Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954), Monday 21 May 1945, page 2


Escaped From Germans And Fought

And Fought With French, Military Cross Awarded.

MELBOURNE.— Australian flier, who twice escaped

from the Germans and later fought with the French underground forces in the streets of Paris, has been awarded the Military Cross. He is Flight-Lieutenant Keith Bruce Chisholm, DFM of Balgowlah, New South Wales.

Chisholm won the award in 1942, but an announcement could not be made until the authorities were assured   of the liberation of an AIF   prisoner, under whose identity Chisholm escaped from a prison compound This man is now safe.

The citation reads: Flight-Lieut. Chisholm's aircraft was shot down in October, 1941, and he was forced to abandon it when off the coast of France.

"He was picked up by a German rescue launch and removed to a prisoner of war camp in Germany. Almost immediately, he planned to escape, and his first actual escape took place seven months after his capture.

BETRAYED BY CIVILIAN

"Flight-Lieut. Chisholm and two other prisoners of war made their way to Czechoslovakia. There they

were betrayed by a civilian from whom they had obtained hospitality, and were subsequently arrested.

A second attempt to escape was   made in August, 1942. This was eventually successful. It involved some 18 months of constant movement on foot and by raft in Germany,

Czechoslovakia, Poland, Holland, Bel-gium, and France.

During the latter part of his travels, he contacted various underground movements and eventually   joined the Fighting Forces of the Interior and fought with them against the Germans in the streets of Paris until the arrival of the Allied armies.

Throughout his experiences,   Flight-Lieut Chisholm showed the greatest integrity and outstanding courage and determination. His dogged, persistence and careful planning  were of the highest order.

Flight-Lieut. Chisholm, who was bom in 1918, was a dental student in civil life. He joined the RAAF in 1940, trained in Australia and Canada and reached Britain in March

1941.

In May of the same year, he was posted to the Australian Spitfire Squadron (452), which was the first Australian fighter squadron to operate in Britain. It was commanded by the late Squadron-Leader R. W. Bungey, D.F.C., and later by the late Squadron-Leader K, W. ("Bluey") Truscott, D.F.C. and Bar.

In this Australian Squadron he flew as No. 2 to the late Wing-Com-mander B. E. "Paddy" Finucane, D.S.O., D.F.C., and two Bars.

Flight-Lieut Chisholm was the first Empire trainee to receive the D.F.M. In his first kill he shot down two

Messerschmidt's in 45 seconds, and had six kills and a probable to his credit when shot down in 1941.