Bill Hillman Presents
F.L.A.S.H.
Forces: Land ~ Air ~ Sea ~ Home
A MILITARY TRIBUTE WEBZINE . . . AS YOU WERE . . .
www.hillmanweb.com/flash
Compiled by Bill Hillman
FLASH. . . Editor and Webmaster: Bill Hillman: hillmans@wcgwave.ca

www.hillmanweb.com/rcaf/mag


MAY 2001 EDITION

HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX MK III
Range ---------------------------- 1,985 miles
Bomb Load ---------------------  13,000 lbs
(10,000 in fuselage, 3000 wing mounts)
4 Hercules XV1 Engines: 1,675 hp ea
Max Speed -----------------------282 mph
Total Built to 1946 --------------6,176
Missions Flown -------------------75,000+


Branch Reports

Northern Saskatchewan

On Monday, April 16, 2001 the S'toon Ex. Air Gunners & W.A.G.s met with 19 in attendance.  The Lynx Wing RCAF Ass'n catered the lunch.  We again welcomed Joe Gagne, ex Bomb Aimer with 428 Sqdn, and accepted him as a member of the group.

We reviewed how, now that we are on the Internet, it's up to the Air Gunners and W.A.G. groups to participate to ensure the success of the program which is the successor to SHORT BURSTS.  Jack Scarfe suggested that we have someone from DVA speak to our group to bring us up to date about DVA programs & activities.  Hopefully this will take place at the May meeting which will be held on the 4th Monday at noon at the Lynx Wing on Ave C North.

149 Sqdn RAF Bomber Command at Mildenhall in mid 1941 occasionally had to contend with German nite-intruders; they would frequent the area and zoom in and shoot down returning bombers.  Robson reported he will be attending the RAF Mildenhall reunion on May 18-20, 2001 which is held at RAF Mildenhall, U.K.

~ C. A. "Smokey" Robson

Southern Ontario Chapter

Our Ontario 'Chapter' (why do we call it a Chapter?) of the Air Gunners  Association has about 60 members and our meetings usually have about 20 regular members present.

Sickness, transportation, etc. may account for some members not being present. . . hey! . . . we are all getting older!  (but we are rich in spirit, notably in that most members still want copies of the minutes!)

We discuss various items, especially our FN turret which will be on display at the Downsview Air Show on May 5-6-7.

The turret may also be viewed at the Collingwood Air Show during the summer.

Those involved in the turret display (apart from many volunteers!)  are Bill Cole (428 Sqdn) Fred Vincent (189 Sqdrn) and Jack Willis (100-405 Sqdrns)

Then ...courtesy of the Bluffers Park Yacht Club we partake in an annual sail. (This year on June 15th . . . no hamburgers this year - steak!)

Lake Ontario can get pretty rough . . . no Mae Wests . . . but life jackets!

Ross Ellis (159 Sqdrn) is i/c entertainment. He is dedicated. Last year it was theatre to see The Ink Spots (they are still around?)

Next is Camelot at the North York Library Theatre. . . Chinese food prior to the show!

And . . . here, a message from our President, Ken Hill (425 Sqdrn):

From all our members in the Southern Ontario Chapter . . . we wish to thank all the people responsible for their efforts in the making it possible for us to receive the Short Bursts. It has been a publication we have all enjoyed and look forward to receiving. It has really been the thread that has kept us together.

Keep up the good work fellas!
Our sincere thanks,
Ken Hill - President

Bill Cockburn (15 Sqdrn)

RETURN FIRE

Phil Dubois

You asked me what I thought of the article on the Halifax IV.  I have very mixed feelings as to the validity of this aircraft such as: Why did it take so many years for the existence of this aircraft to come to light?  Ultra was taken off the secret list a good many years ago. Surely it was more sensitive than an high performance a/c, that was spectacular at the time, but far outclassed by modern jets for many years.

Mr. Harry Thomas says he joined the RAF in 1940 and trained as a Flight Engineer in Canada  To the best of my knowledge they didn't start training F/E's in Canada until late in the war.  Our F/E's were all remusters from ground crew, mostly Aero Engine Mechanics/Fitters.  Hampdens & Wellingtons did not carry F/Es.  Maybe he trained in Canada as another aircrew trade and was remustered.  Our crew trained on Wellingtons at 22 OTU, Wellesbourne in the spring of 1943  We were then transferred to HCU at Topcliff where we picked up our Flight Engineer and Mid Upper Gunner. We completed our tour of ops (not missions) flying Halifax Vs & IIIs on 427 Sqdn. Leeming, Yorks. and Halifax IIIs at Tholthorpe, Yorks.

Would not a brevet inscribed "FES" be questioned by anyone knowledgeable in aircrew trades?  Secrecy?

On the other side of the coin, I have flown in Halifax MKs 1, II, V & IIIs and have always wondered why I had never heard of the Mark IV? This leaves room for speculation. Our W/Op was RAF. He was quite a character.  Our Canadian W/Ops wore the WAG brevet.  The RAF W/Ops just wore the AG with the sparks on their right sleeve when they were NCOs.  When commissioned they dropped the sparks and just wore the AG brevet. As all their time was occupied manning their radio sets, the RAF designated another trade for them, namely Signals and a distinctive S brevet.  The first time he went on leave wearing his new S brevet, a sweet little old lady asked him what the S stood for?  His reply was that he was a "Stoker on a Steam Bomber."  She just smiled and said, Oh!    This is God's truth.  Our crew thought it was hilarious. I'm afraid poor old Jim Smith our former W/Op cannot confirm this for you.  He is still alive and living in his home town of London but is suffering from dementia.  He had a very successful career in business after the war.  Our F/E Clem Corbiell is in his eighties and still farming in Gleichen, AB.  I am sure he would recall this bit of wit from Smitty.  We are the last three surviving members of our crew.

Thanks again for the Short Bursts.  I will make copies of them and send them to Clem.  He will be interested in the Halifax IV.

~ All the best and to all fellow Ex Air Gunners, Phil

Letter from Ken Law

John:
Congratulations to all who had a hand in putting together the great "Short Bursts" web page - good show.

It may come under the heading of knit-picking but - to whom it may concern - something has been bothering me for lo-these many years, and if I don't mention it now - when? As one who labored in the turrets of Stirling a/c I cringe everytime I see the name with an "E" in it. The mighty Stirling was never mounted on a pedestal at sites around the globe or dredged from a lake in Scandinavia and carried half way around the world to be lovingly restored and put on display. But let us remember it was the first of the British four engine heavies and deserves to have its name spelled correctly. Its STIRLING with two "I"s.

                                                                   In fellowship
                                                                   Ken Law #0422  218 Squadron.

Ed: My error Ken. This is the second time an ex-Stirling AG has taken me to task. When Doreene and I published the Short Bursts COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE,  a collection of ten years Short Bursts articles in 1994, an Ex-Stirling member pointed out that in the 190 page book there was no mention of his favorite a/c, the Stirling. The reason being that no members wrote in telling about their experiences on this aircraft. It is not too late to hear from you Stirling AGs. What can I say Ken, "the Stirling was truly a sterling machine."
Time for a plug: There are still copies of the COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE if anybody is interested. They can be obtained from your Editor or the CATP Air Museum in Brandon.
 
 

Short Stirling 1940
                   Short Stirling ready for delivery late in 1940


RECALLING FALLEN COMRADES
By Maurice Shnider

Bournemouth is a beautiful resort city on the South coast of England. With its favorable climate and dozens of hotels it was the ideal location for #3 Personnel Reception Center of the RCAF during the Second World War. The beaches and cliffs overlook the English Channel and, even on bright days, the horizon is usually obscured by a haze. On occasion a fearful sight emerged from that haze; the so-called tip-and-run raiders of the Lufftwaffe.

At times these were ME10-9 fighter bombers, but the favorite attacker was the Focke-Wulf 190. They operated out of a number of airfields in the vicinity of Cherbourg and Caen. The pay-load was a 500 kilogram bomb carried under the fuselage. Their objective was to hit the railway, stations or gas depots, but other inviting targets were the hotels of the Bournemouth and Torquay where the German Command knew the Canadian Airmen were billeted.

For the most part they were young, recently graduated officers and NCOs awaiting posting to operational Training Units or active Squadrons. The time usually chosen for an attack was lunch time or tea time when most everyone was eating or relaxing.

On May 23, 1943, the peacefulness of a beautiful Sunday morning was abruptly shattered when 22 German aircraft, led by Leutnant Leopold Wenger, conducted their most audacious raid on Bournemouth. The Kingsway Hotel, the Congressional Church and Beales Department Store sustained significant bomb damage, but at the Landsdowne Circle the Metropole Hotel was virtually destroyed when it took a direct hit.

Casualties were high. Among the 128 killed that day were 51 service men. Members of the RCAF  are recorded in Les Allison’s Memorial book They Shall Grow Not Old and they include two Manitobans, Sgt. David Rainnie Chalmers, age 38, from Rosewood, and 21 year old Flight Sgt. Air Gunner William Geoffrey Abbott from Winnipeg.

ANNIVERSARY

My wife, Renee, and I visited Bournemouth this past May (2000)  and I had the opportunity to read the Anniversary copy of the Bournemouth Echo. It contained a picture of Rhonda Taylor, the wife of Renee’s nephew Leon. At the time of the raid, Rhonda was a pretty seven-year-old girl who narrowly missed death when she and her sister answered their mother’s call to lunch as they were playing in the garden behind her uncle’s tobacco shop on the Landsdowne

Leon agreed to drive me to the Bournemouth Echo building where I could start my research on the Canadian casualties. I identified myself to a attractive young receptionist, but if I expected  any assistance in what might prove to be a special human interest story, then I was sadly disappointed. Rather than direct me to the reporter who had written the Anniversary article, she suggested that I might find the desired information at the Bournemouth Library. I silently wondered whether she had heard of the Second World War and if she had, did she know that the streets of Bournemouth were once alive with young Canadian aircrew proudly sporting their recently acquired wings that identified them as Pilots, Observers, Navigators, Bomb aimers or Wireless Air Gunners, Air Gunners, and Flight Engineers?  Did she know that thousands of them made the supreme sacrifice in the defense of her country and that many were buried right here in Bournemouth?

Leon then drove me to Charminister Cemetery where an obliging member of the Legion directed us to the military section known as the North Cemetery. The grounds were immaculately maintained and there were spring flowers at each grave site.


Spitfire Mk.V (fore) and Spitfire Mk IIA

I recorded the names of all  the 21 Canadians, three of whom were fighter pilots killed in training accidents, and three in an earlier tip-and-run raid when an ME 109 fighter bomber hit the Anglo-Swiss hotel on June 6, 1942.

Among those killed were 21-year-old Pilot Officer Russell Norman Bailey, a Wireless Operator Air Gunner from Winnipeg, and Pilot Officer Jacob Alexander Epp, a 25-year-old Wireless Operator Air Gunner from Manitou.

As a matter of interest, that Messerchmidt was pursued towards France by two RAF Spitfires and shot down over the Channel. I discovered that Christopher Gloss, an aviation writer and historian who lives outside of London, is completing a book on the tip-and-run raids over Southern England.

Shortly after my return to Canada, I left a phone message on his line and I was pleasantly surprised when he called back within the hour. I had a delightful chat with him and I can't wait to obtain his book.

In the process of researching his book, Mr. Goss had corresponded with Lieutenant Wenger’s brother in Austria. He obtained a picture of a hotel on the East Overcliff Drive taken from the cockpit of the Focke-Wulf 190 as it swooped in from the Channel at roof-top level. This hotel was later identified as the Cumberland, which is only two doors away from the Cottonwood where I was first billeted in January 1943.

As a footnote Mr. Goss learned that the enemy pilot was awarded the Knight’s Cross for bravery in January 1945 and was killed three months later when his aircraft was shot down by the Russians.

*Maurice Shnider, a longtime Wartime Pilots & Observers Association Member, is a Winnipeg family physician. He was a Navigator during WWII in the RCAF, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after completing a tour of operational flying in the Far East on Catalinas.

** The Bournemouth Echo wrote Dr. Shnider later to apologize for its behavior.

***This article first appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press, November 10th, 2000.

Messerschmitt 109E fighter
Messerschmitt 109E fighter. Color scheme of the Battle of Britain period

John Moyles

Bournemouth, the place where the young Canadian "Colonial" aircrew were introduced to England, was an Island fighting for its very existence. This was where we learned the British pound shillings and pence, became familiar with the Inns and Pubs which were a far cry from the 'men only' beer parlors of Saskatchewan. From the vantage point on the Southern Coast we watched the bombers returning from raids on the continent, first the main stream, then the stragglers with engines feathered, trailing smoke. It was a time for enjoying the British countryside but all the while being very conscious of what lay ahead. And, of course, there were the tip-and-run raids.

The Reception Center was quite crowded and our ablutions consisted, in part, of a long wooden trough with cold water taps and a wash basin hanging on a nail over each tap. On one tip-and-run raid a German pilot strafed the ablutions. When he got home he could have painted three wash basins below his cockpit as three basins had been punctured. We thought the administration would replace them, but no, with typical RAF frugality, the basins were put back into active service, the holes plugged with bits of rag!

Most aircrew went through Bournemouth Reception Center. Send your memories of this posting to the Editor for inclusion in Ex-AG Web Pages.


Fred Heathfield

I have just returned from a Branch Meeting of the RAF Ex-Prisoner of War Association and we had circulated copies of your Articles on the Halifax IV.   I tried to get on of our Flight Engineer members, Phil  Bates,  to recall an article he wrote in our Stalag  IV-B POW camp wallsheet on "The Soap Bubble Engine," which would have made an excellent Spitfire engine to rival the much heavier coal fired steam  engine on the Hali IV.

As a pilot, I was not supposed to know anything about engines, but it seemed a reasonable proposition to me, water and soap flakes being much cheaper than petrol, and I seemed to remember that in school science lessons we had  been told of the great surface tension in the soap bubble. Ignition was done by pricking the bubble with a needle. The designer recommended "LUX" [a famous prewar washing soap powder]. I think Phil's article finished with the report that the engine was tested in a Spitfire frame at Swanton Morley, but the water injection pressure was set too high, and the engine swamped itself in soap bubbles half-way down the runway.

On a slightly more serious note -- at Abingdon OTU in the early spring of 1942 we experimented flying with only one pilot; previously Whitley's had two pilots and the second  pilot acted as Bomb aimer. We had two wireless operators, one of whom manned the front turret. ALL our wireless operators posted in to the course were Canadians and they were submitted to a Morse and radio test. The upper half of the resultant list were designated as Wireless operators. The lower half were told they would become BOMB AIMERS [never heard of before] and this caused a riot. THEN they were told the Bomb-aimers would be paid the higher rate of pay as Pilots and Navigators. Another riot. The best W/Ops remained on the lower pay and those who had not done so well were rewarded.  I don't know who sorted all that out. The new Bomb Aimers  had to be taught bombing and the pilots had to  teach them the setting up of the Mk 9 bomb sight in groups round bombing tables. Two brothers  {twins?}  became B/A and W/op and wondered if they could fly in the same crew, but my fading memory cannot recall their names. I had a Canadian rear gunner at OTU, Bert Bradley, but unfortunately I did not record his number and address. I lost touch with him after a "Take-Off "crash when our port engine caught fire as we lifted of from Abingdon to fly to St Eval on 1st August,1942. I landed outside the airfield and we all got out, but the W/op and Nav and myself were burnt and the crew were split up. The only other fact I can recall about Bert was that he was a keen horse-man and had enlisted in a Cavalry Regiment. When he found he would not be going to war on horse-back, he transferred to the RCAF.

I wonder if he is still alive and remembers Fred Heathfield?

Best wishes to all Canadian friends and success to your excellent website.
Fred Heathfield.


Ted Hackett

Greetings John.
I was in the Museum site (Edmonton) the other day, very interesting, and the description of the Bolingbroke prompted me to write. There are what I consider some inaccuracies in that description.  I thought I would put to paper my opinion, maybe our members will find it interestisng, so here goes.

The Bristol Bolingbroke

Mention the name Bolingbroke and someone will say, "oh yes, that's the Canadian built version of the Blenheim Mk4". The imformation that I have to hand contradicts that statement.  Let me explain.

The Bristol Blenheim made its debut in 1936 and was selected by the RAF  for re-equipment of the rapidly expanding force. It set the pattern in light-bomber design which other nations were not slow to follow.  However, when the RAF went to war in 1939 it soon discovered that the Blenheim was not the redoubtable weapon it had supposed.  To make a rather long story short, several modifications were developed one of which, type 152, was to become the Beaufort.  The other was called the Bolingbroke.

One  early production Blenheim I (7072) was set aside in 1937 for conversioin as a prototype for the Bolingbroke.  The unusually short nose gave way to a lengthened structure which retained the contours of the Blenheim I, the whole windscreen and the bomb aimers window assembly being moved forward about 3 feet.  It was immediately realized that this was unsuitable from the pilots point of view and, therefore, the pilots windscreen was moved back to its original position. After a few more mods the aircraft  took on the appearance that is so familiar to us today, the forward hooding on the port side was "scalloped" to produce what was later to become the characteristic nose of the Bolingbroke / Blenheim.

In this form the Bolingbroke was adopted by the RCAF and negotiations commenced  regarding production of the aircraft in Canada.  Plans for producing the Bolingbroke in the UK were cancelled in favour of maintaining the supply of Blenheims for RAF squadrons.  The prototype Bolingbroke K7072 was shipped to Canada to assist in the production of the type by Fairchild Aircraft. The first batch of 18 aircraft were essentially replicas of K7072 with Mercury engines and were designated Bolingbroke MkI.  The standard Canadian version was the Bolingbroke MkIV and was redesigned for Canadian and US equipment.  One version was built  with Wright-Cyclone engines  and 15 were delivered with Pratt & Whitney twin wasp engines.  One  version, a mark III , was equipped with floats.

In 1938 interest by the Air Ministry in the Bolingbroke was revived and it was decided to put a generally similiar aircraft in production  until the Beaufort became available.  The type number 149 was retained but the aircraft  was designated BLENHEIM IV, it differed from the earlier version by having the stepped windscreen and lengthened nose introduced on  the Bolingbroke.

I would suggest that the above facts contradict the idea that the Bolingbroke is a Canadian version of the Blenheim MkIV. The reverse is obviously true.

The Bolingbroke went on to have a good career in Canada, it served as an operational aircraft on coastal patrols, took part in operations in the Aleution Islands,and served as a trainer at Bombing and Gunnery schools and as a drogue towing aircraft.  A great many gunners and WAGs trained on the "Boly".

There is a Blenheim flying in the UK that was built from parts of Bolingbrokes obtained from Canada.  One other Bolingbroke is being rebuilt in England and , when completed,  will be painted in training yellow and have RCAF markings.  The number of this aircraft is 9893, check your log book, maybe you flew in that aircraft.  The aircraft at No.10 B&G were all in the 10000 series. The aircraft 9893 was used for a time as a source of spares for the airworthy Blenheim. There is a photograph of it in a recent issue of "Flypast" magazine.

There you are John, I hope they can find room for this article in the next issue of "Shortbursts".  I hope to be able to supply you with some news about our branch before too long, we are still working on our summer programme and there is a chance that we will be changing the location of our meetings. I made copies of the March and April isssues and willdistribute them to our members at lunch tomorrow, if there is enough interest I shall do it with every issue.

Cheers, Ted


BLENHEIM MK I
BLENHEIM MK I, pictured late in 1938,  first fast monoplane light bomber used by the RAF
 
 


BLENHEIM IV in service in 1942, fitted with a 'chin' turret, a late modification

________________________________________________________________________________

TED HACKETT

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan:
Presentation of Commemorative Pennant

On April 01, 2001 a ceremony was held at the Alberta Aviation Museum to commemorate the founding of the BCATP.  The event was attended by a large crowd including members of the Ex-Air Gunners Association, the Wartime Aircrew Association, and the Prisoner of War Association.  Also in attendance were representatives of the Government of Canada, the Government of the Province of Alberta and the City of Edmonton.  The highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of a pennant honouring the 60th anniversary of the BCATP by Lois Hole, Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Alberta, to the Alberta Aviation Museum and the Edmonton Aviation Heritage Centre.  The pennant was received by Doug Matheson, DFC and Cal Bricker, DFC two graduates of the plan who went on to fly Spitfires during the war.

The plan graduated 131,553 aircrew, 72,835 Canadians, 42,110 from Britain, including other nationalities serving with the RAF, 9,606 Australians, and 7,002 from New Zealand.  At the completion of the ceremony the guests were invited to tour the museum and view the various aircraft including a rebuilt DeHavilland Mosquito.  Some of the aircraft on display include an F86 Mk6, a Cf100, a CF101 Voodoo, A Harvard, A T33 and a Vampire.  The museum restoration staff are presently restoring  an Avro Anson.

75th. Anniversary of Blatchford Field - Edmonton City Centre Airport

On June 17, 2001 Blatchford Field will celebrate its 75 birthday.  Canadas first municipal airport came into existence in 1926, and has a history of pioneer aviators delivering mail and supplies to the north country.  C.H. "Punch" Dickens. W.R."Wop" May, Leigh Brintell, Grant McConachie, Matt Berry and Walter Gilbert made their names as flying pioneers, they were the famous "Bush Pilots. Edmonton became a vibrant centre of of aviation and earned its nickname as "Gateway to the North".

The airport hosted the first Canadian air show with 60 pilots participating.  Edmonton and its airport were an important part of the  BCATP and Canadas war effort.  It was the location of No,.2 Air Observers School, with "Wop" May as its general manager. On a September day in 1943, 865 aircraft went through Blatchford Field in a 24 hour period, that same year a world record of 82,500 take-offs and landings was set.  The airport was also used by the USAAF as a staging post in the transit of aircraft to  Alaska and the USSR.

The celebrations will be held at the Alberta Aviation Museum  at the Edmonton City Centre Airport. There will be a celebration of the anniversary of the airport and special attention will be paid to individuals who contributed so much in the past  and who are currently involved in the success of  the City Centre Airport.  Special guests will be the pilots and crews from CFB Cold Lake who are participating in the Maple Flag exercise.



Just back from France, but ready for more, are
Sgt. C.L. Brown (Member #849) giving a light to Sgt. F.E. McNally.
Brown was the rear gunner and McNally the Mid-Upper gunner with 429 (Bison) Sqdrn. RCAF
flying Halifaxes out of Leeming, York.  July 12, 1944.

________________________________________________________________________________

JUST JANE

TEARING OFF A STRIP
by the late Bill Hooper  TEE EMM.

Stolen from TAILWIND,
Aircrew Association of Western Nova Scotia Newsletter

Britain’s best known pin-up girl will be back in Lincolnshire on Saturday to see an historic bomber which has been named after her. Jane Leighton-Porter – who was the model for the Daily Mirror’s famous wartime Jane cartoon series, will be at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirby, near Spilsby, helping to launch a new book on the Lancaster bomber. During the war a 57 Squadron Lancaster based at East Kirkby was named Just Jane and flew on operations with a Jane cartoon painted on its fuselage.The aviation centre is currently restoring a wartime Lancaster and has painted the aircraft the colours of Just Jane of 57 Squadron, complete with cartoon.

Jane, who was travelling from her home in Horsham, West Sussex, for the occasion, said, “I’m looking forward to it. I have happy memories of appearing in the theatres in Grimsby and Lincoln during my showbiz days with the Grade Brothers.” She told the evening telegraph: “It is nice to think that there was a Lancaster named after me in the war and even nicer that one of the few to survive is called Just Jane.” She remembers vividly her first visit to Grimsby to play the Palace Theatre in her own show, Jane of the Daily Mirror. “The place was packed to the rafters. It always was when we played in towns full of service men.

After the show, she presented prizes to the local air cadets and still has a photograph and cuttings of the event among her souvenirs. Jane and husband Arthur have a son, Simon, now a Squadron Leader in the R.A.F., who did part of his training at nearby Coningsby. Although now in her 70’s, she has been very busy with personal appearances during the VE-Day celebrations because of her fame as a wartime morale-booster

Note: two brothers, Fred and Harold Panton, farmers, who purchased the aircraft in memory of their brother who died on Ops on a Halifax have been responsible for the aircraft .sitting in its own hangar, the four Merlins have been overhauled, permitting day and night time taxy-rides at sixty quid per ride to repay for the Merlin’s overhaul.,



DECEASED
BELL, R. 'Dick', MBR. #1204, OF EDMONTON, AB:  Suddenly, on March 17, 2001.  Enlisted 1943 with Manning dept at No. 3 in Edmonton.  Graduated from #3 B&G MacDonald, MB.  Trained at No. 82 OTU, Ossington and #1659 HCU at Topcliffe.  Operations with 434 'Bluenose' Squadron RCAF at Tholthorpe, Yorks.


From Your Editor
The Halifax picture in this Issue is a photo of a water-color painted by Member Ray Stoy. We will be featuring  one of Rays paintings each month. If you would like to obtain one of Ray's paintings/prints, contact him at the following address. Ray will also do special orders, e.g. type of aircraft and markings as requested.


Ray Stoy,
7728 U.S. Loop,
Bradenton, FL. 34202
USA    Ph - (941)907-6077
Email - rpstoy@juno.com

Thank you Ray, for sharing your talent with us

To make this Web Page a success we need  material from Members so the Page can be up-dated each month. We need Branch reports as well as memories. Send pictures and copy to John Moyles - address and Email is on this page.

Until June, keep well.  Cheers,  John Moyles


2001.05
Regional Meetings


Southern Ontario Chapter
Royal Canadian Legion
Wilson Branch 527
948 Sheppard Avenue West
Downsview,Ontario
We meet the first Wednesday of each month at the Legion hall 1:00 pm. 
No meetings July, August, September.
Contact persons: 
Ken Hill  ~  President ~  905.789.1912
Bill Cockburn  ~  Secretary ~  416.492.1024
Email:  piperbill@home.com

Winnipeg
Location - Royal Canadian Legion Br.#4 St. James Legion.
Date - Second Thursday of each month.
Time - Luncheon meeting (provide your own lunch).
Contact Member - Charlie Yule Ph. (204) 254-6264.


Northern Saskatchewan
Location - Lynx Wing Ave. C North, Saskatoon.
Date - Third Monday of the month.
Time - Luncheon meetings.
Contact Member - C.A. "Smokey" Robson  Ph. (306) 374-0547.


Northern Alberta Branch
Location - Jasper Place Legion , 10220 - 156 St. Edmonton.
Date -  Third Tuesday of each month.
Time - 12:00 hours.
Contact Members - E. H. "Ted" Hackett (780)962-2904 
or Sven Jensen (780)465-7344.


Southern Alberta
Location - Royal Canadian Legion  #264 
Kensington, Calgary
Date: Second Monday of each month.
Time - 11:30 hours.
Contact Member: Dave Biggs Ph: (403)236-7895
or Doug Penny Ph: (403)242-7048.
Note: 
October meeting time moved to third Monday. 
Also there are no meetings in July and August, 
however, a Barbecue is usually held  at Larry Robinson's ranch in Okatoks during that time.


British Columbia Branch
We meet on the first Tuesday in 
March, June, September, and December at 11:30 am. 
There will also be special events and meetings throughout the year. 
Our mailing address and meeting place is:
Royal Canadian Legion #83, 
5289 Grimmer St., 
Burnaby, BC. V5H 2H3
Contact Members are - Stan Sullivan (604)277-5641 
and Rod MacDougall (604)515-4280 
rdmacdougall@pacificcoast.net

Members across the Country are encouraged to 
send current information regarding 
regular meeting places, dates, and Contact Members, to
John Moyles
Box 6 
Kenosee Lake 
SK   S0C 2S0 



Members are requested to send their experiences, articles, anecdotes, pictures, etc., to John Moyles and I will forward them to our Web Master in Brandon. Articles and Last Post items will be deleted from the page each month after the designated Member in each region has had an opportunity to copy the material for their Members. Notices of deceased Members are to be sent to Charlie Yule who is still our 'Keeper of the Rolls'. This is your SHORT BURSTS with no printing or mailing costs, and no deadlines! 

We thank our Web Master, Bill Hillman, for his volunteer time and expertise.
 

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