r , ▁bom bed ▁and ▁st raf ed ▁a ▁column ▁of ▁German ▁t anks ▁and ▁support ▁vehicles , ▁ign iting ▁fires ▁that ▁sent ▁the ▁sm ell ▁of ▁burning ▁flesh ▁into ▁the ▁co ck p its ▁of ▁the ▁low - f lying ▁aircraft — a ▁" gh ast ly ▁horror ", ▁according ▁to ▁Sp ence , ▁that ▁made ▁him ▁phys ically ▁ill . ▁His ▁many ▁ground - att ack ▁miss ions ▁and ▁two ▁aer ial ▁vict ories ▁earned ▁him ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross . ▁Bar r ▁re called ▁Sp ence ▁as ▁being ▁the ▁" h ott est ▁d ive ▁bom ber ▁in ▁the ▁Des ert " ▁and ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁rocks ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron ". ▁ ▁Return ing ▁to ▁Australia ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Sp ence ▁was ▁posted ▁as ▁an ▁instruct or ▁to ▁No .   2 ▁Oper ational ▁Training ▁Unit ▁in ▁M ild ura , ▁Victoria . ▁The ▁unit ▁operated ▁several ▁types ▁of ▁aircraft ▁including ▁K itt y h aw ks , ▁C AC ▁Bo omer angs ▁and ▁Super marine ▁Sp it f ires . ▁Sp ence ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁acting ▁squad ron ▁leader ▁on ▁ 1   F ebru ary ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁No .   4 5 2 ▁Squadron ▁two ▁days ▁later . ▁Based ▁near ▁Dar win , ▁Northern ▁Territ ory , ▁No . ▁ 4 5 2 ▁Squadron ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁Sp it fire ▁squad rons ▁compr ising ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁( F