later with the assistance of the French resistance. Deere had also crashed his Spitfire during a takeoff. After recovering from his illness, Malan took him off flying duties and placed him on leave. During his term as commander of the Biggin Hill wing, Deere had flown on 42 operations and the wing had accounted for sixty enemy aircraft destroyed. Later war experiences While on leave, and in recognition of his leadership of the Biggin Hill wing when it escorted bombers of the Eighth Air Force, Deere was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by the United States. On 21 October 1943 he was sent to RAF Sutton Bridge, where he was to be the chief instructor at the Fighter Wing of the Central Gunnery School. In November, he went to Buckingham Palace to be invested with the DSO that he had been awarded earlier in the year. Deere was given a staff role at the headquarters of No. 11 Group in March 1944. Shortly afterwards, he received the Croix de Guerre from the Free French forces, in recognition of his role in leading the French squadrons that were part of the Biggin Hill wing. On 1 May, at the request of the Chief of Staff of the Free French Air Force, Général de division (General) Martial Valin, Deere took command of No. 145 Wing, which comprised two French squadrons operating Spitfires. Part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, the wing provided air cover over the beaches on D-Day. Deere went with the wing to France when it began operating from continental Europe but in late July he was posted to the headquarters of No. 84 Group. He acted in a co-ordination role, moving with ground forces and calling in air strikes on ground targets. When the war in Europe ended in May 1945, he was at Celle, in Germany, with a joint planning team. Deere was one of New Zealand's best-known fighter pilots of the war. He was credited with 22 victories, one of which was shared, 10 probables and 18 damaged. Of the several New Zealanders who became aces, he was second only to Colin Gray. Later research by aviation historians Christopher Shores and Clive Williams suggests that he actually destroyed 17 enemy aircraft, with a share in the destruction of one more, plus four probables and a share in another, and seven damaged with one shared. Post-war career In