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Born in St.Thomas, Ontario, 30 December 1915
- home there (bank teller, 1935-1940).
Enlisted in Toronto, 19 September 1940.
Trained at No.2 ITS (graduated 20 February 1941),
No.15 EFTS (graduated 24 April 1941) and
No.32 SFTS (graduated 15 July 1941).
Commissioned 16 July 1941. Posted overseas immediately.
Further trained at No.60 OTU, 10 Sept to 11 Nov 1941
Served in No.125 Squadron, 12 Nov 1941 to 2 March 1943
No.600 Squadron, 3 March 1943 to 14 February 1944
- (went with unit to Mediterranean).
His first sortie had been 15 December 1941;
First with No.600 Squadron was 15 March 1943.
By 2 June 1944 he had flown 1,060 hours
- (403 by night, 657 by day)
This included time on :
Tiger Moths (64 hours)
Harvards 80)
Magister (ten)
Master (ten)
Oxford (ten)
Blenheim (15)
Defiant (200)
Beaufighter (650) and
Mosquito (twelve)
He had flown 350 operational hours (125 sorties).
Returned to Britain, 5 March 1944;
Embarked for Canada, 18 April 1944.
Several OTU postings that summer;
Flew 250 instructional hours on Mosquitos.
Released 23 October 1945.
DFC and Bar presented at Buckingham Palace, 28 Feb 1944
Photo PL-28308 shows him just after investiture.
Postwar he worked at selling Mosquitos to Nationalist China
Postwar marketing and sales manager for Asahi Pentax;
Retired 1981 to devote himself to photography, horses and dogs
Died in South Muskoka, 26 August 1992
Extensive obituary in Toronto Star dated 31 August 1992
Cited with Sergeant Cyril F.J. Fowler (RAF, awarded DFM).
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TURNBULL, F/O John Howard (J6211) - Distinguished Flying
Cross - No.600 Sq.
Award effective 29 July 1943 as per London Gazette dated 20 August 1943
and
AFRO 2258/43 dated 5 November 1943
As pilot and observer, Flying Officer Turnbull and Sergeant
Fowler have taken part in many night operations and have destroyed five
enemy aircraft. They have displayed skill and tenacity worthy of high
praise.
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ONTARIO FLIERS ARE PROMOTED
London, Sept. 27, 1943 (CP) — R.C.A.F. overseas
headquarters announced the following promotions of Ontario fliers (in
part):
From Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant – D. E. Noonan,
Kingston; W. A. Olmsted, Hamilton; W. R. McRae,
Port Arthur.
From Flying Officer to Temporary Flight Lieutenant – J. H. Turnbull,
St. Thomas; H. J. Everard, Timmins.
From Pilot Officer to Temporary Flying Officer – D. H. Dover,
Mount Dennis
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TURNBULL, F/L John Howard (J6211) - Bar to DFC - No.600 Squadron
Award effective 5 October 1943 as per London Gazette dated 2 November
1943 and
AFRO 2507/43 dated 2 November 1943
Cited with FS Cyril Fowler, RAF (Bar to DFM)
As pilot and observer respectively, Flight Lieutenant
Turnbull and Flight Sergeant Fowler have displayed outstanding skill in
operations at night and have destroyed ten enemy aircraft. They have displayed
exceptional keenness and determination, setting an example of the highest
order.
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Victories Include :
4 November 1942, one Ju.88 destroyed
(shared)
23 April 1943,
one CANT Z.1007 destroyed
11 July 1943,
one Ju.88 destroyed
15 July 1943,
three Ju.88s destroyed
17 July 1943,
one Ju.88 and
- one He.111 destroyed
9 August 1943, two
Ju.88s destroyed
9 September 1943, one Ju.88 destroyed
10 September 1943, one Ju.88 destroyed
24 January 1944, one Ju.88 destroyed |
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--- Canadian Aces ---
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