George Urquhart Hill

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CANADA'S YOUNG EAGLES WIN
THEIR WINGS AT CAMP BORDEN
Dominion's Air Power Evident as Roar of Engines Breaks Out After Ceremonies - Pilots Show Resourcefulness

Camp Borden, Ont. March 23, 1940 — Thirty-five young eagles of the Royal Canadian Air Force stood proudly and without greatcoats in the bitter cold here on Thursday, and paraded one by one before the commander of the air force advanced training school, Wing Commander Frank S. McGill, to receive a prize which every one of them will treasure beyond price — their wings.

The Hallmark
The wings, which Wing Commander McGill pinned to the breast of each of the officers, are the hallmark of the Empire's flyers; they are an indication that their wearer has passed from the provisional pilot officer stage to be a fully-fledged flying officer of the R.C.A.F., ready to fly the swift and majestic craft which will help to win the war for freedom.
A new gleam of pride flashed in 35 pairs of eyes as each man marched forward then marched back with the wings above his left breast pocket. It was a symbolic act; and to each man the kindly commanding officer — in many senses as proud of the occasion as the men he was honoring — spoke a few words of encouragement: "It is with pride that I present you with your wings . . . May you always be worthy to wear them . . ."
The wings represented many months of tense, almost fierce training, for the men in this particular group are the first batch of flying officers to have received the whole of their training since the outbreak of war. They stood for the high degree of flying skill which the R.C.A.F. demands of the men who pilot its machines, for the progressive stages of training from prosaic Tiger Moths to the swift, screaming Harvard trainers, the sleek and deadly Fairey Battles, the huge, twin-engined Avro Ansons with which the advanced training is carried out.
The whole personnel of the training camp was paraded around three sides of a square in front of the control tower for the ceremony. Behind them stood rows of machines, forming a perfect background for an impressive occasion.

Back To Work Again
As long as the ceremony lasted, the powerful motors were silent, but as soon as the parade had dispersed, it was time to get on with the job again, and dozens of propellers leaped into shrieking life. The air was torn by the sound of screaming exhausts as plane after plane took off across the hard-rolled snow of the runways and sped into the sky.
It was more than impressive; it was startling and not a little terrifying. It was impossible to carry on any conversation except by shouting above the relentless roar of the motors. Often there were so many machines in the air that it seemed as if some of them must collide; but this reporter was assured that everything was perfectly safe and that there were, in fact, fewer machines flying than on a normal day. It spoke well for the earnestness with which Camp Borden takes its task.
Meanwhile, visiting newspapermen were being shown the works by senior officers of the school. Few of its secrets were hidden; the visitors saw the latest training devices like the "link" and the bombing school.
The link is a complicated machine which records the flight of an imaginary plane on a chart. The pilot under instruction sits in an enclosed cockpit with all the usual instruments, and receives orders through earphones from his instructor. The "course" he is flying is traced on a chart in front of the instructor, who can then see how accurately the pupil is following orders, and how proficient he is likely to become in blind flying.

Bombing Trainer
Far more thrilling is the bombing trainer. The pupil sits on a platform in a darkened room. Directly beneath him is a screen on which is a constantly-moving projected aerial photograph of land. The impression you get is that the photograph is stationary, the platform on the move, so that it is in all respects similar to watching the earth go by from an aeroplane.
The pupil watches the picture through a bomb sight, and is instructed to aim at certain objectives on the scene. He releases "bombs" by pressing a switch which lights a lamp behind the screen, giving indisputable evidence of how good his aim was. This reporter was told that practice with this astounding device turns out accurate bombers just as surely as practice with real bombs on a bombing range would.
These are just two of the more surprising gadgets with which the Empire's young eagles are to be trained for their grim task. Much more important — for these are pieces of apparatus which can be bought with money — is something which no money could buy: the enthusiasm with which every man at the school goes about his job.
Usually, of course, you would expect a flyer to be keen anyway; that is why he joined the air force. But there is just the same spirit among the mechanics and the grease monkeys whose job it is to keep the planes, every one of which is a bundle of super-sensitive machinery, tuned up to top pitch all the time; there is a pride in their craft, a keenness which only the air force seems able to extract from its personnel.

Many Stories
They have many stories around the camp. There is the story of the ex-bush pilot, now a flying officer, who was sent up to the wild lands north of Parry Sound to salvage an $80,000 Fairey Battle bomber which had made a forced landing among the islands of Georgian bay.
The plane was down on the ice; the wind had lashed the free waters of the bay until they had spread all over the ice and made a swamp of slush around the machine. The undercarriage had collapsed, to make things worse, and in another day or two the plane would have gone through the ice for good.
But this was a situation to this particular pilot's liking. With half a dozen men, he rigged up a two-by-four wooden support for the undercarriage, got the motor going again. Then, gritting his teeth, he prepared for the take-off.
As soon as the plane moved, it began to sink through the soggy slush. The pilot's remedy for this was to open the throttle still wider, and finally he got off the ground, clearing by inches the tops of the pine trees on an island near by. This is the kind of stuff of which the Empire's new air force is being made.

Smiles All Round
They say, too, that there were smiles all around in the officers' mess at breakfast the other morning when the news of the great raid on Sylt started coming through. "The Englishmen from the R.A.F. were particularly pleased about it," said one of the officers. "I guess they felt kind of guilty about the amount of activity going on here and at other training schools in Canada by comparison with the apparent inactivity over there."
The flying officers who got their wings at Thursday's ceremony were: M. D. MacBrien, Toronto; S. A. Bushell, Hazel Hill, N.S.; G. U. Hill, Pictou, N.S.; G. M. Cook, New Westminster, B.C.; J. Constabaris, Edmonton, Alta.; J. C. Mulvihill, Ottawa; P. C. E. Lay, Regina, Sask.; B. A. Casey, Windsor, Ont.; D. J. England, Quebec; D. G. Malloy, Halifax, N.S.; J. H. Roberts, Vanderhoof, B.C.; I. L. G. Gillis, Paradise, N.S.; C. R. Knowles, Oshawa, Ont.; M. G. MacLeod, Pictou, N.S.; H. P. M. Furniss, Montreal; A. J. Boyce, Toronto; W. A. Anderson, Winnipeg, Alta.; R. W. Bannock, Edmonton, Alta.; M. E. Tomsett, Regina, Sask. and R. E. Shaw.

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YOUNG CANADIAN SQUADRON EAGER
Youthful Toronto Veteran Leads "Baby Band" of R.C.A.F.

With the R.C.A.F. Somewhere in Wales, June 16, 1942 — (CP) — Take a bunch of eager youths just out of operational training units, add three or four seasoned pilots and the result is the newest Royal Canadian Air Force fighter squadron.
The "baby band," marked by the youthfulness of the members, moved into this station among the hills of Wales a few weeks ago and is "aching for action." So far the squadron's work has been confined to convoy and coastal patrol, while the pilots gain experience.
All flying personnel and more than half the ground crew are Canadians. Eventually, as the maintenance crew familiarizes itself thoroughly with the intricacies of Spitfires, R.C.A.F. members will replace remaining R.A.F. crewmen.
Armed with trim new Spits, the outfit is led by Squadron-Ldr. Fred W. Kelly, of Toronto, 26-year-old veteran of dozens of operational "do's," including fighter and Hurri-bomber raids on Nazi objectives in France.
His experienced flight-lieutenants are John Herbert Long, 21, West Saint John, N.B., and George Hill of Pictou, N.S., 23-year-old former instructor who taught Kelly flying at Ottawa's Uplands.

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1943

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Pictou Flyer Bags Two

Allied Headquarters, North Africa. March 5, 1943 (CP) - Flt.-Lt. George Hill of Pictou, N.S., today shot down two out of a force of 16 to 20 Junkers-87's which attempted a raid between Medjez-El-Bab and Beja, officials announced.
His victories were two of five scored by the R.A.F. Spitfires who pounced on the dive bombers, forced them to turn back and jettison their bomb loads. Two of the planes shot down were Messerschmitt 109's which were escorting the dive-bombers. Several other enemy craft were damaged.

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HILL, F/L George Urquhart (C1075) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.111 Squadron
Award effective 27 April 1943 as per London Gazette dated 21 May 1943 and
AFRO 1247/43 dated 2 July 1943.

Flight Lieutenant Hill is a skilful leader whose ability has been well in evidence during recent operations. He has participated in many sorties and has destroyed four enemy aircraft.

HILL, S/L George Urquhart (C1075) - Bar to DFC - No.111 Squadron
Award effective 13 May 1943 as per London Gazette dated 1 June 1943 and
AFRO 1187/43 dated 25 June 1943

This officer has led the squadron with great success and since early April 1943 has destroyed five enemy aircraft. Early in May 1943 he led his formation in an operation off the Tunisian coast. During the flight a superior force of enemy aircraft was engaged. In the ensuing combats seven enemy aircraft were destroyed without loss, two of them by Squadron Leader Hill. This officer is a courageous and skilful fighter.

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Tunisia Victors
R.C.A.F. Men Among Aces Topping List

By FLT LT LES POWELL, R.C.A.F. - Algiers, May 29, 1943 - (CP) - Royal Canadian Air Force personnel played a big part in the aerial domination achieved by the Allies during the closing stages of the Battle of Tunisia, for they were —as they are everywhere— plentifully sprinkled among R.A.F. squadrons, and even a United States Army Air Force Mitchell squadron.
They flew Spitfires, Hurricanes Bostons, Beaufighters, Wellingtons, and Hudsons.
Two of the highest scoring fighter pilots in the campaign were Canadians, both leaders of Spitfire squadrons. They are Sqdn. Ldrs Jimmy Walker, D.F.C. and Bar, of Edmonton, and George Hill, D.F.C. of Pictou N.S. They destroyed a score of enemy aircraft between them, plus innumerable probable and damaged, and brilliantly lead their units during the final decisive phase of the battle.
Not far away was another Canadian fighter ace, Flt. Lt. Fred Alan (Butch) Aikman, D.F.C., of Toronto, while a short distance away, - “cross the waddi and turn left at the second eucalyptus" - was a squadron with five Dominion fliers, including another D.F.C., P/O Harry (Junior) Fenwick of Leamington, Ont.

Listowel Flier a Leader
In addition to carrying out fighter sweeps and ground strafing, these fighter boys acted as protection for bombers, Flying Fortresses, Mitchells and Bostons. They liked especially to escort a particular squadron of Bostons, for the leader, Wing Cmdr. Jimmy Thompson, D.F.C., is a Canadian hailing from Listowel, Ont. whose men include many Canadians.
Providing convoy protection through the Mediterranean was tremendously important work, and there, too, were found Canadians. Flt Lt Ted Bishop of Ottawa leads a flight which includes some of his countrymen. Another Hurricane squadron near by included F/O John (Slim) Wilson of Saint John, N.B.
One of the most successful preludes to victory was the bombing of the docks and harbors of Tunis and Bizerte, which stopped supplies for the Axis. Giant Flying "Forts" for the U.S.A.A.C. went over in daytime, while Wellingtons took over by night. Here again one found R.C.A.F. personnel serving.
There were F. M. (Bill) Rublee, 20-year-old Wimpey pilot from Allan, Sask., a veteran of raids on important Tunisian ports who first learned to fly a Waco 10 he and a pal bought, four years ago back home, and Sgt. Jay Lepine, a wireless operator-air gunner from Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Que. There is also Bill Webb, a pilot officer from Windsor, Ont., and the squadron's Navigation officer, Flt. Lt. O. H. Morgan, of Kamloops, B.C. is a veteran of more than a score of trips over enemy targets.

The Mediterranean Fight
Keeping the Mediterranean clear of submarines is the job of Hudsons of Coastal Command and only recently there was a victory over a large Axis submarine by a crew which included Sgt. Rod Blair, a wireless operator-air gunner from Moose Creek, Ont. Other Canadians with the squadron include Sgt. Doug Berlis and his all-Toronto crew of Sgts. W. L. Allen and W. J. McKeague.
Not only in the air but also on the ground did Canadians serve in North Africa. There are LACs, Roy Corney, Ridgeway, Ont., and Alan Harris of Ottawa, radio mechanics with the fighter squadron commanded by Walker, Cpl. Clary Brown, Mount Forest, Ont., and many others, all doing important jobs — jobs which helped to drive the Axis out of North Africa, except for 100,000 or so we are keeping as "guests."
Now the Canadians are sitting around wondering what's to happen next and hoping that it will happen soon. They are all eager to get on with the job, finish it up completely and get back to Canada.

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CANADA'S AIRMEN ADD POWER
TO BRITAIN'S DESERT FORCES
Estimate 2,000 Dominion Flyers and Aircrew With R.A.F.
SPLENDID RECORDS

London, July 7, 1943 — (CP) — Wherever British fighters fought and bombers bombed in North Africa, there were Canadians there as members of Royal Air Force crew.

Total Reaches 2000
Into the two massive aerial arms Britain conceived to crush the Axis — the Western Desert and the Northwest Africa Air Forces — the Dominion poured her aviators in liberal supply. Official figures place their number in the vicinity of 2,000.
Only one R.C.A.F. fighter squadron operated as an entity, but few R.A.F. squadrons were without Canadian representation and in some fighter squadrons as high as six of the 12 operational pilots were Canadian.
In the air, Dominion crewmen fought from El Alamein to Tunis. From their ranks emerged Sqdn. Ldrs. Jimmy Walker, 24-year-old Edmonton bank clerk, and George Hill from Pictou, N.S., two youngsters who learned to fly in the Commonwealth Air Training scheme and now hold the D.F.C. and bar.

Build Fine Scores
Walker went to Africa with two planes to his credit, shot down 8½ more. Hill had 9½ when Africa fell.
A 26-year-old Listowel, Ont. athlete who went to Britain in peacetime to play hockey and who fought in the Africa campaign was Wing Cmdr. J. R. Thompson, of a Boston bomber squadron.
Supporting the 8th Army, the one R.C.A.F. squadron to see action was the City of Windsor squadron under Sqdn. Ldr. F. B. Foster, of Montreal, which finished the campaign in a crack, front-line fighter wing.
In this Western Desert force, too, were Flight-Lieut. James Francis Edwards, D.F.C., D.F.M., North Battleford, Sask., who ran his score of destroyed aircraft to ten and flight-Lieut. William Lawrence (Red) Chisholm, D.F.C., of Kentville, N.S., who has eight.

Downs German Ace
In their wake came many another exploit. Flight-Sgt. Michael Askey, of Winnipeg, son of an army padre, ran wild one day and shot down three Italian Macchis. F/O Frank Regan, of Vancouver, shot down the German ace, Kurt Helmann.
Canadians in this Western Desert force, exclusive of those in the R.A.F. proper, won 36 D.F.C.s and five Bars and 21 D.F.M.s. At the climax of the fight, about 1,000 Canadians were in the air and 600 were serving in ground crews or on technical or administrative work.
R.C.A.F. officials in London, without comparative figures for the northwest force, estimated that the air crew number would approximate 1,000, but said the ground crew force would be considerably lower than 600.

Toll Not Checked
Across the thousands of desert miles, the "Erks" labored at their obscure tasks, at times within artillery range of the Germans, maintaining aircraft that might be flown by Scot, Rhodesian, Canadian or South African.
To a former Mounted Policeman, Flt.-Lieut. G. W. Slee, was entrusted maintenance of wireless communication in the Tunisian theatre of operations. He enlisted at Winnipeg.
R.C.A.F. wireless air gunners turned up in American and South African air force bombers.
The toll Canada paid has not been finally computed, but 132 were reported killed and missing in the Western Desert group and the figure in the Northwest Africa group would probably coincide roughly.

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CANADIAN KIDS DEAL OUT DEATH
Flyers From Malta Keep Up Stern Warfare Against Axis

Valetta, Malta, July 14, 1943 —(CP Cable)— Led by a sharpshooting team, the Canadian Kids of the Malta flying garrison blasted more enemy planes from the sky Tuesday over Sicily as the R.A.F. maintained its relentless drive against Axis attempts to hamper the Allied invasion,
From dawn to dusk Allied fighters destroyed 22 enemy planes against a loss of only two Spitfires.
Flt.-Lt. Leslie Gosling, D.F.C., North Battleford, Sask., and Sqdn.-Ldr. George Hill, Pictou, N.S., continued their meteoric climb with a double kill each during the last 24 hours. Gosling brought his total up to 11 enemy aircraft downed.
Among the other Canadians prominent in Tuesday's battles were F.O. George Keith, Taber, Alta., and F.O. Reginald Morris, Windsor, Ont., both of whom made double claims.
Hill, who only Monday returned to the squadron after being forced down behind British lines at Sicily, destroyed a Focke Wulf 190 for a total of 13 since joining the R.C.A.F. Gosling shot down an ME109 after a duel with the enemy pilot. It was his fifth enemy plane in a week and doubled his previous total.

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Canadian Airmen Maintain Record For Double Kills

Valetta, Malta, July 15. - (CP Cable) — Canadians engaged in the unceasing air war over Sicily from bases here maintained their record for double kills yesterday, although the air fighting tapered off from the blistering pace set earlier in the week.
F/O George Keith, of Taber, Alta., destroyed a Messerschmitt 109 and shared in the destruction of a second with an English squadron mate. F/O Bennet Clarke, of Edmonton, was credited with a probable after a fight with an Italian machine.
Sgt. William Hockey, of Kentville, N.S.; F/O John Stock, of Ottawa, and P/O W. J. Anderson, of Woodlawn, Ont., were all credited with damaging one each.
Starting the Canadians off in their quest for double kills in this area this week were S/L George Hill, D.F.C. and Bar, of Pictou, NS. and F/L Leslie Gosling, D.F.C., of North Battleford, Sask., who brought down a quartet of German planes Tuesday. Hill, one of the top fighters in the R.C.A.F., brought his total of planes downed to 13, while Gosling jumped his score to 11.
F/O Keith was also a double scorer earlier in the week, bringing down a couple Tuesday. Yesterday's count gave him a total of 3½ planes for a 48-hour period.

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Dunlap Leads Bomber Wing From Canada in Sicily Fight

Ottawa, July 18, 1943 (CP) — Group Capt. C. R. Dunlap of Vancouver is In command of the R.C.A.F. Wellington bomber wing which is helping soften the Axis defenses on Sicily, the R.C.A.F. announced Saturday.
The headquarters statement said the Canadian bomber men based in North Africa and a Malta-based Canadian Spitfire squadron have won "special commendation" from Maj.-Gen. James Doolittle, Commander of the North African strategical air force.
Among new Canadian aces is Sqdn. Ldr. George Hill, D.F.C. and Bar, o£ Pictou, N.S., who scored a double “kill” this week and raised his total to 13 destroyed. He was forced down twice in two days and both times returned to combat.
Another top scorer is Flt. Lt. Leslie Cyril Gosling, D.F.C., of North Battleford, Sask., who destroyed five aircraft in the seven days ended Tuesday, bringing his total score since posting to Malta to 10 enemy aircraft.

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HILL, S/L George Urquhart (C1075) - Second Bar to DFC - No.111 Squadron
Award effective 15 September 1943 as per London Gazette dated 28 September 1943 and
AFRO 2198/43 dated 29 October 1943

Squadron Leader Hill, as a fighter pilot, has displayed exceptional courage and determination. He has destroyed at least fourteen enemy aircraft including one by night and damaged many others. During recent operations from Malta, he led his squadron with skill and resolution, personally destroying four enemy aircraft within a few days. On one occasion he remained alone despite repeated and persistent attacks from six Messerschmitt 109s to obtain assistance for a comrade who had been forced to leave his aircraft by parachute

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Second Member Of R.C.A.F. Wins Second Bar To D.F.C.

Ottawa, Sept 27, 1943 (CP)— S/L George Urquhart Hill of Pictou, N.S., a fighter pilot who has shot down 14 enemy aircraft, one of them at night, has become the second member of the R.C.A.F. to win a second bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross, air force headquarters announced today. The only other R.C.A.F. flier to win two bars to the D.F.C. is S/L J. E. Walker of Edmonton. Headquarters also announced today award of the D.F.C. to F/O A. R. Carter of 713 Dufferin St., Toronto, and the D.F.M. to Sgt. J. P. Lee of Lucerne Lake, Wash. and Victoria, B.C.. The R.C.A.F. later announced award of Distinguished Flying Crosses to four other members of the R.C.A.F. and of the Distinguished Flying Medal to a Canadian serving with the R.A.F.

Squadron Leader George Hill

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Pictou Air Hero Wins Second Bar

Ottawa, Sept. 28, 1943 - (CP) - Sqdn.-Ldr. George Urquhart Hill, of Pictou, N.S. — a fighter pilot who has shot down 14 enemy aircraft, one of them at night— has become the second member of the R.C.A.F. to win a second bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force headquarters announced today. The only other R.C.A.F. flyer to win two bars to the Flying Cross is Sqdn.-Ldr. J. E. Walker, of Edmonton.
Headquarters also announced today award of the D.F.C. to F/O A. R. Carter, of Toronto, and the Distinguished Flying Medal to Sgt. J. P. Lee, of Lucerne Lake, Wash., and Victoria.

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R.C.A.F. PILOTS COVER LANDING

With the R.C.A.F. in Sicily, Oct. 5, 1943 (CP) — For many Canadian Spitfire pilots operating from airfields and landing strips here, the job of covering seaborne landings near Naples was their first in operational flying with bulky, 90-gallon long-distance gas tanks.
Flying with an R.A.F. squadron on the island — the squadron formerly commanded by S/L George Hill, D.F.C. and Bar, of Pictou, N.S.— were F/O Jake Woogar of Edmonton; F/O Don. Rogers of Amherstburg, Ont.; F/O I. F. Kennedy, D.F.C., of Cumberland, Ont., and Sgt. Reg Gray of Toronto.
Among other Canadians serving with various fighter squadrons are Sgt. D. J. Schmitz, Humboldt, Sask.; F/L M. Johnson, Selkirk, Man.; F/S Tom Larlee, Woodstock, N.B.; P/O Bruce Ingalls, Danville, Que., and F/O Bob Clasper, Winnipeg.
The big jettison tanks are of metal or fiber, which fit under the fuselage, roughly doubling fuel capacity. With the tanks fitted, Spitfires are said to have an endurance of more than four hours. In event of engagements with the enemy the tanks can be jettisoned by pulling a lever.

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Surrendering in Mid-Air, Italians Show Elation

By F/O BOB FRANCIS, R.C.A.F.
With the R.C.A.F. in Italy, Nov. 5, 1943 - (CP) - One of the first concrete prizes to come into Allied hands after the capitulation of Italy was a three-motored Savoi medium bomber, which surrendered in mid-flight to a single Allied fighter.
The machine was seen over the sea north of Sicily and an R.A.F. Spitfire squadron, with which P/O Bruce J. Ingalls of Danville, Que., was flying, was warned to be on the lookout. “When the Spitfires did find the Italian aircraft, Ingalls said, a Grumman Martlett fighter already was shepherding it toward Sicily.
"We were on the way home after a patrol over the assault beaches," said Ingalls, "when we got the message to watch for this Eytie machine. When we found it the Grumman already had it in tow, so to speak, so we just flew along with them for a while. It finally landed at a field close to our own.
"We didn't see the surrender, but we heard afterward that the crew waved handkerchiefs from every window in the kite as soon as the fighter appeared."

Toronto Flier in Melee
A Toronto Spitfire pilot, P/O Bill Reid, of 141 Old Forest Hill Road, was flying with an R.A.F. squadron which engaged 12 FW-190's over the Italian coast, shooting down three and damaging another. The German aircraft had released their bombs when the Spitfires dived on them. Reid fired at two FWs during the melee, but was not able to confirm any score.
"I got in a burst at the first one in a tight turn, but could not see my fire striking home on him," Reid said. "A moment later I saw one going down in flames, but we couldn't confirm whether it was mine or not"
A moment later he opened fire on another, but did not see any results from this attack.

“Hap" Kennedy Promoted
I. F. (Hap) Kennedy, D.F.C., of Cumberland, Ont., veteran fighter pilot with a score of seven enemy aircraft destroyed, has been promoted flight lieutenant and placed in charge of a flight in an R.A.F. Spitfire squadron in Sicily.
Kennedy was one of several Canadians flying with the squadron from which he transferred on receiving his promotion and in his new unit he again found himself among members of the R.C.A.F. He had five aircraft destroyed to his credit when he joined his first squadron in Sicily, then commanded by Sqdn. Ldr. George Hill, D.F.C., and two bars, of Pictou, N.S. His sixth and seventh victories were FW190's, each destroyed after long chases. The first Focke Wulf was shot down over the Italian coast during a dusk patrol only a few hours after the squadron destroyed six Macchi Italian fighters in a single engagement.
The last came the day after the invasion of Italy, when Kennedy chased the German 50 miles along the Italian coast, damaging the machine with gunfire and forcing the pilot to bail out.
Other Canadians with his present squadron are Sgts. J. C. Turcott, Sudbury, Ont.; Bill Downer, Midland, Ont., and P/O Bill Hockey, Kentville, N.S.

Mascot Goes With Squadron
When the pilots of one R.A.F. Squadron say that where they go goes their mascot, they mean it. In fact, when the first member of the squadron set foot on Italian soil ‘Spitfire,’ a little brown and white mongrel, scrambled out of the aircraft with him.
F/O J. R. Woolgar, Edmonton, one of several R.C.A.F. pilots with the squadron, arrived with some other pilots by transport plane the day the Spitfires landed at their first base here. As he jumped out on the dusty field, the little mascot came out with him, maintaining her reputation of being one of the most-traveled dogs in the air force. Spitfire joined the squadron in Algiers and has covered North Africa, Malta, Sicily and Italy in her travels.

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Decorated Airmen Had Heroic Combat Records

Ottawa, November 9, 1943 - (CP) - Eleven airmen with decorations for distinguished service against the enemy were among a party of veteran fliers back in Canada and registered today at the R.C.A.F. repatriation depot. Nine have the Distinguished Flying Cross and two the Distinguished Flying Medal.
Topping the list in decorations is S/L George U. Hill, D.F.C. and two bars, of Pictou, N.S., who, when he received his second bar, had at least 14 enemy aircraft to his credit and many others damaged.
From the Battle of Dieppe — his first big clash with the German air force — he saw much action from Britain and over Malta. On one occasion at Malta he shot down four enemy planes in two days and one of his citations especially mentioned his bravery in remaining aloft in the face of a number of enemy planes in order to get assistance for a comrade who was forced to descend by parachute.
One airman, F/O W. A. du Perrier of Calgary, brought back an English bride. F/S F. D. Poulston of Tulsa, Okla., didn't bring a wife but had with him his squadron's pet, a small dog named “Burst.”
P/O A. G. Burnet, D.F.C., of St. Thomas, is credited with smashing 14 trains and destroying four E-boats, three coastal ships and a 2,000-ton ship, as well as damaging two aircraft.

Other Men Enlist
Other holders of the D.F.C. in the party were:
S/L F. W. Parker, Winnipeg, a bomber pilot whose operations were largely over the Ruhr Valley;
F/O D. L. Geiggey, Saint John, N.B., wireless-airgunner on a "Pathfinder" plane who completed a tour of operations on Lancasters;
F/O C. E. Sorsdahl, Madale, Sask., with two tours of operations on Halifaxes and Whitneys to his credit;
S/L E. H. McCaffery, Miami, Man., an observer who made many trips over the Ruhr and other German targets;
S/L J. D. Snyder, Hamilton, who made 39 bombing raids;
F/O S. Bernard, Toronto, an air gunner on a Pathfinder bomber, with two enemy aircraft confirmed to his credit;
S/L W. G. Conrad, Richmond, Out.
The wearers of the Distinguished Flying Medal were P/O C. E. Delany, airgunner from Quebec who was trained for paratroop-dropping operations and saw service in North Africa; and F/O C. A. Shirley, Carlyle, Sask., who completed two tours of operations on bombers, took part in 1,000-plane raids on Germany, and saw service in Africa.

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1944

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George Hill and "Jimmy" Walker just after they both received a second Bar to their DFC's

R.C.A.F. HEAVIES GO FOR WEEK WITHOUT LOSS

Ottawa, March 10, 1944 - (CP) - R.C.A.F. heavy bombers were out over important targets in France on three nights during the past week as part of Allied attacking forces, the R.C.A.F. reported today in its weekly summery of overseas operations.
No Canadian aircraft were lost in the raids and none were lost in mining operations carried out over enemy waters by R.C.A.F. Halifaxes on two nights. There were no major night bombing attacks by Canadians over Germany during the week.
On the fighter front, Canadian Spitfires were active on several days, supporting United States medium bombers attacking targets in France. Liberators and Flying Fortresses of the United States Army air forces were escorted by R.C.A.F. Spitfires in their attack on Western German targets.

Mediterranean Record
From Italy came word that Warrant Officer Charles Mower of Port Dalhousie, Ont. had chalked up his 91st operational trip, believed to be a record for aircrew in the Mediterranean war theatre. Mower flies with an R.A.F. Baltimore medium bomber squadron.
Two Canadian squadron leaders received the Distinguished Flying Cross with two bars from the King in an investiture at Buckingham Palace. They are Sqdn. Ldrs: G. U. Hill of Pictou, N.S., and James E. Walker of Edmonton.
More than half the force which attacked the German aircraft assembly plant at Meulan les Mureaux early last Friday consisted of bombers from the R.C.A.F. bomber group, including Halifaxes of the "Moose," "Iroquois," "Bison," "Bluenose" and "Ghost" squadrons. They met little opposition and the crews which went in at below the cloud level reported a well-concentrated attack.

Smash Communications
Monday and Tuesday nights the R.C.A.F. provided a major part of the bomber formations which struck at strategic railway yards in France and delivered a crippling blow to German communications.
Monday night it was an "obliteration" raid on the Trappes railway yards near Paris. The attack appeared to take the Germans by surprise as little opposition was encountered from either ground defense or night fighters.
Tuesday night the R.C.A.F. was gunning for the railway yards at Le Mans, southwest of Paris. Every squadron in the R.C.A.F. group participated. There was considerable light and heavy flak, but all the Canadian bombers returned safely.
Wing Cmdr. Bill Swetman, D.F.C., of Kapuskasing, Ont., marked up his 50th operational trip with this raid.
Three enemy planes were destroyed by R.C.A.F. fighters. Two Focke-Wulfs were brought down by Spitfires while escorting United States bombers, and the third, another FW-190, was destroyed by a Mosquito on an intruder trip over Southwest France.

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Air Force Casualties

Ottawa, Nov. 28, 1944 — The Department of National Defense for Air today issued Casualty List No. 1052 of the Royal Canadian Air Force showing next of kin of those named from Ontario as follows (in part):

Missing After Air Operations
COTTERILL, Stanley Herbert Ross, DFC, F/L, Mrs. Gordon Cotterill (mother), 3 Claxton Blvd., Toronto.
FINLAYSON, Colin Gowans, DFC and Bar, F/O Victoria, B.C.

Reported Prisoner of War (Germany)
HILL, George Urquhart, DFC and 2 Bars, S/L Napadogan, N.B.

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