Gordon Wonnacott

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SPEEDY DEATH GIVEN GERMANS BY OUR PILOTS

An R.C.A.F. Fighter Base, Somewhere in England, Jan. 28, 1944 - (CP) - Four members of the R.C.A.F. Mustang Squadron commanded by Sqdn. Ldr. C. H. (Smokey) Stover of Sarnia, today destroyed four enemy planes over the old French Cathedral City of Charters, 45 miles southwest of Paris with such speed and thoroughness that the Nazis didn't fire a single shot in reply.
This bag brought to 11 the number of German planes destroyed by Canadian airmen in two daylight sweeps. A Mosquito squadron led by Wing Cmdr. Don Macdonald of Vancouver shot down seven on Thursday.
Today's kills were shared by Flt. Lts. Gordon Wonnacott, Edmonton; George W. Buroughs, 92 Bowie Ave., Toronto; J. T. Seamen, Lewisville, N.B., and FO. R. O. Brown of Daysland, Alta.

Came On In Pairs
The Canadians came on the Germans in pairs. Brown, a former intercollegiate light-heavyweight boxing champion when at McGill University, got the first, and the other three Canadians had a hand in destroying the second plane, raking it with machine-gun and cannon fire.
"No sooner had we knocked down the first two," Burroughs said, "than two Messerschmitt 109' appeared. It all happened so quickly that it is pretty hard to reconstruct, but I know I shot down the first of this pair and seconds later could see Wonnacott's victim heading for the dirt."
This "show" lasted less than four minutes.
It was the first time the squadron had found any Germans within firing range since early in December when it bagged four in two days.

Use Strange Mixture
Wonnacott said when the Canadians finally caught up with the Germans today they didn't seem anxious to fight, but wanted to get away in a hurry "and we had to turn on a bit of juice to catch them."
The Mosquito success Thursday is believed to have tripped a projected nuisance raid on Britain. The Canadians destroyed a Focke-Wulf 200, a four-engined bomber; a Heinkel 177, also a four-engined plane; a Heinkel 111 bomber and four Junkers bombers. Because of the type of planes knocked down it seemed the Nazis were preparing another large-scale raid. In last Friday's attack on London the Germans are known to have used an extraordinary mixture of aircraft.

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WONNACOTT, F/L Gordon (J9868) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.414 Squadron
Award effective 24 November 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 1/45 dated 5 January 1945.

Flight Lieutenant Wonnacott has completed a large number of operational sorties of low level photography and tactical reconnaissance. In the initial stages of the liberation of Normandy this officer twice flew long sorties directing naval bombardments. His day intruder activities have resulted in the destruction of two enemy aircraft and numerous trains and barges damaged. He has shown exceptional keenness and devotion to duty throughout a long period and has set a magnificent example to all. He is an outstanding officer who shows great qualities of leadership as a flight commander.

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R.C.A.F. CARRIES HEAVY BOMB LOADS TO HUN

Ottawa, Feb. 4, 1944 - (CP) - R.C.A.F. bombers participating in the three hammer-blow raids on Berlin during the past week carried a bomb weight far heavier than the whole German Air Force ever dropped on Britain in a single night, the R.C.A.F. reported today in its weekly summary of overseas operations.
On the first of the three raids, Flt. Sgt. S. H. Campbell of Drumheller, Alta., rear gunner in the "Goose" bomber squadron, shot down a rocket-firing Messerschmitt 110 night fighter.
We were just on the rim of the target area when the fighter started to attack us," said Campbell. "He was 440 yards away and silhouetted against the red glow of the flames below coming through the clouds. I told the skipper to bank to starboard and as the fighter followed us on the curve of pursuit, I gave him a long burst, scoring a hit on the starboard rocket.
"The enemy nightfighter broke off the combat, but attacked again coming up underneath and, as Campbell fired again, he saw it flip over on its back in flames and a few seconds later explode on the ground below.
An R.C.A.F. Mosquito squadron "went to town" one day of the week when four of its pilots knocked down seven enemy aircraft within eight minutes.
Wing Cmdr. D. C. S. Macdonald of Vancouver, commanding officer of the squadron, accounted for a Heinkel 111 and a Heinkel 177 and Flt. Lt. C. Scherf, an Australian pilot in the squadron whose navigator is FO. L. Brown of Winnipeg got a Force-Wulf 200. Flt. Lt. J. Johnson of Omemee, and FO. J. Caine of Edmonton reported four Junkers destroyed.

Mustangs Score Again
After six weeks of silence the R.C.A.F. Mustang squadron under Sqdn. Ldr. C. H. (Smokey) Stover of Sarnia, also bounced back into the news by shooting down four enemy aircraft in one day. The kills were shared by Flt. Lt. J. T. Seaman, Lewisville, N.B., and FO. R. O. Brown of Daysland, Alta.; Flt. Lt. Gordon Wonnacott of South Edmonton and Flt. Lt. George Burroughs of Toronto.
Their first two victims were unidentified, but the second pair, bagged by Burroughs and Wonnacott were Messerschmitt 109's. One of the unidentified aircraft "just blew up in mid-air," said Burroughs, the successful pilot. Meanwhile, the other three Canadian pilots attacked a second Nazi aircraft and aided in its destruction
In Coastal Command a heavily-armed minesweeper was sunk off the Norwegian coast by R.C.A.F. Beaufighters led by Wing Cmdr. C. A. Willis of Vancouver. A medium-sized merchant ship was also left on fire and an escort vessel raked with cannon fire. The Canadians saw the minesweeper blow up after their attack.
From Italy came the news that the mounting score of the City of Windsor Spitfire Squadron went up another notch when it destroyed a Focke-Wolf and damaged another while protecting British invasion craft off the Nettuno beachhead.
The City of Windsor unit has bagged more Huns than any other squadron in the desert air force over the beachhead. In seven days, since the landing began, it has destroyed four enemy machines with two more probably destroyed and four damaged. It has lost one pilot, although some have made several forced landings.

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WONNACOTT, S/L Gordon, DFC (J9868) - Bar to DFC - No.414 Squadron
Award effective 23 February 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 625/45 dated 13 April 1945.

This officer continues to show great gallantry in air operations. His keenness to engage the enemy was well in evidence on one occasion in January 1945 when, on returning to base at the completion of a reconnaissance, he saw the airfield was being attacked by a large force of enemy aircraft. Squadron Leader Wonnacott immediately engaged the enemy. Before all his ammunition was expended, this resolute pilot had destroyed three of the attacking force. This officer has displayed devotion to duty of a very high order.

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Victories Include :

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Photo PL-22755 shows him in flying gear

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wonnacott.org

--- Canadian Aces ---

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