Frank Everett Jones

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HIS MAJESTY CHATS WITH CANADIAN AIRMEN
DURING VISIT TO BRITISH STATIONS

London, April 29, 1942 — (CP Cable) — The King chatted with three Canadian airmen on a visit to fighter command stations in the south of England today. He watched the start and finish of a successful R.A.F. sweep, which took Empire flyers to Dunkerque where they covered bombing attacks.
Inspecting one Spitfire squadron before the takeoff, His Majesty stopped to talk to PO. Frank Jones, of Sherbrooke, Que., a former salesman in Vancouver, and Flight-Lieut. Bill Stock, 20, of Ottawa, the only two Canadian members of the squadron.
He asked them if they had been trained in Canada and the number of sweeps they had been on.
The King motored to another aerodrome where half an hour later he saw the Spitfires roaring back. He congratulated a New Zealand flyer, Flight-Sgt. Tony Robson, who told him he had hit a Focke-Wulf 190 which plunged to earth emitting smoke.
Squadron-Ldr. Keith Hodson, 26, of London, Ont., attached to the squadron of famed "Paddy" Finucane which the King also visited, told the King he had "chased a few (enemy planes), but didn't catch anything." Hodson is a veteran of more than 20 sweeps

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Fiercest Raids of War Driven Home

By DREW MIDDLETON
London, April 29, 1944 (AP) — Trondheim and Kiel, important bases for the menacing Nazi naval power, were left blasted and burned today by heavy R.A.F. assaults as Britain relentlessly prosecuted the fiercest air offensive of the war.
Nine British bombers were lost in the overnight raids, which included attacks on Low-Country airdromes and a power plant at Ghent, Belgium.
The R.A.F.'s figure raised its April bomber losses to 137, but the offensive score included a three-hour raid on Trondheim Monday night, four nights of deadly assault which all but erased from the map the German Baltic port and factory town or Rostock, and incessant day and night blows against points along the Nazi "invasion coast."
The blows against German strong points on the French coast continued today. Boston (Douglas) bombers, supported by Spitfire fighters-bombers, lashed at Dunkirk and shot down two Nazi fighters while losing two themselves.
The King visited the airdromes in the South of England from where the Spitfires took off, stopping to chat during his inspection with three Canadian members of the attacking forces — Pilot Officer Frank Jones of Sherbrooke, Que., Flight Sergeant Bill Stock of Ottawa and Squadron Leader Keith Hodson of London, Ont., veteran of more than twenty sweeps across the Channel.
On his return, Hodson told the King he had chased a few enemy planes but "didn't catch anything."
Last night's raid on Trondheim, second in succession, emphasized British concern over the presence in that Norwegian port of the German battleship Tirpitz and several other warships on the flank of the vital supply route to Murmansk, Russia.
The Air Ministry told of great fires started at Kiel, but was hesitant to claim great damage at Trondheim.
Other reports reaching London said Rostock was an ash heap, its 90,000 population fled or dead, with only firemen and a few troops left to rake the ruins and combat looters
Passengers in a plane from Britain to Stockholm were quoted as saying they could see Rostock burning 250 miles distant.
The destruction and death toll were declared in German reports via Zurich to be far above those of Lubeck, which was estimated to have been 40 per cent destroyed in a raid March 28.
Informed British sources said the Lubeck and Rostock raids already had dislocated German transportation to an extent noticeable on the Northern Russian front.
Accompanying the tremendous British raids on the Continent, the R.A.F. Fighter Command is carrying on a steady campaign of attrition against German plane strength in Western Europe.
Thus far in April, fighters have swept across the Channel sixteen times, shooting down fifty-three German planes. The R.A.F. loss was seventy-nine, higher than the Germans primarily because of the greater distance from home bases.
This loss, informed persons said, would have been "catastrophic in 1940," but now can be carried easily because the Fighter Command still has untapped reserves of planes and pilots.
So marked has become the British air superiority within fighter range over the Continent that Major Oliver Stewart, a foremost air expert said, "From the air side alone — and I make no comment on land or sea problems — invasion operations on the Continent seem practicable."
Major Stewart declared invasion would entail heavy air losses meeting the "high mobility" of German air strength, but said, "If the Germans moved many air units from the East our invasion attempt would be justified on account of easing the burden of the Soviet Union."

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JONES, F/L Frank Everett (J15327) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.249 Squadron
Award effective 19 September 1942 as per London Gazette dated 13 October 1942 and
AFRO 1690/42 dated 23 October 1942.

Flight Lieutenant Jones is a vigorous fighter whose ceaselessness in face of odds has served a praiseworthy example. On one occasion in June 1942, during a convoy escort when his formation attacked a large enemy force, Flight Lieutenant Jones destroyed a Junkers 88. On another occasion he led his section in an attack against twelve enemy planes heavily escorted by fighters. Diving down amongst the enemy formation, he shot down a Messerschmitt 109. Although he was attacked from all sides by many fighters, he skilfully frustrated them and, in spite of damage sustained to his aircraft, he succeeded in leading his section safely to base.

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Fighter Pilots Awarded DFC for Valor in Battle

London, Oct. 12, 1942 (CP) — Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to two young Canadian fighter pilots, one of whom was described officially as fearless and the other praised for his inspiring leadership, was announced today by the Royal Air Force. They are Flight Lieutenant F. E. Jones, 26-year-old native of Cloverdale, B.C., whose home is in Sherbrooke, Que., and Flight Lieutenant H. W. McLeod, 27, of Regina.
Jones was described in the citation as a "vigorous fighter whose fearlessness in face of odds sets praiseworthy example." The citation said that during convoy escort duties last June Jones' formation was attacked by a large enemy force and he destroyed a JU-88. On another occasion he led his section in an attack against twelve aircraft heavily escorted by fighters. Jones dived among the fighters and shot down an ME-109.
"Although he was attacked from all sides by many fighters," the citation said, "he skillfully frustrated them and despite damage sustained by his aircraft he succeeded in leading his section safely to his base."
McLeod was decorated for his part in an engagement with at least twenty ME-109's. The citation said that despite odds McLeod so skillfully led his section during combat that the enemy force was completely broken.
"This officer always has displayed the greatest determination to engage the enemy," the citation related. "He has destroyed at least five and damaged a number of other hostile aircraft. His leadership has been most inspiring."

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'Use Lots of Common Sense,' Beurling's ex-O.C. Tells Class

Fingal, March 8, 1943 (Special) — The importance of the trained air gunner in a bomber crew was stressed this afternoon by Flt. Lt. Frank E. Jones, D.F.C., of Sherbrooke, Que., when he presented wings to a class of wireless air gunners from many parts of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the British Isles, at No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal. He presented the wings by special request of Group Capt. G. N. Irwin, commanding officer of No. 14 Service Flying Training School, Aylmer, who attended the ceremony.
Flt. Lt. Jones only recently returned from overseas service going to the British Isles less than two years ago as a sergeant pilot. He was commander of F/O George (Buzz) Beurling's flight at Malta during the peak of the aerial warfare last year. He advised the graduates today to keep their eyes open, keep their minds working and follow the simple rules of health.
"And use lots of common sense," he added. "Good old horse-sense goes a long way, even on a bombing raid."
The class leader was Jack Goodfellow of 73 Hampton Avenue, Toronto. An engraved fountain pen was presented to him by the school for attaining the highest marks of the class.
Graduates from Ontario included P. J. W. Burns, Ottawa; H. F. B. Cooney, Windsor; J. H. Garvie, Owen Sound; W. J. Wallace, Hamilton.

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Chris Shores, in Aces High (2nd edition) lists his victories as follows:

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--- Canadian Aces ---

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