Alan C Deere

Alan Christopher Deere (1917-1995) was a New Zealand–born Royal Air Force fighter ace of the Second World War, famed for his skill, leadership, and remarkable survival of numerous near-death incidents, earning him the nickname “Nine Lives.” Flying Spitfires in the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain, and beyond, he achieved 22 confirmed aerial victories, earning the DSO, OBE, and DFC & Bar. Post-war, he rose to air commodore and authored the memoir Nine Lives.

Deere was born in Westport, New Zealand, and joined the RAF before the war, being commissioned in 1938. During WWII he flew Supermarine Spitfires in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, serving with several squadrons and later rising to senior command positions, including wing leadership roles. He became one of the RAF’s notable fighter “aces,” credited with multiple confirmed aerial victories and many more damaged enemy aircraft.

Deere earned several high-level decorations for his service, including the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Bar, the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), and the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

The title Nine Lives reflects his reputation for surviving numerous close calls in combat—he was shot down or forced to bail out multiple times during the war, yet repeatedly returned to flying duty. His memoir is considered a classic first-hand account of RAF operations, particularly valued for its blend of personal experience and operational detail from 1939–1944.