Charley Fox

Charles William “Charley” Fox, DFC and Bar, CD

Charles William “Charley” Fox was born in Guelph, Ontario, on 26 February 1920. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in March 1940 and proved to be an exceptional pilot during training. Illness initially prevented him from proceeding overseas, and he consequently served as a flying instructor before eventually being posted to Britain. There he joined No. 412 Squadron, RCAF, flying the Supermarine Spitfire. (Veterans Affairs Canada)

By the summer of 1944, Fox was flying fighter sweeps, armed reconnaissance patrols and ground-attack missions over occupied Europe. Much of this work was carried out at very low altitude against German vehicles, railway equipment, troops and other targets of opportunity. Such missions exposed pilots to intense small-arms and anti-aircraft fire and demanded exceptional flying skill and marksmanship.

On 6 June 1944, D-Day, Fox flew three operational missions over Normandy. From his Spitfire he saw the English Channel crowded with Allied warships, transports and landing craft supporting the invasion of France. His squadron helped protect the invasion forces and attacked German positions and transport behind the battlefront. (Veterans Affairs Canada)

No. 412 Squadron subsequently moved to an advanced airfield at Bény-sur-Mer, near Juno Beach. From there, Fox continued flying armed reconnaissance missions over Normandy as the Allied armies struggled to break out from the beachhead.

On the afternoon of 17 July 1944, Fox was leading another Spitfire on an armed reconnaissance patrol when he spotted a large German staff car travelling rapidly along a road near Sainte-Foy-de-Montgommery. Fox dived and attacked the vehicle with his Spitfire’s cannon fire. The driver was wounded, lost control and crashed the car. (Canada)

One of the passengers was Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, commander of German Army Group B and one of Germany’s best-known military commanders. Rommel was thrown from the vehicle and suffered severe head injuries, including fractures to his skull. He survived but never returned to operational command in Normandy. (Canada)

Fox did not know Rommel had been inside the car when he made the attack. The identity of the Allied pilot responsible remained uncertain for decades, and several other pilots have also been proposed. Later comparison of operational records, timings and locations strongly supported Fox’s claim, and official Canadian accounts now credit him with strafing Rommel’s vehicle. The evidence is persuasive, although the attribution cannot be considered absolutely conclusive. (Canada)

Fox continued flying combat operations through France, Belgium and the Netherlands. During his operational tour, he completed 224 sorties and destroyed or damaged large numbers of enemy vehicles and other targets. His aircraft repeatedly returned damaged by ground fire, testimony to the dangerous low-level nature of his missions. (Veterans Affairs Canada)

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his exceptional courage, skill and effectiveness during operations. He later received a Bar to the DFC, representing a second award of the decoration. His medal entitlement also included the 1939–1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star with France and Germany Clasp, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp, War Medal 1939–1945 and Canadian Forces’ Decoration.

After the war, Fox returned to Ontario and entered civilian life. He remained closely involved with the Royal Canadian Air Force and veterans’ organizations and became a dedicated advocate for remembrance and military education. He regularly spoke to students and community groups, encouraging Canadians to remember the service and sacrifice of those who had served during the Second World War.

In 2004, Fox was appointed Honorary Colonel of No. 412 Squadron. He later received the Canadian Forces’ Decoration in recognition of his qualifying military service. (Canada)

Charles William “Charley” Fox, DFC and Bar, CD, died in a motor vehicle accident near Tillsonburg, Ontario, on 18 October 2008. He was 88 years old.

Fox is remembered as one of Canada’s outstanding Spitfire pilots, a veteran of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, and the Canadian airman most strongly associated with the attack that removed Field Marshal Erwin Rommel from operational command at a critical moment in the campaign.