Robert William Rouviere
"Bob" Day

Above are shown some of the pilots of an RAF Spitfire squadron now operating from Akyab aerodrome, on which they landed soon after Akyab's occupation by British forces. They went into action against a force of Jap planes believe to number six, which attacked the airfield soon after the British entered. Five of the enemy aircraft were destroyed. The smiling faces of the lads above indicate their happiness at their one-sided victory. At the wheel of the jeep is Squadron Leader R.W.R. (Bob) Day, of VANCOUVER, B.C. who shot down two of the attacking Japs. Beside him is Flight Lieutenant Clyde Simpson, of DEVONPORT AUCKLAND' NEW ZEALAND (5 Owens Rd.) who also bagged two planes. Seated behind are Warrant Officer G.W. Wilson, of WHETSTONE, LONDON, England, Flight Sergeant, R.E. Owen, LIVERPOOL, England, and Pilot Officer Leonard Brett, WANTSTEAD, LONDON.
S/L Bob Day is at the wheel. Beside him is F/L Clyde Simpson, from Devonport, NZ. Seated behind are W/O G. W. Wilson, F/S R. E. Owen and P/O Leonard Brett, all 3 are from the U.K.

RCAF  &  RAF   S/L   -   DFC

_________________________________________________

TWO CANADIANS SET HIGH MARK FELLING PLANES

Ottawa, March 24, 1944 (CP) — Two pilots flying with the R.C.A.F.'s City Of Edmonton Intruder Squadron, Flt. Lt. D. MacFadyen of 29 Chestnut Park Rd., Toronto, and Lieut. J. Luma of Helena, Mont., destroyed three German aircraft in the air and left 17 more either flaming or damaged on the ground during an attack deep in Occupied France last Tuesday.
The R.C.A.F. said tonight in its weekend summary of operations that the mark set by MacFadyen and Luma is believed to establish a new record for enemy aircraft bagged by two United Nations crews in a single sortie.
During the week, the R.C.A.F. was active over Germany, Occupied France, Burma, the Anzio Beachhead and Cassino fronts in Italy. Other Canadian pilots accounted for five enemy aircraft.
Frankfurt was hammered Wednesday and Saturday by Lancasters and Halifaxes of the R.C.A.F. bomber group, and Halifax squadrons attacked strategic railway installations in Amiens Thursday.
The operation by transport aircraft and the 3rd Tactical Air Force in North Burma, which placed Allied troops some 200 miles beyond the Japanese, was participated in by Canadians from all parts of the Dominion.

City of Windsor Squadron
During the bombing of Casino, four pilots of the R.C.A.F.'s City of Windsor Spitfire Squadron broke up a formation of 20 ME-109's which was about to attack one of the Allied bomber formations northwest of the disputed town.
An R.C.A.F. pilot brought down an ME-109 near Rome. Hits were scored on enemy shipping off the Norwegian and French coasts by Beaufighters of a Canadian squadron and R.C.A.F. Albacores of the R.A.F. Coastal Command.
In the Wednesday attack on Frankfurt, the Canadian bomber group struck in full force, and Flt. Lt. Don Paterson of Lynwood, Calgary, said he saw five large fires.
"Fires were visible 150 miles from Frankfurt," said Flt. Sgt. Harry Grayson of London, Ont., a flight engineer. For Wing Cmdr. W. H. Swetman, D.F.C., of Kapuskasing, Ont., leader of the Thunderbird Squadron, it was his 53rd sortie over enemy territory.

Street "With Lights On."
Of Saturday's blow at Frankfurt, FO, L. D. Proctor of Biggar, Sask. said, "It looked like Portage Ave. Winnipeg, “with the lights on."
Halifax squadrons of the R.C.A.F. group paid a return visit to Annens last Thursday to bomb railway objectives, and FO. Jack Barlow of Ottawa, bomb aimer with the Moose Squadron, said it was "the best precision bombing I've seen in a long time—you could even see the bomb bursts going right through the target indicators."
For this raid the Canadian bomber group provided nearly half the force, and many other Canadians flew with R.A.F. formations.

Over Burmese Hills
In the Southeast Asia war theatre Canadians flew night after night over Burmese hills carrying Gurkha and Indian troops, mules, jeeps and a great quantity of supplies.
Shortly after the landing behind the Japanese rear Flt. Lt. Bob Day of Vancouver shot down a bomb-carrying Zero.
On the Anzio Beachhead Flt-Lt., Bruce Ingalls of Danville, Que., destroyed an enemy fighter near Rome Sunday, and Tuesday PO. S. B. (Red) Ruppert of Winnipeg and FO. J. S. (Blackie) Christie of Montreal and London, Eng., pilot and observer respectively, accounted for a JU-88 bomber during a raid on London.
Sqdn. Ldr. D. J. Williams of Vancouver, Beaufighter pilot of an R.C.A.F. night fighter squadron, destroyed a Heinkel 177 southwest of Guernsey, in the English Channel, Sunday. His navigator was PO. C. J. Kirkpatrick of Hamilton.
R.C.A.F. Spitfire squadrons of the 2nd Tactical Air Force provided escort for American heavy bombers returning from attacks on industrial targets in Germany.

_________________________________________________

Born in Victoria, B.C., 14 September 1916.
Insurance agent.
Enlisted in Vancouver, 2 January 1940.
Trained at No.1 SFTS, graduating 13 July 1940.
Instructor's course at Trenton,
followed by instructional duties at
No.3 SFTS and
No.15 SFTS, October 1940 to October 1942.
Arrived in UK, 11 November 1942.
Further training at No.53 OTU.
Between February and October 1943 he served with
Nos.402,412, 416 and 421 Squadrons.
Arrived in India, December 1943.
With No.81 Squadron, 11 Dec. 1943 to 19 Aug. 1944
No.67 Squadron from 18 Dec. 1944 to 21 Feb. 1945
To UK, August 1945, and released 21 November 1945
Had flown a total of 285 sorties (385 operational hours).

_________________________________________________

Vancouver Airman Downs Two Japanese

Akyab, Burxna, Jan. 11, 1945 — (CP Cable) — Squadron-Ldr. R. W. Day, of Vancouver, B.C., scored two ki1ls as his R.A.F. Spitfire squadron destroyed five of six Japanese fighter - bombers attempting to attack Akyab harbor Tuesday, eastern air command announced today.
Day - previously credited with 3½ enemy aircraft — was the first pilot to overtake the enemy aeroplanes which fled when the Spitfires appeared. He shot one down in flames and hit another, the pilot of which parachuted to the ground.

_________________________________________________

DAY, S/L Robert William Rouviere (C1459) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.67 Sq.
Award effective 27 March 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 721/45 dated 27 April 1945.

Squadron Leader Day is a most determined and resolute fighter. He has completed a large number of sorties and has invariably displayed the greatest keenness. In January 1945, Squadron Leader Day led a section of four aircraft in an engagement against six Japanese aircraft. Five of the latter were shot down, two of them by Squadron Leader Day. This officer has shot down at least five enemy aircraft.

_________________________________________________

Victories Include :

15 February 1944
13 March 1944
28 March 1944
  9 January 1945    

one A6M Zero destroyed, Arakan Hills;
one "Oscar"  destroyed while supporting CHINDIT ops
one "Oscar"  destroyed;
two "Oscars" destroyed, Akyab.

_________________________________________________

For photographs see

PL-18993 (Day alone),
PL-27021 (Day with W/C G.F. Chater, airfield commander from Durban, South Africa),
PL-60168, (Day being congratulated by W/C R.E. Drake following his double victory),
PL-60169 (in jeep, behind wheel; beside him is F/L C. Simpson, RNZAF, who also shot down two "Oscars" on 9 January 1945; behind are WO G.W. Wilson, FS E.R. Owen, P/O L. Brett).

See "Ace in Burma", Journal of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, Fall 1965.

_________________________________________________

--- Canadian Aces ---

_______________________________________________

 

On these pages I use Hugh Halliday's extensive research (which includes info from numerous sources), newspaper articles via the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC) as well as other sources both published and private

 

HOME