Non-Danish "Danish" Aircrew

During the course of my research on Danish pilots and aircrew I have come across a number of people who turned out not to meet the criteria to be included on this site as Danish. Some of these people are mentioned as Danish by other sources, others have been researched because they hold Danish names.

When establishing this website, I decided to include only people who were Danish citizens at the time of the Second World War, i.e. when enlisting. As it is not always easy to establish the citizenship of a person, I have researched a number of people only to discover that they were not Danish at the end - at least not by the before mentioned definition.

These are people who were born in Denmark or by people of Danish descent. As emigration from Denmark to United States, Australia and New Zealand was substantial in the late 19th century, a large number of such “Danes” can be found.

The fact that their citizenship does not meet the definition on Danish used on this website does not lessen their contribution to the war. Therefore, I have chosen to display the people that have been researched here.

Royal Air Force

Einar Knud Alfred Andersen, DFM (745577, RAFVR) is in service in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and is killed in action in 1942 He is, according to my information, born and raised in Britain, presumably, by a Danish born father. Hence, he is registered as English.

Charles Peter Ernest Schalburg (182128, RAFVR) is born in England and serves in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He is the son of Danish born Ernst Schalburg.

Neil Hyland Svendsen, DFC (40327, RAF) is one of the Danes in allied air force service according to Ancker (2006). I have no indication suggesting that Neil Hyland Svendsen was in fact Danish, as he seems to have been born and raised in New Zealand.

Niels Erik Westergaard, DFC (133578, RAFVR) is in fact a British subject and as such he is given the opportunity to leave Denmark following the German occupation on 9 April 1940. He joins the Royal Air Force, but is killed in 1944 on a raid over Germany. He is awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross post mortem.

Royal Norwegian Air Force

Prince Jacques de Bourbon-Parma is French by birth. He joins the Royal Norwegian Air Force during the Second World War. Son of Danish Princess Marguerite, he lived a large part of his life in Denmark, and is therefore included here.

Bernard Ingvar S. Mathisen is born in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1924, but is of Norwegian nationality. He volunteers for the Royal Norwegian Air Force in 1943.

Royal Canadian Air Force

Aage Koldbye Jensen (C8010) is in service in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. He seems to be Canadian.

Christian Marius Nielsen, DFC (J/85080) is an American of Danish descent who joins the Royal Canadian Air Force. He is to become known as the "mad Dane."

Royal Australian Air Force

William Oluf Grut (118475, RAAF) is born in Denmark, but of Swedish nationality. He volunteers for the Malayan Volunteer Air Force as well as for the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War.

Royal New Zealand Air Force

Arnold George Christensen (NZ.413380) is in service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War. Despite the Danish/Scandinavian name he seems to be from New Zealand, only possibly, of Danish descent. He is killed by the Germans following an attempt to escape a prisoner of war camp in 1944.

United States Army Air Forces

Jens A Norgaard (17029105) is born in the Danish West Indies in 1916 shortly before the transfer of the island to United States. On D-Day he is the lead pilot of the Marauder attacks on Utah beach supporting the landing. He is then a U.S. Citizen.