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Ripstein, Howard B. |
F/L |
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0:47 |
Joined army at age 15 in 1940. Transferred to RCAF, trained as a WAG at #4
Wireless School, Guelph, Ont; B&G phase on Battles at Fingal, Ont. Posted
UK, to AFU for training on Ansons. OTU for training on Wellingtons; HCU for
MK 11 Lancasters. Initial operation on nickelling, with #426 Sqn then raids
to numerous targets in the Rhur. Duties of WOP in Bomber Command discussed.
Lead up to D-Day, softening up and tactical bombing in support of advance on
continent. Screened Aug 44, return to Canada for instructional duties.
Postwar reservist. |
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Skelding, William |
W/C |
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1:29 |
Commissioned 1941 as Trades Officer. Volunteers for WAG training at age 39.
Posted UK; experiences as CO #419 Salvage & Repair Unit on the beach head at
Normandy and later as this unit supported fighter ops up to the German
border. Description of #2TAF ops as it moved from Normandy into NW Europe
including liberation of Brussels and Antwerp. Ground observer of Op
Bodenplatz, a final try at a massive air strike by the Luftwaffe on 01 Jan
44. Repatriation. Postwar involvement in first Engineering Orders. |
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Robillard, J.G.L."Larry" |
S/L |
DFM |
1:46 |
BCATP grad of #12 EFTS and #2 SFTS, half of latter composed of British
trainees. Assigned #145 (RAF); scored first victory on second op. Tactics
and comparison of Spit and ME 109 outlined. Vivid description of 20th
sortie; shot down; evaded with eventual return to UK through Spain. DFM,
commissioned Mar 42. Canada for leave and PR tour. UK return to operations
in time for D-Day. Landed on beach at B-2 airfield. Tactical support of
ground forces. Caen, Falaise, liberation of Paris. Postwar re-enrolled in
RCN, flew seafire XV from carrier. |
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MacKenzie, Andrew R. |
S/L |
DFC, CD |
1:32 |
Post war RCAF including introduction to jet a/c with the Vampire; converted
to Sabres; commanded #441 Sqn. at North Luffenham with #1 (FW). Transit on
Empress of France; life in UK and operations with #1 (FW). Assigned to Korea
as one of 22 RCAF fighter pilots to serve with USAF. Shot down on 5 Dec 52
while on mission in North Korea. POW in China for 730 days, 465 in solitary
confinement. Repatriated to Canada Staff Officer at ADHQ, NORAD. Retired
1966 as CADO at RCAF Station Rockcliffe. |
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Trainor, C.H."Charlie" |
W/C |
DSO, DFC |
1:27 |
Trained at Borden as member of last PPO course; instructor at Borden and
Summerside before overseas posting. Spitfire OTU; joined #422 Sqn. Circuses,
ramrods prior to D-Day. Spit IX compared to ME 109, FW 190. Move to B-4 on
D+11. Close support to ground forces; opportunity to engage enemy a/c.
Commanded #401 Sqn.; activity over Falaise; downed behind lines for one
week; evaded; returned to command #401. Shot down on op in support of Market
Garden. POW; repatriated at end of war. Thirty years as pilot with MCA and
EPA. |
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Hockney, W. "Bill" |
G/C |
OMM, CD |
1:05 |
Training as Observer under BCATP. Description of trg ITS; AOS; B&G; and ANS.
Graduated Aug 41; "Y" Depot Halifax for overseas posting when selected as
navigator for Hudson bomber that was to be ferried to UK. Initial famil with
a/c prior to depart Dorval 24 Sep 41. Pilot was Hugh Hernden who flew the
Pacific in 1931. Transit Dorval to Gander was opportunity to do first
consumption test. Trip described; nav fixes; problem with narcossis; icing;
weather. 16 of 19 a/c were successful in transit on night of 24/25 Sep 41 |
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Fumerton, R.C. "Moose" |
W/C |
DFC, AFC |
1:47 |
Leading RCAF "night fighter" pilot in WWII. Awarded wings by Billi Bishop
May 40 at Camp Borden. #1 Sqn RCAF until assigned to #406 Sqn on
Beaufighters; scored first "night kill" by RCAF pilot 01 Sep 41. Assigned
#89 RAF Sqn.; flew in Middle East and Malta Considerable success in both
areas, accredited with 14 enemy a/c. Involved in crash-landing and ditching
at sea. Returned to UK to command #406 Sqn. Aug 43-Jul 44. Delivered Op
Order for D-Day, SW England on 5 Jun 44. |
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Fumerton, R.C. "Moose" |
W/C |
DFC, AFC |
1:47 |
Leading Canadian "Night Fighter" in WW II. Trained Course #2, Wing Parade
Borden May 1940. UK for OTU prior to joining 32 sqn (RAF) and #1 RCAF Sqn on
Hurricanes, Oct. 1940. Joined #406 (RCAF) in Jun 41; first "nocturnal"
victory in Beaufighter with Sgt Pat Bing Described. To North Africa, #89 RAF
Sqn.; 12 victories, most while deployed to Malta. To Canada for
instructional duties; to UK to command #406 (RCAF) Sqn Lead up to D-Day,
delivered OP ORDER on 5 Jun 1944. Canada as CO Mosquito OTU. Trained
Nationalist Chinese pilots post-war. |
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Glover, "Ernie" |
F/L |
DFC, DFC(US) |
1:40 |
BCATP grad; #14 SFTS; UK intruder ops on Typhoons, shot down May 43 POW
Stalag Luft 3 and Belaria. Re-enrolled post war; extensive flying experience
on all early jet a/c. Flew with USAF (#344 Sqn.) in Korea from June-Oct 52;
awarded the DFC (US) and later the first Commonwealth DFC awarded in
"peace-time". Served with Air Div (#442, #441), participated in transfer of
Sabres to Europe. Weapons instructor Chatham; OC #109 Test and Ferry Flight;
flew last Sabre Stand Down at Chatham. |
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Ogilvie, Noel J. "Buzz" |
S/L |
DFC |
1:20 |
BCATP grad; SFTS at Kingston, Battles at Yales. UK in May 42, Spitfires with
#130 (RAF). Flew from HMS Eagle to Malta, 2 months with #185 (RAF); made
second flight from Eagle in Jul as Flt Comd. Operations in defense of Malta
described, as well as living conditions. May 43 joined #401 at Digby, moved
to #403 and #421 where he flew as wingman to Buck McNair. Instructed at
Bagotville; completed Mosquito OTU ; transferred to Special Cases committee
at RCAF "R" Depot dealing with LMF cases. Discharged Dec 45. |
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Hewer, T.W.H. "Howard" |
W/C |
CD |
1:49 |
ITS at "Hunt Club" Jun 40; nearly all of class made WAGS. #2 Wireless School
Calgary; #1 B&G School, Jarvis, Ont. OTU in UK; #218 (RAF) Sqn on ops. Good
description of Wellington Raid on LeHavre, aircrew morale, raid on Berlin.
Blitz in London. Encounters with anti-aircraft fire and ME 110s. Volunteered
for Middle East; joined #148 (RAF), 205 Group, Wellingtons. Many interesting
adventures including transit to ME throughout Gibraltar, Malta and finally
Egypt arriving in Dec 41. (Experiences in ME on shooting tape, unedited.) |
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Berger, Monty |
F/L |
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1:52 |
Served as INTO with #126 (W) Sep 43 until end of war in May 45. Preparation
for D-Day and move to the continent. The conduct of the air war including:
the invasion beachhead; the Falaise Gap; and the close ground support to the
troops on the ground as they moved through Northwest Europe. Description of
many interesting personalities such as Beurling, Hodson, Mac Gregor, Audette.
Christmas in Holland; aid to civilians. Initial encounters with ME 262; Jan
1 raid, "OP Bodensee". Author recounts memories in "Invasion Without Tears". |
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Hypher, R. "Peter" |
Sub/L |
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2:00 |
Wartime conditions on south coast of England from the view of a member of
the Home Guard. Joined Royal Navy, new entry training conditions. Selected
for FAA, to Canada for BCTAP on Queen Mary. Transit with 15, 000 others
provides a number of interesting sidelights. EFTS Ste. Auxienne; #31 SFTS
Harvards Kinsgston. RAF instructors, formation flying, night flying,
cross-country, demanding standard maintained by attrition. Interesting
happenings at SFTS ending with Wings Parade and return posting to UK on New
Amsterdam. |
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Hypher, R. "Peter" |
Sub/L |
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1:41 |
Return to UK, attended Advanced Flying Unit; HMS Greenwich for
Commissioning. Spitfire OTU at Henstridge for dogfighting and air to air
firing. Difficulties in navigation in UK as opposed to Canada. Near-fatal
flying accident upon takeoff in Spitfire. Practice carrier landings on land.
Deck landings on carrier with Seafires; 4 wires, then barrier; a number of
a/c and crews lost. Difficulties with carrier landings. On aircraft carrier
enroute to Far East when war ends in Aug 45. Disposal of "lend-lease" by
dumping overboard. |
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Halifax Mk.VII |
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0:34 |
Interviews with three members of #644 (RAF) Sqn who flew the Halifax Mk.
VII. Barr and Howlett flew as pilot and navigator on NA 337; Gillies was a
bombaimer and flew similar mission on the night that NA337 was shot down.
Each describes his training and the operations carried out while with #644
Sqn. The Sqn. was primarily involved in Special Operations, including glider
towing at Arnhem and resupply to the underground in occupied territory.
Footage of their visit to the restoration site is also shown. |
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