squadron, Takali, Malta. When approximately eight hundred miles off Malta, he took off in his Spitfire to arrive four hours later at Takali. As during this flight his aircraft was liable to be intercepted by enemy aircraft this counted as an additional operation. Incidentally, this was the first occasion on which a Spitfire had been flown off an aircraft carrier. With No. 249 Squadron he carried out a further eight operational flights, the total now being thirty-eight operations. These additional operations comprised seven enemy aircraft interception flights and one bomber escort flight. He was next posted on the 6th April 1942 to No. 185 Squadron stationed at Hal Far also in Malta and with this squadron he carried out thirty-eight enemy aircraft interception flights, one air-sea rescue flight and one armed patrol, his total of operations now standing at seventy-nine. During these additional operations he had destroyed two Messerschmitts 109 Fs, and a Junkers 88 and damaged another Junkers and his squadron leader endorsed in his log book.
"Recommended that this pilot be recommended for D.F.C when he has destroyed on more enemy aircraft. A very reliable section leader."

On the 23rd July 1942 Flying Officer Sim left Malta by air to return to England where he arrived on the 29th July and after a brief period of leave was posted on the 20th August to No. 52 Operational Training Unit, Aston Down, Gloucestershire, for duty as an instructor. He remained with this unit until the 5th May 1943 when he resumed operational flying with No. 616 Squadron, Mosley, Hampshire, taking part in nine fighter sweeps, four shipping strikes, three armed patrols, one convoy patrol and one enemy aircraft interception flight. These operational flights brought his total to ninety-seven.

On the 15th June, 1943, Flying Officer Sim was pilot of a Spitfire fighter engaged on a shipping strike off the Channel Islands. During the course of this operation his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and was last seen gliding down towards the sea. When he failed to return to his base he was classified as missing and after due time had elapsed his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 15th June, 1943 as the result of air operations and that he lost his life at sea.

Find a Grave link with a photo of F/O Sim: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15263232/robert_james-sim/photo
Auckland Museum link with more info on F/O Sim: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C26954?n=robert+james+sim&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/2778 AS2.
588 hours as Pilot.

Mrs. P. Sim (W) (right aligned)
1 Ridout Street, (right aligned)
Maeroa, (right aligned)
FRANKTON. (right aligned)