Karl Raymond "Lucky" Linton

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US. BOMBERS SHOOT DOWN 30 FIGHTERS
Attack Kiel U-Boat Slips, Heinkel Plant; R.C.A.F. as Escort

London, July 29, 1943 (CP) — Strong formations of four-motored American bombers, hacking their way through Nazi fighter packs deep inside Germany, rained explosives on the Kiel U-boat slips and the Heinkel aircraft factory at Warnemuende on the Baltic today and shot down more than 30 enemy planes.
"Good bombing results were observed on both targets," the United States Army Headquarters communiqué said. Ten American bombers were lost.
"Fairly strong fighter opposition was encountered by the unescorted Fortresses at Kiel, but there was little opposition at Warnemuende," the bulletin added. "Preliminary claims totaled more than 30 enemy fighters destroyed by the bombers."
Returning crewmen said the tight-flying bombers encountered most of their opposition on the homeward flight.
R.A.F., R.C.A.F. and Allied fighters supported the big bombers part of the way to and from Germany, and Canadian fighters knocked down three German planes.

Power Station Hit
Late today medium bombers attacked a power station near Rouen and an airfield at Mervinne in France, and United States medium bombers struck an airfield at Fort Rouge near St. Omer.
Escorting Norwegian Spitfire pilots knocked down two enemy fighters.
From these subsidiary operations three Allied fighters were missing.
A Canadian Spitfire fighter squadron destroyed three enemy fighters during operations over Holland in support of the American attacks. The enemy machines were shot down by PO. Karl Linton of Plaster Rock, N.B., FO. W. Harten of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and Flt. Lt. Norman Fowlow of Windsor, N.S.
One Canadian fighter failed to return from the day's operations, an R.C.A.F. communiqué said.

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Kassel Hit in Force By R.A.F. Canadians; 44 Planes Are Lost
Twelve Dominion Bombers Fail to Return From Night Offensive

London, Oct. 23. (1943)—(AP)—A great force of R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. heavy bombers fought their way through many Nazi fighters last night to deliver a concentrated attack on the German war industrial centre of Kassel in the ninth—and costliest—major British raid of the month.
Forty-four heavy bombers, including 12 Canadian, failed to return from the mission, but the four-engined planes fought back stubbornly, sending "several” fighters hurtling from the dark skies.
A smaller force of heavy planes struck at the same time at Frankfurt, making it the second raid in 18 days on that industrial centre, and Mosquitoes rounded out the night's bombing attacks with an assault on the Cologne area.
As the heavy bombers again added their terrific punches at German industry to the night and day attacks that lighter R.A.F. and American planes have been conducting against Nazi communications and fighter fields, German raiders stabbed at London for the seventh successive night, dropping a few bombs.

Second Biggest Loss
Not since an R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. armada hit Berlin on the last night in August had British bomber losses been so severe. Forty-seven aircraft did not return from that raid.
The lesser attack on Frankfurt, more than 400 miles from Berlin, was the 39th of the war on that big automotive, rail and rubber centre.
While the official report mentioned that bad weather was encountered during the 400-mile round trip to Kassel, it said that visibility was good over the target and that first reports indicated the explosives had been concentrated, indicating that the airmen probably had equaled or even exceeded the 50 tons of bombs a minute dropped during the last Kassel raid October 10.
The attack on Kassel was the ninth major R.A.F./ R.C.A.F. raid of the month and the fifth heavy battering of that German city of 200,000 in six months.
Kassel, which is 100 miles northeast of Cologne, is one of Germany's key aircraft towns and also the site of the Henschel Locomotive Works, largest of its kind in Europe. The city has a big assembly works for Messerschmitt 109's.
The Berlin radio said that the British and Canadian raiders also had hit Frankfurt-on-the-Main. It admitted damage was caused.
Almost every type of daylight craft went back and forth across the channel yesterday in a speeded-up aerial offensive against the Continent.
Repeating their assaults on Britain for the seventh successive night, the Nazis sent a small number of planes across the Kent and Sussex coasts and a few of them reached the London area last night, Bombs were dropped in East Anglia and in two sections of the London area. A small number of casualties were reported.
The Allied bombers flew all the way to France and back without encountering one enemy plane, but a group of R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. Spitfires on patrol sweeps over occupied countries hit a sizable nest of German fighters and shot down eight of them against one loss.
In one of these series of dogfights over northern France, a Canadian fighter wing under Wing-Cmdr, Hugh C. Godefroy, of Toronto, destroyed two German Focke-Wulf 190s and damaged another despite the fact they were outnumbered 3 to 1. One Canadian failed to return.
Pilots credited with the kills were P.O. Karl Linton, of Plaster Rock, N.B., and F.O. Andrew R. Mackenzie, of Montreal.
During the day R.C.A.F. Mustangs were also out, destroying a Nazi bomber and damaging several locomotives, while Whirlwind bombers damaged a Cherbourg peninsula viaduct. A Coastal Command Beaufighter, patrolling off the Netherlands coast, attacked and hit two enemy trawlers, an R.C.A.F. communiqué added, leaving one in flames.

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RCAF WHITTLES DOWN GERMAN AIR STRENGTH

Ottawa, Jan. 14, 1944 - (CP) — R.C.A.F. fighter squadrons continued to whittle down Germany's air strength during the last week, although bad weather kept the bomber squadrons at their home bases preparing for the next phase of the air assault on Europe, the R.C.A.F. reported today in its weekly summary of operations.
The weather also had a curtailing effect on fighter activities, but fighter squadrons flew several sweeps over France and on three days escorted United States and R.A.F. medium and light bombers which continued the daylight offensive against targets in Northern France.
Two German planes credited to Canadian Spitfires were destroyed by Toronto pilots during a sweep over France led by Wing Cmdr. Buck McNair. D.F.C., and two bars, of North Battleford, Sask. F/L R. W. Orr came down at nearly 600 miles an hour from 18,000 feet to get an FW-190. He poured fire in the cockpit and saw the Nazi crash in flames into a wood. F/O H. K. Hamilton also went down low to get his FW-190 which was seen burning on the ground later.
The week also brought confirmation of a "kill" by Flt. Lt. Karl L. Linton of Plaster Rock, N.B., during a recent dogfight over France, raising the score of the Red Indian Squadron on that day to six destroyed and three damaged, enough to establish the squadron, led by Sqdn. Ldr. Jimmy Lambert of Winnipeg, as one of the highest scoring in Britain during the last six months.
The "heavies" of the RCAF bomber group were out only once during the week when Halifaxes laid mines in enemy waters.

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LINTON, F/L Karl Raymond (J17417) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.421 Squadron
Award effective 5 April 1944 as per London Gazette dated 14 April 1944 and
AFRO 1020/44 dated 12 May 1944.

This officer has been constantly on operations for a year and five months. He has taken part in numerous operations of various kinds and on many occasions has engaged the enemy. Flight Lieutenant Linton has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft and damaged others. He has displayed excellent leadership as a flight commander and on occasions he has led the squadron.

Public Record Office Air 2/9633 indicates the award was recommended when he had flown 148 sorties (203 operational hours).

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D.S.O. AWARDED BUCK McNAIR, HUGH GODEFROY

Ottawa, April 13, 1944 (CP) — Award of the Distinguished Service Order to two top-ranking R.C.A.F. fighter pilots, Wing Commanders R. W. (Buck) McNair of North Battleford, Sask., and Hugh Godefroy of Toronto — both of whom already have won multiple recognition — was announced tonight by the R.C.A.F., with a series of lesser decorations.
McNair already has won the D.F.C. thrice, while Godefroy has won it twice. McNair becomes the most decorated flier who has spent his entire operational career in the R.C.A.F. and is topped only by Flt. Lt. George Beurling of Verdun, Que., who won most o£ his decorations while a member of the R.A.F.
Also announced was the award of the bar to the D.F.C. to Sqdn. Ldr. George C. Keefer of Charlottetown and award of D.F.C.s to Flt. Lt. J.A.H. De Le Paulle of New York; Flt. Lt K.R. Linton of Plaster Rock, N.B.; FO. V.I. Gorrill of Creston, B.C.; FO. R.H. Watt of Winnipeg, and FO. J.E. Williams of Grand Rapids, Mich.

High Scorers
Award of the D.S.O. to McNair and Godefroy tops the careers of two of the R.C.A.F.'s highest-scoring fighter pilots.
McNair, who for the past few months has led a fighter wing, has bagged 16 Nazi planes himself while his wing has brought down 13 since he took over. McNair won his first decoration after shooting down five planes over Malta. After a six-month leave in Canada, he returned overseas and, operating out of England, quickly shot to the top. He was awarded the first Bar to his D.F.C. after he had boosted his score to 15 victories, and his second Bar shortly after he took command of his fighter wing.
Godefroy also leads a fighter wing, which has shot down 28 enemy planes while he has been in command, one of which he tagged himself. Before assuming command of the wing, Godefroy accounted for at least eight enemy aircraft, and three enemy locomotives picked off on sweeps over occupied territory. Flying Spitfires, his wing has been giving fighter cover for American daylight bombers.

Citations
Citations include:
Godefroy — "Since being awarded a bar to his D.F.C., this officer has completed many further sorties despite adverse weather. The wing under his leadership has destroyed at least 28 enemy aircraft and damaged many others, he has himself personally destroyed at least one enemy aircraft during that period. At all times, Wing Cmdr. Godefroy has displayed outstanding leadership and a fine fighting spirit, setting an example of the highest order.”
McNair — “Since being awarded a second bar to his DFC, Wing Cmdr. McNair has completed many further operational sorties and destroyed another enemy aircraft, bringing his total victories to at least 16 enemy aircraft destroyed and many others damaged. . . . Throughout, Wing Cmdr. McNair has set a magnificent example of his fine fighting spirit, courage and devotion to duty, both in the air and on the ground. He has inspired his pilots with confidence and enthusiasm.

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Victories Include :

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