John Plagis information

John Plagis
John Plagis
	Plagis in England, c. July 1942
Birth name	Ioannis Agorastos Plagis
Born	10 March 1919; Gadzema, Southern Rhodesia
Died	1974 (aged 54–55); Rhodesia
Allegiance	Colony of Southern Rhodesia; United Kingdom;
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1941–1948
Rank	Wing Commander
Service number	80227
Unit	No. 65 Squadron (1941); No. 266 Squadron (1941–42); No. 249 Squadron (1942); No. 185 Squadron (1942);
Commands held	No. 64 Squadron (1943–44); No. 126 Squadron (1944–45); Bentwaters Wing (1945); No. 266 Squadron (1946–47);
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Distinguished Service Order; Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar; Airman's Cross (Netherlands);
Other work	Businessman; electoral candidate for the Rhodesian Front in 1962; director of Central African Airways

Ioannis Agorastos "John" Plagis,^{[n 1]} DSO, DFC & Bar (1919–1974) was a Southern Rhodesian flying ace in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War, noted especially for his part in the defence of Malta during 1942. The son of Greek immigrants, he was accepted by recruiters only after Greece joined the Allies in late 1940. Following spells with No. 65 Squadron and No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron, he joined No. 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron in Malta in March 1942. Flying Spitfire Mk Vs, Plagis was part of the multinational group of Allied pilots that successfully defended the strategically important island against numerically superior Axis forces over the next few months. Flying with No. 185 Squadron from early June, he was withdrawn to England in early July 1942.

After a spell as an instructor in the UK, Plagis returned to action in September 1943 as commander of No. 64 Squadron, flying Spitfire Mk VCs over northern France. He took command of No. 126 (Persian Gulf) Squadron in June 1944, and led many attacks on German positions during the invasion of France and the campaign that followed; he was shot down over Arnhem during Operation Market Garden, but only lightly wounded. After converting to Mustang IIIs, he commanded a wing based at RAF Bentwaters that supported bombing missions. He finished the war with the rank of squadron leader and remained with the RAF afterwards, operating Gloster Meteors at the head of No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron.

Plagis was the top-scoring Southern Rhodesian ace of the war, and the highest-scoring ace of Greek origin, with 16 confirmed aerial victories, including 11 over Malta. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order and other medals, he was also one of Rhodesia's most decorated veterans. The Southern Rhodesian capital, Salisbury, honoured his wartime contributions by naming a street in its northern Alexandra Park neighbourhood after him. On his return home after retiring from the RAF with the rank of wing commander in 1948, he set up home at 1 John Plagis Avenue, opened a bottle store bearing his name, and was a director of several companies, including Central African Airways in the 1960s. He contested the Salisbury City constituency in the 1962 general election, standing for the Rhodesian Front, but failed to win. He died in 1974.

^ Salt 2001, p. 263.

Cite error: There are <ref group=n> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=n}} template (see the help page).

[FOOTNOTESalt2001263-1] Salt 2001, p. 263.

John Plagis information

and 22 Related for: John Plagis information

John Plagis

Ioannis

Southern Rhodesia in World War II

Prince Edward School

Greeks in Zimbabwe

List of flying aces from Greece

March 1919

1962 Southern Rhodesian general election

List of World War II aces from Southern Rhodesia

Octoechos

Orientation of churches

Battle of Makryplagi

Nancy Valen

University of Hong Kong

Ad orientem

Hakea chordophylla

Hellenic Air Force

Hagiopolitan Octoechos

Brown Eyed Girl

Metres of Roman comedy

Membra Jesu Nostri

Helicia