Nigel Cullen
Encyclopedia
Richard Nigel Cullen DFC
(5 June 1917 – 4 March 1941) was an Australian fighter ace
of World War II. Serving with the Royal Air Force
(RAF), he was credited with sixteen aerial victories before being killed in action during the Battle of Greece
. Born in Newcastle
, New South Wales, Cullen was living in London
and had already seen action in the Spanish Civil War
when he joined the RAF in 1937. Following the outbreak of World War II, he served initially with No. 267 Squadron in the Middle East
, before seeking reassignment to fighters. He was then posted to No. 80 Squadron
, flying Gloster Gladiator
biplanes, and shot down six Axis
aircraft before the unit converted to Hawker Hurricane
s. Nicknamed "Ape" due to his physical bulk, Cullen was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
for destroying five enemy aircraft in a single sortie
on 28 February 1941. He was credited with another four victories in the one engagement on 3 March; the next day, he was shot down and killed while on escort duty over Albania
, by a Regia Aeronautica
Fiat G.50
bis, at the age of twenty-three.
However, a number of his air victories are not confirmed by Regia Aeronautica records.
, New South Wales on 5 June 1917, Nigel Cullen was the son of Horace David Cullen (originally Horace David Cohen) and his wife Hero. The boy's uncle was future Major General Paul Alfred Cullen. Nigel was taken to England at an early age by his parents and attended Sherborne School
in Dorset
, before studying at the College of Aero Engineering, Chelsea
. Fired by a love of adventure, he competed in motorbike racing at Brooklands
in 1934, and later saw action as a member of the International Brigades
during the Spanish Civil War
, suffering a wound to the stomach that necessitated repatriation to England. When he caught up again with his friends from Brooklands, he was reluctant to talk about the conflict except to say that "the wars of the future would be fought in the air".
Cullen was living in Putney
when he joined the Royal Air Force
(RAF) in 1937, and was granted a short-service commission as an acting Pilot Officer
on 9 August. Completing his probation the following May, he was promoted to Flying Officer
on 31 December 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II. Posted to the Middle East
, his early wartime service was with No. 267 Squadron, a transport unit ferrying passengers and freight to and from Egypt. "Browned off" with transport duties, however, he sought reassignment to fighters and before long was able to wangle a transfer to No. 80 Squadron
, flying Gloster Gladiator
biplanes, a type that was obsolescent well before the war began.
, Cullen was schooled in fighter tactics by "Pat" Pattle
, one of the leading British aces of the war. Nicknamed "Ape" by his colleagues due to his imposing physique, Cullen was described by a fellow pilot as "a big, smiling, long-armed giant from Putney, with an irresistible offensive spirit and quite fearless". He was "blooded" on 9 October, after being detailed to search single-handedly for a missing Allied truck. Failing to locate the vehicle, he spotted five Italian Breda Ba.65
ground-attack aircraft south of Sidi Barrani
and immediately engaged them, gaining credit for probably destroying one. The Ba.65s were those of the 159a Squadriglia, 12oGruppo, 50o Stormo Assalto, which didn’t suffer any losses.
The squadron redeployed to Greece the following month, to assist in resisting the Italian invasion
. There Cullen achieved his first confirmed victory, over a Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
three-engined bomber - believed to be from 38o Stormo B.T. - near the Kassandra Peninsula
on 30 December. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
the next day.
Cullen claimed his second "kill", on 28 January 1941. That day, while on an offensive patrol between Kelcyre
and Premet, over Albania, with 14 Gladiators from 80 Squadron, he attacked four 37o Stormo Fiat BR.20
s and five CANT Z.1007
bis bomber from 35o Stormo. Flying Officer Cullen reported shooting down a Z.1007bis, which exploded in midair, but as only one CANT was actually lost by Regia Aeronautica, it is presumed that he also fired at the aircraft already shot down by Marmaduke Pattle’s section.
He then claimed a Fiat CR.42
fighter from 150o Gruppo CT and a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
bomber on successive days, 9 and 10 February respectively. He then recorded two victories in one mission on 20 February, over Albania. After sending a Fiat G.50
down in flames while escorting Allied bombers, he discovered two formations of CR.42s nearby and shot down one of them as well. Cullen later remarked, "The others made off at once. Just as well—I hadn't any ammo left." He had also been slightly wounded in the hand by a bullet.
Despite the many RAF claims (six Italian aircraft destroyed and two probables, included Cullen’s), on 20 February, it seems that only the Fiat G.50 of Tenente Alfredo Fusco of the 361a Squadriglia was shot down (the pilot was killed), while Tenente Livio Bassi of 395a Squadriglia was wounded and while attempting to force-land his damaged aircraft at Berat
, the G.50 flipped over and caught fire.
On 23 February, he attacked a CANT Z.506
three-engined floatplane as it was taking off at Preveza
in Greece, at first simply attempting to prevent it from getting airborne but then, when it refused to stop, destroying it on a second pass. The result did not add to his official score, however, as the Italian plane was not in full flight at the time of its destruction.
s in February 1941, Cullen's total stood at six enemy aircraft destroyed, plus one probable. He had earned a reputation for extreme aggression and doggedness in the air. His favourite tactic was to duel head-on with his intended victim, two aircraft firing at each other with a closing speed of over 500 miles per hour (804.7 km/h); he was quoted as saying, "It's always interesting to see who will pull away first". His colleagues reportedly said of him, "He never came out of a fight while a single enemy aircraft was left in the sky to give battle. He came home only when his guns were empty." Cullen opened his score in the Hurricane on 27 February, shooting down a Fiat CR.42 while escorting Bristol Blenheim
light bombers to Valona
, Albania. The day after, in what has been described as "the greatest air battle of this period", he was officially credited with shooting down five Italian planes in the one engagement, a record for his unit. His combat report read:
For his achievements on 28 February, the RAF's most successful day of the campaign, Cullen was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC). "But that day", recalled Corrado Ricci, Capitano of Regia Aeronautica
"we lost only a CR.42... Our pilots, in return, claimed four Glosters and a Hurricane". Some of Cullen air victories of 28 March are not confirmed as, actually, that day no Savoia Marchetti SM.79 was shot down: only one SM.79 of 104oGruppo was damaged, while the Breda 20s in the quote were in fact FIAT BR.20s.
He claimed another multiple kill on 3 March, when he and one of his comrades chased a group of CANT Z.1007 bis from 50oGruppo B.T. that had just bombed Larissa
, Greece. Catching the retreating bombers south-west of Corfu
, 80 Squadron claimed 6 and 1 probable. Cullen reported to have destroyed four CANTs and was also credited with one probable. But only two CANT bombers were in fact lost.
The following day, 4 March, flying Hurricane V7288, he was escorting a group of Blenheims near Himarë
in southern Albania. Once the Blenheims had bombed their target (five Italian warships) and were on their return flight, South-African ace Flight Lieutenant Marmaduke Pattle
ordered the Hurricanes to hunt in pairs over the warships, where a number of Italian fighters were seen. At once a lone G.50bis attacked Pattle and his wingman, on this occasion Flying Officer Cullen. Pattle reported to have promptly shot the Fiat down and to have watched it spiral into a mountainside just north of Himarë, but at this moment a second Fiat jumped Cullen Hurricane and he was not seen again; his aircraft crashed near Himarë, and the Australian ‘ace’ was killed. That day, according to Regia Aeronautica records, no Fiat G.50 was in fact lost.
He was twenty-three years old. The citation for his DFC was promulgated in the London Gazette
on 14 March:
Although the official history of Australia in the war puts the number of Cullen's victories at thirteen, his total score is more commonly estimated as sixteen, or sixteen-and-a-half.
Anyway, at least five of his air victories are not confirmed by Italian records, and probably other were shared with other pilots.
He is buried in Tirana Park Memorial Cemetery, Tirana
, Albania. His name appears on the Commemorative Roll at the Australian War Memorial
, Canberra.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(5 June 1917 – 4 March 1941) was an Australian fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of World War II. Serving with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF), he was credited with sixteen aerial victories before being killed in action during the Battle of Greece
Battle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
. Born in Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, New South Wales, Cullen was living in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and had already seen action in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
when he joined the RAF in 1937. Following the outbreak of World War II, he served initially with No. 267 Squadron in the Middle East
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
, before seeking reassignment to fighters. He was then posted to No. 80 Squadron
No. 80 Squadron RAF
No. 80 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both World War I and World War II.-Establishment and early service:...
, flying Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
biplanes, and shot down six Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
aircraft before the unit converted to Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s. Nicknamed "Ape" due to his physical bulk, Cullen was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
for destroying five enemy aircraft in a single sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
on 28 February 1941. He was credited with another four victories in the one engagement on 3 March; the next day, he was shot down and killed while on escort duty over Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, by a Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
Fiat G.50
Fiat G.50
The Fiat G.50 Freccia was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft. First flown in February 1937, the G.50 was Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production...
bis, at the age of twenty-three.
However, a number of his air victories are not confirmed by Regia Aeronautica records.
Early career
Born in NewcastleNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, New South Wales on 5 June 1917, Nigel Cullen was the son of Horace David Cullen (originally Horace David Cohen) and his wife Hero. The boy's uncle was future Major General Paul Alfred Cullen. Nigel was taken to England at an early age by his parents and attended Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, before studying at the College of Aero Engineering, Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
. Fired by a love of adventure, he competed in motorbike racing at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
in 1934, and later saw action as a member of the International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, suffering a wound to the stomach that necessitated repatriation to England. When he caught up again with his friends from Brooklands, he was reluctant to talk about the conflict except to say that "the wars of the future would be fought in the air".
Cullen was living in Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
when he joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) in 1937, and was granted a short-service commission as an acting Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
on 9 August. Completing his probation the following May, he was promoted to Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
on 31 December 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II. Posted to the Middle East
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
, his early wartime service was with No. 267 Squadron, a transport unit ferrying passengers and freight to and from Egypt. "Browned off" with transport duties, however, he sought reassignment to fighters and before long was able to wangle a transfer to No. 80 Squadron
No. 80 Squadron RAF
No. 80 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both World War I and World War II.-Establishment and early service:...
, flying Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
biplanes, a type that was obsolescent well before the war began.
Gladiators
After joining No. 80 Squadron in the Western Desert CampaignWestern Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
, Cullen was schooled in fighter tactics by "Pat" Pattle
Marmaduke Pattle
Squadron Leader Marmaduke Thomas St. John "Pat" Pattle DFC & Bar was a South African-born Second World War flying ace for the Royal Air Force. Pattle was a fighter ace with a very high score, and is sometimes noted as being the highest-scoring British and Commonwealth pilot of the Second World War...
, one of the leading British aces of the war. Nicknamed "Ape" by his colleagues due to his imposing physique, Cullen was described by a fellow pilot as "a big, smiling, long-armed giant from Putney, with an irresistible offensive spirit and quite fearless". He was "blooded" on 9 October, after being detailed to search single-handedly for a missing Allied truck. Failing to locate the vehicle, he spotted five Italian Breda Ba.65
Breda Ba.65
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Angelucci, Enzo and Paolo Matricardi. World Aircraft: World War II, Volume I . Maidenhead, UK: Sampson Low, 1978. ISBN 0-562-00096-8....
ground-attack aircraft south of Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...
and immediately engaged them, gaining credit for probably destroying one. The Ba.65s were those of the 159a Squadriglia, 12oGruppo, 50o Stormo Assalto, which didn’t suffer any losses.
The squadron redeployed to Greece the following month, to assist in resisting the Italian invasion
Battle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
. There Cullen achieved his first confirmed victory, over a Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello was a three-engine bomber/transport aircraft serving in the Italian Regia Aeronautica during World War II...
three-engined bomber - believed to be from 38o Stormo B.T. - near the Kassandra Peninsula
Pallene, Chalcidice
Pallene is the ancient name of the westernmost of the three headlands of Chalcidice, which run out into the Aegean Sea. Its modern name is Kassandra Peninsula . It is said to have anciently borne the name of Phlegra and to have witnessed the conflict between the gods and the earthborn Gigantes...
on 30 December. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
the next day.
Këlcyrë
Këlcyrë is a municipality in the Përmet District, southern Albania, located on the bank of the river Vjosë. The municipality consists of the town Këlcyrë and the villages Fshat Këlcyrë, Mbrezhdan, Maleshovë, Limar, Leskaj and Kala...
and Premet, over Albania, with 14 Gladiators from 80 Squadron, he attacked four 37o Stormo Fiat BR.20
Fiat BR.20
The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was a low-wing twin-engine medium bomber produced from mid-1930s until the end of World War II by the Turin firm. When it entered service in 1936 it was the first all-metal Italian bomber and it was regarded as one of the most modern medium bomber of the world...
s and five CANT Z.1007
CANT Z.1007
The Cant Z.1007 Alcione was a three-engined medium bomber, with wooden structure. Designed by ingegner Filippo Zappata, the "father" of the CANT...
bis bomber from 35o Stormo. Flying Officer Cullen reported shooting down a Z.1007bis, which exploded in midair, but as only one CANT was actually lost by Regia Aeronautica, it is presumed that he also fired at the aircraft already shot down by Marmaduke Pattle’s section.
He then claimed a Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
fighter from 150o Gruppo CT and a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
bomber on successive days, 9 and 10 February respectively. He then recorded two victories in one mission on 20 February, over Albania. After sending a Fiat G.50
Fiat G.50
The Fiat G.50 Freccia was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft. First flown in February 1937, the G.50 was Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production...
down in flames while escorting Allied bombers, he discovered two formations of CR.42s nearby and shot down one of them as well. Cullen later remarked, "The others made off at once. Just as well—I hadn't any ammo left." He had also been slightly wounded in the hand by a bullet.
Despite the many RAF claims (six Italian aircraft destroyed and two probables, included Cullen’s), on 20 February, it seems that only the Fiat G.50 of Tenente Alfredo Fusco of the 361a Squadriglia was shot down (the pilot was killed), while Tenente Livio Bassi of 395a Squadriglia was wounded and while attempting to force-land his damaged aircraft at Berat
Berat
Berat is a town located in south-central Albania. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of around 71,000 people. It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat...
, the G.50 flipped over and caught fire.
On 23 February, he attacked a CANT Z.506
CANT Z.506
The CANT Z.506 Airone was a triple-engine floatplane produced by CANT from 1935. It served as a transport and postal aircraft with the Italian airline "Ala Littoria"...
three-engined floatplane as it was taking off at Preveza
Preveza
Preveza is a town in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is part of the region of Epirus. An immersed tunnel, completed in 2002 which runs between Preveza and Actium, connects the town...
in Greece, at first simply attempting to prevent it from getting airborne but then, when it refused to stop, destroying it on a second pass. The result did not add to his official score, however, as the Italian plane was not in full flight at the time of its destruction.
Hurricanes
By the time No. 80 Squadron began re-equipping with Hawker HurricaneHawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s in February 1941, Cullen's total stood at six enemy aircraft destroyed, plus one probable. He had earned a reputation for extreme aggression and doggedness in the air. His favourite tactic was to duel head-on with his intended victim, two aircraft firing at each other with a closing speed of over 500 miles per hour (804.7 km/h); he was quoted as saying, "It's always interesting to see who will pull away first". His colleagues reportedly said of him, "He never came out of a fight while a single enemy aircraft was left in the sky to give battle. He came home only when his guns were empty." Cullen opened his score in the Hurricane on 27 February, shooting down a Fiat CR.42 while escorting Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
light bombers to Valona
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, Albania. The day after, in what has been described as "the greatest air battle of this period", he was officially credited with shooting down five Italian planes in the one engagement, a record for his unit. His combat report read:
For his achievements on 28 February, the RAF's most successful day of the campaign, Cullen was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC). "But that day", recalled Corrado Ricci, Capitano of Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
"we lost only a CR.42... Our pilots, in return, claimed four Glosters and a Hurricane". Some of Cullen air victories of 28 March are not confirmed as, actually, that day no Savoia Marchetti SM.79 was shot down: only one SM.79 of 104oGruppo was damaged, while the Breda 20s in the quote were in fact FIAT BR.20s.
He claimed another multiple kill on 3 March, when he and one of his comrades chased a group of CANT Z.1007 bis from 50oGruppo B.T. that had just bombed Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
, Greece. Catching the retreating bombers south-west of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, 80 Squadron claimed 6 and 1 probable. Cullen reported to have destroyed four CANTs and was also credited with one probable. But only two CANT bombers were in fact lost.
The following day, 4 March, flying Hurricane V7288, he was escorting a group of Blenheims near Himarë
Himarë
Himarë is a bilingual region and municipality along the Albanian Riviera in southern Albania and part of the District of Vlorë. Apart from the town of Himarë, the region consists of 7 other villages: Dhërmi, Pilur, Kudhës, Qeparo, Vuno, Iljas, and Palasë....
in southern Albania. Once the Blenheims had bombed their target (five Italian warships) and were on their return flight, South-African ace Flight Lieutenant Marmaduke Pattle
Marmaduke Pattle
Squadron Leader Marmaduke Thomas St. John "Pat" Pattle DFC & Bar was a South African-born Second World War flying ace for the Royal Air Force. Pattle was a fighter ace with a very high score, and is sometimes noted as being the highest-scoring British and Commonwealth pilot of the Second World War...
ordered the Hurricanes to hunt in pairs over the warships, where a number of Italian fighters were seen. At once a lone G.50bis attacked Pattle and his wingman, on this occasion Flying Officer Cullen. Pattle reported to have promptly shot the Fiat down and to have watched it spiral into a mountainside just north of Himarë, but at this moment a second Fiat jumped Cullen Hurricane and he was not seen again; his aircraft crashed near Himarë, and the Australian ‘ace’ was killed. That day, according to Regia Aeronautica records, no Fiat G.50 was in fact lost.
He was twenty-three years old. The citation for his DFC was promulgated in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 14 March:
Although the official history of Australia in the war puts the number of Cullen's victories at thirteen, his total score is more commonly estimated as sixteen, or sixteen-and-a-half.
Anyway, at least five of his air victories are not confirmed by Italian records, and probably other were shared with other pilots.
He is buried in Tirana Park Memorial Cemetery, Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, Albania. His name appears on the Commemorative Roll at the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
, Canberra.