Paul Rabone

Paul Wattling Rabone
Born	(1918-03-02)2 March 1918 Salisbury, England
Died	24 July 1944(1944-07-24) (aged 26) North Sea
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1938–1944
Rank	Squadron Leader
Unit	No. 515 Squadron No. 23 Squadron No. 488 Squadron No. 422 Flight No. 145 Squadron No. 88 Squadron
Commands	No. 1528 Beam Approach Training Flight No. 1451 Flight
Battles/wars	Second World War Battle of France Battle of Britain The Blitz Channel Front
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross

Paul Wattling Rabone DFC (2 March 1918 – 24 July 1944) was a New Zealand fighter pilot and flying ace who flew in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. Born in Salisbury, England, he was educated in New Zealand. He joined the RAF in 1938 and was posted to No. 88 Squadron, which was sent to France in September 1939 after the outbreak of the Second World War. He flew a Fairey Battle during the Battle of France, and was twice shot down.

Returning to England at the end of the fighting in France, he transferred to Fighter Command and flew in the Battle of Britain. He later switched to nighttime operations, flying interception missions during the Blitz and intruder flights to France, interspersed with periods of instructing duties. He was a flight commander when No. 488 (NZ) Squadron was formed in 1942, and much of the year was spent in training before commencing offensive night operations to France. From June 1943 to the end of that year, he flew with No. 23 Squadron in support of operations in Italy. Killed while flying an operation to Germany, he was credited with the destruction of nine enemy aircraft at the time of his death.