18 Facts About Lou Spence

Lou Spence was killed during a low-level mission over South Korea in September 1950.

Lou Spence's ancestry was Irish on his father's side and German on his mother's.

Lou Spence attended Longreach State School from 1924 to 1931 and Thornburgh College in Charters Towers from 1932 to 1934.

Lou Spence was employed as a clerk at the Queensland headquarters of the Bank of New South Wales in Brisbane, and studied at the Bankers' Institute of Australasia.

Lou Spence joined the Royal Australian Air Force on 6 March 1940.

Lou Spence was promoted to flying officer on 26 February 1941.

On 1 January 1942, having converted to P-40 Kittyhawks, No 3 Squadron attacked sixteen Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers and their escort of six Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters near Agedabia in Cyrenaica; Lou Spence was credited with shooting down a Ju 87.

Barr recalled Lou Spence as being the "hottest dive bomber in the Desert" and "one of the rocks of the squadron".

The journey to Perth had taken No 452 Squadron through bad weather, and Lou Spence was mentioned in despatches for his efforts shepherding his Spitfires to their destination.

Lou Spence was posted out of No 452 Squadron at the end of November 1944.

Rather than resume his banking career after the war, Lou Spence joined the Department of Information in Canberra, initially in administration and later in aviation journalism.

Lou Spence rejoined the RAAF in 1946, receiving a commission as a flying officer effective from 17 October.

That day, Lou Spence took eight Mustangs on an escort mission for United States Air Force B-26 Invaders attacking a bridge south of Seoul.

Lou Spence attempted to pull out of a very steep dive but crashed in the middle of the town and was killed.

Lou Spence was very popular and respected as a professional.

Lou Spence was recommended for the Distinguished Service Order for his "outstanding fearless leadership and distinction" in Korea, but the award was changed to a bar to his DFC.

Lou Spence is buried at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, South Korea.

Lou Spence's name appears on Panel 2 of the Commemorative Area of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.