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RCAF Gets Three Huns Near Paris
London, Feb. 27 (CP).—R.C.A.F. Mosquitos destroyed
three German planes, one towing a glider, south of Paris Saturday, it
was announced tonight. They also shot up grounded German planes, leaving
at least three blazing.
Flt. Lt. H. Cleveland of Vancouver and Flt. Lt. Charles Scherf
of Australia shared in destruction of a Heinkel glider tow plane and of
the two-man glider it was towing. Each also destroyed a Gotha. Scherf'
s navigator was FO. C. Finlayson of Victoria, B.C.
These planes were the first Cleveland had destroyed.
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Born Vancouver, 7 July 1913, home there;
enlisted there 24 October 1940.
Trained at No.2 ITS (graduated 11 January 1941),
No.8 EFTS (graduated 5 March 1941) and
No.33 SFTS (graduated 22 June 1941).
Commissioned 24 June 1941.
Posted to Central Flying School, Trenton, 25 June 1941; to
No.5 SFTS (Brantford) to instruct, 13 September 1941; to
No.36 OTU, Greenwood, 25 June 1943.
Embarked from New York, 8 October 1943;
arrived UK, 16 October 1943.
Posted to No.60 OTU, 26 October 1943,
he was sent to No.418 Squadron, 1 January 1944.
Interned in Sweden, 16 May 1944;
reported safe in UK, 17 June 1944.
Repatriated to Canada, 6 August 1944. T
o No.7 OTU, 21 October 1944; to
RCAF Overseas Headquarters, 9 January 1945
(attached to 9th USAAF, 22 January to 18 April 1945).
Commanded No.418 Squadron, 24 May 1945 to 15 Sept 1945
repatriated to Lachine, 16 September 1945; to
No.8 Release Center, 23 September 1945. |
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Cleveland
Day
'Lou' Luma
Finlayson
Four of 418 Squadron's finest. The "killer"
crews of Cleveland /Day & Luma /Finlayson stand in front of "Moonbeam McSwine" for a photo-op
at Holmsley South, 3 April 1944. On the 26th of February 1944
the two pairs mauled the Luftwaffe 'drome at St. Yan. On October
17/18 1944 F/L C.G.Finlayson was flying with F/L S.H.R.Cotterill
on Ops Over Vienna and failed to return.
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CLEVELAND, S/L Howard Douglas (J5765) - Distinguished
Flying Cross - No.418 Squadron
Award effective 2 June 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 1444/44 dated 7 July 1944.
Award presented by King George 13 July 1945.
This officer is an extremely efficient flight commander whose example
of courage and determination has proved most inspiring. He has completed
very many sorties, including several successful sorties against ground
targets in daylight. On one of these, Squadron Leader Cleveland assisted
in the destruction of three enemy aircraft in the air and personally damaged
one on the ground. On another occasion, in April 1944, this officer led
a formation of aircraft in a most successful sortie during which he damaged
three enemy aircraft on an airfield. He is a gallant and forceful leader
and has rendered much valuable service.
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Airmen With Invasion Honors Among 200 From Overseas
Ottawa, Aug. 13, 1944 (CP)—More than 200 Canadian
airmen, many of them with decorations earned in action over the Normandy
bridgehead climbed today from a repatriation train here to renew acquaintance
with a homeland many of them had not seen for as long as three years.
Among the repatriates was FO. W. A. Bishop Jr., son of Air Marshal W.
A. (Billy) Bishop, Director of recruiting for the R.C.A.F., who was met
by his father. Another was Wing Cmdr. G. C. Keefer,
D.F.C. and Bar, of Charlottetown, back after two completed tours of operations.
Others returning included Wing Cmdr. J. W. Reid, Kingston, and Flt. J.
L. McCauly, D.F.C., Toronto; Sqdn. Ldrs. R. A. Buckham of Mission City,
B.C., and Howard Cleveland, D.F.C., of Vancouver,
who both ran up impressive scores of enemy aircraft destroyed.
Buckham has a record of six and one-half planes destroyed, two "probables"
and two damaged. Cleveland claimed nine destroyed and one damaged in a
single tour of operations.
The returning fliers, all happy to be back, plowed hungrily into the ice
cream and soft drink offerings of Canadian Legion representatives who
met them at the station.
In the group were Sqdn. Ldr. G. W. Conrad, Richmond, and Flt. Lt A. J.
Van Rassell, Timmins.
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Aerial Victories are
as follows:
26 Feb 1944, one Go.242 destroyed
in the air,
- one Go.242 destroyed
on ground,
- one Ju.86 destroyed
on ground,
- 1/2 He.111Z destroyed in the air -
(shared with F/O C.C. Scherf,
RAAF);
16 April 1944, two FW.190s destroyed on ground,
- 1/2 Ju.87 destroyed
on ground (shared with another pilot),
- one unidentified
training aircraft destroyed on ground;
27 April 1944, one unidentified twin-engined aircraft
destroyed;
16 May 1944, one He.111 destroyed,
- one Ju.87
destroyed,
- one Do.217
destroyed on ground;
27 July 1944, one unidentified twin-engine
aircraft destroyed.
See H.A. Halliday, The Tumbling Sky for more details.
S/L Howie Cleveland in front of his 418 Sq Mossie
"Li'l Abner"
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Howie was a married man of 30 when he joined the
RCAF, old by the standards of the day. Nevertheless, he earned his
wings in June 1941 and eventually make his way to 418 Sq. There
he teamed up with Frank Day and went on to prove he definitely wasn't
too old. On May 16 however, tragedy would strike. After flaming
an He111, a Ju87 and a Do217 on the ground, their Mossie was hit
hard by flak when they tried to approach a Naval target. Both men
were hit by shrapnel, Day seriously. They tried to reach Sweden
but were turned away by more flak and forced to ditch. The injured Cleveland
miraculously managed to get day out before their kite sank but was
unable to get him into the life raft. Hours later a fisherman spotted
them but it was too late, Day had drowned.
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Medals, logbook, painting, uniform, and memorabilia
are
with the Canadian War Museum (AN 19800811-010)
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