FLIGHT LIEUTENANT JOHN T. CAINE, D.F.C. and Two Bars, of Edmonton, Alberta, served with both Nos. 418 and 406 Squadrons as a night fighter and intruder pilot on Mosquito aircraft. His final tally of enemy aircraft - 5 air (15 ground) and damaged 7 others.
In May 1944, whilst on a patrol in the Barth area with P/0 E.W. Boal, D.F.C., as his observer, he inflicted much damage on the enemy's lines of communication and destroyed several enemy seaplanes at an- chor. In April 1945, while on a sortie over south-east Germany, he destroyed one enemy aircraft and damaged a further two. Despite the fact that his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire which damaged the flying controls, a successful return to base was carried out.
FLIGHT LIEUTENANT GREGORY DONALD ANGUS TUNNICLIFFE CAMERON, D.F.C., of Toronto, Ontario, served with Nos. 249, 129 (RCAF) and 401 Squadrons. His score was SAN enemy aircraft destroyed, one probable, and 3 others damaged. F/L Cameron also attacked several locomotives and a number of mechanical vehicles with damaging effect.
SQUADRON LEADER LORNE MAXWELL CAMERON, D.F.C., of Roland, Manitoba, whilst flying with Nos. 402 and 401 Squadrons destroyed 6 enemy aircraft and damaged 2 others before he was shot down by flak on 3 July 44. S/L Cameron was captured by the Germans but eventually managed to escape the enemy.
S/L Cameron led a formation of fighters detailed to escort a very large force of bombers on an operational mission in March 1944. Throughout the sortie, during which several enemy were shot down, S/L Cameron displayed great skill and determination and played a good part in the success achieved.
WING COMMANDER LLOYD V. CHADBURN, D.S.O. and Bar, D.F.C., Chevalier de Legion d'Honeur, Croix de Guerre Avec Palme (Fr.), of Montreal, P.Q., served with No. 402 Squadron and 127 Wing. He was one of Canada's most distinguished fighter pilots during World War II. W/C Chadburn combined to a rare degree of flying skill and leadership ability, and his tragic death in action was a great loss to the service. He was one of the four RCAF officers to win a Bar to the D.S.O.
In February 1942, he assumed command of No. 416 Squadron making him the first British Com- monwealth Air Training Plan graduate to lead a Canadian squadron.
W/C Chadburn was flying a patrol over the Normandy beachhead near Cherbourg on 13 June 1944, when he collided with another Spitfire and crashed in flames. He accounted for 6 7/12 enemy aircraft destroyed, 6 1/3 probables, and damaged 7 others.
WING COMMANDER E.F. JACK CHARLES, D.S.O., D.F.C. and Bar, Silver Star (U.S.) was born in Coven- try, England, and educated in Canada. While serving with Nos. 54 and 611 Squadron, he accounted for 15 1/2 enemy aircraft destroyed, 6 1/2 probables, and damaged 5 others. In September 1943, he led a formation of fighters which acted as escort to a bomber force detailed to attack an airfield in Northern France. During the operations twelve enemy fighters were engaged and in the ensuing aerial combat four of the hostile aircraft were shot down, one of them credited to Charles.
FLIGHT LIEUTENANT PHILIP MARCEL CHARRON, of Ottawa, Ontario, ran up a score of 5 enemy aircraft destroyed and one other damaged whilst flying with Nos. 412, 126 and 93 Squadrons.
On 19 November 1944, he was the leader of a section of four Spitfires which dive-bombed a target near Veen, Germany, then continued on an armed reconnaissance. They were attacked by forty enemy aircraft. In spite of brilliant and courageous fighting, all were shot down with the exception of one aircraft which miraculously escaped into a layer of clouds. Unfortunately, it was not Charron.
SQUADRON LEADER WILLIAM LAWRENCE "RED" CHISHOLM, D.F.C. and Bar, of Berwick, Nova Scotia, destroyed 8 enemy aircraft, probably shot down 4 more, and damaged 4 others while flying with No. 92 Squadron in the Western Desert.
S/L Chisholm always displayed skill and determination to engage the enemy. He showed gallant leadership and outstanding keenness. On one occasion he led his squadron in an attack on a force of enemy fighters and in the ensuing engagement two of them were destroyed without a loss.
WING COMMANDER HOWARD DOUGLAS CLEVELAND, D.F.C., of Vancouver, B.C., destroyed 10 enemy aircraft and damaged 2 others while serving with No. 418 Squadron.
He was an extremely efficient flight commander, whose example of courage and determination proved to be most inspiring. On 27 April 1944, Cleveland's Mosquito was hit by flak knocking out one of its engines. He was forced to make a crash-landing in Sweden. His observer, F/S F. Day, D.F.M., was fatally injured and Cleveland was interned but was repatriated in June.
FLIGHT LIEUTENANT ARTHUR CHARLES "COCKY" COCHRANE, D.F.C., of Vancouver, B.C., was a Canadian who enlisted in the RAF as a pupil pilot prior to the war. While flying with Nos. 263, 257 and 87 Squadrons, he destroyed 7 enemy aircraft before being shot down and killed on 31 March 1943. One of the aircraft he destroyed was a three-engined enemy machine on a bright, moonlight raid in January, 1943.
SQUADRON LEADER HOMER POWELL COCHRANE, D.F.C., of Vernon B.C., like his brother enlisted in the RAF as a pupil pilot prior to the outbreak of the war. He flew with Nos. 112, 238 and 525 Squadrons racking up a score of 9 enemy aircraft destroyed, 2 probables, and one other damaged.
During the Albanian campaign his squadron encountered a vastly superior number of enemy aircraft. Cochrane, observing his leader's plane being attacked by four enemy aircraft, went to his assistance and the leader escaped. During the air battle Cochrane destroyed two enemy aircraft.
WING COMMANDER W.A.G. "WALLY" CONRAD, D.F.C. and Bar, of Melrose, Ontario, served with Nos. 274, 145, 403 and 421 Squadrons. He scored 4 victories while flying with No. 274 Squadron in Africa. His final tally being - 6 enemy aircraft destroyed and damage to 1 1/2 others.
On one occasion, while patrolling in cooperation with a South African squadron, fifteen Ju. 87's, strongly escorted by Messerschmidt fighters, were intercepted and through the brilliant leadership displayed by Conrad, his squadron was able to continue the escort, while fourteen of the enemy were destroyed. He personally was responsible for the destruction of four of the enemy aircraft.
W/C Conrad was shot down on 17 June 1942, when a cannon shell exploded outside the cockpit and he was wounded in the hand. On another occasion, on 10 October 1943, he collided with another Spitfire over France and had to abandon the aircraft but he was able to evade capture by the enemy.
FLIGHT LIEUTENANT HARVEY ALEXANDER CRAWFORD, D.F.C., of Revelstoke, B.C., was a Canadian who participated in the 'Torch' landings. F/L Crawford destroyed 5 enemy aircraft while serving with Nos. 412, 403, 432, 414 and 411 Squadron". In addition, he destroyed over 50 enemy motor vehicles and 3 locomotives.
FLYING OFFICER DAVID BLAKE DACK, of Calgary, Alberta, served with Nos. 128, 401, 411 and 416 Squadrons. It was while flying with No. 401 Squadron that he scored his 5 victories.
FLIGHT LIEUTENANT ROBERT MONROE DAVENPORT, D.F.C., of Arlington, Virginia, was another of the hundreds of Americans who served with distinction in the RCAF. F/L Davenport displayed a high degree of skill, courage and determination in his attacks on the enemy by destroying 5 1/5 enemy aircraft and damaging one other while flying with No. 401 Squadron. He also participated in attacks on road transport and put out of action some 60 mechanical vehicles.
GROUP CAPTAIN ROBERT TREMAGNE DAVIDSON, D.F.C., C.D., of Vancouver, B.C., has the rare distinction of being the only Canadian to shoot down aircraft of all three Axis powers during World War II. He enlisted in the RAF as a pupil pilot in 1937, and flew four tours of operations during the war in Egypt, Greece, Crete, Lybia, Ceylon, France and North-West Europe. His first victim was an Italian CANT 506B seaplane which he shot down in Greece in November of 1940.
With the Japanese advance in Asia, his squadron, No. 30 (RAF), was sent to Ceylon and based at Colombo. On 4 April 1942, Jap naval aircraft attacked the port and in the ensuing bitter air battles that day David- son claimed a Zero and one bomber destroyed. A year later he took over as Wing Commander (Flying) in No. 143 (RCAF) Wing. On 8 May 1944, Davidson had to make a forced-landing in his Typhoon in enemy held territory. He joined the French Underground and for a few weeks was engaged in raiding guard posts, trapping German dispatch riders, cutting telephone lines, stealing arms, and blowing up bridges. Once while he was eating in a farm house a German soldier entered for a meal. The two dined together, and the 'Jerry' never realized that he was lunching with an RAF officer.
In 1947 the French government decorated him with the Croix de Guerre. His final tally of enemy aircraft was 6 destroyed. Davidson eventually transferred to the RCAF and in 1952-53 was attached to the American 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing in Korea and had at least a half-dozen brushes with Mig-15's. For his services he was awarded the U.S.Air Medal.
G/C Davidson retired from the RCAF and is enjoying life as a 'country squire' on his farm outside of Ottawa, Ontario.
SQUADRON LEADER ROBERT WILLIAM ROUVIERE DAY, D.F.C., of Victoria, B.C., served with several squadrons - Nos. 416, 402, 421, 81 and 67 Squadrons. While flying with No. 67 Squadron on the Arakan front in Burma, he became the only RCAF pilot to shoot down 5 Japanese aircraft.
S/L Day was a determined and resolute fighter which he displayed one day in January of 1945. He was the leader of a section of four aircraft in an engagement against six Jap machines. Five of the "Sons of Nippon" were dispatched earthward, two of them credited to F/L Day.
SQUADRON LEADER WILBERT GEORGE DODD, D.F.C., of Rennie, Manitoba, while serving with Nos. 54,185 and 402 Squadrons accounted for 5 7/12 aircraft destroyed, one probable, and damaged 2 others. S/L Dodd during a patrol spotted ten airmen adrift on the sea and was instrumental in their being rescued.
SQUADRON LEADER HARRY JAMES DOWDING, D.F.C. and Bar, of Sarnia, Ontario, had a score of 6' destroyed and damage to 3 others while serving with Nos. 403 and 442 Squadrons. In addition, he put several mechanical vehicles out of action while carrying out low-level strafing attacks.
PILOT OFFICER WILLIAM WATSON DOWNER, D.F.C., of Wyebridge, Ontario, destroyed 5 enemy aircraft and damaged one other while flying with No. 93 Squadron. He flew with this squadron throughout the Italian campaign. In his first combat mission over the Anzio Beachhead he destroyed three enemy aircraft in one week.