This page holds names of deceased fellow Lions with last names beginning with the letters A to L. If you have any or further information about a deceased Lion's obituary that is documented here please forward it to Webmanager so it can be included. We also ask that you notify us when you become aware of a Lion's passing.
Passed away peacefully at the Brantford General Hospital in his 92nd year. Beloved husband of A. Norma Macaulay (nee Shaw), for over 64 years. Loving father of Graham (Freda), Donald (Laura), Catherine (Phil Woodard), Brenda (Neil Gurney) and Malcolm (Sandy). Cherished grandfather of Scott (Gillian), Kyle, Cameron, Dylan, Jay, John, Angus, Frazer, James and Sarah; and great-grandfather of Maximus and Isla. Also survived by his brother Gale (Virginia), sister-in-law Audrey (Bob Guest), many nieces, nephews and their families. Predeceased by his parents Stewart and Dorothy, brother Leslie (Winona) Macaulay. Bob was Past Master of Scotland Masonic Lodge #193 A.F. & A.M., Past D.D.G.M. of Brant Masonic District (1985), was employed at C.P.R. for over 35 years and proudly served as a navigator with the R.A.F. & R.C.A.F. Bomber Command WWII.
Passed away peacefully on September 10, 2022 at Trillium Partners Hospital.
She was trained and graduated as an English teacher from Victoria College, UofT, in 1957 and began teaching in Aurora, Ontario. Two years later she applied to the Department of National Defence and was accepted as a High School teacher for RCAF personnel's children at 3 (F) Wing in Zweibrücken, Germany. There, she met her partner, Wayne, and they were married in the Chapel at 3 Wing and very soon after returned to Canada.
In 1964 they decamped again and moved to Sydney, Australia where Wayne had a position with QANTAS the Australian airline. They returned to Canada in 1966 with Wayne joining Air Canada Flight Operations. Beth not to be outdone decided to rejoin the work force and once a suitable care giver was found for their three children she returned to teaching. For the next twenty five years she continued to teach but moved from the classroom and into related educational fields. She especially enjoyed her time as Manager, Special Education in the Wellington School District. During her teaching career she had also returned to University and earned her Master of Education(MEd). She also completed her Master of Social Work (MSW) after retiring and briefly returned to the work force in a social work role.
After retiring for the second time she developed a passion for NFL football and was able to converse and trade stats with her son and grandsons. She was also the master scribe in the family and many essays, papers and ROARs were surveyed and corrected, with briefings, by her to everyone's satisfaction including many Professors. She enjoyed travel and it was a joke in the family that she always had a bag packed by the door.
An independent woman with an immense love and justified pride in her family of which she was the acknowledged leader. She started editing ROAR in 2007. Her last ROAR edited was May 2022.
Jim was born in Victoria, B.C. and raised in Port Alberni. He joined the RCAF in 1957 and after he received his 'wings' he was posted to Zweibrücken, Germany. It was here that he flew the F-86 Sabres as a member of 427 Squadron. In the 25 years of Jim's air force career, he was able to fly to many different areas, such as Hawaii, Japan,Wake Island, Malaysia and England. His last posting was to Victoria where he worked in Headquarters until retiring in 1982 with the rank of Major. He then worked in real estate before retiring completely and moving to Cowichan Bay. He had a passion for airplanes but his biggest passion was cars, of which he and many over the years.He loved to cook, usually for ten peoiple, even if there were only four. He was a generous , caring person who would do anything for his family and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him especially family and his SPAADS collegues.
He leaves his Barbara, wife of 59 years, as well as his daughters Sandra (Cheryl) and Debbie; his gradchildren Melodie, Connor (Choloe), Corey (Mika) and Tyler (Jill).
Group Captain, Marshall RCAF, served overseas with 427 Squadron, Leeming, Yorkshire. Post war he was Commanding Officer of 424 Squadron and 16 Wing. He also served as the Ontraio Chairman of the RCAF Benevolent Fund for many years.
Murray Marshall learned to fly as a teenager in the Second World War and shared his enthusiasm with hundreds of young air force pilots over a 23-year career. A quiet individual, he seldom spoke of his war years and referred to himself as a dull man. Dull or not, he brought his aircrew safely home after every mission through the deadly summer of 1944.
Murray Marshall was born in 1921 in Ancaster, Ont., northwest of Hamilton, the 10th child of a prominent farm family that had lived in the area for almost a century. He earned his Royal Canadian Air Force pilot's wings a year after graduating from high school and, by his 20th birthday, he was teaching teenage recruits to fly over the fields of southwestern Ontario. In 1943, he was assigned to the RCAF's 427 Squadron in England and switched from two-seater, single-engine Harvards to huge four-engine Halifax bombers that carried seven crew and 6,000 kilograms of bombs. The skies above Britain's airbases were crowded with beginner and veteran pilots and conversion unit training mishaps often added to the RCAF's high casualty lists. Bomber crews serving overseas had a 50-per-cent survival rate.
During the Halifax course, 20-year-old Nick Markin joined Mr. Marshall's crew as the mid-upper gunner. He remembers his tall flight lieutenant as a very quiet, very calm pilot. Nothing seemed to phase him. When a tail control snapped during takeoff, the 21-metre-long plane swerved dangerously off the runway into a field, but Mr. Marshall's reaction was typically low key. "I wonder what caused that", he asked casually when the plane came to rest. "We were glad we had him", said Mr. Markin, 87, of Port Coquitlam, B.C., "He brought us home every time". While pilots normally hand picked their entire crew, Mr. Marshall was assigned a British radio operator who had experienced two fiery crashes and was suffering from bad nerves. Worried that the man would be charged with lack of moral fibre for what would today be recognized as post-traumatic stress, Mr. Marshall quietly talked him through the panic attacks of nausea and shaking that accompanied every takeoff and landing.
On April 26, 1944, the night before his 23rd birthday, Mr. Marshall made his first bombing flight with the RCAF 427 Squadron out of Leeming, North Yorkshire. The flights were usually eight hours long, starting and ending over the English Channel, a body of water that held no appeal for Mr. Marshall. Near the end of his tour, he won the Distinguished Flying Cross for the skill he showed in bringing his badly damaged Halifax home rather than ditching it in the sea. He held the plane steady while the crew members decided if they should bail out, his daughter Susan said. In the end, they stayed with the plane, she said. But Dad had no intention of jumping. He hated cold water. Typically, he attributed his survival to the skill of his crew. He told his wife Dorothy that navigator Mac McLeod was the one who always got them home. Even when they were flying on fumes with no oil and all shot up, Mac found their way back. Mrs. Marshall said her husband told her that the crew members always peed on the plane's back wheel for good luck before takeoff. Mr. Markin credits Mr. Marshall's skill with the survival of the crew and its Halifax through 37 missions, mostly over Germany and France. He was very clever. When the search lights came on, he was able to take evasive action like no one else. During one flight, the bomber kept bumping up slightly and settling back down. We didn't even know what was causing it until we got back home. There were 113 holes in the fuselage from ack-ack [anti-aircraft fire]. The summer weather of 1944 made for clear flying and Mr. Marshall's crew flew so regularly that they fulfilled their quota of missions by September. One assignment was to bomb German positions prior to the Normandy invasion, during which 150,000 Allied soldiers landed in France on the first day.
That fall Mr. Marshall returned to flight instructor duties in Canada and, before his next overseas tour started, the war was over. By Christmas 1945, he had returned to civilian life and his father's potato farm. He began courting Dorothy Gleed, a registered nurse at Hamilton's Veterans Hospital, whom he had met in high school. They married in early 1948 and bought a potato farm of their own north of Waterdown, Ont.
Mr.Marshall seldom spoke of his wartime experiences, but he was not finished with the RCAF. He joined Hamilton's 424 auxiliary Tiger squadron and spent the next 18 years flying a range of fighters, including Harvards, Mustangs and the T-133 Silver Star training jet. By 1953 he was the squadron's commanding officer and, in 1960, was promoted to commander of 16 Wing, which administered a number of local reserve squadrons including the 424. Administrative duties took up two nights a week and his reward was a Saturday or Sunday in the sky. Mrs. Marshall said that her husband's reserve duties once got them better phone service after an RCAF emergency call was blocked by a local operator. There were 15 people on our party line and late one night the operator wouldn't put a call through for fear of waking everyone up (if all the telephones rang). The air force had a private line installed in the Marshall home the next day.
Summer was a busy time for a potato farmer, so Mr. Marshall usually missed extended military exercises in the warm months, but he had no excuse to skip a winter survival course in 1962 near Fort St. John in northeastern British Columbia. Dropped off in dangerously cold weather with only a survival kit, the small group of pilots were contemplating a miserable night when they stumbled across an isolated homestead. The family took them in and fed them before they resumed roughing it the following day. George Stewart, a veteran fighter pilot and fellow reservist, remembers his former commander fondly. Everyone liked him. He wasn't a braggadocio kind. Murray was a great,regular guy. A very good pilot. A great competitor. A good leader.
That skill and competitive nature contributed in 1953 to the success of the 424 in the air force's annual gunnery competition. Mr. Marshall and Mr. Stewart were part of the five-man team that won the MacBrien Trophy in their P51 Mustangs, beating out the country's best regular-force fighter pilots. Their green single-prop fighters carried the squadron's distinctive logo of a tiger ready to pounce out of Mount Hope, the 424's hilltop base. Susan Marshall grew up used to seeing her farmer father in uniform as he moved back and forth between his fields and the air base. I remember going to change-of-command ceremonies and taking the salute at the cenotaph on Remembrance Day. He had his air force, but I was more interested in my horse shows. Those special-occasion duties continued long after he retired from the RCAF in 1964 when 424 Squadron was disbanded. The family joke was that when dad had to take the salute, mom had to put him on a diet so that his uniform would fit, Susan said. After his air force retirement, he bought a share in a private plane and continued to fly until age 66.
One of his proudest duties was a four-year appointment as an honorary aide-de-camp to Governor-General Georges Vanier whenever royal duties brought the GG or royal visitors to the Hamilton area. He attended the Queen during her 1959 visit. Despite his senior rank and personal success, Mr. Marshall never forgot the needs of other veterans. For 30 years he worked with the Ontario chapter of the RCAF Benevolent Fund, a volunteer organization that provided financial assistance and counselling to airmen and women who had fallen on hard times. Fifteen of those years were as provincial chair. As quiet a veteran as he was, he liked the camaraderie of other servicemen. He was a regular at the Royal Hamilton Military Institute, a donor to the Warplane Heritage Museum and a keen member of the Halifax Bomber Association that recovered a crashed Halifax bomber in 1995. After 350,000 hours of volunteer time, the Halifax, shot down in Norway in 1945, went on display at Trenton's National Air Force Museum. Suffering from Parkinson's disease, cancer and a broken hip in recent years, Mr. Marshall talked of taking one last look at his beloved Halifax but he never got the opportunity. So he watched the sky instead. To Mrs. Marshall, her husband's affection for flying was clear. He loved the clouds, loved to do aerobatics through them. Even when he was sick, he would look at them and say he wished he was barrelling through them.
Murray Gordon Marshall was born April 27, 1921, in Ancaster, Ont. He died Sept. 27, 2009, at Hamilton's McMaster University Medical Centre. He was 88. He leaves his wife Dorothy, and daughters Susan Marshall and Gwyn Spak. He was predeceased by his son Craig Marshall.
From the Globe and Mail on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009 by Frank B. Edwards - Special to The Globe and Mail
More on Murray Marshall with photos
Dorothy Gwyndolyn Marshall obituary
Neil Martin was a true son of the Comox Valley. A descendant of early settlers, he was born in St. Joseph’s Hospital on August 9, 1921 and raised in Headquarters. During WWII, he served in the R.C.A.F. For much of his life, Neil worked in the woods, first as a bush scaler, then a safety coordinator and finally as a bullbucker. Neil is predeceased by his parents Bob and Mildred Martin (nee: Pritchard), sisters Grace, Connie, and Muriel, and daughter Melody. He leaves behind his wife Eleanor, daughters Linda Martin and Susie Shaw (David), grandchildren Cindy Brown (Ryan) and Scott Shaw (Lee-Ann) and great-grandson William Robert Shaw.
His wife:
Eleanor Ethel (nee Burritt) Martin
July 31, 1925 – July 25, 2012
Eleanor was born in Vancouver, the beloved daughter of Edmund and Ethel Burritt. Upon her marriage, Eleanor moved to Headquarters and then to Comox, where she lived for 65 years. She was predeceased by her husband Neil Martin, daughter Melody Martin, both parents, and brothers Oscar, Edmund and Charlie Burritt. Eleanor leaves behind her daughters Linda Martin and Susie Shaw (David), grandchildren Scott Shaw (Lee-Ann) and Cindy Brown (Ryan), and great-grandchildren William and Jack Shaw and Avery and Victor Brown. She will be greatly missed by her extended family and her dear sister-in-law, June Burritt.
Thanks again to Barb Henderson for researching this information
Garth passed away on Friday morning after being diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer three years ago. He was a very private person but fortunately he had two neighbours, Brian and Kelly, who adopted him into their family and became care givers as the disease progressed.
Garth joined the Squadron in June 1961 and quickly became a valued member of the SMU (Single Men's Union). The Squadron stood down
as an F-86 Squadron when the CF-104 was introduced to 3(F)Wing in 1962. Garth was then assigned to 430 Squadron at 2(F)Wing,
Grostonquin, France. However, 430 Squadron was also stood down when they received CF-104s late in 1962.
He then returned to Canada instructing on the T-33 at Gimli, Manitoba. The next year Garth left the RCAF to join Qantas,
Australia's flag carrier. Returning to Canada in 1966 he joined Air Canada and had a long and illustrious career retiring while on the Boeing 747-400.
In addition to Brian and Kelly, his very good friends, he had two four legged friends, "his boys" who provided a great deal of comfort before,
during and after his ordeal. Brian and Kelly are continuing their caring and have adopted Garth's "boys".
A Report on Garth's Memorial service at North Bay by Dick Dunn
Photos from the Memorial Service at North Bay for Garth courtesy of Dick Dunn
Everyone's friend, Ross Mayberry passed away after a long battle with cancer. Frederick Ross (or Rosco to everyone) Mayberry was born in Toronto, Ontario and flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1957 to 1966. Types flown included the Chipmunk, Harvard, T33, CL41, F86, DC3 and the CL41 Tutor. He flew the F-86 with 427 Squadron at Zweibrücken, Germany from 1959 to 1962. Back home in Canada he instructed on several of those types from 1963 to 1966. Ross came to Australia in 1966 to join Qantas and was one of the few who stayed and made Australia home. Rosco flew the B707 and the B747 Classic variants with Qantas and retired a few years early due to shoulder problems. He and wife Dorothy ran a small farm near the old town of Stroud, about 200 kms north of Sydney and was enjoying retirement until the big C intervened.
Earl served as a bomber pilot with 427 Squadron, RCAF, completing a tour of operations for which he was awarded the DFC. He continued to serve in the RCAF after the war as a pilot and administrative officer. He retired in 1968 from the Canadian Air Force Headquarters. After retiring he worked as Secretary to the Royal Architectural Institute.
McAULEY, F/L Albert Gerald (J18888) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.427 Squadron - Award effective 1 September 1944 as per London Gazette dated 15 September 1944 and AFRO 2373/44 dated 3 November 1944.
Born in Hilton, Ontario, October 1920; home in Belleville or Marmora, Ontario. Enlisted in Toronto, 31 July 1941. Granted Leave Without Pay until 31 August 1941 when posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To technical Training School, 10 October 1941 (probable guard duty); to No.6 ITS, 7 December 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 30 January 1942 but not posted to No.20 EFTS until 14 February 1942; may have graduated 17 July 1942 but not posted to No.9 SFTS until 1 August 1942. Graduated and promoted Sergeant, 20 November 1942. To ?Y? Depot, 1 December 1942. To RAF overseas, 10 December 1942. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 20 May 1943. Commissioned 7 October 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 26 February 1944. Promoted Flight Lieutenant with effect from that same day. Repatriated 23 April 1945. To No.1 Air Command, 8 May 1945. Retired 15 November 1945.
No citation in AFRO other than "completed...many successful operations during which [he has] displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty." DHist file 181.009 D.1729 (PAC RG.24 Vol.20607) has recommendation forwarded to Station Leeming, 22 June 1944 when he had completed 31 sorties (206 hours). This pilot has completed thirty-one sorties on which twenty-five have been on major targets. Flight Lieutenant McAuley was a Deputy Flight Commander and his work generally has been of excellent calibre. His ability to make instant decisions in emergency [sic], skilful pilotage and cool judgement has been an inspiration to his crew.
The sortie list was as follows:
15 September 1943 - Mont Lucon (7.25)
16 September 1943 - Modane (8.10)
22 September 1943 - Hanover (2.55, duty not carried out)
27 September 1943 - Hanover (6.25)
29 September 1943 - Bochum (5.45)
4 October 1943 - Frankfurt (7.10)
8 October 1943 - Hanover (5.30)
3 November 1943 - Dusseldorf (5.25)
18 November 1943 - Mannheim (8.00)
19 November 1943 - Leverkusen (6.15)
22 November 1943 - Berlin (7.30)
25 November 1943 - Frankfurt (7.30)
26 November 1943 - Stuttgart (8.30)
3 December 1943 - Leipzig (8.30)
29 December 1943 - Berlin (7.20)
20 January 1944 - Berlin (7.40)
15 February 1944 - Berlin (6.15)
19 February 1944 - Leipzig (6.40)
20 February 1944 - Stuttgart (7.30)
25 February 1944 - Augsburg (7.45)
13 March 1944 - Le Mans (5.05)
15 March 1944 - Stuttgart (8.15)
18 March 1944 - Frankfurt (5.20)
22 March 1944 - Frankfurt (5.50)
24 March 1944 - Berlin (7.25)
30 March 1944 - Nuremberg (1.25, duty not carried out)
27 April 1944 - Aulnoye (4.40)
7 May 1944 - St. Valery en Caux (3.50)
11 May 1944 - Boulogne (4.30)
12 May 1944 - Louvain (4.50)
22 May 1944 - Le Mans (4.50)
31 May 1944 - Au Fevre (4.25)
RCAF Routine Order 1101 published 17 July 1942 reads as follows (note rendering of name - ?Gerard? rather than ?Gerald.?: R119494 Leading Aircraftman Albert Gerard McAuley, an airman of the Royal Canadian Air Force serving at No.20 Elementary Flying Training School, Oshawa, Ontario, was tried by a district court-martial on the 8th day of June 1942 and was found guilty on the following charges: (a) Flew aircraft at an altitude of less than 1,000 feet contrary to Station Standing Orders. (b) Flew aircraft outside an authorized flying area contrary to Station Standing Orders. He was sentenced to undergo detention for 42 days. The findings and sentences, having been confirmed by the Air Officer Commanding, No.1 Training Command, Toronto, Ontario, were promulgated to the accused.
Earl, of Lantz, Nova Scotia passed away on June 30, 2017 aged 78 at the family cottage, Isaac's Lake, Westchester Mountain. Born in Middle Musquodoboit, he was the son of Everett and Pearl (Hamilton) McCurdy. Earl attended Acadia University from 60 to 67 while completing RCAF ROTP program. He started his career as a pilot in the RCAF in Zweibrücken, West Germany.He was the last pilot posted to 427 Squadron at Zweibrücken during the Sabre era. Postings followed in Bagotville, Kingston, Petawawa, Greenwood, Halifax and Chatham. The pinnacle of his career as a military pilot was commanding 405 Squadron in Greenwood, N.S. After retiring from the Air Force, Earl spent 7 enjoyable years flying fishery patrols with Provincial Airlines. He loved fishing, hunting, golf and curling. But his happiest days were spent at the cottage with family and his dogs. He is survived by his wife, the former Linda McCully; sons Dan (Judy Butt), Bonnyville, AB; Barry (Chérie), Cochrane, AB; Chris (Janice), St John, NB;
Walter served with the 427 squadron ground crew technical staff at RCAF Leeming airbase in Yorkshire from 1942 to 1945. During the war he met and married Gladys Ivy Rye, serving as a WAAF, in November 1943. They were married in St James Church at Egerton, Kent. After the war ended, they returned to Canada, eventually settling in Toronto. Walter passed of natural causes in 1974. Ironically, he and his wife are both buried at St. James Cemetery in Toronto.
Duncan McLeish - 1929 - 1999 - Merrie Priddle McLeish - 1930 - 2011
Duncan was born in Hamilton into a family of flyers. Both his older brothers were pilots with the RCAF and fought in WWII. He married his high school sweetheart, Merrie Priddle, in 1952. She quickly began to enjoy the life of being a pilot's wife as they started their married life in Chatham N.B. Duncan was then posted to Trenton and later to Zweibrüken, Germany where he became a member of 427 Squadron flying F-86 Sabres. These were some of the happiest days of his life. After retiring from the air force in 1972, he completed his BA from Carleton University in Ottawa and began a second career as a computer analyst. But, he always defined himself as a pilot and enjoyed flying little two seater planes out of Uplands Airforce Base in Ottawa. Both Duncan and Merrie kept in touch with many of the 427 group and enjoyed any chance to get together and remember the glory days of flying the Sabres. You would see grown men with their hands flying through the air, jumping out of their seats, imagining that they were back up in the sky, as excited as any little boy would be on his first plane ride. Soon the 427 reunions began and Duncan was always busy with something to do with those arrangments. It seemed each year it was held it was more spectacular than the year before. The reunion for the millennium (2000) was to take place on an Alaska cruise (not quite flying but maybe second best). Duncan and Merrie were quite excited and were busy organizing events with fellow 427er's. Unfortunately, Duncan had an unexpected stroke and passed away in October 1999 so never did get to board the ship.
Merrie's daughter, Margaret, suggested to Merrie that she did not need to give up her wonderful 427 friends and accompanied Merrie on the cruise. It was a pleasure for Margaret to meet the people who had meant so much to her parents. Merrie continued her painting in Barrie, Ontario. She passed away January 2011 from congestive heart failure.
From a note by their daughter Margaret Makaltses with thanks
Mac was born in Montreal, Canada in July 1920 however the family later moved to Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
He was educated at Teaneck High school in New Jersey, USA and enlisted into the RCAF on the September 24, 1940. He graduated from No.2 I.T.S on October 14, 1940. Promoted to LAC, he then went on to No.6 E.F.T.S in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Successful there he was next posted to No.4 S.F.T.S at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He finished there in January 1941 and in March 1941 was promoted to Sergeant.
He embarked overseas in April 1941 and attended No. 21 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Moreton-in-Marsh and learned to fly the Wellington bomber. Then on to RAF Driffield for a B.A.T (blind approach training) course on Whitley Mk III aircraft and was then posted to 405 squadron RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire. Of note in his log book, is the entry for August 31, 1941 when his Wellington Mk II caught fire and crashed shortly after take off, luckily, he escaped unharmed, but the aircraft was destroyed. During this period he also took part in the first RCAF raid on Berlin.
After completing 14 ops, he was promoted to Flight Sergeant and sent to No. 3 Flight Instructor School, Hullavington and Babdown to train to become a flying instructor. Once qualified, he was posted to No. 15 OTU at RAF Harwell as a Flight Instructor. In November 1943 he received his commission with the rank of Pilot Officer and in May 1944 he was promoted to Flying Officer.
He then went onto 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit (H.C.U) and learnt to fly the Handley Page Halifax bomber and was posted to 427 Squadron at RAF Leeming in June 1944. He flew 25 ops with 427 and on the night of 12/13 Aug his aircraft a Halifax Mk III, MZ755 ZL-R was attacked by a German JU88 night fighter near Brunswick. The aircraft received damage to the starboard inner prop but was able to return safely. The aircraft was repaired that day and flew again that night. His wife Wendy, told me, that he told her, one way he would avoid trouble over enemy territory, was to break from formation, which would get him into trouble with his superiors back at base.
He left 427 in mid September 1944 and was posted back to Canada to join 168 Heavy Transport Squadron (H.T.S) flying B-24 Liberators on mail runs etc. He did this until October 1945. After this it was instructor duties again, this time at No. 6 (RCAF) OTU Comox and Greenwood, flying Beech Expeditors.
He retired from the RCAF January 31, 1946 and joined BOAC in the UK flying Lockheed Constellations and other types. He settled in Chichester, West Sussex, UK and continued to fly until his un-timely death on 10th Jan 1973. He was awarded the DFC for his efforts, skill and courage in October 1944, although he did not actually receive the medal for 10 years, until 1954.
Graham Carrington, a post war ex RAF airman with a very great interest in Bomber Command has a friend who's late husand was a Halifax pilot with 427 in 1944. She hoped he could be included on the Remember page. Graham made it happen and provided the write up and photos.
Al was a member of 427 from 1958 to 1960. He then took a tour as an Intelligence officer at Metz, France, the then Air Division Headquarters Europe. He is survived by his wife of more than fifty five years, Ruth.
Lieutenant General Donald Malcolm McNaughton CMM, CD - 1934- 2019
He was the loved husband of Frances (Finkle) McNaughton, cherished father and
grandfather of daughter Jean (Mike) Dabros and their children Dana (Owan), Emilie (Ryan), Meg and son Ian (Kim) and their children Blair (Joycelyn), Drew
(Martina) and Mary (Jacob). He will be sadly missed by his siblings Shirley (Don) Tennant, Arthur (Marsha) McNaughton. Don was predeceased by parents
Wallace and Jean (Wilson) McNaughton, siblings Keith, Melba McNaughton, Jack, Norma, Bill McNaughton, Beverly Tweedy, Alan McNaughton and niece Sharon
Sills. He will be fondly remembered by sisters-in-law Kay MacNaughton, Sheila and Joan McNaughton, Christine McMillan, brother-in-law George Tweedy,
sister—in-law Charlotte Kuntze and the late Elinor Eaton, many nieces, nephews, family and friends. Lieutenant General McNaughton retired following
38 years proudly serving his country. He was the former commander of Air Command and retired as Deputy Commander of NORAD, Colorado Springs.
Friends may pay their respects at the Blair & Son Funeral Home, 15 Gore S. W., Perth Monday, Canada Day from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. Funeral service will be
conducted in St. Pauls United Church, Perth Tuesday at 10:30 A.M. followed by a reception in the church hall. The interment will be in Prestonvale Cemetery.
Those wishing are asked to consider memorial donations to the Great War Memorial Hospital Foundation,
St Pauls United Church,
Parkinson Foundation Canada or the
Canadian Air Cadets.
A full biography of Don is available HERE.
Frances Jean McNaughton(nee Finkle)
November 22, 1933 - January 24, 2023
Fran passed away in the Perth hospital on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. She was the loved wife of the late Lt. Gen. Donald McNaughton, cherished mother and grandmother of daughter Jean (Mike Dabros) and their children Dana (Owan), Emilie (Ryan), Meg and son Ian (Kim) and their children Blair (Jocelyn), Drew, and Mary (Jacob). She was a loving great grandmother to Grayson and Skylar McNaughton. Fran was predeceased by parents Fan and Bill Finkle, sisters Elinor (Doug) Eaton and Charlotte (Jack) Kuntze and brothers and sisters-in-law Keith, Melba, Jack, Norma, Bill, Beverly Tweedy, Alan and niece Sharon Sills. She will be fondly remembered by sisters-in-law Kay MacNaughton, Joan McNaughton, Christine (Sonny) McMillan, and brothers- in-law George Tweedy, and Arthur (Marsha) McNaughton as well as many nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Following 38 years as a military spouse, Fran and Don retired to Drummond Centre where she was focused on family and was a driving force in the community. Following Don’s death, she was a resident of Lanark Lifestyles.
Fran was kind and gentle with a beautiful smile that shone like a ray of sunlight. She was adored by all and will be greatly missed by everyone whose lives she touched.
Friends may pay their respects at the Blair & Son Funeral Home, 15 Gore St. W., Perth on Friday February 3rd, 2023 from 3:00 to 6:00 P.M. Funeral service will be held in St. Paul’s United Church, 25 Gore St. W., Perth on Saturday February 4th, 2023 at 10:30 A.M. followed by a reception in the Church Hall. Interment, Prestonvale Cemetery. In remembrance of Fran, those wishing are asked to consider memorial donations to the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital (Perth site) Foundation or St. Paul’s United Church, Perth.
Thanks to Peter Krayer for forwarding the obituary
Ken Sorfleet added this note referencing Don's HCol's assignment and noted we need a list of HCol to complement the list of TacHel COs.
"I have made an entry on facebook stressing her relation to Don McNaughton (husband, CO 427 73 to 74 and first HCol) and to Mike Dabros (CO 427 2002 to 2004) and wanted to include his years as HCol. He certainly was there when I was CO 92 to 94 and it usually was a five year appointment so I think 1991 to 1996. Anyone know for sure as it is not in Don's bio or obit?"
Former Lion Captain Andrew Mercer passed away December 6, 2023 after a long courageous fight with ALS. He was a member 427 Squadron back in the late 90s and early 2000s before he transferred to SAR, having completed tours in Bosnia as well as numerous other domestic work. He was one of the finest men you could meet. Always ready for the next adventure and he never lost his joy for life and for those around him even during his battle with ALS. A sheer pleasure to be around or fly with and a true professional. He was also a gifted artist and a great friend to many. His artwork hangs in the CO’s office, the Normandy Officer’s Mess, JTF II and in numerous other units in the RCAF along with many living rooms and dens. He will be sorely missed.
Ed. note:The above tribute was enclosed in a friend’s (Captain RE Busch) email notification to the SquadronIn Remembrance
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Capt. Andrew Mercer, 55, on December 6th, 2023 from a courageous fight with ALS, surrounded by his family and loved ones, in Point Prim, PEI. Andrew's journey through life was marked by his unwavering spirit, boundless passion for adventure, and his unyielding dedication to his family, and friends.
Andrew’s journey began in Goodwood, Ontario where he was born and raised. His passion for the skies led him to the School of Aviation at Seneca College in Toronto and then into the Canadian Air Forces for 32 years as a helicopter pilot. Andrew’s wings carried him to distant corners of the globe and across the vast landscapes of Canada. His most notable service in Gander, Newfoundland and Greenwood, Nova Scotia, as a part of Search and Rescue Operations.
Whether cruising along winding roads on one of his many motorcycles, soaring through the skies, or embracing the open waters, Andrew found solace and joy in every moment of his life. The skies were his domain, the roads his escape, and the waters his refuge.
Andrew was also a gifted artist, his ability to bring life to his imagination on the canvas reflected the depth of his soul and the beauty he saw in the world around him.
Andrew was predeceased by his father, Robert Mercer. He leaves behind his loving wife, Sara, and their son, Ben (Emilee). Along with his mother Penny, mother-in-law Tish, brother Timothy (Bina) and sister Caroline (David), sister-in-law Sylvia (Ross), brother-in-law Doug (Michelle) and all his nieces and nephews, whose lives he touched in profound ways.
As per Andrew’s wishes, cremation has taken place, and a celebration of his life will be held in his honour. We invite all those who loved him to join us in sharing their cherished stories, and reliving the moments that defined him. The service will take place at 2:00 pm Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at Middleton Funeral Home, 398 Main St. Middleton, Nova Scotia B0S 1P0. 1-855-825-3448. Attendees are encouraged to wear casual and colourful clothing in honour of Andrew’s animated spirit and personality. The service will also be livestreamed and available to watch beginning at 1:55 p.m. by visiting the funeral home’s website and selecting the “live stream” option at the top of the webpage. We’d like to extend our extreme thanks to Dr. MacLeod, Mallory Peters, RN and PO1 Donald Munro for their incredible kindness and support throughout this journey. Let us gather to commemorate a life well-lived, a spirit unbroken, and a heart that embraced the world with open arms. Andrew will forever remain in our hearts, a beacon of adventure, courage, and love. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the ALS Society of Canada in Andrew’s name. The online guestbook may be signed by visiting: www.middletonfuneralhome.com
A full biography of Bob is available HERE.
No details of passing but CF-104 dbase confirms passing
Stan was born in Melfort, SK and devoted his entire life to the calling of aviation. After the war, he operated an aviation charter company in Melfort. In 1950 he rejoined the RCAF, serving as an Instructor. Stan retired as a Major after having served a total of 29 years.
In his next career, he spent 17 years with Seneca College from which he retired as Chairman, Aviation and Flight Technology. Throughout his life he was very active in the Air Cadet movement and was recognized by being awarded an Honourary Life Member of the Air Cadet League of Canada. Following his retirement from Seneca, Stan remained active as an Instructor, as a pilot of vintage aircraft at Airshows, and as a Transport Canada Flight Test Examiner. He was also a keen supporter of the 427 Squadron Association, retiring as the Membership and Financial Director in 2002. Pictures are available in Page 4, ROAR October 2007 and also a profile in Volume 1, No.4 - June 1998
Stan's active flying career spanned 64 years and 19,000 flying hours.
MILLWARD, Hector Munro Bertram D.F.C, B.Comm., C.G.A., C.A. Peacefully on December 1st, 2006, at the age of 82. Beloved husband of the late Phyllis Millward and dear father of Donald of Carp and Alison (John Jessup) of Nanaimo. Survived by his brother Maldwyn, sisters Myfanwy Elliott and Una Spiller and many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by parents George and Annie and brother Hugh. After graduating from Carleton College, Dad joined the Office of the Auditor General in 1949 retiring as Assistant Auditor General of Canada in 1988 following a distinguished career. A rower and sailor in his early years, Dad was an avid aircraft pilot and fine golfer later in life. There was nothing Dad enjoyed more than a good round of golf and the companionship of his many friends at the Amberwood Golf Club in Stittsville.
Thanks to Barb Henderson for discovering this obituary
S/L Misslebrook was killed when his CF-104, #AC12852 crashed during a low level route no.354 over the Vosges mountains while encountering deteriorating weather. He was 37. The aircraft struck the ground cresting a ridge during the low level CPM. The accident ocurred at 0900Z shortly after a mass launch from 3 Wing on an exercise "Snowball". Several pilots preceded Misslebrook on his route and all had climbed due to weather. The crash site is in Territoire de Belfort, Franche-Comte, France. He is buried in the Choloy War Cemetery, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France. The grave reference is Section 8 Row J Grave 9. This information is located on page 133 in the service of Canada Book of Remembrance.
Thanks to Harry Prins, Dick Dunn and Bob Hyndman for this information.
Jim Moffat was born August 6, 1921 in Timmins, Ontario. He enlisted in North Bay on March 29, 1942. After training he joined 427 Squadron in Leeming, Yorkshire. In March 1944 he was the sole survivor of a collision between the Halifax bomber he was in, piloted by Flying Officer W.N. McPhee and a Lancaster. Jim spent six months behind enemy lines under the assumed name of Charles Lebrun with the cooperation and assistance of the Belgian and French resistance as well as ordinary citizens. He and his daughter have authored a book "Behind Enemy Lines" which chronicle his adventures and exploits with the resistance. In 2012 he traveled to London to witness Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Patron to the Royal Canadian Air Force Association, unveil the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park. Jim was grateful for the recognition that had finally been bestowed upon those who waged the strategic bombing campaign, those who returned and those who had not.
Thanks to the RCAF Association for this information
KIA during an operation on Villeneuve St. George. The Flight Engineer F/Sgt W. Steel also was killed. All other crew members parachuted to safety, two evaded and three were captured and ended up as POWs. F/O Moss and F/Sgt Steel are interred in Allainville Community Cemetary,Allainville-aux-Bois, Yvelines, France
Peter passed away after a long fight with Pancreatic Cancer in Gilbert Arizona. Pete was a proud member of 427 Squadron Association and fondly remembered some of the pilots and friends many that had sadly passed away. Peter also had a number of movies that he took while flying the Chipmonk,Harvard and the F-86 Sabre that he was very fond of. He left the RCAF to fly for United Airlines and would always introduce himself as ‘One of the Friendly Guys’. During his time there he flew the 737, DC-10 (Captain), 747-200 (Captain) and 747-400. He always hated to see old planes put to pasture.
Peter was born in Beamsville Ontario September 24, 1933 and passed away in his home September 12, 2015. He remained loyal to his Canadian roots to the end.
From an email by son Lars Moyer.
Nickolaus passed away peacefully in Kingston, Ontario. He had a distinguised Air Force career from 1949 to 1978. He transitioned from fixed wing to rotary wing during his military career which initially took him from training at Centralia to Zweibrucken, Germany flying F-86s on Squadron. He later served at CFBs Bagotville, Winnipeg, Petawawa, Shilo, Gagetown and Lahr. His last posting was in Petawawa as Deputy Commander 427 Squadron. He went on in his civilian career to fly helicopters commercially until his 70s.
Brian joined the RCAF during WW II at age 18 and was trained as an Air Gunner. He retired in 1945 but in 1950 he re-joined the RCAF and this time was trained a pilot. He was part of Leapfrog III that flew the the 427 Squadron Sabres from Canada to Europe. He continued to fly the F-86 Sabre in Germany with 427 Squadron from 1952 to 1956 and during that time was seconded to the US Air Force in the Korean war, one of twenty-two RCAF pilots to do so. Brian passed away April 27, 2003 in Maniwaki Quebec. He was born December 25th, 1925 in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario.The additional information below is from his daughter.
An obituary for her Dad in her own words - Eve Millington
I don't know exactly when he got out of the service. All I know is that he got out before we left Germany in Sept 1961.
I know he worked for the USAF in Zweibrücken as an interpreter after he left the RCAF, as he was fluent in French and German. He was very gifted with languages. Although he grew up in Ottawa, he listed Montreal as his home town from age 18. He lived and worked there with his older brother Charles Mullin. Charlie was a flight instructor during the war.
My dad married a German girl, my mom, Karola Schenck on December 30, 1955 and lived in the family home on Schiller str,Zweibrücken. The three eldest children in our family were born in that house, 1956, 1958 and 1959. I've recently been in contact with an airforce brat whose family rented an apartment in our house and became friends with my grandparents and mother - before the PMQs were built. Small world!
When we left Germany my dad was working for Hoechst Pharmaceuticals as a regional salesperson in eastern Ontario. After five years he went to E.I.Lilly and Co. Pharm. and covered the same region for 5 years. He made a complete change, trained as a fine furnishings restorer and manufacturer and worked for Van Leeuwen Boomkamp in Ottawa for 15 years.
Through all those years he painted and drew quite a bit. He copied Dutch masters like Rembrandt and Vermeer and then painted some well-known European landscapes like Lindau im Bodensee and Dutch canals outside Amsterdam. He was also commissioned by the then known as 'National Museum of Man' in Ottawa to draw charcoals of well-known Inuit hunters and artists and he recreated large scale dioramas of west coast native villages, from Haida Gwai to Bella Bella and Gitksan. He also wrote poetry, in the style of Gordon Lightfoot, telling tales of Canada's history. I think he loved this the most as he was essentially an artist trapped in a material world with six kids to feed!
My dad was a true patriot who loved everything about Canada, especially our outstanding natural landscapes. He loved to canoe in the many lakes scattered throughout Ontario and Quebec and in 1967 he canoed alone down the Ottawa River from Parliament Hill to Old Montreal. I was only nine so I assume his brother Charlie picked him up in Montreal as he lived there.
My dad was also a big fan of PE Trudeau. I think he identified with him as a lover of the outdoors, an athlete and a bi-culturalist. The morning after Trudeau won the Liberal convention in April 1968 at the Skyline hotel in Ottawa, my dad schlepped my sister and I - all decked out in our Sunday best to the convention centre and right up to Trudeau's hotel room! His security guard answered the door, Trudeau stood in a bathrobe in the background, a delegate appeared and escorted my sister and I downstairs and my dad was invited into Trudeau's hotel room. My dad had written a poem to commemorate confederation and wanted to present it to Trudeau as a gift. Meanwhile my sister and I were offered buttermilk, which I presume was available as a hangover remedy from the previous evenings election festivities. We replied politely that we did in fact like buttermilk and as a result we were replenished to the point of bursting! My dad reappeared about 30 minutes later with a big grin on his face, so I imagine he was well received.
In later years my father worked more on his own, building custom kitchens for family and friends and eventually he built his own house in Mont Ste Marie on land that originally belonged to his mother's family, the Ryans.
Eve Millington
Norm passed away peacefully, in his sleep, at his treasured Sunset Beach cottage, on August 15, 2010 at the age of 87. His loving wife of 60 years and his children were by his side. Norman was the devoted husband of Paula Nash and the beloved father of Bill (Karen), Robert (Cynthia, David (Eva), Lorie and Fred (Anna).
He was the fond grandfather of Aime, Peter, Reston (Katrina), Tory, Barrett, Taylor, Halle, Nathaniel and Graham. Norm will also be lovingly remembered by his brother Keith (Julie), his sister Gwen and many friends here and abroad. He was predeceased by his daughter Denora, his brother Fred, his parents Walter and Muriel and his brother-in-law Reg.
Born November 9, 1922, in Reston, MB, Norm lived a rich and fulfilling life. He attended Prairie Rose School and graduated from Reston High School. In 1941, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force 427 Squadron as a navigator bombardier. He survived two tours of duty and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by King George V1. The friendships he made during the war continue to this day. He graduated from the Ontario School of Veterinary Medicine in 1950, taking up practice with the federal government. In retirement Norm entertained family and friends for hours with stories of his youth.
427 Squadron Association Life Member
Longtime Redcliff resident, Red Newnham, born November 7,1924 passed away peacefully at Carmel Hospice, Medicine Hat on Saturday morning, in the company of his loving friends, Garry and Hazel Willis. Red was predeceased by his parents, Charlie and Olive Newnham; brother, Ken; brothers and sisters-in-law, Gordon (Myrtle) and Ed (Huei Mei); and his companion of over 50 years, Rose Keats. He will be deeply missed by his niece, Janice (Jay) Carton of Red Deer; nephew, Ken (Betty) Newnham of Winnipeg and their sons Tom and Ben; and Godson, Garry (Hazel) Willis of Redcliff.
Red lived his entire life in the modest Redcliff home in which he was born and raised, the only notable exception being his time away for wartime service. He enlisted in the RCAF soon after turning 18 and by age 19 was flying operationally over occupied Europe as tail gunner on a Halifax bomber with 427 (Lion) Squadron, based in Leeming, Yorkshire. Red had a deep affection for the Halifax, in particular his crew's aircraft Q for Queenie. He often commented that Queenie never failed to bring him home safely from places he didn't really want to go to in the first place. He thought it quite unfair that the Lancaster grabbed all the glory, while the Halifax did most of the hard work.
Upon completing his tour of 30 operational missions, Red returned to Canada on leave and was demobilized here when hostilities ceased. He initially found work in the Redcliff Glass Factory, then joined the staff at the Suffield Experimental Station in 1950, working there until his retirement in 1985. Red was a staunch supporter and Past President, Past Officer, 1st Vice President, Executive Committee, and Sergeant-At-Arms of the Redcliff Royal Canadian Legion Branch #6, and a faithful member of the congregation of St. Ambrose Anglican Church.
Family and friends were everything to Red, and he had plenty of the latter. A true gentleman, thoughtful and considerate, he was a wonderful storyteller and an even more skillful flirt. His ready smile, quick wit and dry sense of humour will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him.
I will travel empty-handed.
There is not a single thing
I have collected in my life
That I would ever want to bring except…
The love of those who loved me
And the warmth of those who cared.
The happiness and memories
And the magic that we shared.
“The Next Place” ~ Warren Hanson
Our thanks again to Barb Henderson for researching this obituary.
It is with profound sadness that the family of Gorden Arthur Nicholas announce his peaceful passing on Friday, September 20,2024 at the age of 86 years. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of nearly 20 years, Lyn Nicholas; daughters Karen Nicholas (Al), Sheila Pytel (John), Brenda Parker (Gary); grandchildren Matthew, Jessica, Ashley, Tyler (Carly) Nelson, Ethan and, and Cameron; great-grandchildren Bentley, Hattie, AdaLynn, and Dax; as well as his sister Mary and numerous friends. Gord was predeceased by his first wife of 36 years, Ruth and his daughter Cathy. He was known as Gord but to many he was Gordie, Dad, or Pa. From 1955 to 1989, he proudly served his country in the Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Navy. He continued his love for helicopters while working at Boeing Canada, located in Arnprior from 1989 until he fully retired in 2003. Gord had a passion for woodworking and loved to teach his skills to many family and friends.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, October 11, 2024 from 12 – 4 PM, at the Brunton Community Hall, located at Beckwith Township
Office, 2022 Beckwith Park Lane, Carleton Place, Ontario. A eulogy will be spoken at approximately 1:30 p.m. with light snacks and refreshments available. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Ottawa Heart Institute 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa. Also the family wishes to thank the staff at the Ottawa Heart Institute for their care and compassion to Gord over the years.
Doug was the U.S. Regional Director for the Association and an entusiastic supporter of 427 Squadron.
Life member and supporter of the 427 Squadron Association.
Gordon Ockwell Obituary - click here
From an email by grandson Erik - Ive attached a photo of myself with him and his brother (Gordon is on the left)from my wedding day in 2011 which was four months before he passed away. I believe his brother Albert also served in WW II but I'm not sure in what capacity. If any member wishes to contact me please forward my address to them.
The information below was taken from the Facebook page of 427 Squadron Association
The association was contacted by Richard Osler ex-RAF who is putting together some notes for the granddaughter of Flying Officer Tom Osler an RAF member of 427 Squadron who died on operations over Germany on 5 January, 1945. Attached is a photo of Tom and his bride at their wedding in late 1944. Their aircraft was the only one of fifteen 427 Squadron Halifaxes that did not return from that mission which had Hannover as their primary target. The aircraft was likely shot down by flak and crashed near Dudenham/Dudensen which is about 10 km north of Neustadt am Rubenburge at 1930 hours. Four of the seven man crew died in the crash or shortly before. Richard visited Niedersachen War Cemetary in Hannover and paid tribute at the graves of these 427 Squadron personnel October 2019 and has kindly provided photos of their headstones which are also attached (respectively F/O T Osler, F/O C Kelway, S/L BG Crew DFC, and P/O JD Smith).
The three crew members who survived (likely by bailing out prior to the crash) were captured and became POWs. They were J/13117 F/L Dodge (navigator), J/19138 F/O Campbell (bomb airmer) and F/L Johnston DFC (signals leader). F/L John Sprongle Dodge died in 2009, and a brief obituary of him is included above. Should anyone have information on F/O Campbell or F/L Johnston, or have photos of the any of the crew members, or specifically Halifax III NR257 (ZL-Y) the Oslers and 427 Squadron Association would be most happy to hear from you.
While Richard has found photos of various Halifax IIIs, he is curious whether anyone has a photo of the above cited aircraft and possibly photos of any members of the crew.
UPDATE: See ROAR/Volume1, Issue 9, page 10 and 11 - Bad Luck Photo
Keith passed away peacefully at Winston Park LTC in Kitchener, surrounded by family, on April 29th, 2021 at the age of 102. Beloved husband of Phyllis (nee Taylor; died 2016) for 69 years. Keith was born on Sept 22, 1918 in Saint John NB, son of Hugh and Lily Patrick. He had eight brothers. Keith served in the R.C.A.F. from 1940 to 1945 as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. He did a full tour of duty in North Africa with R.A.F. 108 Squadron and was on a second tour with R.C.A.F. 427 Squadron when his Halifax bomber was shot down over NE France six days after D-Day. Seriously injured, he was hidden by brave villagers and nursed back to health. He retired from the Air Force in February 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Keith and Phyllis were married on June 29th, 1946 in Lynn, Massachusetts. He had a successful career as a Purchasing Manager with Ford Motor Co. in Saint John, Canadair in Montreal and Fleet Manufacturing and Horton-CBI in Fort Erie. Donations to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton or the Alzheimer's Society would be appreciated by the family.- The Hamilton Spectator
A proud descendant of Cornish pirates, Bob was born August 13, 1918, in Penticton, BC, and spent his formative years helping on the family orchard, racing home-built kayaks, singing in the church choir, acing school exams, and playing competitive badminton, winning the BC Junior Championship. Throughout his life he was a devoted sportsman as both participant and spectator. Bob followed brother Bill overseas, joining the RCAF in 1941, flying 40 missions as a bomber pilot and receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was our hero but maintained the only heroes of war were his comrades and brother who never came home. Bob's passion for flying went from mission to a dream career. He enjoyed every flight in his 33 years as a pilot with TCA/Air Canada. His reputation was one of a superb pilot and instructor a pilot's pilot.
Family, friends, flying, golf, and gardening were Bob's passions, and his life was lived with vigour, integrity, humour, and kindness. A consummate master of ceremonies, Bob engaged all with his quick wit and way with words. He was a confident, compassionate leader who always spoke his mind and took a genuine interest in all whom he knew. As his legion of lifelong friends can attest, with Bob in your corner, you had a fierce and loyal advocate. We smile as we imagine Dad walking the heavenly fairways with his foursome, focusing intently on winning his two-bit bet, enjoying a joke, and proudly regaling the exploits of his lefty grandson Will. Thank you Bob for your life of love and laughter. We will miss you always.
Intelligence Officer - 427 Squadron 1944-1946. 427 Squadron Association Life Member
The following information has been researched and compiled by Bruce Pollock as a memorial to his cousin Ian Pollock.
To the Air Force, he was F/O Pollock J. R. J38253. His name was John Robert Pollock, but 'Ian' is the Scots Gaelic version of 'John' and that's what the family called him.
Jack Pollock, his father, had served in the First World War with the 143rd Regiment, known as the “BC Bantams”. He was only 5’ 2½” in height which was not tall enough to join the regular army, but he was a carpenter and joined the regiment which took on men who had something to offer the war effort in spite of their height. Jack went overseas with the Regiment and worked in railcar repair in France during the War. After the war, Jack and Margot had married in October 1919 and moved to Union Bay on Vancouver Island where Jack worked as a carpenter for the Cumberland Coal Company. John (Ian) Robert Pollock was born February 3, 1924 in Union Bay BC, the son and only child of John Pollock and Margaret Patterson.
Ian Pollock after graduating with his wings in 1943.
Ian was 18 years old when he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in October 1942 and entered the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). After four or five weeks of basic training at the Manning Depot, in early July 1943 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Pollock was sent to No. 7 Initial Training School (ITS) in Saskatoon SK as an Air Observer (Navigator) candidate.
He spent the summer of 1943 learning bombing, gunnery and navigation, flying in Bristol Bolingbroke and Avro Anson aircraft. By mid-November 1943, he had completed further training at the No. 7 Air Observer School in Portage la Prairie, MB.
The BCATP was to become one of Canada’s greatest contributions to the war effort. It was created in 1939 by agreement of Britain, Canada and other Commonwealth countries. There were training operations in Australia, Bermuda, New Zealand, Southern Rhodesia and South Africa. But Canada’s location, safety and wide prairie skies made it the centre of the program. Under the agreement, Canada was to pay the majority of its cost, and Prime Minister Mackenzie King hoped this would reduce Britain’s demand for a large land army contribution, thus saving Canadian lives.
The Canadian government also fought hard to have the RCAF recognized by Britain as a standalone force under Canadian command, similar to the USAF. But Britain refused and the government had to settle for the creation of No. 6 (Bomber) Group made up of 14 wholly Canadian squadrons under the command of the RAF.
In the spring of 1944, Ian was sent to Britain to complete the third stage of his training closer to the operational front. He started in Northern Ireland at No. 7 Advanced Flying Unit at RAF Bishop’s Court near Belfast.
Excerpt from Ian's flight log book showing training activity with No. 7 AFU, Bishop's Court
In between flight training days at Bishop's Court, he wrote an air letter home to his parents. He mentions the mails and says “Yesterday, we had an officer from the Base Post Office here and he said our mail would be slow because recently they had a very large mail and they were having a time getting it sorted.”
Air letter from Ian to his parents, postmarked Bishop's Court, April 14, 1944. As an officer, Ian was allowed to self-certify that the contents of the letter contained no classified information (signature in lower left corner). Enlisted men were required to have their mail reviewed and approved by an officer. To the right, the reverse side of air letter showing censor tape which was applied after it had been read, approved and re-sealed by regional censors.
In early June 1944, Ian was posted to the No. 82 Operational Training Unit, the fourth and final component of his training before joining an operational squadron. On June 8, he flew with pilot Flying Officer James T. Hardy for the first time in a Vickers Wellington aircraft. This would be his first experience in a ‘real’ bomber, although by this point in the war, the older, smaller, twin-engine ‘Wimpy’ had been supplanted by the Handley Page Halifax and Avro Lancaster heavy bombers. After spending June and July practicing circuits and bombing runs in the Wellington, the crew graduated to the Halifax in August.
The BCATP had been so successful that by this time in the summer of 1944, there was actually a surplus of trained air crew. The irony is that more than half the 131,553 graduates were Canadian, thus Mackenzie King’s objective of saving Canadian lives somewhat failed.
In early September 1944, Ian and the rest of F/Lt Hardy’s crew finally completed their training and were assigned to 427 Squadron RCAF (the ‘Lion Squadron’) at Leeming, Yorkshire. The Lions were flying Halifax Mk. III aircraft.
Flight crew posing in front of Halifax at Leeming. F/Lt J. T. Hardy is in the centre and Ian Pollock is standing far right.
Ian took off on his first operational mission at 1600 hrs on September 14 to attack Wilhelmshavn on the North Sea coast of Germany, but the mission was scrubbed about an hour after takeoff and the group was recalled.
The next day, 11 aircraft from 427 Squadron took off at 2145 hrs to bomb Kiel. They encountered heavy flak over the target but it was below their flight altitude. All aircraft returned to Leeming at 0400 hrs, September 16. Ian had completed his first bombing mission.
On September 17 at 0700 hrs, 16 aircraft from 427 Squadron took off for Boulogne, France. F/LT Hardy and his crew were flying ZL-G and Ian released 4x 500 lb. and 9x 1000 lb. bombs.
Actual photograph from Ian's bomb aiming camera taken during the September 17, 1944 raid on Boulogne.
On the night of November 25, 1944, five aircraft from 427 Squadron took off from Leeming on a ‘gardening’ mission near Anholt Island (code-named YENTREE) in the waters of the Kattegat between Denmark and Sweden. ‘Gardening’ was an airborne mine-laying operation over the sea. The Kattegat was a major route for German naval traffic between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea and thus, an area of major focus for the Allies.
The mission group included F/Lt Hardy, Ian, and the crew of ZL-H (MZ304).
The 427 Squadron War Diary describes the operation:
Weather [over the target] was 10/10ths cloud with bases at 800/1000 ft. with good visibility below cloud. Crews report that their approach was evidently undetected as when the first aircraft arrived, the town and harbour were lit up and the airfield obligingly turned on its lights for them to land. Ten minutes later light flak opened up on the island. Considerable shipping lights were seen in harbour and vicinity. No fighters seen. All crews attempted photographs.
Likely due to the poor weather, the squadron diary records that all five returning aircraft diverted to northern Scotland to land. Four landed safely, but MZ304 piloted by F/Lt Hardy landed in the sea a few hundred yards off Kingston, Morayshire at the mouth of the River Spey. It exploded on contact with the water, killing all aboard.
Final entry in Ian's flight log book.
While the precise series of events will never be known with certainty, we have a pretty good idea from a letter written by a family friend to Jack and Margaret. In February 1945, about three months after the fatal crash, G. H. Watt who was stationed with the Canadian army in Britain, used some of his leave to travel to Banff, Aberdeenshire to try to get more details.
Watt interviewed the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard station whose crews had responded to the crash. He also interviewed his niece's husband, Mr Houston, who apparently was also a member of 427 Squadron (perhaps ground crew?). Watt specifically says that the air force has not been helpful in explaining what happened to the aircraft that night. In his words, upon reaching Scotland:
They...circled over 3 airfields [most likely RAF Dallachy, RAF Kinloss and RAF Milltown which were all close together], two of which had their landing beacons on and although there was a snowfall at the time the plane could be seen from the ground, and then headed out to sea again, but a coast guard saw them drop a flare while still over land and as soon as the plane touched the water it blew up and although it only took the coast guard 10 minutes to get to the scene, the first body had already washed ashore.
...that there was something wrong with the landing gear of the plane and that the pilot must have figured that it would be safer to land on the water and that when they did the plane hit a mine. As there had been enemy activity on that coast from time to time the coast was very heavily mined. My niece's husband told me that they had all been wondering what had happened to the plane as the skipper was very careful and not prone to take chances.
Excerpt from letter to Ian's parents from G. H. Watt regarding the events of the crash.
The 427 Squadron War Diary entry for the mission also states that "two aircraft successfully dropped their mines, and two brought them back." Of course, this only accounts for the four aircraft which returned safely from the mission and not MZ304. But it seems unlikely that a pilot would attempt to ditch his aircraft in the sea with a load of mines still on board.
John (Ian) Robert Pollock was 20 years old and had flown 21 operational missions in a brief period of less than three months from September to November 1944.
Ian Pollock on the steps of his Union Bay home, just after joining the RCAF in 1942.
Mount Pollock in Clendinning Provincial Park in British Columbia's Coast Range Mountains is named for Ian Pollock. It is located across Georgia Strait from Union Bay where Ian was born.
Five of the seven crew members are buried in Bellie Churchyard near Fochabers, Scotland. F/O Hall is buried at Chigwell, Essex and F/Sgt Rowntree is buried at Preston Cemetery, Tynemouth. Also buried alongside the crew of MZ304 is F/O S. D. Easterbrook, RAAF, who died the previous week on November 18, 1944.
Bellie Churchyard near Fochabers, Scotland, May 2024.
Sources:
Personal Log Book and photographs of F/O Pollock J. R. J38253, RCAF
Wikipedia sourced for the history of the BCATP
The Friends of Bellie Churchyard.https://fobcy.org.uk/
427 Squadron Association War Time Log Monthly Operations. https://www.427squadron.com/history/wartime_logs/ops_logs_month_total.html
Ed. note: The following information was thoughtfully sent in two email by Len's stepson, Howard Groves.
My step father Len Pratt, (England) who was in 427 Squadron in WW II has passed away aged 87. He passed away on July 3rd this year, I know he was a very proud member of the RAF serving with the RCAF and I believe he took part in over 34 missions over enemy territory in Halifax Bombers, belly landing twice, and by the grace of god lived to tell the tale.
Len flew on 34 missions with 427 Squadron, and the people he flew with were Pilot Clibbery DSM, Jimmy Jardine, Wireless Operator, Richard {Dick} Quale, Shortie Martin, Dick Morrison {only surviving member} and Norman Nash.
Len I think defined his life by his service in the 2nd world war, and talked of little else, he was I know also greatly troubled in later life, with the consequences of destruction caused to civilians, and the havoc that war imposes on many peoples lives, friends and foes.
Len became lifelong friends with Norman Nash, and was a regular visitor to Norman's home in Canada, and Norman and his wife Paula, also were a regular visitors to Len's home in England.
Len told a few stories about the war, but was reticent about his own deeds. I did find out that on one mission the Halifax they were in was involved in a night fighter attack, and the aircraft was on fire, and Len used his parachute, his only means of escape to put the fire out, years after the war ended, Len was awarded a citation from the Canadian government for Gallantry.
I have been looking at Lens flight book, and in it the are listings of missions or ops to Frankfurt, Berlin, Essen, Nurnberg, Villeneuve, Lens, Dusseldorf, Karlsruhe, Aulnoye, Schweinfurt, Somail(sic), St. Ghislain, Ghent, LeClipit(sic), Bourg-Leopold, Mayenne, Versailles-Matelot, Olsemont, Gorenflos, Rennes, Metz, Siracourt, Ardouval, Acquet.
There is mention of a mission to Magdeburg, where they were shot up by a fighter and had to land at RAF Coltishall. The aircraft was destroyed on landing but the pilot F/S Clibbery and gunner Sgt. Quale, who shot down the fighter, were awarded the DFM for their actions during their airborne fight. (ed. note: This probably was the incident that Len used his parachute to put out the fire.) A mission to Augsburg that encountered 2 fighter attacks. I also remember Len telling me of two belly landings. He told me many times that he attributed his survival, to pilot Clibbery, who he told me was a trained pilot before war broke out, and that his skills in flying and sixth sense, always seamed to bring the crew back to safety.
Len finished, operations on the 3rd August 1944, flying for a total of 278.23 hours, and finally took part in a sightseeing tour in a Lancaster, piloted by S/L Murphy, flying over the ruins of Vimy Ridge, Arnhem, Essen, Dusseldorf, Amsterdam and Hamburg. I forgot to mention Len's role was that of Flight Engineer.
After the war Len stayed in the RAF for a while before becoming a very successful businessman in civilian life. Len had three children,Leonard,Laurence, and Lynda with his first wife, and is survived by, Peggy and 3 step children Stuart Michael & Howard.
Len had a hunger for knowledge and attended night classes until he was in to his early 40s.
Kind Regards
Howard Groves {stepson}
Ed. note: Len was also a founding member of the Association and was our Director U.K. and Europe.
Bob was sadly killed in an accident with CF-104 #AC12802, Capo Frasca Range, Sardinia. Killed during a practice LADD bombing run. Hazy weather and a LN-3 topple believed to be causes of his accident. Slim's body never recovered.
Thanks to Harry Prins, Dick Dunn and Bob Hyndman for this information
At Seaforth Community Hospital on Thursday, August 17, 2023, Charles Gordon Procter formerly of Belgrave passed
away in his 100th year.
Beloved husband of Grace Procter for 47 years.
Charlie lived through amazing changes through his hundred years of life – always embracing and moving forward
with the changes he saw. With a keen mind that as intrigued by anything technical, he started his career working for CKNX radio. A world war changed all that and Charlie bravely volunteered for service in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943.
Upon returning home after the war, he enrolled at Ryerson Institute of Technology in Toronto before beginning a very interesting career. He started his employment with the Atomic Energy Research Facility located in Chalk River, Ontario, before moving on to help build early warning radar stations on the Pine Tree Line – a job that took him across Canada.
Charlie was also employed by Burroughs Corporation, which at the time was one of the largest producers of main-frame computers in the world. Charlie never lost his interest in this technology – and adapted with the changes in computers through the years.
In 1963, at the age of 40, Charlie came back to his roots, becoming a founding partner of Bodmin Limited, with brothers Ross and George. He used his technical skill to maintain equipment, design and build, as well as to adopt computerized record-keeping systems. His skills allowed him to continually come up with solutions for challenges that are never ending on a farm.
In August 1976, he quietly left on a trip to Scotland and returned with a surprise - his new wife, Grace. Together they built a loving home, enjoying antique car restoration, gardening, raising sheep, and entertaining friends and family.
Charlie had a curious mind and never stopped learning, which also made him a good teacher. Nieces and nephews, employees, and also countless bagpipe students learned from Charlie, with his quiet and patient manner. Charlie was a world traveler and a member of several pipe bands, including the Brussels Legion Pipe Band, where he took on the role of Pipe Major for many years. As a member of the Ontario Massed Pipe Band, he travelled to the UK and played for the Queen.
Charlie’s mind was busy right up to the end of his life, downloading hundreds of books on his Kindle and continuing to do his own computerized banking and book keeping. He passed peacefully with his beloved Grace by his side, surrounded by family.
A Celebration of Charlie's life will be held at the Belgrave Community Centre on Saturday, October 7, 2023 from 1:30-4:00 p.m. Final resting place, Brandon Cemetery, Belgrave.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Royal Canadian Legion, Br. 218 or the Wingham & District Hospital Foundation would be appreciated.
The following obituary was published in the Winnipeg Free Press on June 14, 2014.
CAVU is an acronym used by aviators. It means Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited, ideal flying conditions. James Russell Pugh was an aviator. He flew the hottest fighters at the beginning of the Cold War; the trickiest helicopters; lumbering transports and docile and unforgiving trainers. 138 aircraft types in all during a 35 year military career and later as a civilian instructor. He investigated aircraft accidents in hopes of preventing the same events from happening to other pilots. He flew chilled organs across Canada in a jet for a life-saving transplant. He trained American helicopter pilots in "Nap of the Earth" flying techniques for survival in Vietnam.
Out of the cockpit Jim Pugh loved his family, camping, travelling (83 trips), socializing, building and flying model aircraft and was extraordinarily well read and informed. Squadron Leader (Ret.) Pugh's final flight occurred on June 8, 2014, after a recurrence of debilitating cancer and almost two months in hospital. He died peacefully at 82 in his new Winnipeg home attended by Helen his wife of 58 years.
Richard grew up in Beverly, Saskatchewan where he attended school. He loved all sports but baseball was his passion. He enlisted in the RCAF in 1942. After training in Eastern Canada, he was sent overseas in 1943 as a mid-upper gunnery Sergeant. He was assigned to 427 Squadron. On August 11, 1944 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal from King George VI for his skill and bravery on his first operational flight.
His commendation reads in part: This airman was the mid-upper gunner of an aircraft detailed to attack Magdeburg one night in January 21,1944. Whilst over the target area the aircraft was attacked by a fighter. Sergeant Qualle sustained many cuts by flying splinters when the glass surround of his turret was shattered by bullets which also put one of his guns out of action. Although dazzled by searchlights, Sergeant Qualle coolly brought his remaining guns to bear on the attacker which was seen to burst into flames. Despite intense cold and the lack of oxygen he refused to leave his turret throughout the homeward flight. This airman displayed determination, fortitude and devotion to duty of a high order.
Russell Melville Quantz passed away and went to be with his Lord and Savior on July 15, 2015 at the age of 96. Russell Quantz was born on Saturday, November 2, 1918 on the family homestead located near Tincherbray, Alberta. He was the second oldest in a family of eight boys and two girls. Russell was a proud veteran of the Royal Canadian Air Force. He enlisted in 1942 and was subsequently posted to Leeming RAF base in England. He served his country attached to the 427 Lion Squadron for the duration of the war. While in England he met and married the love of his life, Elsie Tranter. Russell returned to Canada, finished his High School education and in 1949 graduated with a Bachelor of Theology from Canadian Nazarene College in Red Deer. Reverend Quantz pastored churches in Eckville, Rocky Mountain House, Lougheed, Sheffield England, Caroline, Westlock (Dapp and Jarvie), Claresholm and Picture Butte. In retirement Russell and Elsie returned to Claresholm where he lived until his passing.
Ted completed 25 missions with 427 Squadron during 1944 and 1945.
It is with great sadness that the family of Maurice Chilson "Chet" Randall announce his passing on Saturday, October 18, 2014, at his home in Oromocto, NB.
Chet served 32 proud years as a fighter pilot in the RCAF and held many positions including Base Commander at CFB Chatham before retiring to his childhood homestead in Lakeville Corner, NB where he enjoyed the past 25 years. He was well known for his community service particularly with the Knights of Columbus.
Born in Fredericton on February 6, 1939, he was the devoted son of the late Maurice and Effie (Burns) Randall and the loving husband of Jacqueline (MacDonald).
Chet is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Jacqueline; sons John (Darla) of Lakeville Corner and Jim (Meg) of Ottawa; his brother Alden (Margie) of Lakeville Corner; his sister Linda Morris (Greg) of Miramichi; his grandchildren Scott, Paul, Marie, Krissy , Kathy, Michael, Rob and Jenn as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Chet was predeceased by his infant son Joseph Anthony and his sister Caryl Blackmore.
Keith Michael Rattew passed away peacfully at Montfort Hospital in Ottawa on September 11, 2023 at age 88 following a stroke.
Keith is survived by daughters Vicki, Cindy (Marty) and Sue, grandchildren, Daniel (Mat), Michael (Vero), Scott (Liz), Jeffrey
(Aimee) and Kevin (Julia), great-grandsons Maximillian, Sebastian and Theodore, sister, Donna and nieces Andrei, Pamela, Paula and nephew, Kevin. Keith was predecessed by his parents, Harold and Irene,and his grandson, Eric.
Keith was born and raised in London Ontario. Keith started his working life at age eight, selling newspapers on a train that ran from London to Toronto. He joined the Air Force right out of high school and earned his Pilot's Wings in Gimli Manitoba. He had fond memories of his first posting flying the F-86 (Sabre)for 427 Squadron at 3 (Fighter) Wing Zweibrucken, Germany from 1955 until 1959. After he returned to Canada Keith joined the Army and traveled with his young growing family through postings in Borden, Petawawa, Kingston, Winnipeg, Cyprus, Calgary, Ottawa, England and back to Ottawa where his family settled. In 1977 he joined the Public Service. He retired in 1988 as Procurement and Financial Manager for the Low Level Air Defense project. He moved to beautiful British Columbia in the 90s living there from more than a decade where he attended UBC earning a Master's of Education. His master's thesis was titled Transforming the Canadian Healthcare System. He spent years researching healthcare delivery models to reduce costs and provide better product outcomes only to succumb to dementia before presenting his final work to key stakeholders.
While living in Ottawa Keith loved to host parties and plan fun activities, outings and gatherings for his family and friends from the "Thursday Night Group". These included houseboat vacations, destination excursions, cottage stays, car and walking rallies, scavenger hunts, and countless theme parties.
Keith had a lifelong love affair with travel. He traveled throughout Western Europe, favouring the south of France and Italy. He also traveled to Hawaii, Japan, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Dominican Republic and spent many winters in Mexico and Florida. He often invited family and friends to join him on his travels. He would act as a tour guide to show his guests the nearby sites or the best outdoor patio. Keith always had a camera close by to capture the moment for friends and family but he also appreciated the natural beauty of his surroundings and took hundreds of photos of beautiful flowers, scenery and sunsets. He was happiest surrounded by his friends and family and enjoying a delicious meal and a beverage on a patio with a great view. He will be remembered fondly by many.
Wonderful husband and soulmate of Jeanette ("Jenny") for 58 years, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2019, at Hospice Niagara after a courageous battle with cancer. Loving and supportive father of Dale Reed (Lori), Tammy Webber and Robyn Reed (Jeff McDougall). Survived by sisters-in-law Karen Phillips (Sam), Dianne Catillo, Rose Arkinson (Merv) and many nieces and nephews. Proud Grandpa of Jason Reed and Kayla Webber. Loving Papa of AJ and Gabby Procopio and Gracie Sacco. He retired as a Major after a 30-year career with the Royal Canadian Air Force. 427 Squadron flying F-86 Sabres at Zweibrücken, Germany in the early 60s was among one of his earliest postings. During the remainder of his career, he flew many different aircraft and filled many varied administrative posts. His duties took him to Canada, Germany and the USA from 1955 through 1985.
Tom was born in Alexandria, Scotland in 1934 and moved to Canada at the age of 18. Joining the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1953, Tom quickly earned his pilot wings and flew as a fighter pilot amassing some 5,000 hours on jet aircraft. Tom flew operationally with 421 Squadron, was an RCAF Acceptance Test Pilot, an A1 Instructor; as well as the last Commanding Officer of 427 Fighter Squadron during the CF-104 era. During that latter period he completed "The Green Book", a project started by L/Col Carruthers who had tasked the Squadron Historian, Captaon Doug Annis, to chronicle the history of the Squadron up to 1970. He was also the Commander of the Canadian Forces Flying Training School. With his considerable experience in mass formation flying gained on Sabres, T-33s and CF-104s, Tom was instrumental in the formation of the Canadian Armed Forces Aerobatic Flying Team the "Snowbirds".
The many commendations and accolades Tom received during his staff tours with NORAD and NATO highlighted a keen intellect in operations, planning, policy making, and international relations. His career took him across Canada and around the world. Tours in Portage La Prairie, Winnipeg, Moose Jaw, North Bay were interspersed with multiple tours in Germany, Belgium and the United States. Tom retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in 1989 after 36 years of service and attaining the rank of Colonel. Throughout, he served the RCAF and his country with distinction and honour.
Tom was an excellent soccer player and skier. More so, he was an outstanding golfer much to the chagrin of many he played and competed against. Over the years, Tom had many and varied involvements outside his military career. He was active in scouting, service clubs and sports / recreational organizations and was awarded the State of Rhineland-Pfalz gold medal for civic activity.
In 'retirement', Tom continued to be active in community affairs. With a knack for administration and planning, he organized a multinational float plane competition to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the completion of Alaskan Highway, was a federal political campaign manager, was the Municipal Emergency Programme Co-ordinator for Metchosin and a member of the Greater Victoria Regional Emergency Planning Committee. Never one to shy away from controversy and perhaps even enjoying the debate, Tom was a frequent contributor to the 'Letters' section of various newspapers. A devoted husband and family man, Tom's sense of humour kept everyone on their toes.
A beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, Tom was predeceased by the love of his life Christina in 2014. Left to cherish his memory are his four children, nine grandchildren and two great-children.
As Tom would see it in his final days: He was on short final, to a full stop landing. The flight is over. What a great flight.
Douglas Howard Riddell, of Durham, passed away at Chapman House, Owen Sound on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 in his 88th year. Beloved husband for 66 years of Marilyn (nee Alexander). Loving father of Alex Riddell and his wife Eva of Alton, Steven Riddell and his wife MaryEileen of Orangeville, and Rebecca and her husband Warren Blain of Rockland. Cherished grandfather of Jason, Marie and her husband Justin Madonia, Benjamin, Laura, and Cassandra. Brother-in-law of Sanne Riddell. Predeceased by his brother Hugh Riddell, his sister Sylvia Reid and her late husband Bruce.
Doug was born on December 21, 1932 to Morrow and Laura Riddell. He and Marilyn were married in London, Ontario on August 14, 1954. Doug joined the Canadian Air Force in 1952, he flew as an instructor pilot and had two overseas postings in Germany and France as a F86 and CF104 fighter pilot. L/Col Doug Riddell had staff positions in North Bay, Ottawa, NORAD headquarters in Colorado Springs, Senior Staff position in Trenton, Canadian Forces staff College in Toronto, was the Chief Flying Instructor and Squadron Commander in Chatham, New Brunswick.
Doug was an elder at Latona Presbyterian Church. Friends may call at the Durham Legion, 271 Bruce Street North, Durham on Monday, September 7th from 2:30 - 4 p.m. A funeral service celebrating the life of L/Col Doug Riddell will be held at the Durham Legion on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. Private family interment at Latona Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations to Owen Sound Hospital Foundation or the Durham Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
Due to Covid-19 protocols masks are required, social distancing must be respected on Durham Legion property and a limited number of people will be allowed for visitation and the funeral service. If you wish to attend visitation and/or the funeral service, please call the Funeral Home at 519-369-3837 or visit the death notice on the Funeral Home website (www.mccullochwatsonfuneralhome.ca) to confirm your attendance.
Rob joined the RCN in 1967, surviving the HMCS Kootenay explosion in 1969, the worst Canadian peactime naval disaster. He received his pilot wings in 1976, attended ther Command and Staff College, commanded 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron at CFB Gagetown and served with NORAD. He retired in 1997 but continued serving as New Brunswick Liaison Officer in Canada's Reserve Force until 2001.
In 1998 he became President and CEO of the Greater Moncton International Airport. He also served on several board and councils throughout Atlantic Canada.
He was a devoted family man and so loved his grandkids, spending as much time as he could with them, being involved in their lives as much as possible, along with reading history and riding his motorcycle.
Thanks to Alex Home for the above notification.
Jack served on 427 in the latter days of the war on Lancaster bombers.
Note: From Harry Prins, Chairman of the International CF-104 Society with thanks. I am in contact with his son Dave Rozdeba and he told me that his father passed away in 1992. Ed was an F-86 Sabre pilot and flew with the RCAF Golden Hawks aerobatic team (1959-1961). Then he flew the CF-104 and logged 2242 hours while with 427 Squadron 1965 to 1969 and Strike Recce from 1970 - 1974.
Thanks to Harry Prins for this information
Ron was the son of a member of the RAF and he was born in Alexandria, Egypt on June 2, 1930 while his father was on a foreign posting. At the age of 18 he enlisted with the RAF and served from 1948 to 1950. In 1951 the young pilot became a member of the RCAF and his first tour was as an Instructor on Harvards fom 1953 to 1956.
In 1957 he transitioned to F-86s and was posted to 422 Fighter Squadron at 4 Wing based at Baden Sollingen. His next posting took him to Air Division HQ in Metz, France where he remained until 1961. From Metz he went to Cold Lake, Alberta and by 1965 had become the Chief Flying Instructor. In 1965 Ron headed back to Germany as Deputy Squadron Commander of 427 Squadron on CF-104s. He continued on 104s flying in Zweibrucken and Decimmannu, Sardina. Ron was Chief Operations Officer of the Tri_National(Canada, Germany,Italy) Air Weapons Unit for which he was honoured by being made an honourary pilot in the Italian Air Force.
After Staff College in Toronto he became a staff officer in the Directorate of Air Equipment Requirements in Ottawa. He left there in 1972 to attend a one year French Immersion course in Quebec City and after completion was posted to helicopters. His facility in his second language allowed him to become CO of 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, a designated French language unit and at that time one of the few anglophones to be given command of a French speaking unit. In 1975 he was appointed as Canadian Forces Attaché in Rome, Italy with cross accredidations to Madrid, Spain. He impressed his NATO allies by his learning of Italian to communicate in the language of the host country.
In August 1978 he was given the job of Base Commander at CFB Trenton. CFB Trenton had always been a major base in the Forces strategic plans and has been the launch pad for a a number of tactical exercises and operations. Colonel Russell thrived in the challenges of a busy and complex operation. One of his last postings was to SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) in Casteau, Belgium.
Colonel Russell was an enthusiastic supporter of the military family and actively participated in the F-86 and CF-104 reunions.
Ron passed away in Trenton Memorial Hospital after a three year battle with ALS.
Derek joined the Air Force in 1940 at age eighteen and after completing a training program as an engine and airframe tradesman was posted to Edmonton for basic training and later to Claresholm. Training was completed at an RCAF base in Ontario at the #4 Bombing and Gunnery school.
In April 1944, he was posted to 427 Squadron then stationed at Leeming, North Yorkshire, England to work on the Halifax. However, in September, 1944, he was posted to 435 Squadron operating in India and Burma supporting the Burma campaign of the Anglo-Indian Fourteenth Army. He spent the year there servicing Dakota´s as well as working as a "kicker" during supply drops. As the official Air Force site states, Canadians operating in this theatre were threatened as much by their living and working conditions as from enemy action.
After hostilities ended Derek was able to assist with delivering food to the starving people of Burma and south China.
He married Jill Leir in 1947. In 1955 Derek was ordained as an Anglican priest. He maintained his association with 427 Squadron as an Association Director for British Columbia.
Slim was killed in an accident with CF-104 #AC12794. While flying in the Zweibrücken area he experienced an engine nozzle malfunction followed by ENCS failure. He died in the wreckage of the aircraft due to a possible seat malfunction that did not allow him to eject. He is buried in Chaloy.
Thanks to Harry Prinz, Dick Dunn and Bob Hyndman for this information.
Mick passed away on February 23, 2016 in Annapolis Royal, N.S. He was born March 24, 1937 in St. Andrews, MB. Mick was proud of his service as a pilot with the RCAF, and especially liked to recall flying the F-86 (Sabre) for 427 Squadron. He had many other assignments and roles, inside the armed forces and out, including a position as management consultant for the United Nations in Jordan. But he was also happy swinging a set of golf clubs or stirring a pot of chili. He lived a full life and is fondly remembered.
Walter was born in Alberta and in his school days was a talented athlete, excelling at hockey and football. After secondary school Walter was admitted to Royal Military College, graduating in 1953. He subsequently entered the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he discovered his lifelong passion for flying. After training he served his country with distinction in the cockpit of an F-86 Sabre fighter jet. He flew F-86s for 427 Squadron at 3(Fighter) Wing, Germany from 1954 until 1957. He then returned to Training Command at Gimli, Manitoba for instructional duties. He was promoted Squadron Leader (Major) while instructing at Gimli but shortly afterwards resigned from the RCAF to take employment at Eastern Air Lines. Highlights of his 12-year military career include the tour in Germany with NATO forces and then later flying with one of Canada's precision air teams, The Smokers who flew their routines in the T-33, Shooting Star.
In 1966 when Walter decided to resign from the military to become a commercial airline pilot, he and his young family moved to Sparta, New Jersey, and Walter enjoyed a successful career with Eastern Airlines until retiring in the mid 1990s. Soon after retiring, Walter undertook a second career as a Simulator Training Captain with Airbus, training younger pilots with patience, gentleness and wit. He retired for good in 2000, after which, with characteristic energy and flair, he took up acting, performing in numerous community theater productions and several television commercials.
In the early 1990s, Walter met Nancy Power in Miami. They were married in November 1995 and spent the rest of their lives together, until Nancy died in November 2017. They spent their retirement years traveling the world and living in Marsh Creek, in St. Augustine where they were surrounded by dear friends and family, and where Walter pursued his consuming passion for golf, which he'd discovered in the RCAF. Officers who played golf were granted extra time off. Walter was hooked for life, and spent every free minute on the links.
Walt was a very personable guy with a wonderful sense of humor. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Bob was a member of 427 Lion Squadron and on his second tour. Roughly two hours after taking off in Halifax LV898 on the evening of March 30, 1944 to attack Nurnburg they were set upon by a night fighter and shot down south of Aachen. All were KIA. Ironically, P/O Shannon had just received notice of his promotion to Flying Officer (F/O). On the same operation Both A and B Flight Commander's aircraft and crews were lost. See March 1944 Operations History for more information.
The above from a son of a friend who served with Bob in 6 Group, G. Johnston, PO1 ret'd, CD2.
Bob grew up in Winnipeg but spent most summers assisting his cousin's family (my father) on their farm, just north of Brandon. Needless to say his mother was devastated to hear of the death of her only son, from what my father recalls, as a single mother she never got over it. During the war my father served overseas with 418 (City of Edmonton) Squadron and on several occasions met Bob in London when he was on leave from Leeming, Yorkshire. My father stated on several occasions while in conversation with Bob the premonitions Bob expressed regarding his future survival on Ops.
Mr Johnston also included the original casualty notification as well as an acknowledement from the Manitoba government that approval had been given to name a lake in memorium.
Bruce was killed in an accident with CF-104, #AC12793. He struck the ground during a TACAN letdown following a night training mission. Suspected cause was mis-reading of altimeter. Buried in Chaloy.
Thanks to Harry Prinz, Dick Dunn and Bob Hyndman./p>
Captain John Shute passed away on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at the age of 77.
Born 10 July 1938 in Shanghai, China, John Shute spent the early years of his life in a Japanese Internment Camp. After liberation in 1945, the family moved briefly to Australia, then to Wales, his father's home country.
The family immigrated to Canada in 1951, residing in Guelph, Ontario. After high school graduation, John joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, serving as a fighter pilot flying the iconic F-86 Sabre with 427 (Lion) Squadron at Zweibrücken, West Germany, and later with 421 (Red Indian) Squadron at Grostenquin, France.
Released from the RCAF, John joined Air Canada in 1966, residing in Hawkesbury, Ontario, while flying out of Montreal. Promoted to Captain in 1976, John lost his flying license resulting from heart problems in 1984. He continued with Air Canada as a simulator instructor until retirement in 1995, moving to Ottawa, Ontario.
As a Director of the 427 Squadron Association, John and his wife Susi were avid supporters of the Association and of the Sabre Pilots Association of Air Division Pilots (SPAADS.) He will be missed by his many Air Force and Air Canada friends.
Sergeant, Airframe Technician, Broadcaster & Radio Personality
This article describes the career of Hank Siemens, an Airman in the Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Armed Forces with an emphasis on his volunteer radio broadcasting contribution. It is written by Dan Rooks of Hinton, Alberta, an aviation enthusiast specializing in Canada's Air Force during the cold war period.
Hank Siemens was a Saskatchewan boy, born at Balgonie and raised at Indian Head where his father worked in a tree nursery. He Joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1951 and became a career Airman, serving, in many interesting places and holding, a variety of responsible positions.
Basic training took place at Aylmer, Ontario. Airframe Technician training was next at Borden and his first posting, was 42 Air Navigation School, RCAF Station Winnipeg,
At that time the Korean War was on and Hank was assigned to special duty with 426 Thunderbird Squadron at McChord Air Force Base, Washington State, USA. There he worked as a crew member on North Stars flying supplies and personnel to Japan for duty in Korea and bringing, wounded back home.
Then it was back to Winnipeg for a brief period and on to Moose Jaw for Harvard maintenance. It was during this time that a NATO student flying a Harvard collided with a Trans Canada North Star over Moose Jaw with high loss of life. Hank was among RCAF personnel detailed to locate wreckage and bodies. Although he did it with professional fortitude, the memories of that tragic accident remain to this day.
Hank next went to CJAT Rivers where he initially worked on the Mk 5 and 6 Austers and the L- 19 with the First Light Aircraft (Army) School. Other duties included maintenance on the P-51 Mustang, crewman on Dakotas, Flight Engineer on C-119 Flying Boxcar and helicopter experience on the C-47, S-51 and S-55. Training on these machines took him to Fort Rucker, Alabama and Fort Worth, Texas for maintenance courses.
His first overseas posting was to 3 Fighter Wing, Zweibrücken, Germany in 1959. There he worked on Sabres with 434 and 427 Squadron until 1962. It was then Hank became involved as a volunteer broadcaster with CFN Radio. It was also during this period that Hank had the honour of serving with the elite Canadian Sabre team that represented Canada at the Guynemer Trophy Shoot. The RCAF fellows won it hands down a number of years running, over all other NATO Air forces. In fact they won it so often some air forces refused to compete any longer. This was during the "glory days" of the RCAF when it was recognised as the best air force in Europe.
Returning to Canada in 1962 he was stationed at Gimli until 1965 when the opportunity for another posting at 3 Wing came up. There was no problem deciding what to do and Hank served there until Zweibrücken was closed out in 1969, an event that Canadian Service personnel and German Nationals alike still look back on with sadness. The bond that had grown between the Canadians and Germans was very strong, and parting was hard. It was back to Canada again, this time with 434 Squadron at Cold Lake where he served until retirement in 1975.
Those of you serving with 427 Squadron at the time will remember the young lady who ran the Squadron canteen and was invariably addressed as "Schatzi"(real name Lotte). Hank married her in 1962 before he returned to Canada.
Hank was also a life volunteer with the Canadian Forces Network (CFN) and his full story gives an inside look at the history of the CFN.
To read more click here
Some further words and photos HERE from his son Mike Siemans.
P/O Slever had service as an Air Gunner with 427 Squadron.
No other information presently available
Passed away on Wednesday September 11, 2013 at the age of 83. He is survived by his wife Freda of 60 years and sons Doug and Grahame. He started his military career with the RAF and subsequently the RCAF, as a pilot. After an early retirement from the military he worked three years with Mohawk Airlines in New York. He returned to Ontario to conclude his career with Transport Canada.
It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce the passing of beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, Bruce Mervyn Smith, on Nov. 14, 2015 in Kamloops, B.C.
Bruce was born in Portsmouth, England and came to Canada at age 2 to settle with his family in Portage La Prairie. He joined the RCAF in 1943, was stationed in Leeming, Yorkshire, and flew 35 bombing raids as a Flight Engineer with 427 (Lion) Squadron. He flew the operations with pilot Flight Sergeant W.M. Patrick (R63698).
Returning to Vancouver after the war, he met and married Wendy Dyson. With their growing family, they moved to Kamloops in 1953 where he owned and operated City Auto Trim and Upholstery. He later sold the business to pursue his passion of teaching. At age 39, he returned to complete high school and went on to earn his Bachelor of Education from UBC in 1971. Bruce was a respected educator and fondly remembered by former students as their favourite teacher. As a principal, he was highly regarded by staff, students and parents.
After retirement, Bruce's enthusiasm for fishing and for woodworking kept his days filled. Grandfather clocks, decorative boxes, cutting boards, and other pieces were lovingly created and treasured by friends and family.
Reg flew Sabre jets with the 427 Squadron (ROAR) in Zweibruken, Germany and ferried 12 Sabres across the Atlantic with the Overseas Ferry Unit (OFU). He was an Air Canada Captain from 1958 to 1991. A few of his many accomplishments were: President of the International Federation of Airline Pilots Assoc.(IFALPA) representing 70 countries; Chief Accident Investigator Canadian Airline Pilots Association (CALPA); Regional Vice President for the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Northern Atlantic Region. His many awards included CALPA Founders Flight Safety Award and the Clarence N. Sayen Award (IFALPA). He was an active member of Retired Airline Pilots of Canada (RAPCAN), Sabre Pilots Association, Air Division Squadrons (SPAADS) and the Club de Ski 100 Years. During his 40 years of flying he flew 37 types of airplanes and logged over 17,000 flying hours.
Reg was also Chairman of the 427 Squadron Association for many years before ill health caused him to resign.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather on June 20, 2011 in Edmonton, AB, at the age of 99 years. Al will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 70 years, Eileen; children, Ronald (Diane), Wendy and Beverly; six grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren and brother, Fred. Al was predeceased by five brothers and one sister. Al served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Navigator during the Second World War.
Capt Sonoski and Capt Juli-Ann (Jules) MacKenzie lost their lives and Sgt Mario Michaud and Cpl Dave Pawulski were seriously injured on the 18th July 2002 in the tragic crash of a Griffon helicopter while on a search and rescue mission, north of Goose Bay, Labrador. At the time they were serving on 444 squadron.
Colin joined the Canadian Forces in 1988 and was posted to 427 Squadron in March 1991. During the next nine years Colin flew Kiowa, Huey and Griffon helicopters and both pilots were regarded by their peers and subordinates for their excellent piloting skills and knowledge of Tactical Aviation. Colin was known for his great sense of humour and down to earth nature. He will be long remembered for his leadership role in being personally involved in the organization of several noteworthy Gathering of the Lions. It is said that Colin hoped one day to return to Petawawa and to once again enjoy the fellowship of the Lions in proximity to his beloved Algonquin Park which was the site of the recent scattering of his ashes.
A presentation of the Memorial (Silver) Cross was made at Branch 136 of the Royal Canadian Legion, Milton ON, 1330 hrs, 7 March 2009 to Sharon Singleton, widow of Capt Colin Sonoski, and to Jenna and Liam Sonoski, Colin's children. There also was a presentation of the Memorial Bar and Scroll to Colin's father, Frank Sonoski. A presentation for Captain MacKenzie will take place later this month.
Many of Colin's friends and former squadron associates attended the ceremony, (approx. 85). Among them were Major Mike Day, Captain Mike Csisztu and Mr.Sask Wilford from the Association. Sharon, his widow expressed her appreciation to everyone in a gracious and moving speech.
Sergeant Spencer was the only survivor from four 427 Squadron aircraft shot down on the night of 22/23 June, 1943 during an operation to bomb Mulheim. He was a part of pilot F/Sgt J. D. Hamilton's crew. The other crew members were Navigator - WOII J.J.Reansbury, Observor - Sgt G.D.Sharp, Reargunner - F/Sgt P.J.A.Dennis and Mid-uppergunner - F/Sgt G.L.Tyrone, Observor - Sgt N.G.Whiting, and Flight Engineer - Sgt J.A.Spencer. Sgt.s Sharp and Whiting were RAF the remainder of the crew was RCAF.
Our thanks to Adrian van Zantvoort, a keen historian who organized a memorial to this crew after a fragment of the aircraft was unearthed. The memorial is to be unveiled in Kaathoven, Netherlands on June 22, 2013.
KIA during an operation on Villeneuve St. George. The pilot F/O Moss also was killed. All other crew members parachuted to safety, two evaded and three were captured and ended up as POWs. F/O Moss and F/Sgt Steel are interred in Allainville Community Cemetary,Allainville-aux-Bois, Yvelines, France
Ron had a long satisfying career in aviation, beginning in 1956 with the RCAF. He completed an operational tour on his beloved Canadair F-86 Sabre on 427 Squadron, based at Zweibrücken, Germany.
After he left the RCAF in 1965, he gained employment with Air Canada in 1965, retiring as a Boeing 747-400 Captain in 1997. In his retirement, he took up the game of golf but, according to Ron, achieved no great success as a golfer. However, he enjoyed the game immensely, made possible by his close group of "golf buddies".
Ron retired with over 17,000 flying hours
ED Note: Ron was a Squadron Flight Leader of a section of four Sabres. Twice a year in Sardinia where we practiced live gunnery, it was necessary for each pilot to "qualify" by achieving at least 20% hits on the flag. One of Ron's section was having problems achieving that magic 20%. Ron solved the problem. He and two others in his four plane section had already qualified so with a judicious bribe to the Armourers, he had them load all four aircraft with the same colour bullet load. No one could explain how the pilot having difficulty qualifying had suddenly achieved a 60% score....
I will always be grateful to Ron for that assistance.
Peter led an adventurous and full life following the example of his father who he admired greatly. He lived in Shanghai as a child, was schooled in England and joined the RCAF in 1941 at the age of 18. In 1951, Peter married Frances and also received the MBE medal following his daring rescue of a British scientific survey party in Antarctica in 1950. He remained with the RCAF thereafter becoming a Squadron Leader in Europe during the Cold War era. He served as 427 Squadron's 15th Commanding Officer from 1960 to 1962 and ended 427's decade of flying the F-86 Sabres when on December 14, 1962 he handed the Squadron diary to W/C Bob Middlemiss, the new CO with CF-104 Starfighters. He retired from the RCAF as a Wing Commander (L/Col) in 1972. With more adventure in his first 50 years than most, he was quite happy to settle into a structured domestic life; working for the federal government, spending time with his family and playing a lot of golf. He was a devoted husband and cared for Frances as long as he possibly could. He was immensely proud of his children and grandchildren. Peter's love of sport began in his youth as a gifted athlete and he followed the athletic achievements of his children and grandchildren with great interest. His outward stoicism often belied his caring nature. Always quick with a joke, Peter's dry wit served him well until the very end. He left us all with his own fine example of how to live with dignity, humility and courage.
See also the Globe and Mail Obituary, January 15, 2011
Post war George was very involved on AAFR (Allied Air Forces Reunion) committees. This was an annual reunion held in the Royal York Hotel, Toronto. - Vern White
Peacefully on May 13, 2018, Ian Campbell Thomson, age 95, of Winnipeg, MB, passed away at the Deer Lodge Centre.
Ian was born in Winnipeg on December 31, 1922 to James and Mary (m.s. Campbell) Thomson. He was raised in Elmwood and
attended Lord Selkirk School and Isaac Newton High School. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in June 1941.
He received his RCAF wings and qualified to fly a four-engine Halifax bomber in WWII. As a proud member of 427
Squadron (Lion), out of Leeming, Yorkshire, he flew 44 bombing missions over enemy territory. He earned the
nickname “Lucky” because his aircraft was “holed” by flak many times but always returned safely.
After the war he joined the Winnipeg Fire Department where he served 38 years as a firefighter and
fire prevention officer. Ian was a lifelong member of the Royal Canadian legion, Wartime Pilots Association,
Masons, St. Andrew’s Society and the Burns Club.
He married Carley Souchereau on October 5, 1974, in Winnipeg. He considered Carley’s children as his own.
Ian is survived by Carley, and her children Carol-Anna and David Souchereau, and grandchild Kelsey Souchereau
Yakowchuk. He is also survived by his son Ian Robert (Leah Janzen) Thomson and grandchildren Ian A. “Alec” and
Vanessa L. Thomson.
The family wish to express their thanks to the staff of Tower 4 at the Deer Lodge Centre for their thoughtful,
dedicated and compassionate care.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer Society, 10-120 Donald Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 4G2.
Murray was a veteran of WW II and served in the RCAF as a Flight Sergeant, Wireless Air Gunner on Halifax and Lancaster aircraft from 1943 to 1946.
On May 7, 2020 his son Rodney sent the following email.
To whom it may concern; executor I have been opening mail addressed to her house. Today I opened an envelope addressed to my Father, who passed over 5 years ago, (October 19th 1924 -- March 23, 2015), at the age of 90. It was your publication ROAR (Volume 5/Issue2).
Father served during the Second World War with the RAF as a tail gunner in a Halifax named ‘Vicky the Vicious Virgin’. It was during the final months of the war and if he saw any action, he didn’t talk about it with his 6 kids. Not an uncommon characteristic of those that served, I have learned.
You will want to remove his name from your mailing list.
Thank you;
Rodney Thompson
It appears Mr. Thompson was RAF and flew the Halifax with RCAF 408 (Goose)Squadron out of Linton-on-Ouse. Apparently the ‘Vicky the Vicious Virgin’ Halifax was shot down in late 1944 but revived on a 428(Ghost)Squadron Lancaster by the original nose artist, Bert Evans, when he converted to Lancasters in early 1945.
Allan graduated from the Ottawa Technical School and joined ERCO (Albright & Wilson) in Buckingham, Quebec. Originally hired as a laboratory technician, he went on to lead in the area of environmental affairs and was awarded a prestigious award from Albright & Wilson, Americas for his lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.
Allan had a brief interruption in his professional career to serve as a Flying Officer with the RCAF 427 Squadron based at Leeming, England and flew the last of 31 sorties as Navigator on the Halifax Bomber aircraft in December of 1944.
It was during the wartime where he met and married his cherished wife Irene in Edinburgh, Scotland. Allan and Irene made their lifelong home in Buckingham, where he was active as a board member and steward of St. Andrew’s United Church, school board trustee, scout leader, curling club and historical society member. Allan & Irene enjoyed the family cottage where Allan took pleasure in fishing, sailing and windsurfing. Irene and Allan took many family visits to Scotland, Canada and the US. Allan continued his involvement with the 427 Squadron over the years attending many reunions and Base functions and as a Director of the 427 Squadron Association.
Click here for a more comprehensive look at Allan's military career
Clem has long career in The RCAF/CAF. In 1965/66 he served as Commanding Officer of 427 Squadron when equipped with the CF-104.
Eric had a 28 year career in the Canadian Air Force as a pilot. Highlights included a tour of Operations on Halifax and Lancaster aircraft during WW II, a tour flying Canso aircraft supporting the mapping of the Nortwest Territories and Canadian Artic, a tour of duty on the Dewline and two tours flying F-86 Sabres in Europe. The second Sabre tour was with 427 Squadron at 3(F)Wing,Zweibrücken, Germany.
George Lindsay Vogan B.A., B.D., M.A., M.Div., S.T.M., D.D., D.F.C. Reverend Doctor Lindsay Vogan at 91 years of age passed away on October 11, 2009 from complications due to Alzheimer disease.
Lindsay was predeceased by his wives, Dorothy (1971) and Carol (2007). He will be lovingly remembered by his children, Phil (Jan) Vogan, Sandra (Ron) Kreis, and Andrew (Barb) Vogan; six grandchildren; and three great- grandchildren. Lindsay was also predeceased by his son, Stephen, and grandchildren, Timothy and Jarrod.
Lindsay was born August 21, 1918 and raised in Waterloo County, Ontario. As a young man he worked at the Bank of Commerce in Ayr, Ontario until 1941 when he enlisted in the RCAF. He saw active service as a member of bomber command and 427 Squadron during WW2. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his contributions.
After the war, he was ordained as a United Church Minister. He had a flair for ancient Greek and Hebrew languages and Old Testament theology, and as a result was hired by St. Stephen's College, Edmonton, in 1953 where he taught until 1971. He then took a pastoral charge at Westminster until he retired from the United Church in 1983. His love of teaching took him to teach at numerous multi-denominational theological colleges in the Edmonton area. He continued to teach until his retirement in 1992.
Link to photos and more information
A resident of Chatham, Ontario, he was a proud WW II veteran who served in the RCAF in Squadrons 412 and later 427.
Beau joined the RCAF from Winnipeg in 1956 and after receiving his wings was sent to #1 Fighter Operational Training Unit(OTU) at RCAF Station Chatham, NB for conversion traning on the F-86. Once completed he was posted to 427 Squadron at 3(F) Wing, Zweibrücken, Germany arriving there in the summer of 1957. He met and married his future wife of 57 years, Elli, in 1960. That year he requested and was granted a year extension to his tour in Germany, however he was posted to the T-33 flight on the base. On return to Canada a year later and after finishing the Instructional School in Trenton, ON, he instructed on the T-33 at Portage La Prairie, MB until 1964. That year he began training with the Goldren Hawk aerobatic team,the precursor of the Snowbirds, but he decided to leave the RCAF and joined the first pilot course at Air Canada which had begun a major expansion of routes and aircraft. Beau enjoyed a distinguished career in Air Canada and retired in Vancouver, BC as a senior B-747 Captain. Beau and Elli were loyal members and supporters of the Sabre Pilots Association of the Air Divisioin Squadrons (SPAADS) and Elli intends to continue that tradition. Beau and Elli also raised three children, Craig, Faye and Marina.
Image posted on Facebook 427 Squadron Association and duplicated here
Vern and Enid were long time supporters of the Air Crew Association and 427 Squadron Association. He was Editor and co-editor of the ROAR Newsletter for several years and served as the Association's wartime Historian. He served with 427 Squadron until he was shot down during a raid on Wuppertal in the Ruhr valley. It was the night of June 24/25, 1943 and he became a POW until the end of the war. After the war he became a long time employee of Bell Canada.
Vern was a very modest man and it as not until after he died that it was revealed to the Association by his wife, Enid, that he had a book of his wartime experiences. Although it was compiled and published by his niece for his 80th birthday, the story was told by Vern, a natural storyteller. Among the many interesting facts about Vern's wartime career was that he was the owner of two Caterpiller pins.
Ed. Note Excerpts of Vern's book, here will be in future issues of ROAR and the book will eventually be transcribed to the 427 Squadron Association web site.
Vern in early days
Vern holding part of his aircraft
A native of Canada, died peacefully at his home surrounded by his family following a lengthy illness. Ken was born March 30, 1931 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada to William Andrew Williams and Lizzy Wainwright Williams.
When Ken was 8, the family moved to Kamloops, British Columbia where he attended school, played lacrosse and enjoyed fishing, hunting and water sports. He graduated from high school in 1949 and followed his father and uncles into employment with the Canadian National Railroad where he worked as a fireman on steam locomotives. In 1954, Ken joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and attended Officers Training School. This led to Pilot Training on jet fighter aircraft T-33 & F-86.
He was posted to the Canadian prairies where he met and married Doris Mary Milne in 1955. He was then selected to serve in Europe with the NATO forces. The young couple went to #3 Fighter Wing RCAF in Zweibrucken, Germany where they spent four years. Upon their return from Europe, Ken and Doris lived in Canada, before immigrating to southern California. He was hired by the Redlands Fire Department in 1960. Ken retired in 1987 as Division Chief and Fire Marshal for the RFD after 27 years of service. During his Fire Department career, Ken initiated the CPR program and was its first certified instructor. He was the first in the department to earn a Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Administration and Technology. Ken served as president of the SB County Fire Prevention Officers and was a charter member and president of the SB County Fire-Arson Investigators. He is remembered fondly by many as a mentor during his career.
As a 50+ year resident, Ken loved Redlands and took great pleasure in his involvement in the community: First Congregational Church, Redlands Noon Kiwanis, Meals on Wheels and Redlands Historical Society.
Ken is survived by his beloved wife Doris; his children Ruthanne Williams, Michael and Fionnuala Williams, Jan and George Kukula; his grandchildren Geoffrey Kukula, Meghann Williams, Lauren Kukula and Benjamin Williams. He was a wonderful Husband, Dad & Papa.
P/O Williamson was a crew member of S/L Mosley-Williams whose aircraft was the only one to not return from a mining operation to Oslo on the above date.
He was the Flight Officer of a Halifax III coded ZL-F based at Leeson(ed:probably Leeming) in 1945. He was shot down on February 21, 1945 (Worms raid) on his 29th mission. He was the only survivor of the crew.He told me once that he walked through Germany for three day trying to make it back to France. He was captured and spent the last months of the war as a POW.
He rarely spoke of the war, only in the last years of his life did I get to hear his story. He told me that when the aircraft exploded, he found himself instantly outside of the airplane tumbling through the air.
After his parachute landing, for the first two days, he hid during daylight and walked at night. Due to the cold temperatures, on the third day he began to walk during daylight. On that third day, he told me that he climbed down a steep hill only to realize that he had entered a German army camp. He walked past a long line of German Infantry waiting to go into their mess tent for food. They stared at him, he kept walking, they did nothing. He made it to the edge of the camp where a German sentry captured him. Will remembered the sentry’s words in English with a German accent: “For you the war is over!â€. He spent the last months of the war as a POW.
Not sure what POW camp he was in, but he remembered that a fence through the camp separated the Russian prisoners from the other allied prisoners. The Germans treated the Russians very poorly. Will told me that he would give the Russians food through the fence as they had nothing.
After the War, Will did some barnstorming in Nova Scotia but later re-enlisted in the air force and flew Lancasters with the costal patrol off the East coast of Canada.
Later, he flew Hercules cargo aircraft for PWA. Will retired from flying around 1985 from PWA.
ed: This note from a friend, Gil Carleton who emailed the information. Our thanks.
Murray retired from the military after his Short Sevice Commission and joined the Prescott Coast Guard as a pilot where he spent over thirty years before retiring. Murray at 3 Wing in Zweibrücken was an excellent pilot and in his spare time an excellent hockey player.
Bill was killed when his CF-104, #AC104721 crashed on final approach after a visual circuit. There was no attempt to eject and the cause of the accident was not determined.
Thanks to Harry Prins and Dick Dunn for this information.
Colleen was a friend of the 427 Squadron Association and helped us in several ways over many years when we required the assistance of or information from the Squadron. She was always pleasant and professional in our dealings. She is missed.
Emil joined the RCAF in 1951 and was posted to 3(F)Wing,at Zweibrücken, Germany in 1953 where he flew the F-86 with 427 Squadron until 1957. His next posting took him to #2 Advanced Flying School (AFS) as an Instructor on T-33s at Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. He left the Air Force in 1958 and joined TCA but was laid off in 1961.