Middle East During the
North African campaign in late 1940, Turnbull undertook
close air support in
Gloster Gauntlets and
fighter missions in
Gloster Gladiators. He was credited with probably destroying a
Fiat CR.42 during the
Battle of Bardia on 26 December, and with damaging a
Fiat G.50 on 25 January 1941, the last
sortie No. 3 Squadron flew with the Gladiator before converting to
Hawker Hurricanes. On 3 April, he claimed four
Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters in a single sortie flying a Hurricane he had christened
Ortogo; his
commanding officer praised him as "quick to the kill". After converting to
P-40 Tomahawks, No. 3 Squadron took part in the
Syria-Lebanon campaign. Turnbull became an
ace—the first flying the new fighter—on 15 June 1941, when he destroyed a
Vichy French Martin 167 bomber in southern Syria. He shot down two more of the same type over
Palmyra less than two weeks later, and followed this up by claiming two Vichy
Dewoitine D.520 fighters during escort duty on 10 July. He was promoted to
flight lieutenant the same month. The decoration was promulgated in the
London Gazette on 10 October 1941, and eventually presented to his father after Turnbull's death. He returned to Australia that November to serve in the
South West Pacific. Operating
P-40 Kittyhawks, No. 75 Squadron quickly became engaged in the
defence of Port Moresby, one of the crucial early battles in the
New Guinea campaign. Even before seeing combat in the area, Turnbull was shot at. As he brought a flight of four Kittyhawks in to land for the first time at Moresby's
Seven Mile aerodrome on 21 March, nervous Australian
anti-aircraft gunners opened fire and damaged at least three planes before they landed. The next day, Turnbull took part in a surprise raid against
Lae airfield. Five Kittyhawks led by Jackson attacked and destroyed a dozen Japanese planes on the ground, while four others led by Turnbull provided protective cover above; he shot down one of three
Mitsubishi Zeros that intercepted the Australian formation. He claimed two further victories during the battle of Port Moresby—a pair of Zeros on 10 April, according to one account—which brought his score to twelve. On 17 April, the commander of
No. 76 Squadron, attached to No. 75 for combat experience, was killed in action, resulting in Turnbull being posted back to Australia to take over the former unit. In May 1942, Turnbull was formally appointed commanding officer of No. 76 (Kittyhawk) Squadron, then based in
Townsville, Queensland. He was promoted to acting
squadron leader on 8 June. During the
Battle of Milne Bay, Turnbull's unit was engaged in air defence against Japanese raiders and offensive strikes against shipping and other targets in support of Australian ground forces. On 7 August, inclement weather forced Turnbull and another pilot to crash land on
Goodenough Island; they were later picked up by an Allied patrol. Nos. 75 and 76 Squadrons attacked the main Japanese invasion convoy as it steamed towards Milne Bay on 25 August. Two days later, Turnbull was patrolling for Japanese tanks with another member of his squadron, Flight Lieutenant Ron Kerville. While diving on an enemy target, his Kittyhawk was seen to flip on to its back at and crash into the jungle. The cause of the incident was never fully established; ground fire was considered a likely explanation, although mud on the control surfaces, causing a high-speed
stall, was also postulated. Squadron Leader
"Bluey" Truscott took over Turnbull's command. Turnbull was credited with a total of twelve aerial victories during the war, plus one probable and two damaged. His name appears on panel 104 of the Commemorative Area at the
Australian War Memorial, Canberra, and on the Glen Innes Roll of Honour. Milne Bay's No. 3 Airstrip was renamed
Turnbull Field in his honour; it marked the furthest westward advance of the Japanese in the area. == Notes ==