TRIBUTE TO RCAF STATION CENTRALIA 1942-1967: Postwar Control Tower & No. 5 Hangar

Group Captain Elmer Garfield Fullerton
Air Force Cross
Citation: In his twenty-seven years of active flying, Group Captain Fullerton has at all times displayed a high degree of skill and initiative. As a flying instructor he held an "A-1" category and was an outstanding aerobatic pilot. As a Commanding Officer he demands a high standard of training and by his own demonstrated ability he has inspired those under him to maintain this peak. The leadership and efficiency which he has displayed have been responsible for the training of large numbers of aircrew. His devotion to duty over a very long period have been outstanding.

A & B Flights - No. 4 Hangar

A Flight Instructors

F/L Arthur Fitzroy ‘Lucky’ Southam, Barney John Patrick McCausland, P/O Jack Arthurs, (J/14100) Richard John ‘Dick’ Chenoweth - 16 SF; F/O McLachlin, Richard A. Monrufet, Mervin Albert Leonard Hicks, P/O James Sim, John S. Storms, William Glenn George, Elroy Edward ‘Dave’ Hanton, Wes Farquharson, F/O Bilton, Don Deadrick, +Andrew Mead Wakeman, Joseph Harold Hartshorn, +(J/7891) Alexander Novick – 57 Sqn., F/O Robert Hesketh

B Flight Instructors

(J/4117) Robert Edward Porter - AFC, F/O John Patterson, F/O J.P.S. Johnston, P/O Ross Armer - AFC, P/O E.M. Willis, P/O Andrew William Nelson, P/O Heitman, P/O Phil O'Loane, Sgt.John W. Thorpe, Cleghorn, F/S Cunningham, (J/12200) William Allison Inman, Hamilton; Dunbar, +(J10973) Gerald Frederick Maffre - 434 Sqn., Carl Baxter, Doug Drummond, Tom MacFarlane, James Alexander Tremayne ‘Buck’ Behan, Sgt. MacHale, (J/9081) James Douglas Lindsay (DFC)

(C1264) Squadron Leader Eric Taylor Webster
Air Force Cross
Citation: This officer, since October 1939, has completed approximately 1,400 flying hours, ninety percent of which were instructional. The performance of his flying duties has consistently been above average with a commendable absence of accidents, and his strict adherence to flying discipline, loyalty and devotion to duties at all times, together with his keen enthusiasm in instructional flying, have been a splendid example and inspiration to other Flying Instructors.

(J/10972) Flight Lieutenant Hubert Clinton 'Gus' Herder
Air Force Cross
Citation: This officer has been on continuous instructional duties on this unit since April 1941. During this time he has completed approximately twenty-four hundred flying hours. He is the most outstanding flight commander and assistant squadron commander at this unit. His qualities of leadership have proven an invaluable asset to this unit and the manner in which he has at all times carried out each and every one of his duties is in keeping with the highest traditions of the service.

(J/4117) Squadron Leader Robert Edward Porter
Air Force Cross
Citation: This officer has been instructing at his present unit since 1941. He has amassed over fifteen hundred instructional hours and his ability in this field is outstanding. His qualities of leadership and organization are most commendable and the long meritorious service he has rendered has been in keeping with the best traditions of the service. By his zeal, efficiency and loyalty he has contributed greatly to the production of trained aircrew.

(Can 10731) Flight Sergeant Albert Oldham
British Empire Medal
Citation: This non-commissioned officer has proven himself to be exceptionally thorough in the performance of his duties in charge of aircraft engine and maintenance control. His outstanding ability for organization has done much to raise the standard of aircraft serviceability at this unit. He is keen and energetic in all his undertakings, being an inspiration to those associated with him. He is a most conscientious and efficient airman, whose devotion to duty is praiseworthy.

(J/4247) Squadron Leader Stuart Edward McDonald
Air Force Cross
Citation: This officer is an A-1 category instructor and has been on continuous instructional duties since May 1941. During this period he has completed 2,200 flying hours. He has always carried out his duties in an exemplary manner and his outstanding qualities as a leader and organizer are reflected in the smooth and efficient running of his squadron. This officer's contribution to flying training has been outstanding. He has displayed constant devotion to duty over a long period.

(W301009) Florence Beatrice Bartlett
British Empire Medal
Citation: This airwoman, in two and a half years' service at this unit, has proven herself to be an exceptionally conscientious and capable chef. Despite the arduous nature of her duties, she has displayed outstanding initiative and unselfish devotion to duty at all times. Her exemplary conduct and successful and energetic efforts for the welfare of all concerned have been a great inspiration and example to others. Her great enthusiasm and efficiency are praiseworthy.

Course 71: December 29, 1942 - April 30, 1943

Course 71 commenced training December 29, 1942. Flying didn’t begin until January 13, 1943.

The low flying area became the scene of a double fatality when RAF student pilot Geoffrey William Tarbath and his instructor +(R/127903) Stanley Oswald Cunningham were killed April 19, 1943.

The accident report indicated Anson 7353 narrowly averted a collision with another aircraft in the area when the pilot pulled the Anson up sharply, then levelled off, stalled and dived sharply, catching fire on impact.

The investigation board concluded “there was loss of power due to failure of the pilot to switch to full tanks and, secondly, subsequent loss of flying control through attempting to maintain height whilst changing tanks at low altitude.”
After a service at Trivitt Memorial Church, Tarbath was interned in Exeter Cemetery.

On April 30, 1943, 45 graduates received their wings. Thirty graduates were posted overseas, nine to Flying Instructors School, three to General Reconnaissance School.

Graduates from the Royal Air Force: George A. Langford (POW), James Thomas Langran, (DFC - 77 Sqn.); E.J. “Taffy” Morgan, R.H. Moody, Harold Charles Normington, William North (POW 61 Squadron- 17th mission), A.G.D. Parkinson, V. Gerald Parkinson, Len Petty, Allan S. Phillips (DFC 625 Squadron), Jack Richmond, F.P. Roxburgh, +Charles Derek Ryden, Joseph C. Simpson, +David Forster Sinfield (CT - DFC 156 Sqn.), Edward James Treeves, Vivian Cuthbert Rowley - 44/49 Sqns.

Royal Canadian Air Force: +(J/25852) William Harold Janney - 428 Sqn.; +(J/25855 - R/145418) Harry James Wilson - 619 Sqn.; (J/25860) John Edgar Cartwright - 83 Sqn.

Robert M. Bartlett, Toronto; John Wallace Bick, Toronto; Cecil Walsh Bryson (DFC 578 Squadron); Ivor S. Davidson, Andre Deseck, Arthur Joseph Doran (killed 434 Squadron), Kenneth C.M. Dobbin, Toronto; George Warren Fairles, Herschel N. Fry, D.M. Hamilton; John D’Arcy Langlois (killed 1661 CU), Toronto; James R. Love, M.A. Markham, Hollis T. McCurdy, +(J/27560) Robert William Millar - 419 Squadron March 20, 1945; J.M. Morrison, Louis Orser, James A. Partridge (DFC 424 Squadron), A.D. Pelly, E.J. Poole, H. Reid, Charles Alfred Reid (DFC 408 Squadron), A. Rowland, Arthur Schlote, W.G. Sparkhall, +(R/158503) Arthur John Stainton - 427 Squadron March 31, 1944, Peterborough; Charles Thrasher (427 Squadron); Peter Thomas Walsh (DFC 192 Squadron), Toronto; Gordon William Webb - DFC & Bar 405 Sqn.

(152450) Acting Flight-Lieut. James Thomas Langran
No. 77 (R.A.F.) Squadron
Distinguished Flying Cross
Citation: "This officer has almost completed his first operational tour. He is an outstanding captain, who has always shown excellent leadership and skill of the highest order. he has secured numerous fine photographs of target areas.

"On one occasion, prior to an attack on Bois de Casson the port outer engine and mid-upper turret were rendered unserviceable, and the mid-upper gunner killed, but despite this a successful bombing attack was completed.

"On other sorties, Flt. Lt. Langran has made several runs over the target to ensure an accurate attack. He has always done excellent work, and has shown continued determination to complete all his missions."

RCAF WOMENS' DIVISION

The RCAF Women’s Division, or WD’s as they were known, served in many positions at the Station. Their slogan, “We Serve That Men May Fly” was very fitting, as they capably filled positions previously held by men, allowing the men to serve in combatant duties. Over 17,000 WD’s were enlisted and trained in over 40 trades in the RCAF. Although Anne (Parker) Richards worked in the Accounts section, she recalled some WD flying “duties.” “The girls did go on flights sometimes, I'm not sure if we were supposed to. I remember a pilot taking a couple of us to Hamilton where he circled around my home on the mountain. My parents must have loved that. One day we went up with a test pilot. The plane went up a little way but wouldn't go any higher. It shuddered about and I had visions of pancaking to earth. Another WD on board was petrified. However we got down safely and I decided that was not very smart.”

NO. 9 SFTS SWITCHBOARD OPERATORS 1943

L to R: Florence ?, “Casey” Case, June Demerling, Hedy Laga ..... June (Demerling) Robinson recalled: "There were times we felt when it was a bonus to be on shift work. It got us out of a lot of parade marches and drill practices and the like. However, there were drawbacks. On a Flying Training Station, the switchboard had to be operable 24 hours a day. We shift workers, who also happened to be switchboard operators, had no choice but to (wo)man that board all the time. When we had our full complement of six operators, there was no problem. We had our time off that was coming to us, and went merrily on our way winning the war. As fate or luck would have it, people got posted and the powers that be neglected to fill the holes. This was the switchboard personnel’s fate one summer, when three of our numbers were 'ferreted away.' The weather was good for night flying and the busy life of the station required two people on the board most days. After about two weeks of this routine all three of us were completely exhausted and desperate for help. All pleas for reinforcement fell on deaf ears. There appeared no alternative but to refuse to work, and to do this while we still had energy. Fortunately for us, the day we chose to issue this ultimatum, the CO was off the station, so resolutely we marched into the SAO's office and stated our grievance. I think we had visions of him getting down on his knees and asking our forgiveness. How could this have happened? Of course he would immediately get more staff in, and of course we had earned a few days off to sleep. Well, that's not exactly what happened. He glared at us over his glasses as though we had confessed to a plot to overthrow the Government, and barked in a most officious tone, ‘Do you girls realize that refusing to work in His Majesty's Forces is tantamount to MUTINY? You could all be court martialled. Get back to work and don't mention this to anyone else. If you do, I'll be forced to report you to the CO.’ We slunk back to the switchboard room 'shaking in our boots.' The rest of the day we were the best, most efficient telephone operators anyone could wish for. The next morning two new graduates from Manning Depot arrived and another three days later. I believe he knew they were coming, but the CO was away, and why not make the most of ‘a day in the sun.’”

JOHN JACOB BIRKY

Leading Aircraftsman John Jacob Birky was one of ten American pilot trainees to commence training with the first course at No. 9 SFTS Centralia. Prior to the United States entry into World War II, thousands of Americans enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. On September 30, 1942, Birky departed from the airport on a solo night flying exercise. Shortly after take-off, Anson 7573 which Birky was piloting struck ground in an almost laterally level position, bounced, struck a fence, cartwheeled through trees and caught fire on the farm of Murray Dixon. Awakened by the crash, Dickson and John Hotson rushed to the burning aircraft and pulled Birky to safety. Birky sustained very severe extensive third degree burns of both legs and lower part of trunk with muscle layers exposed in many places. He was given three-one quarter grains of morphine at the scene of the crash before emergency crews transported him to the station hospital where he was admitted at 12:05 midnight- approximately 35 minutes after the accident. In the next eight hours, Birky was given nearly 1000 cc of blood serum. A call went out to his family in Valparaiso, Indiana informing them of their son’s dire condition. They were told by a Station official, “If you want to see your son alive, come immediately.” Birky became irrational; his pulse was thready and fast, eventually becoming imperceptible. Death occurred at 8:12 a.m. Soon after, Mr. and Mrs. Birky received another telephone call informing them of their son’s death. The entire class turned out for a service in memory of their fallen comrade. Birky’s body was escorted back to his home in Indiana by William George, a fellow American on course who was also a resident of Indiana. An accident investigation concluded that with limited night flying experience, Birky allowed his aircraft to get out of control, then crash. The investigation couldn’t determine the cause for loss of control of the aircraft. The Accident Investigation Board recommend that student pilots at twin engine Service Flying Training Schools be given a periodic check at intervals of every two or three hours throughout their night flying training. Sadly, Birky became one of almost 800 brave young Americans who were killed while serving with the RCAF during the Second World War. A special ceremony was held February 12, 1944, at No. 9 to present Murray Dixon and John Hotson with the British Empire Medal for their heroic actions in rescuing Birky from the burning aircraft. John Birky enlisted in the RCAF at Windsor, Ontario on November 27, 1941. The interviewing officer concluded that Birky was, “Good type. Ambitious. Good flying experience. Keen to continue flying and play his part.” The Chief Supervisory Officer at 12 EFTS Goderich assessed Birky as, “Pleasant, good all round type. Hard worker and has leadership qualities. Inclined to worry unduly. Night vision low average." In July 2000, Rev. Ken Birky and his wife travelled from their home in Indiana to retrace John Birky's time training at Centralia

WILFRED RAYMOND KELL

Sadness struck the Station again on November 7, 1942 when Leading Aircraftsman Wilfred Raymond Kell was killed. He was participating in a formation training flight when the wing of the Anson he was flying collided with one of the other aircraft. Witnesses said it appeared Kell attempted to make a forced landing but crashed in between the house and barn on the Roy Gingerich farm north of Zurich. Two explosions from the plane set the barn on fire. Kell was pinned beneath the aircraft wreckage and perished. His body was returned to his home in Winnipeg for burial.

(406497) GORDON HAROLD WILSON R.A.A.F.

Course 83 commenced training June 13, 1943 at Centralia with 33 Australians becoming the first pilots from their country to train at No. 9 SFTS Centralia. Sadly, one Australian would lose his life on July 25, 1943. Gordon Harold Wilson was on a night flying exercise in Anson 7291. While making a turn in the circuit, Wilson apparently became disoriented by ground fog and the aircraft that he was piloting crashed about four miles North West of the airport. A memorial service was held at Trivitt Memorial Church with internment in Exeter Cemetery.

LYLE WILLIAM MCCHESNIE

Lyle McChesnie left his Sudbury, Ontario home to enlist in the RCAF on March 25, 1942. He received his EFTS training at Goderich where S/L H.E. King CFI provided the following assessment: “This student is average in every respect but is really a hard worker. Inclined to concentrate on flying to such an extent that his airmanship suffers.” From Goderich, McChesnie was posted to Centralia and was assessed by G/C Fullerton as: “An average student with no outstanding faults.” After receiving his pilot’s wings at Centralia, McChesnie was posted overseas shortly afterwards. After completing advanced pilot training in Britain, McChesnie was posted to 166 Squadron. On October 12, 1944, P/O McChesnie was piloting Lancaster PD227, engaged in Fighter Affiliation air firing detail. W/O Norman Pretlove was piloting Hurricane LF390 with 1687 Bomber Defence Training Flight. The aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision. An accident investigation officer stated: “I agree that the primary cause of the accident was that the Lancaster PD 227 166 Squadron was over Hemswell at 800-100 feet instead of over Ingham at 300 feet. And that, insofar, the pilot of the Lancaster is primarily to blame. At the same time it was the duty of the Hurricane pilot to keep a good lookout, especially on a aerodrome circuit. No doubt he couldn’t see the Lancaster just before impact but a good look round before he went into his left hand turn would have saved the situation. It ‘takes two to make a collision’ especially in conditions of good visibility, when visual control is operative.”

WILLIAM FRANK ANDERSON

William Frank Anderson graduated with Course 79 at Centralia. The resident of Toronto received the following assessment from G/C Fullerton: “Co-operative and confident, a high average pilot." Anderson was posted to Britain where completed his advanced bomber pilot training. While training at 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit, Anderson’s crew was assessed as: “An average pilot. Good crew. If this team is pushed a little, they will prove to be very satisfactory. More co-operation between the work of Navigator and Bomb Aimer should be exercised.” The crew was posted to 426 Squadron where on the afternoon of November 1, 1944, they took off at 5:45 p.m. to attack iron and steel works at Oberhausen, Germany. Their aircraft was attacked by a nightfighter and failed to return to base. An investigation report revealed the following: “Halifax bomber was seen to jettison two bombs before crashing, neither of which exploded. This indicated that the bombs were jettisoned ‘Safe’ in order to facilitate an emergency landing. When the aircraft actually came in contact with the ground an explosion did occur suggesting that some bombs had not left the aircraft when the jettisoning procedure was carried out. The aircraft was totally destroyed by the explosion and subsequent fire, 15 buildings in the immediate vicinity were also damaged to varying degrees. There seems to be little doubt that 6 crew members have been found, 4 of whom are easily identifiable. The two remaining bodies present a more difficult problem but “leads” are not entirely lacking. Of the seventh crew member, there is, so far, no trace but it is reasonable to assume from the crash circumstances that this body was totally destroyed by bomb-blast and subsequent burning. “It can be reasonably assumed that the pilot of this aircraft had decided to attempt an emergency landing, no crew member had attempted to bail out, bombs had been jettisoned ‘Safe’, an operation which can be carried out a pilot of a Halifax. If this surmise be acceptable, then it is just as reasonable to assume that the crew, with the exception of the pilot, had taken up ‘crash-landing’ position in the aircraft, that is, not strapped in but lying in various pre-determined positions as taught in training. Only the pilot would remain in this normal position, strapped in.“In the event of an explosion occurring on landing, the crew other than the pilot, would be thrown out of the aircraft to land all around the aircraft at varying distances from it. The pilot, however, due to his being strapped in his seat, would resist the blast to such an extent as to cause the body to be almost disintegrated and easily consumed by the subsequent fire. If this is what occurred in this instance, the missing member of this crew is all in probability the pilot F/O Anderson.”

GORDON KEITH GRIER

Gordon Grier graduated as a pilot at No. 9 SFTS Centralia August 6, 1943. He had remustered from groundcrew to aircrew. The resident of Lansdowne, Ontario received the following assessment after completing his Elementary Flying Training at No. 12 EFTS, Goderich: “Has shown aptitude from the first with good co-ordination, and air sense”. Grier was posted to Centralia where he received the following assessment from Group Captain Elmer Fullerton: “A capable and reliable pilot”. During the early morning of February 9th, 1945, Halifax NR 249 piloted by Grier, took off from East Moor, Yorkshire, to carry out a bombing attack on Wanne Eickel, Germany. After having successfully carried out this mission, his aircraft was returning to base and was hit in the starboard wing by a burst of flak over the Dunkirk defences. The bomber's starboard wing caught fire. Grier attempted to keep the aircraft straight and level while the crew baled out, but the aircraft seemed to be in a slight dive. The aircraft exploded on hitting the ground and was completely destroyed. According to an intelligence report, Grier was heard to give order “prepare to abandon aircraft”, but the order was not heard. The mid-upper gunner preceded the Flight Engineer through the emergency exit hatch. Seat type suits were worn by the Pilot and Rear Gunner. Flight engineer landed in no man’s land near Dunkirk and made his way to French lines. Grier's body was examined by the Flight Engineer who was of the opinion that Grier died as a result of bailing out from a low altitude. The Flight Engineer saw three people whom he thought to be members of his crew being taken prisoner. Two were walking and one was being carried.

ALVIN CORLESS

Prior to his arrival at Centralia, Alvin Corless received his Elementary Flying Training at No. 12 EFTS Goderich, located near Clinton Ontario, his hometown. Squadron Leader H.E King, Chief Instructor at No.12 EFTS Goderich, provided the following assessment of Corless: “An excellent student to instruct. Has done very well on flying navigation. Gets airsick on aerobatics, quite often when dual.” Upon completing his pilot training at Centralia, Corless received the following assessment from Group Captain Elmer Fullerton: “Steady reliable pilot. Inclined to be rough on controls at times. Intelligent and enthusiastic about flying, has shown no outstanding faults. This pupil is recommended for a commission.” On June 21, 1944, Lancaster aircraft ME 683 “W” departed RAF Spilsby at 23:20 hours for a bombing raid on Wesseling. Flying Officer Alvin Corless, the pilot and captain, had completed seven sorties for a total of 29:40 operational hours with 207 Squadron. The Lancaster was carrying 1 x 4000 lb. H.E. and 15 x 500 lb. H.E. Over Belgium, the aircraft was attacked by a night fighter causing instant death to F/O Corless and crew.

THOMAS CRANSTON BARTON

Thomas Barton enlisted in the RCAF in Windsor, Ontario, his hometown. Barton commenced flying at Centralia, February 8, 1943. His main instructor was Sgt. Pilot Wayne “Wacky” Adams, an American serving with the RCAF. Centralia resident, Pilot Officer LeRoy Schroeder also instructed Barton with “C” Flight. Upon completion of his pilot training at Centralia, Barton received the following assessment from Group Captain Elmer Fullerton: “An average student who has worked hard and should be an above average service pilot with more experience. This student is recommended for a commission." After completing advanced flying training in Britain, Barton was posted to 425 Squadron in May 1944. Pilot Officer Barton was skipper of Halifax KW-T, during operations to LeMans, June9/10, 1944. Barton returned from his 4th operation having encountered a Ju.88. On his next operation to Cambrai, June 12/13, P/O Barton’s rear gunner, P/O John Howell, shot down a Me. 110. On July 28/9, 1944, P/O Barton and crew was on operations to Hamburg. The bomber crew was lost without a trace and have no known grave.

JOHN WARREN ROUSSEL

John Warren Roussel was one of seventeen Americans who graduated with Course 65. Group Captain Fullerton assessed Roussel as, “A good average pilot. Has shown definite improvement. Has always been a willing worker. This pupil is recommended for a commission." The Teaneck, New Jersey native was posted overseas. On October 12, 1943 Roussel was the pilot of a Beaufighter aircraft at No. 54 OTU which crashed while undergoing air to air target practice over the sea. Pilot Officer Roussel lost control of the aircraft in a steep turn, and, before he could regain it, the aircraft crashed into the sea. The plane sank immediately, and despite a thorough search, no survivors were found.

JOHN FRANCIS EDWARD TABOR

John Tabor received his Elementary Flying Training at No. 12 EFTS Goderich. F/L Peacock provided the following assessment of the Ottawa, Ontario resident’s flying: “This student has worked hard and picked flying up very readily. Has very little trouble with co-ordination. Instrument flying poor at first, but it has improved a great deal. Had trouble with aerobatics.” Upon completion of training at Goderich, Tabor was posted to Centralia where Group Captain Fullerton provided the following assessment: “High average pilot, keen conscientious type. Most obedient and promptly carries out all tasks without coaching. Might make and instructor. Will however, be a first class bomber pilot. This pupil is recommended for a commission.” After graduating from Centralia, Tabor was posted overseas. Upon completion of training at No. 82 Operational Training Unit, Tabor was assessed as: “Above average pilot and captain, who is keen. He has proved himself reliable and trustworthy. He has a good crew who work well together. Will do well.” After OTU training, the crew was posted to No. 1666 Heavy Conversion School where they received the following assessment: “F/O Tabor is a good steady pilot with average crew control. They have done good work since arrival at this unit and with operational experience should do well.” Flying Officer Tabor and his crew were posted to 426 Squadron. The following telegram was sent to the Squadron: “Advise possibility repatration Flying Officer J Tabor J27196 reported taking advanced flying course Recent operation reveals father dying cancer. Life expectancy one to eight weeks. Tabor only son.” On the night of June 16, 1944, Halifax LK879 piloted by F/O Tabor, departed at 11:06 p.m. and set course to carry out an attack on oil installations at Sterkrade/Holten. The crew failed to return to base. The body of F/O Tabor washed ashore on the outside of the closing dike in the neighbourhood of Bredzanddijk, NL on July 19, 1944.

SAMUEL DRIFFIELD WOODMAN

Upon completion of his pilot training at Centralia Samuel Woodman received the following assessment from Group Captain Elmer Fullerton: “Erratic at start of training. Definite improvement at end of course. Recommended as Bomber Pilot.” On August 17, 1945, Flying Officer Woodman was piloting Dakota FL603 with 353 Squadron, engaged on a routine transport flight being airborne from RAF Station Santa Cruz Bombay. At approximately 0725 hours, en route for Mauripar (Karachi) it appears that after being airborne for half an hour, the port wing became detached in flight, followed by loss of the port engine and nacelle. Pilot Woodman and two crew were killed along with six passengers. F/O Woodman was buried in Raitali Village Nr-Dahanu, Jawar some 70 miles north of Bombay, reburied Kirkee War Cemetery. Woodman was from Conway, Nova Scotia

JOSEPH HAROLD HARTSHORN - D.F.C. - RCAF AMERICAN VOLUNTEER

When I got my wings at No. 10 SFTS at Dauphin, Manitoba, in July 1942, I thought that it had taken me a long time to become useful to the RCAF - just under a year. I looked forward to taking my new commission as a Pilot Officer and tracking directly to a front-line squadron. I had long given up hope of flying Spitfires, which had long been a dream of mine but which had suffered a shot of realism when I did my Service training on Cessna Cranes, a lovely twin-engine aircraft that pointed straight toward multi-engine bombers. My assignment to the Flying Instructor School at Vulcan, Alberta, clearly indicated a long delay along the way. I finished training there at the end of September and was assigned to No. 9 Service Flying Training School at Centralia. On the train to London from leave to my home in Pennsylvania I ran into an old friend from Elementary days, P/O Andrew Wakeman. When we got to the base at Centralia we were both assigned to A Flight, under F/L Huffman. Neither Andy nor I had ever flown the Anson before, so our first chore was to bet checked out on this new aircraft type. "Lucky" Southam, who had just been transferred from the previous location for No. 9 at Summerside, P.E.I., where the school had flown Harvards, was my teacher. He showed me around the aircraft, gave me 40 minutes of dual instruction (probably three takeoffs and landings) and sent me on my way. I teamed up with Andy to do some practice flying together and off we went. We flew west along the shore of Lake Huron and came to the St Clair River separating the U.S. and Canada. The bridge over the river, connecting Sarnia and Port Huron, was a tempting target, and we banked around to fly under it - a character flaw common to young pilots with fewer brains than flying. hours. As we roared under the bridge, we found the space was already occupied by two large freighters passing each other. With our hair standing on end we eased the Anson between them, climbed as rapidly as possible to keep our plane numbers from being noted and flew straight home, hoping that we hadn't made the first black marks on our records already! We had not; nobody reported us.Two more hours at the controls and we were ready to start on our first students in Course 61. My first students on October 9, 1942, were LACs Page, Phillips, and Deegan, who all took turns doing instrument flying under the hood. My first impression of instructing them on instruments was that I had to lean way over to the left from my right-hand instructor's seat to look at his instrument panel while controlling the aircraft with my right hand. Later on I was a good instrument pilot myself, but I wonder how good I was in those earliest weeks and months of instructing. A little while later, LACs Porritt and Jardine were added to my own regular roster. All of them had been in training since early August, and I sometimes think we were teaching each other for the next weeks. Of the students I instructed in instrument flying in Course 61, three were killed in action: Frank Breen (service number J21201), R.A. Porritt (J21202), and W.B. Jardine (J21203). At least, Deegan, who was a remustered Corporal later survived to get a DFC. Group Captain Fullerton was required to send overseas two instructors per month. We did not know how he chose those who were to go, but the rumor was that those pilots he considered the most upsetting to his station routine, such as those whose bar bills were too high, or who had appeared to stretch the station's flying orders too much, would be among the first to go. Alex Novick left sometime in the spring of 1943; Andy Wakeman left in June. I was posted overseas at the end of July. Finally I was within reach of my 2-year old journey to my goal of actually flying against a hated enemy - the Nazis. It was only a first step. As I finally discovered, I had to go through a personnel depot at Bournemouth, England, followed by an Operational Training Unit on Wellingtons, followed by Battle School, and then by a Heavy Conversion Unit where I learned to fly Halifaxes. Finally, after transferring to the Eighth Air Force, U.S. Army Air Force, I was placed on detached service with the Royal Air Force and sent to 419 (Moose) Squadron, 6 Group, RAF Bomber Command on May 2nd, 1944. It had taken me just shy of three years to directly attack the enemy directly, even though I was now in a uniform of a different color. No. 9 Service Flying Training School at Centralia seemed at the time to be a useless detour on my journey, but when I got to England I was very happy that I had spent all those hours in the air, rehearsing, in a way, for my time in much larger aircraft. And I am proud that I taught so many young men how to take care of themselves in the air. I am also glad that when they were with me I had no idea of what the deadly skies of France and Germany could do to some of them.

WELLINGTON LEROY SCHROEDER - D.F.C.

Before WWII, an occasional airplane would fly over our farm (on the Crediton Road). We would watch it until it went out of sight. My first time airborne was in the cockpit of a biplane at an air show at Sky Harbor Airport, Goderich. This probably cost a dollar. In early 1941, I had to take extra instruction in math and physics to qualify for aircrew in the RCAF. Early in July, (Dad said I threw my old straw hat in a fence corner) I was off to Toronto and Manning Pool at the horse and cattle barns on the CNE grounds. From Manning Pool, along with others, it was off to the radar school being built south of Clinton. Here we were on guard duty while waiting for a posting to Initial Training School. On guard duty, we were expected to march around and do duty on the front gate with .303 rifles. We were not given any ammunition – probably for our own safety! Initial Training School (I.T.S.) was the next step. Again, it was a busy time – more parade and roll call, but also some intense schooling in Air Force regulations, navigation, Morse code, meteorology, air rules and regulations and other subjects with exams at the end. Elementary Flying Training School (E.F.T.S.) at No. 20 at Oshawa came next. Here we were housed in “H” Barrack Blocks with the cross bar being washing and toilet area. Either side of this in the sides of the “H” was rows of the typical two-decker bunks. Heating was by oil burning furnaces. In the morning, the caretaker would shout, “Wakey Wakey!” and pound on the furnaces with a broom handle. From Oshawa, it was off to No. 16 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) at Hagersville. On March 6, 1942, I had my first ride in an Anson. My instructor was P/O Truemner, who was one of the best. I found out recently that he was an instructor through the war and was awarded the Air Force Cross. My first cross country flight was on May 5, 1942 and was to Kettle Point and back. I diverted to a schoolhouse in Shipka and to the farm for a low-level pass. This could have dire consequences had I been reported. July 17th was “Wings Parade” and I got the coveted wings and was notified that I had been commissioned as a Pilot Officer.Grandma Anderson was there and we managed to have her bang her head getting her into an Anson. On the way home, we stopped in London and I ordered an officer’s uniform. Back at Hagersville it was quite a feeling to be able to use the Officer’s Mess and be saluted. Then it was off to Central Flying School at Trenton for training as a flight instructor. Here we were instructor on learning the “patter” (procedures) for teaching student trainees.No. 9 Service Flying Training School Centralia came next. This was a busy time. The only break came with bad weather. In October, I flew 25 days out of 31. When a course graduated with a “wings” parade, it was replaced by a new group of rookies. Night flying was very enjoyable; as the night wore on, lights from homes and traffic would become less and less. On trying to teach a student named Coyle on how to land by the flare path at night, I leveled out too high and hit the runway with a great thud. Coyle then took over and did much better on his circuit. September 14, 1943 was my last flight at Centralia, having flown 746 hours instructing 11 students.One day, after Orville joined the RCAF, I found Mom in the kitchen shedding tears, so the stress on her and Dad must have been tremendous with four of their ‘boys’ in aircrew as pilots and a trainee aiming for pilot’s wings. I went on to fly B-24 Liberators with No. 160 Squadron RAF.

W/C Ross Truemner shown with pre-flight school graduates. F/C M.J. Eagleson (right) an aero engine technician who came to Centralia in May 1949 and reached the rank of Corporal transferred to aircrew in April 1957. F/C F.C. Livingston (left) an aero engine technician who was also a Corporal before his transfer, was at Centralia from 1950-55. Ross Truemner contributed the following recollection from his Centralia days - "During WWII, I was a flying instructor on Avro Ansons and Harvards at No. 16 SFTS Hagersville. Needless to say, I was very happy to leave a desk job in 1954 and return to air training, this time at Centralia, as Officer Commanding the flying program. Before reporting to my new assignment, I renewed my war-time instructors rating thus permitting me, when possible, to do more than just be director of activities. Hence, from time to time, I took on a student from a new intake and worked as his instructor until he soloed. This special activity kept my job of commanding the school very much in focus. One of the cadets I acquired in January 1958 was Rudiger Steffen from West Germany. I gave him his first eight hours of training leading up to his solo flight. Then, as was my practice, I turned him over to a regular instructor. Because of special administrative duties during the period, I lost touch with his further progress other than to verify that he had graduated from Centralia. As events would have it, he was to be my very last student, as I was posted to a new assignment during the summer. Then in 1992, some 34 years after I left Centralia, I received a greeting card from Herr Rudiger Steffen. From the exchange of correspondence that followed, I learned that he indeed had earned his pilot wings in Canada, became a fighter pilot in the West German Air Force and, after his military contract expired, flew with Swiss Air for a number of years. And as a personal note, he indicated that he felt his flying career had not been completed until he 'reported' to me and thanked me for getting him started!A precious memory from my service at RCAF Station Centralia."

Photo - Wing Commander Edward C. "Lucky" Likeness CD (left), Group Captain Arthur Kenyon, CD Station C.O. and Wing Commander Charlie Wattie. "Lucky" Likeness shared this memory of his days at Centralia - When I took command of PFTS I made a point of getting to know all of the airmen involved in the operation of the school program. At one of the “Bosses Night” get-togethers in the Corporals Club I saw a new Cpl. I didn’t recognize. Assuming he was a new arrival on the base I asked him the usual questions – where he came from, etc. I was surprised when he told me he had been at Centralia for two years, working at the sewage disposal plant. I told him that accounted for me not recognizing him; I had never visited the plant. He replied, “We get shit from you but we never see you!"

Personnel

(J/20998) William F. Veitch, Victoria; (J/12497) George Ponech - Co. 51 7 SF; (J/37612) Lloyd A. Stephens; (J/37088) L.D. 'Ted' Yoder; (J/37042) James 'Jim' Sim; (J/37062) Joseph L. Milner; Harold Edward Ripley, Alberta; Harry E. Bennett; (J/10200) William Allison Inman - (Co. 50 16 SF), Hamilton; (J/12202) Warren Harry Webster; (J/12203) Charles Folsom - DFC; (J/12211) Thomas N. Crowley; (J/7889) Donald Graham Harkness (Co. 34 6 SF), St. Catharines; Chadwick Wilton Bennett - (2 SF Co. 37, Kars, Ont.); (J/14032) Arthur Gordon Plummer - DFC 420 Sqn., St. John, N.B. (9 SF Co. 22); (J/14019) Robert James 'Jim' Fairfield; (J/14020) Howard Lenly Spinney, Yarmouth, N.S.; (J/12233) James Glenesk - DFC 106 Sqn., Sudbury (4 SF); (R/540092 - J/11483) James Angus Frank Halcro - FI Aug. - Nov. 42); Henry Graham "Bill" Williamson (Adjutant - No. 9 SFTS); (J/21793 - R/129430) William Phillip Lawrence, (J/21795 - R131257) Robert Henderson Fleming; (J/29751) Jack Edmund Tripp; (J/23024) Thomas Wallnutt - AFC; (J/10998) Jack K. Wright; (J/42431) C.E. Leach; (J/12865) Wellington Leroy Schroeder – DFC 160 Sqn.; (J/26478) William E. Follett; Mervin Albert Leonard Hicks - (Co. 52 16 SF); (J/14099) Harvey William MacDonald - DFC 429 Sqn.; (J/14100) Richard John Chenoweth, (J/9081) James Douglas Lindsay (DFC); (J/7758) John Moore Weston - POW 80 Sqn., Wayne Wesley Adams, Herman Joseph Adolfae, Joseph John Barnicke (3 SF); Edward Sexton Bannerman, Vernon Roy Wagner, Waterloo; (J/20021) Herbert Russell Bilton, (J/20987) Robert Boyd Blackler - (5 SF Co. 61); Craig Cowan Bliss, Edmund Francis Boyle, Robert William Carr, Leo Oscar Crockett, George Frederick DeBow, Max Eugene Dowden, William Albert Enneking, Alan Dunn Ford, William Glenn George, Elroy Edward Hanton, Joseph Harold Hartshorn, Frank Raymond Henderson, Johnny G. Kacsmaryk, Barney John Patrick McCausland, Arthur Lee Ortman, Harold John Parise, John Burrage Van Schoten, Andrew Mead Wakeman, Warren Harry Webster, John Anthony Nealon, Ronald Cater, Chris E. Eriksen, Heitman, John W. Thorpe, Lloyd Allan, Ed Alto, Alvan Jack Ayres, Jack Arthurs; William Rikely, (2 SF) Kingston; Ross Armer, Carl Baxter, (J/28004) James Alexander Tremayne 'Buck' Behan, St. Catharines (10 SF);Harry E. Bennett, Donald Stuart Bergin, James Bennett, William Brandham, (J/3465) Malcolm Joseph 'Mac' Brian, Windsor; George Blunden, Clifford Bolton, Douglas Jack Brooker, J.E. Blythel, C. Edward Carter, William Caza, Smith L. Chappell, H. Clark, Guy Elwood Mott, Jack Cooper, Ronald F. Curley, Brantford (10 SF); Malcolm Festus Chapin, Frank Collins, Stanley Cunningham, Gordon Chalmers, Doug Clemens, Robert Christison, Charles Cleghorn, William Davies, Wally Davison, Don Deadrick, Carl Demings, Donald Douglas, Joseph Drumm, (J/38093) Richard G. Drummond, William H. Dunbar, Fred Elliott, Louis Billings Elwin, Robert James Fairfield, George Fairles, Maurice Fallow, (J/38119) Wes Farquahason, Donald Flood, William Fry, Al James Fairfield, George Fairles, Wes Farquahason, (J/10392) Theodore Pember Flint, Donald Henry Flood, William Fry, Al Galbraith, J. Murray Geddes, Al George, (J/38088) Jack J. Gerein, James A. Gillis, Mo S. Ginsberg, (C/387) John Whitely Gledhill, (J/15554) William Irvine Gould, Fredericton. N.B.; Harry Greason, Frank James Green, Lyle Greenlaw, Grant Goodale, Frank James Green, Ron Graham, (J/38133) G.A. Griffin, (J/39507) Norman J. Harrison, Hassard, Eric G. Haynes; (J/29742) Richard Selby Hayr, (5 SF) Vancouver; +(J/28014) J. Frank Henning, Robert Hesketh, Hubert Clinton Herder, John M. Hill, Robert William Hill, George Hillmer, Ed Hnatiuk, John Eric Hockey, William Hodges, Harlow Hollis, V.S. Houston, Jim Hrdlicka, Verton Leonard Huffman, John Edward Jarrott Hutchison, William Allison Inman, Barry Jackson, Les Jordan, J.P.S. Johnston, Frank Konrad, Kenneth Edwin Krug, Dan C. Lambrinos, (J/5040) Walter Lind (2 SF), Hank Leidel, William Lennox, Tommy Long, (J/38874) L. Edward Lee, Langdon, Bruce MacCormick, A. MacDonald, MacLeod, +(J10973) Gerald Frederick Maffre - 434 Sqn., Edwin Thomas Marriott, Murray Marshall, Mason, Alec McAllister, Norman Joseph McAtee, Stratford; Tom McFarlane, (J/37064) M.A. McEwen, James Wilson 'Jim' McGorman (Co. 57 10 SF), Whip McIndoo, C.Buck McIntosh, McKinnon, John McLachlan, Jeff Mellon, Vic McPherson, Wilson Miller, Joseph L. Milner, Richard A. Monrufret Jack Muir, +(J/39615) Thomas Cornelius Mulcair, Outremont, Quebec - died of injuries received in flying accident July 28, 1944 at R1 along with (J/36243) Clifford Russell Pring; Murnaghan, Nash, Andrew W. Nelson, William Nelson, Nikolson, Richard A. Norman, Alexander Novick, Phil H. O’Loane, Charles C. Parish, John Patterson, (J/37985) Lawrie Leece Paxton, David Hamilton Perry, Howard Pethick, Stan Philbrook, Phillion, Arthur Gordon Plummer, George Ponech, Robert Edward Porter (AFC), David E. Potter, Neville Probyn, Gerald Samuel Quinn, (R/53874) John Ernest George Reade - 442 Sqn., Detroit; Jack Reilly, R.J. Richards, (J/26043) William Alfred Richards, Pete Richardson, George B. Rickart, Bill Rikely, H.H. Roberts, George Roy, (J/12846) W.J.W. Robertson, Robson, Earl Ross, W.L. Russell, R.F. Russell, Sample, Arthur Gerard Sauer, George Shaw, Thomas Robert Shaw, G. Max Sheppard, Jim Sim, D.W. Smith, ( J/12990) J.R. Smith, R. Fred Smith, Donald Young Snelgrove, Arthur F. “Lucky” Southam, R.L. Steele, Lloyd A. Stephens; (R/70187) Dennis Allenby Stone - (Co. 61 5 SF), Kenora; George A. Stone, John S. Storms, Robert W. Swift, J.H. Taylor, William Temple, W. Thompson, Jack Edmund Tripp, Kenneth Taylor, William Tucker, William Veitch, Verne Wagner, Wall, Tom Walnut, Ross F. Warden, Warren, Everett Waters, Glen Watson, Norris Webb, Eric Taylor Webster, Tom Webster, William Wells, (J/37991) Harry R. Welsh, Mike Whalley, Herbert White, Edward Wilkie, Ted B. Willis, William Wilton, Walt Woodfine, Jack Wright, L.D. Ted Yoder, G. Park Aitken, Dan Andoff, Chad W. Bennett, Ted Brennan, Albert George Brown, W.H. Butch Cleaver, Copeland, Gordon L. Dalgleish, Robert W. Dunbar, Dean Finlayson, Bill Follett, Wally Forrest, J.A. Fraser, Ron A. Graham, Charlie Gray, Frank Green, Don E. Lindsay, Don McRae, Frank Morton, William Harold McCamus, Norman McLeod, Jeff Mellon, Walter Nagorsen, Noble, John Patterson, Wilfred Petit, Harold E. Ripley, Wilt Seidel, Gordon Spafford, Kirk M. Strachan, (C12421) S.C. Yule, E.D. Booth, David G. Borsden, Henry Ferris, John Swain, Ivor Raymond Trower-Foyan, James Pierre Freeborn, William Glenn George, Edward Franklin Hawkes, Basil George DeLaval Jackson, Phil H. Lawrence, Samuel William Parker, Fred Phillips, Luther Edward Sadler, Archie Daniel Waltman, Raymond Stebbins Wilson, Ernest LeRoy “Jiggs” Wise, Paul Kirkland Bradley, Frank Vincent Breen, Walter Douglas Brice, Milton Bridge, Kenneth F. Bundy, Len Bussard, Herbert W. Cameron, R. Ernest Crawford, Robert Cyril Deegan, John Douglas Alexander Este, Murray C. Farrell, William Dudley Gibson, Henry Leo Gouthreau, Stanley Victor Grey, Wallace Bell Jardine, Robert J. Jones, Johnny Kolohon, Jack D. Mawson, Thomas McAleese, Albert Gerard McAuley, Edward Novakowski, Ory T. Page, Elton R. Parker, Robert Arthur Porritt, Fred Reain, Robert Mons Rumble, James Smart, Bill Tanas, Jack Taylor, Alexander Donald Watson, Kenneth H. Whittington, Bayden Bala Williams, Arthur W. Ashworth, Donald Thomas William Cammies, Peter Francis Fairweather, Russell Gradwell, Harry Hills, R. Laing, Phil Maxwell, Roy Preston, R. Anthony Ward, D.R. Ward, Peter B. Wills, Vance John Chipman, George Jess Gullick, Jack Woodrow Kelley, Ralph Gerald Knisely, Irving Kransoff, Donald Clarence Slade, Roderick Jones, William John Leyland Ashton, Charles Robert Beaton, Johann Aubrey Benson, Victor Hector Bernyk, Douglas Walter Bowell, (J/25165) William S. Brims, John Percy Bulger, John William Burns, B.D. Cathcart, Robert G. Christie, Lawrence Connolly, Fred Terrance Cooper, Gordon Dickson, John W.L. Doherty, Jack Glen Millan Fisher, John William Cameron Galvin, James Kennedy Gillies, Edward Handley, Kenneth Hawthorn, William Grant Hill, John Comfort Hindmarsh, Douglas Beverly Maddock, Stewart E. Martin, Leslie Patrick McDermott, John Howie McGiveney, Duncan Stewart Russell McLean, John Aubrey James McQuahae, John Neil Milloy, Lloyd Offer, Veldon Boyd Seigel, Torsti Siltala, Ivan Steen Sollows, William Robert Stewart, Richard S. Warr, Charles R. Wiertz, David Howard Benson, Royden Bert Brown, John Wallace Cotton, Herman Dock, James Van Allen Edsall, (J/23701) Bernard Martin Eshleman, Ross Arthur Gerber, Harry Karns, James Dudley Kennison, Norman Joseph Olson, Robert Rush Robertson, John Warren Rousell, Herbert Richmond Shanks, Thomas Wilson Spivey, Keith Roy Suhring, Blake Esmond Tibbetts, Russell Calvin Whitmer, Alvin Albert Anderson, Mervyn Eldrid Barnes, Edwin Ernest Buswell, Humphey Dakoyne, Cooper Drabble, Roy Earl Durnford, Thomas Melverne Findlay, Paul King Hanbury, Rudolph Albert Hanson, Howard Laurie Jackson, Jack Morton Jacob, Francis Joseph Kelly, Alex P. Lamont, Fred Daniel Lorch, Richard William Noel Lovering, Charles M. Marshall, Roy Martyn, James Joseph McCarry, George Chester McClure, John Thomas Mullen, Clifford Palmateer, Edward Gordon Pearce, Kenneth James Sarsfield Potter, Joseph Dennis Quinn, Donald Richard Redmond, Robert Burns Ridley, Martin Seepish, Harold Keith Smeltzer, John Smith, Americo Sovran, Louis Szabo, R.E. Terry, Douglas Osborne Thomas, Robert Leslie Thompson, Nelson Leslie Thompson, Anthony Wright Tinmouth, William Earl Umperson, Gordon Kenneth Vimy Ridge Vincent, Joseph William Watson, R.D. Cobley, J.H.R. Hills, J.E. “Paddy” O’Farrell, D.W. Powell, T.D. “Spud” Reilly, C.G. Runnalls, R.D. Simmons, Norman A. Windust, John Wesley Kassap, Walter Lekis, Keith Seymour Mendenhall, Rex Denarvus Murphy, Jay Phillip Musler, Kenneth Clark “Ozzie” Nelson, Cliff Sinclair Newton, (J/24397) Arthur Ralph Shanley, Denis Walter Allchin, Bruce Lee Anderson, Herbert C. Brigger, (J/24401) John Morrell Barker, Charles Milne Brodie, Patrick Crosby Cadegan, Douglas DesBrinsay Campbell, Jack R. Cunningham, Saul L. Ehman, Ronald Gordon Ellis, Murray James Floyd, Bruce K. Given, Veldon Lorraine Hawkes, Carl A. Johnston, Oliver G. Korpela, Charles B. Lee, Owen Donald Lewis, Howard Walter Lossing, J. Edward MacDonald, Garnet A. Machan, John Leslie MacLeod, Donald George McLeod, Robert R. Massier, James Joseph McCarry, Jack Lawrie McGill, Geoff W. Mortimer, Arthur Lee Ortman, John Bearbark Ostrander, (R/138260) Joseph Alphonse Normand Pare`, Jackson E. Richardson, Bert Ronnebeck, William Laird Rutherford, Cliff J. Scott, Arthur Gerald Sylvain Simard, Hubert Roland Somerville, George Edward Stewart , Louis Allister Wagner, Harold Grover Wright, K.I. Kernahan, A.R. Kerr, R.W. Kirby, G.S. Lawson, J.J.F.M. Logan, A.J. McCallum, P.C. Nichols, J.B. Robertson, J.H. Robinson, M.S. Small, L.M. Whittington, C.L. Woods, N.B. Worsnick, H.D. Young, Douglas Earl Aiken, William Boyd Alcorn, Fred Finlay Armstrong, George Buchanan Barnie, Percy James William Barkway, Victor Horsley Bond, Edgar J. Branch, Robert W. Cathcart, James Howard Chitwood, Arthur Kenneth Clarke, Edward Allan Clarke, James Theodore Davis, Francis Joseph Devine, J. Fitzgerald, Roy W. Golden, Milford E. Hayden, John G. Henderson, Robert A. Kalle, Julius Kramer, (J/25176) Jack Francois Lacroix FI 5 SF; Max Lanin, (J/25175) Fred A. Maxwell, Malcolm B. McLeod, John D. McDonald, J. Norman McArthur, Donald Anderson McIntyre, Harold W. McCracken, Kenneth C. Needham, James F. Nisbet, Stanley Rowland, John Arthur Ryan, Arthur H. Rycroft, (J/25167) R.H. Sammons FI 5 SF; (J/87249) Harold Martin Smith - DFC 428 Sqn., Ridgeway; Fred H. Webster, Charles H. Stowell, Lenard C. Wilson, +(J/25177) William Archie Young, George A. Langford, James T. Langran, E.J. “Taffy” Morgan, R.H. Moody, Harold Charles Normington, William North, A.G.D. Parkinson, V. Gerald Parkinson, Len Petty, Al Phillips, Jack Richmond, F.P. Roxburgh, Charles Derek Ryden, Joseph C. Simpson, D.F. Sinfield, Edward J. Treeves, Robert M. Bartlett, John Wallace Bick, Cecil Walsh Bryson, John E. Cartwright, Ivor S. Davidson, Andre Deseck, Arthur Joseph Doran, Kenneth C.M. Dobbin, George Warren Fairles, Herschel N. Fry, D.M. Hamilton, William Harold Janney, John D’Arcy Langlois, James R. Love, M.A. Markham, Hollis T. McCurdy, Robert William Millar, J.M. Morrison, Louis Orser, James A. Partridge, A.D. Pelly, E.J. Poole, H. Reid, Charles Alfred Reid, V.C. Rowley, A. Rowland, Arthur Schlote, W.G. Sparkhall, Arthur Stainton, Charles Thrasher, Peter Thomas Walsh, Gordon William Webb, H.J. Wilson, W. Borthwick, C. Lawson-Tancred, Robert John Barber, Thomas Granston Barton, Robert E. Chute, Alvin VanDyke Corless, William Follett, Darwin R. Garside, Ian McKenzie Hamilton, Frank Hern-Black, Albert H. Jackson, Eric L. Jackson, James Leslie, Etlar H.P. Madsen, William J. McIntyre, William McIllveen, Kenneth McDougall, Gordon L. MacKie, Ervin H. McKeown, Hugh Robinson Melchin, Wallace H. Nesbitt, G.L. Pussey, Elwin Stanbury Quantrill, Charles K.H. Roe, Frank T. Robson, Robert G. Scott, Robert Lorne Sleeth, Clarence Howard Wallace, James W. Wright, William T.G. Watson, Earl Woodrow Ward, Royal Air Force: H.T. Bonser, L.H. Claridge, L.H. Higelmire, M. Mays, H. Martin, W.M. Mitchell, Arthur Stanley Baglole, Conrad Peter Vivian Biddlecombe, Donovan Samuel Brown, John A. Clark, Eric Joseph Fereday, Allison J. Gardhouse, Robert Bickerton Grant, Arnold H. Hoogen, Gordon D. Keith, William A. Kemp, W.H.T. McCarrell, K. Carl McKay, M. Miller, John Donald Morton, Leo Thomas Murphy, Charles Joseph Stewart Robertson, George M. Reynolds, Rudolph G. Regimbal, A Gordon Spafford, Gordon A. Sutherland, John Tabor, Robert Walker, William H. Walker, T. Abdale, R.J.P. Barrell, W.H. Benham, Steven J. Benn, J.W. Benson, Frank Bocock, A.F. Goslin, Thomas Shields, Harry Charles Babb, John Bruce Barron, William Craig Mullholland Bell, Ronald George Bell, Harold Bielby, Osborn Brice Bowen, Albert George Brown, Robert Ernest Brookland, John B. Burgess, John MacEachren Byrnes, James Robertson Campbell, James H. Cummings, Ralph C. Crawford, Alfred H. Davis, Ray R. Eaton, Campbell George Fiset, James Francis Flynn, John Douglas Franks, Allan Gascho, George A. Genge, Aurora E. Gilbert, Wesley Passmore Harris, John C. A. Haliburton, George R. Howard, Joseph H.R. Hogg, Robert E. Jones, Pierce R. Joubert, Robert Verdun Kingdon, M.J.P. Lavoie, J. Duncan Laurin, Hiralda George Langford, John D. Little, Bruce P. McGill, Kenneth G. Mills, Orville Louis Francis Orendorff, John B. Patterson, Irwin Rebick, Norman W. Smart, Franklin B. Small, Eugene Morton Spencer, Delmar R. Steinman, Robert W. Taylor, Bruce C. Thomson, Harold Martin Tracey, Robert M. Webster, Stan A. Young, Willis G. Allen, William Frank Anderson, James Herbert Aspell, Albert Joseph Donald Assailly, Harold Arnold Berry, George Robert Baumann, Earl D. Bellows, Raymond G. Beaune, Norman Wilfred Bjorndahl, Cyril Patrick Blaker, Henry Britton, Denis Burnip, W. Roy Clayton, Jack S. Conroy, Mark Congdon, William Cottingham, James Crocco, C. Edward Cyr, Francis Bertram Duquette, Lloyd Easterbrook, Lloyd A. Edhouse, William H. Foster, Arthur J. Fraser, Gordon Keith Grier, Geoff Hogan, William E. Hornby, Thomas H. Hunt, G. Cliff Labrick, Vernon Francis Lewis, Hugh P. McGillicuddy, Clarence Narsted, Maurice Francis O’Neill, Reginald Parsons, Frederick C. Pearson, John Joseph Pearson, Charles Trevor Leighton Pidcock, Larry Rayner, J. Lionel Roy, Charles J. Sheflin, Richard E. Silverwood, Phil J. Smith, Ian Alexander Stevenson, Max Teitelbaum, Donald Ivan Thomson, Stan J. Trowhill, Harold Philip Walters, Robert M. Walsh, James K. Wilson, Ernie J. Weins, John Walter Wood, Samuel Driffield Woodman, Alec Abrams, Allan Adam, Stanley Adam Agnew, E. Ainscough, Trueman Vernon Barber, T.V. Basher, Anthony Austin Beard, Richard O. Beattie, J.A. Betts, Joseph Antoine Brassard, L.F. Cosgrove, J. McN. Bruce, Gavin W. Coyle, James F. Cody, D.V. Cox, Joseph Raymond Jean Marie Desmarais, R.S. Elliott, Robert Alexander Forbes, R.E. Ford, Geoffry Gurr, Herbert Clarence Hancock, Richard C. Harwood, John David Hamilton, L.H. Heydinger, A.H. Hurd, M.P. Hailing, D.H. Hushion, C.R. Johnson, G.D. Kirkham, Joe Krol, J. Leach, J.M. Lewis, J.H. LeBlanc, P.M.O. Levesque, Wesley L. Lynd, Joseph Louis Albert Lucien Marcotte, J.L. Mariotte, A.B. Mason, Lyle William McChesnie, James Joseph McDonald, Ivan E. MacLachlan, W. Massey, D. McGregor, H.S. Mills, C.L. Morgan, Robert J. Morrison, Robert E. Penrice, Wilfred H. Petit, Alan J. Salmon (RAF), George E. Shaw, Wilt H. Seidel, George E. Stevens, P.C. Staples, Charles Miller Schleicher, E.T. Walter, Walter L. Warriner, Douglas A. Wiley, Bruce G. Wright, Willis R. Whitby, H. Woodhead, Douglas Anderson, John Dudley Hume, Henry Thomas Hoy, Robinson Mainwaring Jacklyn, Clifford Henry Jones, William Ernest Passlow, Trevor Lewis Rodd Levy, Gerald Randall Charles Littler, Howell James Morris, Harold Bryce Mortlock, Stanley Richard Orchard, Robert Roy Richter, Clifford Sydney Stephens, Lewis John Stack, Norman George Steer, Lawrence Stanley Tucker, Terence George Truskett, Jack Noel Thompson, Rex G. Ward, Arthur Edmund Winter, Colin Edward Warland, Eric Joseph Willis, Clifford Beresford Withers, Clive Alexander Wyman, James Gordon Armstrong, Robert Alexander Blundy, Joseph F. Fogarty, Stanley Roy Hanna, Ronald Hudson Legrow, Kenneth B. McMillan, Jerry McClymont, Ian Lachlan MacFayden, Cameron D. McGregor, Gerard R. Perrier, Edgar Albert Robitaille, E. Aldrod, J. Chammings, N.C. Garayt, F.W. Lohr, T.S. Mabon, R.J. Mills, N.G. McLellan, A.G. Powell, W.J. Snell, D. Silver, F.S. Sherron, D.S. Weicker, David Lloyd Berriman, John Bourne, Frederick Ramsey Bawdon, Edward Arthur Boyse, Tom Bright, John Frederick Burrows, Thomas Purdy Calladine, Albert Bower Campbell, Gerald Champniss, Norman William Creswell, Patrick Culhane, P.J. Day, Edward Dowse, Frederick William Harbor, Wilfred Rainwald Horscraft, Edward Heathcote Matthews Higgs, Norman Huband, Frank Charles James, Harold Gordon Jones, Conrad Maurice Lee, John David Offord, John Pitt, Robert J. Ross, Cecil John Sedgwick, Norman Simpson, John Dafforn Smith, George Douglas Temple, John H. Walker, Charles William Waterhouse, George Arthur Williams, Edward John Williams, Edmund Thomas Aunger, Donald Stuart Bowes, William Robert Brown, Lloyd Burl Butcher, Arthur James Campbell, Kenneth James Davies, William Frederick Forster, Al Gillespie, Len J. Hanley, A. Gordon Henderson, Harold Bruce Lyall, James E. Marsh, Glen Orison McLay, Gil Nelson, William Morgan O’Brien, William Richard Paget, Edward Taze Chetwin Phillips, John Pitt, George J. Phimister, Grant T. Southorn, Ed Stong, Terry Sutton, John Coupar Tonner, Stanley George Wade, Eric William Wall, George William Wallace, Thomas Paul White, +(R.184674 - J37553) William Thomas Wiggins, R.H. Sims, Douglas Campbell Stevens, R.T. Street, S. Sutcliffe, Donald William Adams, Paul Raymond Allen, Daniel Andoff, R.A. Baker, J.L. Bird, George Emerson Bridle, Robert H. Burns, John M. Calcott, Walter H. Clement, Charles H. Cleghorn, L.W. Cowper, A.M. Dixon, H.R. Dignan, David M. Elliott, Robert Martin Floyd, J.T. Germain, J.H. Gould, C.R. Hardy, P.M. Houser, J.I. Howard, D.N. Joyce, R.G.E. Kress, W.L. Lanz, James Lawson, M.R. LeBlanc, J.A. Lamb, L.S. Ludlam, S.G. Mapplebeck, W.L. McDonald, C.M. MacAuley, R.A.R. McInroy, T. McCaffray, A.G. MacKenzie, D.W. Merritt, Frank William Mooney, A.B. Munroe, J.P.J. Nelson, John William Newman, Melbourne L. Norman, Joseph D. O’Brien, G.E. Pamplin, L.M. Palmer, J.C. Powell, J.W.G. Search, A.J. Smith, Robert A. M. Stewart, T.A. Stanley, D.G. Stone, W.H. Tasker, F.T. Tatam, M.W. Watson, F.A. Yarwood, F.J. Bray, J.H. Cooper, J.D. Cormack, J. Duggan, T.R. Elliott, A.P.H. Fernie, D.G. Hendry, J.G. Howe, Arthur Johnson, George Linden, G.H. Maiden, J.A. Matson, H.G. Methley, Joseph Warburton, C.A. Weston, D.A. White, P. Williams, J.G. Willets, Whitman Kenneth Wighton, George Martin Ryan, Robert Clarke Alexander, Andrew J. Boissonault, Robert Bown, James Boyle, Eric Dawson Botsford, J.C. Bradford, R.H. Burns, Dalton Curry, Kenneth R. Elliott, E.H. Gilbert, R.K. Harrison, Lou F. Hanover, Eddie Hnatiuk, William Horton, James Howden, J.T. Kendall, Norm Langdon, Don Larkworthy, Dan Loescher, Robert Magor, L.R. McMillan, Douglas H. Melchin, Earl H. Metcalfe, William C. Moore, Douglas Moffatt, J.R.D. Parsons, David A. Pedwell, John George McCaffery Rowe, H.H. Stirling, Reg Tobin, Peter Tudrick, Howard C. Wilson, W.C. Wilson, J.A. Beale, Frederick Hubert Bradley, Grant Byrnes, W.F. Cassell, K.F.D. Cullen, Arthur Leonard Davis, W.E. Dempster, Frederick George Doyle, W.E. Donkin, Les E. Ferguson, Douglas Harold Giffin, Herb Hawkins, Clifford Harper, William W. Henry, John G. Heggie, Herbert Leslie Hooper, Lloyd V. Hooper, D. Gerry Houlihan, Raymond Francis Irish, H. Jennings, P.D. Jermain, James E. B. Jolly, Sheldon Lincoln Joyce, Frank Langdon, C.E. Leach, Mervyn John Love, James F. Lowe, Maurice Baird Malcolm, J.S. Marchington, David Martin, Joseph Johnston McCormick, R.J. McFayden, Robert Alexander McGregor, N.M. McGregor, B.N. Mitchell, D.S. Miles, H.J. Moore, Reg Moase, R. Dan Ogilvie, John H. Pickett, Patrick Joseph Parrott, H. Graham Porter, J.A. Pope, Willard Hugh Rowland, Arthur Allan Tufts Ruttan, Walter John Schill, George M. Sellar, Morley J. Spencer, Todd William Smith, B.O. Smith, D.A. Smith, R.V. Taylor, Art E. Thomson, William T. Watkins, Jack A. Webb, Ernest Arthur Aldom, William Arthur James, J.W. Brooker, H.E.G. Channing, Roy M. Clarke, G.H. Clements, Archibald Couper, H.R. Condie, E.B. Coates, J.K. Cox, D.R. Craig, A.R. Crichton, B.W. Dawson, E.J. Deir, Donald Livingstone Dellis, W.S. DeRoux, O. Erikson, J. Cy Fairhurst, John Finkbiner, Lawrence Foxcroft, R.R. Frame, M.O. Fuglem, M. Ginsberg, Edwin F. Gustin, R.D. Hills, S.H. Horrocks, W.J.A. Huron, Alfred Kay, A.H. Kent, J.D. Kelly, Victor Everett Langille, N.T. Long, R.R. Longyear, William Markow, J.W. Madill, R.R. McFayden, J.J. Moynham, H.G. Myketuk, H.F. Nikolson, H.L. Patience, E.J. Pellow, Milton M. Pollock, J.V. Ralph, N.S. Skingle, W.R. Stevens, L.W. Stoddart, E.A. Starling, W.H. Storey, F.L. Stark, W.E. Thompson, Donald Topping, D.A.M. Tyska, L. Walton, James Walton, Donald William Warren, V.M. Willrich, K.F. Wiltshire, H.W. Young, N.F. Besso, Geoff R. Stuart, W. Taylor, Ken Temple, Frank Thomas, Thrush, C. Brian Tickle, Frank Tierney, R.J. Townsend, J.C. Tomlinson, John Try, H.E. Bennie, I.H. Biltcliffe, C.T. Burgess, J.A. Foley, W. Gale, K.D. Howden, W.D. Lincoln, J.H. Martin, K.I.D. Rankin, G.B. Sawers, W.S. Waterson, D.W. Adair, E.F. Anderson, J.W. Anderson, Wally Andrews, I.G. Baril, H.M. Brown, A.H. Burch, N.W.R. Campbell, J.D. Dixon, T.J. Eaton, K.I. Fletcher, J.A. Foot, G.W. Goodkey, J.F. Gray, N.A. Gray, L.G. Hall, M.C. Hawkins, J.D. Hunter, J.B. Hurst, V.S. Inkinson, Edward A. Johnston, E.J. Lister, C.L. McCarthy, R.S. McIntosh, B.A. McMillan, C.A. Menu, N.H. Morse, A. Pankiw, L. Paszat, R.E. Pringle, J.H. Ryan, A.D. Skirrow, R. Sloan, G.A. Stewart, G. Swift, James A. Vice, R.R. Wallace, R.R. Weaymouth, Joseph F. Weiczorek, John P. Wickware, Syd F. Wise, R.A. Wood, C.C. Anderson, E.J. Archer, C.S. Beachey, Eugene Beaver, W.T. Belk, E.S. Boswarva, E.M. Brennan, Orville J. Brigden, C.F. Campbell, J.W. Coleman, J.C. Conley, R.P. Copland, L.R. Crump, R.A. Dade, William A. Dafoe, F.A. Duench, E.W. Elliott, R.G. Franks, M.G. Gilbert, J.E. Graff, Helliwell, F.K. Griffin, F.K. Hind, J.T. Hoyle, D.J. Lindsay, Charles Locke, J.K. Logan, C.R. MacPherson, F. McDonald, T.A. McEwan, N.D. Harlow, H.W. Nesbitt, E.J. O’Connor, G.D. O’Gorman, W.A. Peterkin, W.H. Potts, C.A. Richardson, V.O. Richardson, J.W. Robinson, T.J. Rokosh, H.F. Sanger, H.H. Shover, J. Suits, W.A. Portwood, Gus Stahlbrand, E.R. Talbot, R.A. Thiffault, Mark Walker, G.E. White, D.P. Williamson, W.G. Wood, E.Cook, E.W. Elliott, S.C. Green, E.P. Kippax, A. Parkinson, M.H. Rowlatt, G.S. Abram, G.E. Bayenton, C.P. Beavrepaire, R.L. Boivin, Douglas Brick, C.P. Byrd, A.S. Cawthorn, B.A. Clarke, A. Cooke, R.F. Deacon, Paul Dorais, J.F. Dubreuil, J. Dungavell, F.H. Forbes, O.C. Gagnier, L.H. Gauthier, J.W. Gilliland, R.J. Grieve, W.E. Hall, Douglas A. Hamm, I.P. Hanson, S.M. Hickey, R.H. Hinton, B.G. Hoare, A.R. Hughes, Robert W. Jackson, Vic C. Johnston, James Laidler, Dennis A. Lalonde, Jim Leach, R.A. Leith, C.F. Lewis, Jock S. MacDonald, D.M. MacPherson, Mickey Mask, K.P. McKee, P.B. Mitchell, R.P. Mitchell, M. Muttner, H.A. Newkirk, R.W. Peddon, V. Pedersen, E.A. Phillips, J.L.P. Raboin, J.W. Rice, J. Smith, W.R. Stanyer, D.D. Thomson, G.H. Tulk, J.C. Ward, R.G. Wentzell, D.R. Wilson, V. Wilson Smith, E.J. Freeman, Stanley .D. Gook, R.H. Green, D.S. Mims, W. Muckelroy, George B. Rickart, L.J. Taylor, P.A. Watkins, A.J.L. Allen, S.R. Ashton, A. Athanasion, A.N. Baker, H.A. Barker, V.G. Barnett, D.G.T. Bennett, G.J.R. Bond, J.C. Bruck, A.J. Burch, N.I.L. Clavel, T.S. Corrigan, G.E. Cunningham, J.H. Dales, T.G. Dixon, J.A. Durban, G.H. Elsey, D.P. Garren, C.R. Givens, W.D. Gossett, R.T. Gray, G.E. Grearson, R.A. Hands, N.L. Heron, R.R. Howson, J.G. Kurtz, A.M. MacPherson, D.E. Marshall, R.B. McCormack, W.H. Merriam, D.M. Nicholson, R.L. Nisbet, W.L. Perry, E.F. Plant, Norman C. Plato, R.B. Ramsay, W.L. Secor, Gordon Sluman, J.D. Smith, J.M. Stewart, G.D. Sutton, N.M. Thompson, W.M. Tovell, F.G. Tupling, I.I. Walker, A.C. Warren, I.C. Wilson, L. Wise, E.C. Yorke, W.A. Bryden, Cumberbirch, Ronnie Daintree, R.L. Davies, L. Dunkley, Edwards, F. Heap, T.F. Henebery, D.A.T.Hughes, Dennis King, C.G. Laurie, W. Lloyd, Donald Malpas, W.J. Miller, R.J. Roper, Jack Roscorla, Kenneth Edmund Sutton-Brown, Wardall, Willis, D.C. Woods, H.E. Yoxall, K.B. Anderson, J.L.P. Blanchard, C.A. Bourque, D.L. Copeland, R.J. Carowell, H.T. Darling, W.E. Easton, R. Hamilton, R.G. Kemp, R. Laberge, Gordon C. Letcher, R.G. McCluskey, W.C. MacDiarmid, G.C. MacHattie, J. McKay, J.A. McKindsey, H.I. McLeod, T. McRann, R.M. Minty, J.M. Moniven, V. Morkum, L.O. Murray, R.B. Moyer, G.A. Neil, R. Owen, R. Pickering, A.C. Popkey, L.A. Renfrew, C.R. Shnier, C.B. Stevenson, K.M. Thomas, A.W. Warrick, John Laurence Barwick, David Knowles Bedwell, Jack Benson, Keith Kenyon Colby, Clifford Roy Coote, Charles John Corbould, Bede Merredith Doolan, Valentine Joseph Flanagan, Basil Kingsley Gray, Norman Walter Hartup, Raymond Leslie Kim, Bruce Lovegrove, Hector John MacAuley, Thomas Kenneth MacLeod, Callum McDonald, Wallace Harold Mutimer, John Power, Charles Preston, Cecil Beaufort Webber, J.D. Alymar, B.A. Bonan, H. Burnke, D.T. Deans, G.D. Grierson, E.L. Hanneson, G. Kempthorne, J.P. Wood, R. Kinsey, A.M. Ross, A. Hutchison, F.R.J. Jones, Randy Marsh, L.A. Mortimer, C. Gerald Purvis, J.W. Rogers, Ronald E. Schreeve, Peter Shaw, R. Skinner, E.R. Archer, Scott J. Babin, A. Gordon Bell, Joseph E. Biddle, Jack Brooks, Gordon J. Brown, Robert Burns, William P. Clark, A. Corbeil, Roger Corbin, B.A. Cowan, M. Cumberland, Abe J. Grosh, Frank W. House, Brian H. Keir, R.E. Leggott, Mike Novick, T.P. Nyhus, R. Thompson, T. Anderson, C.R. Barrow, A. Bowman, J.P.C. Clarke, P.R. Coles, J.J. Connors, S.W. Evans, W.G. Haggar, F. Hughes, G.W. Jackson, H. Padget, K. Polton, J. Powell, M. Riley, A.A. Robertson, C.V. Sorfleet, H.P. Tate, H.A. Turner, O.B. Watts, J.T. White, D.C. Williams, C. Yates, P.C. Badgley, R.E. Belyea, H.V. Braceland, L.P. Bundy, H.N.P. Cooper, G.B. Cox, R.M. Fenn, R.A. Finney, J.F.C. Gordon, L.R. MacDonald, T.R. Maunder, T.O. McCracken, D.C. Moore, A.D. Nichol, A.D. Rae, C.C. Reed, D.S. Ross, J.B. Sawyer, W.C. Sherritt, R.M. Stuart, D.D. Summerville, A.W. Thomas, R.E. Thomas, G.T. Tremblay, A.J. Weller, J.A. Wills, John Wills, W.E. Youmans, B.P. Ballinger, R.D. Booker, E.W. Bown, Phillip G. Bridge, S. Brierly, R.H. Bright, D. Brown, T. Bullock, C.R.W. Church, C.E. Coates, J.O. Coggan, K.F. Currey, J.M. Davidson, J. Davies, P. Duffield, B. Emery, J. Holding, W.W. House, R.A. Howes, J.C. Hunt, E.D. Johncock, D.A. Jones, G.E. Maby, J.M. MacFarlane, J. McCulloch, J.C. McPherson, J.A. Milne, J.M. Morgan, T.S. Poole, Robert Pratt, C.W. Reeves, K.E. Sallows, F. Sharp, P.G.B. Sharp, M.H. Sloan, J.L.A. Sparks, W.G. Spittle, K.H. Sprigg, J.E. Stevens, E. Tanser, K.C.D. Taylor, D. Turner, J.D. Wallace, L. Wallace, Earl Clinton Crangle, J.R. Cripps, C.A. Huehnergard, R.C. Nichols, R.A. Gillam, F.R. Jacob, A.R.K. Martin, J.C. McPherson, L.F. Mitchell, W.R. Prendergast, N.A. Ritchie, M. Rosenberg, J.R. Stewart, G.T. Thompson, (W-312752) LAW Ruth E. Owen; (R/220308) LAC Morris E. Dolson, Aero Engine Fitter; (R/118695) Erwin Holt - mechanic; Ronald J. 'Hub' Macey, Stratford - hockey star

GROUP CAPTAIN ELMER GARFIELD FULLERTON

Like most Commanding Officers of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan facilities, Group Captain Elmer Fullerton had already fought his war. When not administering his duties as Commanding Officer of No. 9 Service Flying Training School, Fullerton worked diligently on his personal project; designing a RCAF Tartan and creating a pipe band to complement his design. As far as CO’s were concerned, Fullerton was generally popular with Station personnel. Under his leadership, the facility operated with a high degree of efficiency, yet had many events and activities for both staff and students to enjoy in their spare time. Jean McCormick, one of Group Captain Fullerton’s daughters, recalls her father’s time as Commanding Officer of the Station. “There is a piece of music called ‘Elmer's Tune’, written by Elmer Albrecht and played by The Glen Miller Orchestra. It was very popular in the 1940's. The station dance band always played the tune whenever our father arrived at a dance on the station. My sister Eva and I used to go out to the weekly dances held at the Drill Hall at Centralia, with a chaperoned group of girls from Exeter. We would never say who we were, but we used to hear a lot of praise about our father from the airmen, regarding his fairness to everyone and of the good morale of the men, who affectionately called him the ‘Old Man’.”

ED HAWKES - RCAF AMERICAN VOLUNTEER

Jack Pequegnat, my elementary instructor at Goderich, said if I had not done any previous flying I wouldn’t have to unlearn the bad habits I had picked up. He sure was a good guy, patient and very thorough in explaining and demonstrating what I was required. I remember the food at Goderich. It was out of this world. There was a great big French cook. He made fresh tomato soup. I haven’t eaten anything like it since. While training at No. 9 SFTS Centralia fellow American John Birky was killed. We were all quite startled and rather sobered by it in the fact that it could happen. Up to that time it was fun and games and we were having a good time and these are pretty nice aircraft to fly. I don’t think that death ever crossed anybody’s mind – and then bang, to have him go like that. We didn’t have too much time to think about John Birky’s loss. They really had the ground school laid out. If you weren’t in ground school you were flying. There really wasn’t time for much of anything. There was always some reading to do at night. You never seemed to be totally caught up. It was mostly just plain hard work. When I got my wings, I figured I was a number one hotshot! I sort of didn’t believe it for a while – it was just too good to be true. The biggest surprise was when I got a commission on top of that. I thought it was pretty good for a small town boy. I had a notion that Chuck Folsom, my American instructor at Centralia had been at Annapolis and had been asked to leave for raising hell. He later confirmed this. Chuck was called by his contemporaries, ‘Big Chief’. I think his method of instructing developed a close relationship between us. We’d take off for example, and he’d say, “Now this is the way to do it – you get lined up right down the middle of the runway and cage the directional gyro and set it to zero or set it to the heading – set it on ninety if you were going east or eighteen if you were going south – whatever it happened to be. This is the way you do it and this is the way you want to open the throttle – he’d do the whole thing and make a circuit and downwind bash down some flap and so on. He’d do the whole thing and then he’d say, “You go ahead and have a ‘go. I would and did fairly well at it. I think we got along. His method of teaching was don’t get excited and take it easy- nothing drastic is going to happen. It was very reassuring, really, because he certainly was the perfect personification of confidence if nothing else. He certainly could fly and fly extremely well. I think it was the non-screaming low key approach. So many other guys had instructors who would almost get hysterical. They’d get so excited if you did something the least bit wrong. I think it was pretty easy on that score simply because he was so relaxed and it just kind of “transmitted” - easy going and calm but absolutely in control of everything. We used to twit each other on account of our accents. He used to call me ‘Ayid’ for Ed. Being from Kentucky, he really did have a southern drawl. I felt as though I was treated like a Canadian, and I don’t think there is anything I can add to that. I don’t really think that there was any distinct American-Canadian association. In fact, I don’t recall that the subject of who you were or where you came from came up very often. I don’t know how it felt to wear a U.S.A. shoulder flash because mine said Canada. Without doubt, it was the experience of a lifetime. I'm glad I went. The only regret is not finishing a tour but that's pretty small stuff compared to the reason; the end of the war. If only I had gone sooner ..., if, if if!!”

JOHN WILLS

"After four years in the RCAF working as a mechanic at many stations, I received welcome news of my remuster and was sent to Centralia for pilot training. I was able to find an 'apartment', and brought my wife and few possessions to start housekeeping in our first home. The house was directly across the field from the entrance to the airport and was divided into four apartments, all Air Force families. The cooking was done on a hotplate, furniture was sparse and a pull-out couch served as the sleeping arrangement. Food shopping was done in Exeter and with no refrigeration was done quite often. There was no running water. Heat was an old coal furnace, a monster that refused to co-operate. This was the winter of '44-'45, which was the most severe ever recorded, with snowbanks on top of the telephone poles. This must have been an impossible situation in regards to the training program. At the time there was a snack bar across from the entrance to the airport. It was owned by two women and their father ('Pop' Watson). It was a dilapidated old building, but certainly served the purpose of helping hungry servicemen survive. They had scrumptious homemade pies, sandwiches, soup, etc. This was the bus terminal and the only way to get out of the station. The old bus went to Exeter, then to London where a train was available. Food shopping of course was done at Exeter and with no refrigeration was done quite often. There was a worn track across the field to the airport and a welcome sight to see the boys returning at night. This was a lonely place for young women from city jobs to spend their days in the winter of 1944-45.'

ROBERT MONS RUMBLE

Robert Rumble, a resident of King, Ontario, graduated with Course 61 at Centralia. G/C Fullerton provided this assessment of Rumble: “Good student, plenty of self-confidence, inclined to be lazy. This student is recommended for a commission.” Rumble was posted overseas. Upon completion of his training at No. 29 OTU, Rumble was given the following assessment: “An above average captain and very good on all flying, particularly night flying. Co-operation with crew good. Recommended for heavies.” On February 15, 1944, Lancaster aircraft DV330 (619 Squadron) piloted by Rumble left base at 16:50 hours for operational attack on Berlin. The aircraft and crew were lost at sea off the coast of Germany. A fisherman recovered and brought into the port of Bandhom, Denmark the body of a man wearing the Royal Canadian Air Force uniform on May 19, 1944. It was presumed that the body had been lying in the water about two months. The identity marks read as follows: - “Can. J.21210 Officer RM Rumble UC RCAF DO NOT REMOVE”. The body was taken by the police to the Chapel of Bandhom Church and placed in a coffin and decorated with flowers and wreaths in red, white and blue. Later the coffin was fetched by German soldiers, and as far as is known he was buried at Svino Churchyard.

JACL GLEN MILLAN FISHER

Jack Fisher left his home in Shaunovan, Saskatchewan to enlist in the RCAF. He received the following assessment upon completion of training at Centralia: “Has shown good progress and has developed into a good average pilot. Has no outstanding faults. The pupil is recommended for a commission." Fisher and nine other graduates of Course 63 were posted to No. 1 GRS Summerside, P.E.I. before being posted overseas.On November 27, 1944, Fisher was piloting Mosquito aircraft DK 292 “J” 192 Squadron detailed to accompany Bomber Command attack on Munich. The aircraft crashed on French coast North of LeHarve. A cap was found in the wreckage marked “P/O Fisher” and a sock marked N.V.A. Vinnell. No trace of the bodies were found. The aircraft exploded on impact, and the crew are presumed to have been in the aircraft at the time. The airframe was completely disintegrated, and due to the fact that the beach was mined at the time, nothing further was done to recover the bodies.

FREDERICK TERRANCE COOPER

Terry Cooper graduated with Course 63. Group Captain Fullerton gave the Goderich, Ontario resident the following recommendation: “Average student but requires more confidence in himself. Should become a good pilot with more time." Upon graduation from Centralia, Cooper was posted overseas. On August 25, 1943, while training at No. 22 Operational Training Unit, Cooper piloted Wellington HF628 on a “nickel raid”- target Montargis, France. Cooper was reported missing when his aircraft crashed into the sea. Mrs. Ethel Cooper sent the following letter to the RCAF Casualties Officer. “I may state that my son, Frederick Terrance was missing he had assigned forty dollars per month to me and of course that stopped when he was reported missing. “I assure you that I worked hard to put him through college so if you think I am entitled to gratuity; I assure you that I could use it. But I would rather have my son return home than all the money in the world but I am pleased that my son gave his life for the defence of his country. So if you can do anything for me I would be pleased.”

DONALD GEORGE MCLEOD

Donald McLeod graduated from Centralia with Course 67. At the time of his enlistment, the resident of Waterford, Ontario received the following assessment from the reviewing Medical Officer: “Sincere motivation: help to win the war and interest in flying. Somewhat immature, but impresses as stable and fairly stolid.” Nearing completion of his pilot training at Centralia, McLeod was assessed as: “An average flier keen about his work; slightly self conscious and very quiet.” McLeod was posted overseas upon graduation from Centralia. On January 31, 1944, while serving with No. 1661 Conversion Unit, P/O McLeod was detailed for a sea search lasting approximately 2/12 hours, piloting Halifax DX185. He was to return to Dishforth when it was completed and asked permission to carry out a cross country flight. Nearly 6 ½ hours after it was airborne, the aircraft was seen to break cloud east of Ilkey, it flew up the valley to the West, turned South pulled up into the clouds again and crashed on Ilkey Moor. P/O McLeod is buried in Harrowgate Cemetery.

HOWARD WALTER LOSSING

Howard Lossing left a teaching position to serve with the RCAF. The Norwich, Ontario resident received the following assessment from the reviewing Medical Officer: “This lad wants to be a pilot. He is not as emotionally stable as the average and may not have the sticking power. However should make average aircrew." While training at Centralia, Lossing was found guilty of neglect which resulted in damage to two of His Majesty’s aircraft. The charge read: “In that he at approx. 2340 hrs. 9-2-43 did taxi his aircraft in such a manner as to collide with another aircraft immediately in front of him thereby causing damage to both aircraft in the amount of $1650.00 10 days confined barracks. S/L Gledhill provided the following assessment of Lossing’s flying ability while training at Centralia: “Excessive use of brake and throttle when taxiing and a tendency to pull aircraft off during take-off. Otherwise above average." Upon graduation from Centralia, Lossing was informed that he would be posted overseas. While training at No. 15 Advanced Flying Unit, Sgt. Pilot Lossing was assessed as: “Rather a nervous type whose navigation is weak. Rather retiring and has not made his presence felt.” After advanced training in Britain, Sgt. Pilot Lossing was posted to 433 Squadron in January 1944. On March 24, 1944, Pilot Officer Lossing and crew were scheduled for operations to Berlin. Halifax LV841 piloted by Lossing, departed at 7:00 p.m. for what would be his 9th aerial operation. At approximately 11:10 p.m, the crew was killed when their Halifax bomber was hit by flak, five kilometres north of Sandersleven. Pilot Officer Lossing is buried in Berlin War Cemetery.

WILLIAM ARCHIE YOUNG

Archie Young completed both his Elementary and Service Flying Training in his home county. The resident of Brussels, Ontario was rated at No. 12 EFTS as, “Hard working and consciencious but gets flustered when pushed. Has ability and is of a very pleasant manner." Young proceeded to Centralia. Upon completion of his training, G/C Fullerton assessed Young, “Keen, iniative high - rather slow to learn but has inproved into a smooth capable pilot. Steady on instruments. Recommended for a commission.” Young was posted to 45 Group Transport Command, Dorval, P.Q. ferrying aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. On December 18, 1945, Young was piloting a 435 Squadron DC-3 aircraft from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Oslo, Norway. The aircraft was approaching the airport flying through cloud when it struck high ground, killing all personnel on board.

REINHOLD ROBERT GEORGE BAUMANN

Reinhold Baumann’s parents were born in Germany, but were residents of Temiskaming PQ. Baumann received the following assessment from Group Captain Elmer Fullerton: “Learns quickly and easily, a good average pilot." Like Reginald Parsons, Baumann was posted overseas. After receiving advanced bomber pilot training, he was posted to 431 Squadron. At approximately 10:15 on the same night Reginald Parsons was killed, P/O Baumann and crew departed for the same target – Hamburg. At 2:45 a.m., Halifax MZ 859, skippered by P/O Baumann, was shot down by a German night fighter. The crash occurred in shallow water approximately 1 mile from the mainland. Dietrich Maas farmer stated that he was the first person to arrive at the scene of the crash. He found that parts of the aircraft were still burning and wreckage was spread over a fairly wide area. He saw two dead in the nose of the aircraft and a further three dead who were presumably been thrown out of the aircraft. Maas stated that one airman baled out and was taken prisoner. P/O Baumann is buried in Kiel War Cemetery.

REGINALD PARSONS

While he was stationed at Initial Training School, Reg Parsons received the following assessment: “Young, impressionable and might lean as easily to bad influence as to good. Good raw material. Bright, cheerful, willing and full of enthusiasm." Parsons was posted to No. 12 EFTS Goderich where upon completion of his training was assessed by S/L King as: “An average student. Tends to check instruments too much in contact flying. Instrument flying average. Navigation above average.” From Goderich Parsons was posted to Centralia. G/C Fullerton assessed him as: “Conscientious, hardworking. Progressed well. Recommended operational pilot.” Upon completion of pilot training at Centralia, Parsons was posted overseas. While at No. 20 Operational Training Unit, Parsons received the following assessment: “This officer, with only normal flying training, has completed a most satisfactory course. He is a very good sound pilot, and an excellent captain who ‘captains’ his crew well. He is keen and intelligent and his standard and personal appearance is very high and reflects in his crew. Had no trouble with Wellington aircraft and should prove a good operational pilot. Not recommended for PFF yet, but should make the grade with further experience.” Flying Officer Parsons was posted to 428 Squadron. His first operational trip was scheduled to be as a second pilot aboard Lancaster KB759. On July 28, 1944, the bomber departed for operations to Hamburg and exploded in mid-air not long after takeoff. F/O Parsons has no known grave. He was from Carrying Place, Ontario.

CHARLES TREVOR LEIGHTON PIDCOCK

Charles Pidcock received his pilot training at Centralia with Course 79. On August 6, 1943, Pidcock visited the station 25 yard range and fired 60 rounds with the Browning Gun under the supervision of F/S Mike Stelmarzuk, No. 9 SFTS Armament Officer. SFTS Twin Engine Syllabus No. 6, dated January 1943 required all pilot trainees at Centralia complete the gunnery exercise. Upon completion of his pilot training, G/C Fullerton assessed Pidcock as: “A conscientious pilot who has made satisfactory progress." Upon graduation from Centralia, Pidcock was posted to Britain for heavy bomber training. At No. 20 Operational Training Unit, Pidcock received the following assessment: “This pilot, with only the normal training, has proved himself to be a very capable man. He was held up for some time in finding a new navigator, but should benefit from the extra hours he has flown, and should have no trouble on conversion to heavier types. Crew co-operation and pre-flight planning are good.” After completing Heavy Conversion Training, Pidcock and his crew were posted to 425 Squadron. At 23:00 hours on the evening of the October 14, 1944, Halifax LW 391 piloted by F/O Pidcock, took off from the crew’s home aerodrome to carry out bombing of Duisburg, Germany. After bombing the target, the aircraft F/O Pidcock was piloting was hit by flak. With one engine on fire, F/O Pidcock unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish the blaze and feather the engine. When the navigator, F/Sgt. Frederick Cartan, determined the aircraft was no longer over enemy occupied territory, five members of the crew bailed out. A body was found with parachute only half opened near Mechlen, Belgium by a Belgian Army Officer. The body was identified by identity discs to be F/O Pidcock and was removed by Belgian Underground Army. The local inhabitants of Mechelen buried F/O Pidcock’s remains in the towm cemetery – later exhumed and reburied in Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium. He was survived by his mother who resided in his hometown, Vancouver, B.C.

JOHN WALTER WOOD

John Walter Wood and Maurice Francis O’Neill graduated with Course 79 at Centralia. Wood, a resident of Toronto, received the following assessment from S/L King after completing EFTS training at Goderich: “A very keen and intelligent student, aggressive and confident. Had tried hard from the start and should develop into a good service pilot.” Upon completion of pilot training at Centralia, G/C Fullerton assessed Wood as: “Extremely conscientious, high average flying ability, good knowledge of flying. Make good service instructor.” Fullerton assessed O’Neill as: “Good average pilot. Not afraid of hard work. Should do well as reconnaissance.” On October 17, 1944, Flying Officer Wood was pilot and Flying Officer O’Neill was Co-Pilot on Marauder HD 664 which was scheduled to make circuits and landings with 113 Wing, Nassau, Bahamas. It was noticed immediately after the aircraft took off that the starboard engine was running badly; the aircraft failed to maintain height and crashed into the sea near Nassau, Bahamas. Flying Officer Wood left behind a wife and year old son.

CLIFFORD SINCLAIR NEWTON

Cliff Newton was one of eight Americans training with Course 67 at Centralia. The resident of Roseville, Michigan received the following assessment from S/L Houston: “A very sullen student who thinks everyone is against him. Has natural ability but won’t use it. This pupil is not recommended for a commission.” Newton was posted overseas. After advanced training he was posted to No. 9 Squadron. On October 7, 1944, while on operations (Walcheren), the aircraft for which F/O Newton was pilot, was damaged by flak on the bombing run. The starboard outer was put out of action and the starboard inner was only giving a limited amount of power. F/O Newton continued the bombing run, did a second bombing run as briefed and returned to base on two remaining engines. On November 12, 1944, F/O Newton and crew were detailed to attack the German Battleship Tirpitz, moored in Tromso Fjord, Norway. Thirty Lancasters equipped with Tallboy bombs attacked Tirpitz; with two successful hits causing the battleship to capsize. Flyin Officer Newton and crew prepared for operations to attack Dortmund Ems Canal, on the December 31, 1944. At briefing at 0600 hours on the January 1, 1945, they were allocated Lancaster aircraft NG 252. The aircraft engines were tested prior to takeoff. The pilot took off, at 0745 hours. The airfield controller saw the aircraft swing to port when well down the runway. A witness heard a falter in one or more engines as it was nearly airborne. The aircraft hit some trees and exploded. Only the bomb aimer managed to escape with his life.

HAROLD GROVER WRIGHT

Harold Wright received his flying training at Goderich and Centralia. The Brantford, Ontario resident received the following assessment from F/L D.J. MacLean at Goderich: “Keen student. Good average ability. Is inclined to go unnoticed.” While at Centralia, Wright was assessed as: “Average student who tries hard. Should become good service pilot with more experience. A quiet, hard-working student who could become above average. Recommended for Commission.” Upon graduation from Centralia, Wright was posted to Britain. While training at No. 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit, Wright received the following assessment: “F/Sgt. Wright is a very steady pilot with no outstanding faults. He handles his crew and aircraft with confidence. Should be good skipper. Quite keen.” Wright was posted to 426 Squadron. Lancaster LL647 departed at 19:01 hours for Frankfurt with P/O Wright at the controls. This was P/O Wrights 8th operation. The bomber was attacked by a night fighter near Harswinckel, Germany. F/O W.J. Burrows, Wireless Air-Gunner, was blown from the aircraft while F/O H.F. MacDonald bailed out. Both became POW’s. The rest of the crew was killed.

FRANK VINCENT BREEN

Toronto resident Frank Breen graduated with Course 61. Group Captain Fullerton wrote the following recommendation about Breen: “An excellent student, industrious and keen. Over application towards end apparently made him stale. Way ahead of the present run of aircrew. This airman is recommended for a commission.” On October 7, 1943, Breen was co-pilot of Liberator BZ 887 of No. 354 Squadron RAF. The aircraft made a good take-off from the airfield and had reached about 800’ – 1000’ on the downwind leg, when the nose suddenly dropped and the aircraft hit the ground near Cuttack, India. All the crew members were killed. Breen’s brother was also killed June 12, 1943 while serving with 431 Squadron RCAF.

ROBERT PORRITT

Robert Porritt received his Elementary Flying Training at Goderich prior to his posting to Centralia. The resident of Knowlton, Quebec was rated by F/O Shedd, Chief Supervisory Officer, No. 12 EFTS: “Pleasant student, hard worker. Good at ground school and Link. Had to be disciplined for Air Fighting.” Porritt graduated with Course 61 at Centralia. Group Captain Fullerton provided the following assessment of Porritt. “An exceptional student; very quiet. This airman is recommended for a commission.”On August 19, 1944, 439 Squadron was detailed to carry out an Armed Reconnaissance in the Lisieux Bernay and Vermoutiers area. The Squadron formation split up into sections of four. Yellow Section was led by F/L Scharff and in which F/O Porritt flew. The target area was reached at approximately 14:00 hours. F/O’s Porritt and Rassenti broke away from the formation when it was attacked by light enemy flak. These two pilots made two attacks on MET, and on the third attack F/O Porritt in Typhoon aircraft MN 401, broke from about 2000 feet in the Vimoutiers area to attack more MET while F/O Rassenti broke to starboard to make a separate attack on tanks at approximately 14:15 hours. This was the last seen of Porritt. F/O Porritt was buried by French civilians near the crash scene. The body was identified by identity discs. The grave was marked “Cher Camarade Inconnu” translated - Dear Friend Unknown.

BOB HYSLOP

In the late forties there was a routine at Centralia prior to the Air Force Day of flying by the local towns and villages dropping leaflets advertising the show. I served as leaflet dropper on several occasions – also as servicing crew with the R C A F Formation when it landed away from base. Later as a pilot, my first intense battle with vertigo took place while flying a Dakota in practice for an Air Force Day flyby. Usually a vic of three Dakotas led a vic of Expeditors on the port and starboard and four vics of Harvards in trail. This flight would pass over London, Aylmer and Clinton to show the flag to RCAF bases. I was given the No. 3 position and decided the left seat was the most comfortable. Shortly following takeoff the sky became obscured with heavy industrial haze. It wasn’t long before turbulence reared its nauseating head. Then somewhere in the first medium turn the co-pilot decided to light up a cigar. Earth and sky all blended into one – out there through the cigar smoke, haze and turbulence was the wing tip of the lead Dakota. Vertigo creates its own kind of anxiety which survival instincts lastingly maintain a memory. There were many similar lessons learned at Centralia thanks to lake effect and industrial haze." By 1952, ten ‘Daks’ were based with the Radar and Communications School Flight. In 1954, the flight was amalgamated with the Air Navigation School based in Winnipeg. After seven years of operation at Centralia, the flight flew more than 30,000 hours without a single serious accident – a tribute to both air and ground crews. On 19 September 1954, AROS personnel flew the last aircraft (Dak 965) from Centralia to Winnipeg. Dutch Stants, Guy Milord, Ken Jackson and Bob Hyslop went on to T-Bird conversion at Gimli.

KEN HOFFER

Ken Hoffer being congratulated by Air Commodore Dunlop after receiving his wings at Centralia. He recalls his Centralia days – “I was at RCAF Centralia during the summer of 1952. We received our wings on graduation September 5, 1942. Some of us were RMC Cadets and we were not allowed to wear the wings on our RMC Cadet uniforms when we went back to Military College. We might have been the last group to get wings at the end of 2 years summer training. During the summer we were billeted in a quonset hut with tile floors. We were expected to clean, apply wax and polish those floors. The quonset hut had no basement and in the heat and humidity of the summer condensation mixed with the wax of the floor and we faced horrific odors like vomit. After much negotiation with our Course Director we were able to forego the wax application. RAF Cadets were the senior course and they tried to give us a hard time. In one incident the RAF Senior Cadet entered our billet for inspection, I assume, and announced, "How are things in the Colonies?", whereupon one of our course narrowly missed his head with a fire axe that embedded into the wall. Needless to say there was a great ado about the whole thing and in the end we no longer came under the "control" of the Senior Course and formed our own Flight and did our own thing on parade. On a long weekend that summer Murray MacNeily and I, in uniform, hitchhiked to New York City. It was a great adventure. Most memorable was getting in to Radio City Music Hall to see Lionel Hampton. We had been in line for a while when an usher came along and took us to the front of the line and we got free seats front and center in the gallery. It was all because we were in uniform. We flew T-6 Texans in first year at Trenton and Harvards in Centralia our second year. We got about 80 hours total of which 15 hours instrument time, no night, limited nav training in first year. In second year we got about 110 hrs of which about 20 hrs were instrument time and 18 hrs night. There was more emphasis on nav training and for the first time we got three aircraft formation flying. Grand Bend Airport was also used for touch and go training where they used a mobile tender to control the aircraft. I recall on a solo nav training exercise where you had to land away at a busy airport. I went to Toronto International. Upon landing and getting taxi instructions to the Terminal (I think it was just a temporary building at the time) I opened the canopy since it was so hot and immediately lost the one and only map I had. With limited funds in my pocket I had to forego a sandwich and donut and had just enough money for a coffee since the airport authorities charged me for another map. Grand Bend beach was a major attraction during our summer training with its good swimming and the girls of course. We also went into London on weekends to see movies. I recall coming back late one night from London and encountering very, very heavy fog. I walked in front of the car and guided the driver along the centerline for some two miles before we got better conditions to get back to base.”

CYRIL LOFTHUS

From the beginning, I always wanted to be a pilot. I was born three years before the Second World War started, and planes and pilots were the heroes of my life. Pilots, and the other aircrew, were the people who saved my country. So to be accepted for pilot training in the RAF was for me a great achievement, the start of a big adventure. I was 19 years old when I and another twenty five chaps set sail from Liverpool to Halifax NS on 2nd December 1955. The UK was still a pretty austere place, only ten years after the end of WW2, and here I was headed to a land of plenty, and luxury, and also to the ambition that I had been nurturing all through my youth. We arrived at Halifax in a freezing cold winter, the like of which we were not used to. The St. Lawrence River was frozen, and because the Seaway had not yet been completed we were faced with a long train journey to London Ont., an experience I delighted in. We had a few hours stopover in Montreal, arriving in the middle of a student riot. A streetcar lay on its side in the middle of the street just outside the railroad station, and hordes of angry young men ran around throwing stones. I think the fares had gone up or something like that but man, this was living! I was impressed. We had nothing like this in Britain! We now faced three weeks indoctrination at London, along with Greeks, French, some others, and one Canadian. During this time we were taken on various visits, Niagara, places like that, and also during this spell four of us adventurous souls one weekend actually hitched lifts to Detroit, stayed in a seedy hotel for $3 a night, I think it was called the “Barlum”, and across the road was a good old fashioned burlesque show, which we naturally thought we ought to see. I had just come from Hicksville, NE Scotland, where we never had encountered boobs like these, they were big ones, man! Wow, I was growing up fast! Back at London the students were split up and sent to the four Harvard schools. I would have liked to have gone further west, but we went just thirty miles up the road to Centralia, to what I believe was No. 1FTS. However, this had its advantages because during our stay at London we had befriended a bunch of “ex-pat” girls from Glasgow, and our weekends at Centralia were frequently spent in London furthering our experiences with these girls. The “in” meeting place for us guys was a restaurant in London called “The Tudor”, run by an ex-Brit named Ted Savage. Ted, along with his lovely wife, was having a hard time making a go of this business, the main problem being that he was constantly lending money to impoverished guys just off the boat who wanted to buy record players, autos, you know, that sort of thing. If one got a posting to Claresholm or Portage or somewhere like that the chances of Ted seeing his money again was unlikely. I often wonder what happened to him. I think my pay at this time, including flying pay, higher than the UK National Service guys who were on a lower scale, was about $115 a month. I seemed to settle in to the flying training quite quickly. It was a bit of a handful, the Harvard, our squadron was allocated to the Mark 4, and one of the snags for me was that, being a short stocky guy, getting that full rudder on to get it out of the spin was not easy, and I did worry about it during solo flying. (You don’t forget, close throttle, full opposite rudder, stick full forward). I note from my log that my first flight was on 20th January 1956, and the instructor I was allocated to was one F/L Donald. I seem to remember him as being a rather kindly, patient sort of a guy, and I felt at home with him. The Wingco seemed to take a bit of a shine to me and if he wanted to do a bit of refresher flying at the weekend, occasionally asked me if I would like to come up with him, which I did. I still recollect vividly doing circuits one bleak Saturday morning when, on the downwind leg, lowered the gear, and flew happily on. His quiet unconcerned voice from the back woke me up. “What’s your speed?” he asked nonchalantly. Cripes, 65 kts, and dropping!!! Forgot just to give the throttle that little nudge to compensate for the drag from the gear. Never forgot it again. They used to take us skating at Exeter ice rink. I still have the skates I bought there. They never fitted. At about 16 to 17 flying hours there was a bit of a shake-up, and regretfully I was transferred away from Donald. My new instructor was F/O Don Profitt. I found him to be a rather serious, quietly dedicated man, not too much of a sense of humour, but obviously good at his job. It was to fall to him to drag me through to my first solo. After the customary solo check by another instructor, F/O Gorman, at exactly 25 hours I was sent up on my own. You never forget it, do you? The date was March 10th 1956, it was a cold day, still lots of snow and ice around. I did the customary look down the back when on the downwind leg, just to make sure I was definitely on my own up there, and settled in for one of my better landings. After landing came the hose down with the fire extinguisher, my tie got cut off, and pinned to the detail notice board. The rest of the course was not doing so well. I think three others had gone solo, of the RAF contingent, that was, and I was the fourth, and the last. Inexorably the rest got chopped, and, except for one, they all went on to Winnipeg to become navigators. I think the RAF had a peculiar policy at this time. First and foremost they seemed to be intent on recruiting officer material, and if the recruit happened to be able to fly an aeroplane, this was an added bonus. On the other hand, no-one wanted to join the service as a navigator, so this may well have been a cunning ploy to get guys on to Navigation School. At that time all RAF navigators were trained at Winnipeg. The one chap who didn’t go to Winnipeg was instead separated from us, I think he had had a short illness, then went on to Portage I believe, or it might have been Penhold. His name was Andy something or other. His flying career came to an abrupt end when he taxied out on to the runway one day, and another Harvard actually landed on top of him. How he got away without injury I do not know, but he did, his nerves shattered, and that was the end of flying for him. My training at Centralia settled down for a time, then things started to go wrong. I got a bad bout of toothache, I think this must have been about April that year, and I had to have a rather stubborn molar removed. The extraction was done by a murderer in the Canadian Army, a Captain who I am convinced was just trying his hand at dentistry after a spell at road digging. The aftermath of this was bad. I got an oral infection and was put on penicillin for a time. I was, of course, grounded, and this frustrated the hell out of Don Profitt, as if my flying was not bad enough. One manoeuvre I could never do was the cloverleaf. After the first loop I was invariably left half upside down falling slowly out of the sky and I had to throw my hands up in despair and give the thing back to Profitt. Incidentally, our squadron commander was an exchange RAF pilot who seemed to be very friendly with the French guys, but he rather treated us RAF types with disdain, or so I felt at the time. I had to make frequent visits to the M.O. during this time, and on one such visit he had a look at my files and discovered that my eyesight was not up to the standard set by the RCAF. Now I was aware of this, and it had been spotted during my RAF medicals, but the problem was so slight that they had agreed that I could continue. As I was to be flying, or so I had hoped, for the RAF and not the RCAF, this was decided at the medical done at London Ont. However, on this particular afternoon when the M.O. noticed the discrepancy, I had just come off an hour’s flying. The M.O. said he was going to look at my eyes, and found that one eye was appallingly bad. What apparently was happening was that before flying I had no problem, but once being up in the air for some time a lazy muscle would start wandering all over the place. (During a childhood adenoids operation ether had been accidentally squirted into this eye). Other things went wrong. One day Don Profitt and I took off on a detail which included some go arounds, don’t know what the term was in those days, at Grand Bend. As we turned on to final on one circuit I looked out over the starboard wing and to my horror saw fuel leaking out of the filler cap. The Mark 4 of course had the full length exhaust so this fuel was flowing directly into the exhaust. In terror I pointed this out to Profitt. He took over control, I waited for a blinding flash as a spark would come out of the exhaust, but Profitt very calmy and steeply landed the airplane and we taxied in to the Grand Bend ramp. There was no Mayday or any of that rubbish. He got out of the plane, went up on to the wing, and adjusted the filler cap. Now it had been my pre-flight job to have checked these things before departure from Centralia. Had I made a mistake? Had I missed something? Profitt, having satisfied himself that the plane was OK, to his credit let me take complete control now. I’d never started a Harvard without a man on the ground before, who did I give thumbs up to and all that sort of thing? No, he just let me think it all up for myself, then told me to take it back to Centralia. On de-brief I asked him about the filler cap. “Sometimes they get a bit worn,” was his laconic reply. “I’ve got the engineer to replace it.” I was not frightened by the machine. Years later I was taken up in one or two other aeroplanes, including gliders, as a passenger. I remember one when I was to be demonstrated a stall. This was I think a Cessna 150. The guy flew it along, and reduced speed. It started to drop its nose. “That’s a stall”, he said. “Stall,” I felt like saying, stall, god you want to stall a Harvard. It hasn’t a clue which way it will go, it changes its mind every day, but when it stalls it stalls. I actually fully enjoyed the Harvard spin, except for the snag as I have already mentioned where my little short legs kind of locked and I had to repeat the rudder action. I think on my first solo loop I pulled the thing too tight and well, you know what happened. One sunny day, we were moving towards the warmer weather now, and sometimes as you know things got a bit choppy aloft as the sun warms up. I was on a solo detail. I finished with a loop, then had to come down to circuit level. Now, this was another of my problems. How to get the thing down, and I did discuss it with the three remaining RAF solo guys. One said, oh I just put the nose down and see how fast the thing will go. Another said, a couple of stalls and a spin and you’re down. I was much more timid. I would allow the aircraft to slow down, then lower the flaps and drift slowly down. Not very adventurous, you will agree. On the day however that I am referring to I came out of my final loop and slammed the flaps down, well above the minimum speed at which they should be lowered. Immediately I thought I had done a bad thing to the old girl, she seemed to be tossing and turning about. In actual fact this was probably due to bubbles of hot air finally arising as we approached a glorious spring, but for me this was an emergency. I got on to Channel “J” and transmitted my problem. Don McLean came up to the tower and tried to reassure me, but I was terrified. I flew past the tower, they could see nothing wrong, and I proceeded to do the worst landing ever. Remember the embarrassing jammed down oleo leg? It was one of those. Other things convinced me that I was in the wrong place. One day Profitt and I took off for instrument flying. How I got as far as instrument flying I do not know. Those take-offs from under the hood were appalling. There was surely no way I kept the aircraft on the runway heading, Profitt must have been doing that. Anyway, on this day off we went for some under the hood stuff, until, after about half an hour Profitt said, “Come out of the hood for a bit.” I did so. It was one of those days when you wish you could be a pilot. Glorious blue sky above, and towering puffy cumulus, white and grey, all around. This was the world I wanted to be part of, forever. Profitt said, “I have control,” and I relinquished the stick. Now us students had certain rules, as you know. One of them was stay clear of cloud, you don’t know who is coming round the other side. I sat back in the rear seat as Profitt flew around, into and over, upside down, rolling, looping, ignoring the rules. I was watching a demonstration of flying the like of which I would never experience again ever in my life. This was man and machine in complete harmony. If a Me109 had popped out of the cloud, it was dead! Eventually, Profitt worked the frustration out of his system, and said, “You have control.” I was given no indication as to what the next part of the detail was. I think he was tempting me. So, from the back seat, I headed back to the cumulus, and did my bit. Maybe I was a little worried about the rules, if I went into or near the cloud, would he give me a roasting? I never put the plane upside down, I tried hard, but it was a poor emulation of what he had done. I saw his head shaking slightly, and I perhaps got a feeling on this day perhaps that this possibly meant I was not going to be a pilot, well, not a proper pilot, like a T-6 pilot, ever. Things now would go from bad to worse for me and my flying. I lost my confidence, despite the efforts of the deputy flight commander, a really nice “ex-pat” called Don McLean. He did everything he could to get me back into a state of mind where I could continue, but it was all a bit too late. A few other checks were done with other instructors, F/O Kok was one, a big guy, Don McLean took me up a few times, but then, in the log book, 22nd May it says F/O Rushton, Progress Check, and that was it. I’d done 68:20 dual, 25:35 solo. But I have never forgotten those few glorious solo hours when I was up there, drifting across to Grand Bend, or north towards Goderich, cross countrys to Guelph, Stratford and so on. During my time at Centralia we had one or two incidents. One day one poor chap landed with a bit of a crosswind and sheared off both oleo legs. We all went to look at the poor thing sitting there flat on its belly. On another day a Dutchman had taxied out for what I think was the North West runway on a solo. Now if my memory serves me right, you would start the aircraft up on one tank, and one of the last pre-take-off checks was to change tanks. Unfortunately, this guy switched not from L to R, but from L to “Off”. He lined up, and took off. A few hundred feet into the air, everything went quiet. He did everything correct, looked straight ahead, there was a field, and wheels up put it down. He was still transmitting “Mayday” when the thing came to a stop. This is an interesting tale because, at this time, the RCAuxAF were flying out of London Ont with P-51Ds, well, I suppose they were F-51Ds then. One Sunday the CO of this squadron took off and after a short climb out the engine failed, and what did this very experienced pilot do? He tried to turn back, with the inevitable fatal outcome. An old lady lived very close to the Centralia field, I believe in a converted farmhouse. She came to see the CO one day. She said, “I know these boys have to fly, and I know the have to fly at night, but why do they always have to change gear when they go past my house?” Delightful. I wish I could change gear in a Harvard once again. One incident that happened during my stay at Centralia was of great interest. There was an RAF chap who was a bit of a renegade. We’ll just call him Pat. He was forever breaking various rules, and was at this time on his final warning. He went AWOL one weekend, there were rumours of him and a stolen Cessna in Miami, but a few days later he returned to have the book thrown at him. Before this happened, however, he casually went out to the flight line and literally stole a Harvard, took off, and commenced a series of beatups of the CO’s house, officers’ mess, anything that enraged him. We all stood around watching for what we thought would be the final coup de grace, but he landed the thing and gave himself up. I recollect we RAF guys had to stand guard at night in the guardroom to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid. A few days later he went home. Harvard serial numbers are of interest, of course, but our logbooks did not record these. Instead, we referred to the aircraft by a number which was similar to the USAF “buzz” number, and the letters of all the aircraft I flew were UM. However, the digits of the “buzz” number were, I believe, the last three of the serial. My records show that the aircraft I flew in were 367, 368, 329, 338, 366, 376, 416, 334, 404, 304, 300, 335, 406, 452, 476, 365, 332, 228, 329 which was the last flight. My first solo was in 368. All of these were of course the Canadian Car and Foundry built Mark IV type. I was mystified by the policy adopted by the RCAF to put guys from cold straight into such an advanced aeroplane as the Harvard. This was after all an “advanced” trainer. I accept that if you could fly the Harvard you could fly anything, and I don’t put forward this as an excuse for my failure. But the chop rate was during this period exceptionally high. I met an ex-Centralia pilot at Heathrow one day and chatted to him about it. He had trained a year or so after me and had had the benefit of the Chipmunk course first. He was quite appalled that we had gone on to the Harvard from day 1. We RAF people were also disadvantaged when it came to our French colleagues, all of whom had done some flying at home before going to Canada. One of us, Bob Wilson, had done some Cadet flying in the UK before going to Canada, and I had done some gliding. The rest didn’t know a propeller from a pitot head. Bob went on to become a very successful pilot, then under mysterious circumstances fell off a hotel balcony in Malta one night, and that was the end of him. I was given the option of going on to Winnipeg, I don’t think they were very enthusiastic about it really, but I’d had enough. I was homesick, I’d been away seven months now, I was very despondent about the way things had gone, the dream had ended, so I was put on a train to Montreal and transferred to RCAF Lachine to await a berth back home. I regret to say that most of the three weeks at Lachine were spent getting rather intoxicated along with six other guys who were also waiting to go home. I came back to the UK uncertain about my future, and drifted into Fighter Control for about six years. Then I decided to get out of the service and get a proper job. By now I was married, and had started raising a family. I joined the Ministry of Aviation and became an air traffic controller, a job I did for nearly 40 years. What, I often wonder, would have happened if I had not failed at Centralia? The stories I got back from the three in the course who went on to Gimli and the T-33 suddenly wondered where all the problems had gone, but then you would know more about that than I do. I might have gone back to the UK as a pilot, on a short-service commission, we weren’t the PC guys, and after twelve years, with the option of coming out after eight, do what most of us did in any case – became Air Traffic Controllers. It was the next best thing to flying, and it kept you in touch with the guys up front. Apart from the Harvards at Centralia at that time there were the C-45s which were doing the instrument training course. There wasn’t a Chipmunk in sight then. A RCAF Lancaster came to visit us one day, that was worth seeing. The only other aircraft I recollect around at that time was a Fairchild Cornell which looked rather derelict in a corner of the field. It was generally believed that this belonged to the CO. Leaving Canada, especially in the way I did, was a very emotional time for me. I had grown very attached to Ontario, and indeed Canada, so much so that when I left the RAF in 1961 I would gladly have gone back for good, but the new Mrs Lofthus would have none of that. I had made a few friends, including a car dealer in London who invited me to stay over Christmas 1955, that’s when I discovered Rye and 7-Up. On the Atlantic crossing to Halifax I and another student had been taken under the wing of a very wealthy Canadian businessman who lived at Oakville, Ont, and we were invited to stay there for the New Year celebrations. This included one pretty huge party in the Royal York Hotel, Toronto, where he was having a sort of coming out celebration for his two rather dishy daughters. It was all rather too much for us hicks from the old country, but we made the most of it. I have since been back to North America several times, usually when chasing railroads, my hobby, but never have made it back to Canada. Whether I ever will now, rather late in my life, looks rather unlikely. Better perhaps now just to remember those few glorious months as they were when the world was nearly at my feet, rather than try to turn any clocks back.