David Edward Ness

RCAF F/O - DFC

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SIX ONTARIANS AWARDED DFC

Ottawa, Feb. 13, 1945 (CP)—Air Force Headquarters announced today the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to 10 members of the RCAF serving overseas. Ontario recipients were:

Flt. Lt. B.T. Gilmour, St. Thomas.
Flt. Lt. A. Lambros, Wiarton.
Flt. Lt. J.M. Robb of 83 Alberta Ave. Toronto.
FO. N.E. Dawber of 42 Howie Ave. Toronto.
FO. D.E. Ness of Copper Cliff.
FO. R.H. Romer of Fort Erie.

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Born in Westmount, 2 December 1917;
home in Copper Cliff, Ontario
(electrician, surveyor and salesman).
Formerly in the Royal Canadian Artillery
(Reserve), January and February 1941).
Enlisted in Montreal, 10 October 1941.
Trained at No.3 ITS (graduated 27 March 1942),
No.14 EFTS (graduated 3 July 1942), and
No.2 SFTS (graduated 23 October 1942).
Arrived in UK, 30 November 1942.
Further trained at No.17 (P) AFC, 16 Feb to 30 Ma r43
at No.59 OTU, 30 March to 22 June 1943;
at No.82 OTU, 22 June 1943 to 15 April 1944.
On No.56 Squadron, 15 April 1944 to 1 May 1945.
To UK on 1 May 1945;
to Canada 4 September 1945;
released 1 November 1945.

LAC on 28 March 1942;
Sergeant on 23 October 1942;
Flight Sergeant, 23 July 1943;
WO2, 23 October 1943;
commissioned 23 January 1944;
F/O 23 July 1944.

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NESS, F/O David Edward (J85008) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.56 Squadron
Award effective 6 February 1945 as per London Gazette dated 13 February 1945 and
AFRO 508/45 dated 23 March 1945.

Flying Officer Ness has always shown the utmost enthusiasm for operational flying. Throughout all his missions his exceptional skill, cheerful confidence and devotion to duty have set an outstanding example to all his squadron. He has destroyed three enemy aircraft and eight flying bombs and has shared in the destruction of several trains.

NOTE: Public Records Office Air 2/9048 has original recommendation dated 16 December 1944 when he had flown 124 sorties (118 ½ operational hours): apparently drafted by his flight commander:

Flying Officer Ness joined this squadron on 29th March 1944. During his 118 ½ hours of operational flying he has carried out many operational flights of various types on Typhoons, Spitfires and Tempests, in the United Kingdom and Northwest Europe.

In all he has done 13 weather and shipping recces, eight armed recces, 20 local patrols, 19 escorts and sweeps, four convoy patrols and scrambled, two anti-flak patrols and 58 flying bomb patrols. He has destroyed three enemy aircraft and eight flying bombs, and has shared in the destruction of several trains.

Flying Officer Ness has always shown the utmost enthusiasm in carrying out his operational flying, and in it has displayed exceptional skill and confidence as well as keenness in attack. His loyal and cheerful sense of duty have been an example to the squadron.

To the above the Commanding Officer of the unit adds:

In my opinion Flying Officer Ness thoroughly deserves this award. His ready keenness for operational duties and the capable manner in which he has carried them out, combined with his constant good humour during duller periods, have been of great value to the squadron.

To this, on 22 December 1944, the OC of his wing adds:

This officer has always displayed great keenness to seek out and destroy the enemy. He presses home his attacks to extremely close range and his cheerful confidence and his determination have been an inspiration to the rest of the squadron.

The form is counter-signed by another officer of Air Vice-Marshal rank on 27 December 1944 and by Air Marshal Conningham on 11 January 1945.

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Aerial victories as follows:

12 July 1944,               one V-1 destroyed;
28 July 1944,               one V-1 destroyed (half share);
30 July 1944,               one V-1 destroyed;
29 September 1944,    two FW.190s destroyed, Emmerich;
14 December 1944,     one Bf.109 destroyed, Rheine;
1 January 1945,         one Bf.109G destroyed, Helmond
                                          (shared with P/O H. Shaw);
4 January 1945,         one Bf.109 destroyed south of Osnabruck;
12 January 1945,         one FW.190 destroyed east of Fassberg.

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--- Canadian Aces ---

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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