James Roy "Jimmy" Cullen was born on 1 May 1919 in Waihi, New Zealand. He joined No. 486 Squadron in December 1942. He was awarded a DFC on 17 November 1944, and following a rest from operations he was posted in February 1945 to command No. 183 Squadron on Typhoons.
On 4 May his Typhoon was hit by Flak obliging him to force land on Fehman Island, where he was captured. He was freed a few days later when hostilites ceased, returning to his squadron until October. A Bar to his DFC was gazetted on 26 June 1945.
JImmy Cullen died on 14 June 1970.
Cullen's victories in Tempest
Date of Claim | Type Claimed | Aircraft Serial No. | Location of Claim | Unit |
18 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-Y (JN758) | Rye | 486 Sqn |
23 June 1944 | 1/2 x V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | Beachy Head | 486 Sqn |
25 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | SW Redhill | 486 Sqn |
25 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | SW Headcorn | 486 Sqn |
29 June 1944 | V-1 | SA-P (JN810) | off Shoreham | 486 Sqn |
3 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-R (JN863) | Hastings | 486 Sqn |
4 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | 4-6m N Hastings | 486 Sqn |
7 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-Q (EJ527) | SE Beachy Head | 486 Sqn |
8 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | Dungeness Point | 486 Sqn |
9 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-W (JN873) | S Lloyd | 486 Sqn |
9 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-W (JN873) | S Bexhill | 486 Sqn |
14 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | N Hastings | 486 Sqn |
18 July 1944 | 1/2 x V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | W Tenterden | 486 Sqn |
18 July 1944 | 1/2 x V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | 10m N Rye | 486 Sqn |
22 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-S (EJ537) | nr Sevenoaks | 486 Sqn |
22 July 1944 | V-1 | SA-X (EJ523) | N Rye | 486 Sqn |
26 July 1944 | 1/4 x V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | 8m N Pevensey | 486 Sqn |
27 August 1944 | V-1 | SA-V (JN770) | Tenterden | 486 Sqn |
Sources:
Aces High Vol. 2 by Christopher Shores