Donald Currie "Don" Laubman

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Five German Targets Heavily Hit by Allies; 20 Hun Planes Downed

London, March 23, 1944 - (AP) - Strong forces of Allied bombers, following up a record 3,360-ton bombardment of Frankfurt by the R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. last night, carried out a sweeping series of daylight attacks against five other German targets today and a powerful escort of fighters shot down at least 20 enemy planes as the Nazi air force came up in strength.
Twenty-seven American bombers and six fighters were lost as the United States 8th Air Force used probably more than 1,500 planes in bombing rail yards, war factories and air bases in Northwest Germany.
It was the 13th attack against German targets in March and the sixth strong blow in nine days.
Meanwhile a force of nearly 200 R.A.F. Bostons and American medium bombers attacked without loss the French railway centre of Creil for the third time in a week and also Nazi airfields at Beauvais-Tille and Beaumont-le-Roger.
Struck in Five Waves
The raiders swept over targets in five waves in weather so clear that the airmen could see nearly 50 miles, but in all that territory only a single enemy aircraft, a Junkers 88, was spotted. Two Canadian Spitfire pilots, F/O D. C. Laubman of Edmonton and F/L W. B. Needham of Wynyard, Sask., sent it down in flames
Later R.A.F. Typhoon fighter-bombers and R.A.F. and Allied Mitchells and Bostons attacked military objectives in Northern France.
The Germans had no time to recover from the daylight operations before air-raid warnings were sounded in the Reich against R.A.F. night attackers. At 9 p.m. (4 p.m. E.D.T.) the Berlin radio warning system broadcast: "A number of nuisance raiders are over Northwestern Germany."
United States Strategic Air Force headquarters announced strong formations of heavy bombers hit:
The railway yards at Hamm; an air station at Achmer; a bomber base at Handorf; a war factory at Munster and the Messerschmitt production centre at Brunswick.
No fewer than 5,000 Allied planes had gone deep into the Reich in the 24 hours ending at 1 p.m., raining down at least 6,000 tons of bombs —a rate of approximately 250 tons every hour and more than four tons every minute.
In this 24-hour period the attack cost a total of 73 bombers and 13 fighters.
The bomb tonnage hurled on Frankfurt, one of the big centers of the I. G. Farbenindustrie Chemical Works and home of important aircraft plants, was described by the Air Ministry as a record for one raid.
Lose 33 at Frankfurt
Thirty-three planes, including seven Canadians, were lost in the attack on Frankfurt. This was 11 more than the last 1,000-plane raid Saturday when Frankfurt also was the main target, but seven less than on the first of the 1,000-plane attacks which was against Stuttgart March 15.
Frankfurt was hit shortly before 11 p.m. with a half-hour blow. An hour later a follow-up force of R.A.F. Mosquitos went over and the airmen in these fleet craft reported huge columns of smoke and fire visible as far as 200 miles away.
For the Canadian Bomber Group it was the second heavy attack in five nights and at least six squadrons were in the raiding force. Wing Cmdr. Bill Swetman, D.F.C., of Kapuskasing, led the Thunder-bird Squadron on his 53rd sortie.
"Fires were visible for 150 miles from Frankfurt," said Flt. Sgt. Harry Grayson of London, Ont.

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City Pilots Wreck Hun Planes in Sunday's Smashing Raids

An R.C.A.F. Airfield in France, July 3, 1944 - (CP) - R.CA.F. Spitfire pilots gave more details today of Sunday's successes in which 19 German planes were destroyed.
Most of the combats took place immediately ahead of the British Army fighting zone, where earlier in the day ground-strafing aircraft destroyed a large number of Nazi military vehicles.
Among Canadian fighters turning in claims Sunday were Sqdn. Ldr. Jack Sheppard of Dollarton, B.C., who destroyed one, and P/O D. R. Jamieson of 1407 Symington Ave., Toronto, who got a destroyed and a damaged. P/O Goldie Goldberg of 1133A Avenue Rd., Toronto, damaged one.
Fifth Victory
Sheppard, by the destruction of a FW-190, chalked up his fifth victory. He gave the Hun plane a short burst of cannon and machine-gun fire and it burst into flames and blew up. "I had to pull to starboard to avoid the aircraft and its pieces," he said.
F/O R. G. Lake of Langstaff, and Flt. Lt. L. Moore, Philadelphia, each bagged two Germans and shared another, and Flt. Lt. D. C. Laubman, Edmonton, destroyed two.
Quick Succession
Laubman's two victories came in quick succession when his squadron, on a dive-bombing sortie, met two dozen German planes. He followed one Focke Wulf into a cloud and gave it a two-second burst as it emerged on the other side.
"There was an explosion and the Focke Wulf was enveloped in flames” Laubman said. “The pilot bailed out."
Later, with two squadron mates, he sighted 15 enemy aircraft. He chased one and saw strikes on its engine and wing. "White smoke poured from him and his engines stopped," said Laubman. "I made a new attack and blew his port tail plane and rudder off with machine-gun fire. The aircraft blew up.”

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Downs 8 Nazis In Three Days

With the Tactical Air Force in Belgium, Sept. 27, 1944 (Reuters) — Flt. Lt. Don Laubman of Edmonton, 23, today destroyed four German planes and damaged two more to set a record for eight kills in three days. Laubman got two this morning, two more during the afternoon and damaged two more on the same patrol. All except one of his "kills" were either Messerschmitts or Force-Wolfs. Laubman's total of confirmed victories, all gained since D-Day, now is 13. His wing today destroyed 22 and damaged 10 more. Don Laubman

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FLYING OFFICER BERRYMAN IN AIR BATTLES OVER HOLLAND
Takes Toll of Enemy During Terrific Action in Nijmegen Bridge Area

September 29, 1944 - While F/L George Johnson continues to lead Hamilton airmen in the destruction of enemy aircraft over France, the Low Countries and Germany, dispatches from the front line indicate the competition is keen and other Hamiltonians with new successes are crowding the leading scorer.
Downs Three
Over the Nijmegen Bridge yesterday, according to a Canadian Press story today, F/O Lloyd F. Berryman, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Berryman, 657 King street east, destroyed three enemy aircraft between dusk and dawn.
"Most potent destroyer was F/L Don Laubman, of Edmonton, who shot down four and damaged two others. F/O Lloyd Berryman, of Hamilton, Ont. was the next highest scorer with three destroyed and one damaged," according to the story.
"Laubman, whose total 'bag' now is 13 —all since D-day— downed his first two of the Wednesday total when his squadron, led by F/L Rod Smith, D.F.C., of Regina, eliminated eight German planes in an early morning patrol over the bridge area. Smith also shot down two to raise his total to 11.
"F/L C. W. Fox, Guelph, Ont., and Berryman each destroyed two others, and Fox damaged another two.
"Laubman completed his score in two separate afternoon patrols, while Berryman destroyed his third enemy plane and crippled another. Also during the afternoon F/O D. R. Jamieson, D.F.C., of Toronto, shot down a pair of Focke-Wulf 190's and F/L Baz Dean, of Cowansville, Que., drew his first blood by destroying a Focke-Wulf."

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LAUBMAN, F/O Donald Currie (J14013) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.412 Squadron
Award effective 24 October 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 2637/44 dated 8 December 1944.

This officer has consistently displayed outstanding courage and determination to engage the enemy and has destroyed at least five enemy aircraft. He has invariably pressed home his attacks against road transport with great success.

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RECORD SCORE MADE BY TWO RCAF GROUPS

An Advanced RCAF Airfield in Holland, Nov. 22, 1944 - (CP) - Here's the record of a hot day's operations by two RCAF Spitfire squadrons operating as fighter-bombers,
Four enemy fighters destroyed, a fifth probably destroyed; enemy rail lines cut at 20 points; a direct hit with a bomb on a road bridge; one locomotive destroyed, 22 damaged and put out of action; six freight cars destroyed; 28 damaged; two anti-aircraft railway cars destroyed, and two damaged; four barges damaged; seven transport vehicles destroyed, two probably knocked out and seven damaged.
The squadrons are commanded by S/L Dean Dover, DFC, Mount Dennis, and S/L William Olmsted, DFC, Hamilton, in a wing directed operationally by W/C Dal Russel, DFC and Bar, of Montreal.
F/L Don Laubman, DFC and Bar, of Edmonton, brought his bag to 15 German aircraft destroyed as a result of the day's encounters.
F/O's Don Goodwin, Maynooth, Ont., and Neil Burns, 196 Eglinton Ave., Toronto, took off on a weather reconnaissance flight, but returned an hour later after disabling six locomotives, destroying six freight cars and cutting two rail lines. They encountered a perfect setup for dive-bombing—two trains passing one another—10 miles east of Deventer. They scored direct hits on both, severing the parallel lines and destroying six cars. Then they returned and strafed both locomotives.
En route home they damaged four more engines by cannon and machine-gun fire. Olmsted's men had the most success against trains, disabling 18 of 23 Locomotives and all but three of 34 freight cars.

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LAUBMAN, F/L Donald Currie, DFC (J14013) - Bar to DFC - No.412 Squadron
Award effective 24 November 1944 as per London Gazette of that date
AFRO 1/45 dated 5 January 1945

Since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Flight Lieutenant Laubman has completed many sorties against the enemy. He continues to show tenacity of spirit and outstanding courage in the face of overwhelming odds. Flight Lieutenant Laubman has led his flight with such ability that they have accounted for sixteen out of twenty-six enemy aircraft destroyed by his squadron and he was responsible for the destruction of eight and the damaging of two in three days, bringing his total to thirteen enemy aircraft destroyed and two damaged. This officer's squadron was outnumbered by the enemy on all three occasions but with undaunted courage and determination they successfully broke up repeated enemy attacks to destroy bridges vital to our ground forces in the Arnhem and Nijmegen area.

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ACE FIGHTER PILOT HOME

Ottawa, Dec. 12, 1944 — (CP) — Canada's highest scoring fighter pilot since D-day, June 6, Flight-Lieut. Don Laubman, 23, D.F.C. and Bar, with a score of 15 enemy aircraft to his credit was on his way to his home in Edmonton yesterday.
He arrived here during the weekend with a large group of airmen repatriates and after going through documentation formalities at nearby Rockcliffe Air Station he boarded a train for home.
The former Edmonton grocery clerk was enthusiastic about being home. But, he hoped to be back in England again shortly after the next year. "That's where I belong," he said.
The dawning of D-day" started his high-scoring effort. Up to that time his score against the Germans was a share in a downed aircraft. On June 16, the Canadian Spitfire wing, of which Laubman was a member, landed in France. On July 2 he destroyed two Focke-Wulf 190's — his first two kills.
September 27 was the red-letter, day in the life of the young Edmontonian. Just shortly after the airborne landing in the vicinity of Arnheim, the Canadian Spitfire wing was working from early morning until late at night and Laubman finished the day's work, three sorties, with a total of four enemy aircraft destroyed and two damaged.

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Canadian Fighter Unit Downs 201 Nazi Planes

An Advanced R.C.A.F. Airfield in Holland, Dec. 18, 1944 - (CP) - Fliers of a Canadian Spitfire wing under Group Capt. G. R. McGregor and Wing Cmdr. Dal Russel, both of Montreal, became the second to pass the 200 mark in German aircraft destroyed since the wing’s formation, when they shot down a pair of FW190's over Geldern in Germany.
First to establish the mark was the wing commanded jointly by Group Capt. W. R. MacBrien of Ottawa, and Wing Cmdr. Johnny Johnson, whose fliers shot down five aircraft Oct. 8, raising their total to 202, and subsequently to 207. The McGregor-Russel wing's total stands at 201.
The two Canadian units have destroyed 314 Huns between them since D-Day, scored more than 15 probables and damaged upwards of 200. In addition to crippling German road and rail transport with dive-bombing, as well as machine-gun and cannon offensives.
The first Jerry destroyed by McGregor-Russel pilots, July 19, 1943, was a FW190, joint victim of Sqdn. Ldr. Ian Ormston of Montreal, and Sqdn. Ldr. Bob Hayward of St. John's, Nfld. Since then many aces have been born within the wing. The most recent being Flt. Lt. Don Laubman, of Edmonton, with 15 destroyed; Sqdn. Ldr. R. I. Smith, Regina, 11 destroyed; Flt. Lt. W. J. Banks and FO. D. R. Jamieson, both of Toronto, each with eight destroyed.

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Beurling Ranks Fourth Among European Aces

By FRED BACKHOUSE
London, July 15, 1945 (CP) — Group Captain J. E. (Johnny) Johnson, English-born, former leader of a crack Canadian Spitfire wing, has been officially recognized as "ace of aces" among Allied fighter pilots who fought over Europe.
Final scoring records, compiled by The Canadian Press from figures supplied by the RAF, RCAF, and United States 8th and 9th Air Forces, put this peace-time accountant from the Leicestershire town of Loughborough at the top of the list with 38 German planes destroyed.
Group Capt. Johnson, who so closely identified himself with his otherwise all-Canadian squadron that he wore "Canada" on his shoulder, has often given much of the credit for his success to the Canadians who flew with him. "It's all a combination play" he said. Many of his men themselves became "aces."
Of the first 16 places supplied by the air forces, fourth is held by a Canadian — Flt. Lt. George (Buzz) Beurling, DSO, DFC, DFM and Bar, of Verdun, Que. — and 11 by RAF pilots. For the record, only those with more than 24 "kills" were offered by the three services as their top men.
Official final scores are:
Group Capt. J. E. Johnson (RAF), 38
Group Capt. A. G. Malan (RAF) [no score given –ed]
Sqdn. Ldr. P. Finucane (RAF), 32
Flt. Lt. G. Beurling (RCAF), 31
Wing Cmdr. Stanford Tuck (RAF), 30
Wing Cmdr. J. R. D. Braham (RAF), 29
an anonymous Polish sergeant [Czech pilot Josef Frantisek -ed] (RAF), 28
Wing Cmdr. F. R. Carey (RAF), 28
Lt. Col. F. G. Gabreski (U.S. 8th), 28
Maj. G. E. Preddy (U.S. 8th) [no score given –ed]
Wing Cmdr. C. Caldwell (RAF), 27½
Capt. R. Johnson (U.S. 8th) [no score given –ed]
Flt. Lt. Mungo Park (RAF) [no score given –ed]
Sqdn. Ldr. J. H. Lacey (RAF), 27
Flt. Lt. E. S. Lock (RAF), 25
Lt.-Col. J. C. Meyer (U.S. 8th), 24½
[some of these numbers have been modified since the war – ed]
RCAF fighter pilots in the European war with scores of 15 or more German planes destroyed number six according to overseas headquarters in London. In addition, there were two equally high-scoring Canadians in the RAF, both of whom were killed in that service before they could transfer to the RCAF.
After Beurling they are:
Sqdn. Ldr. H. W. McLeod, DSO, DFC and Bar, of Regina, 22
Flt. Lt. J. T. Caine, DFC, and Bar, of Toronto, 20
Wing Cmdr. Mark H. Brown, DFC and Bar (RAF), of Glenboro, Man., 18
FO. W. L. McKnight, DF.C. and Bar (RAF), of Calgary, 16½
Wing Cmdr. R. W. McNair, DSO, DFC & two bars, of North Battleford, 16
Wing Cmdr. L. V. Chadburn, DSO and Bar, DFC, of Aurora, Ont., 15
Flt. Lt. Don C. Laubman, DFC and Bar, of Edmonton, 15
The late Wing-Cmdr. Brown is officially credited by the RAF with "at least 18" aircraft destroyed. His score may well have been higher, but uncertainty exists because the records of No. 1 Squadron, RAF, of which he was then commanding officer, were destroyed during the retreat at the time of the collapse of France.

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Victories Include :

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September 1950 - Legendary Canadian journalist Gordon Sinclair caught up with some of the Blue Devils for an interview. (L-R)> Fred Evans, Bill Bliss, Bill Paisley, Gordon Sinclair & Don Laubman. A few of the Pilots with the Canadian Forces Airobatics Team the Blue Devils. Click the pic to learn more about the Blue Devils [an external link]

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Canadian Aces

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