[PatBC]

My Grandfather was born 11th April 1911 in Sheffield England. While still young age 11 he with his parents and brother moved to Canada in 1922.

In 1931 he join the non--permanent active Militia. He was trained as motorcycle dispatch rider. At some point he was released from the Militia date and reason is unknown but it was before 1936.

In Oct 1939 he left his job with the Canadian Pacific Telegraph whom he had worked for since 1927 and volunteered to join the RCAF.

His hobby before joining was designing, building and flying model aircraft. He wanted to be an aircraft mechanic and was accepted as one.

Because of his maturity and technical ability he was a Flight Sergent 19 months after enlisting. He was posted to Rockcliffe in Ottawa after his training, serving with 118(F) sqn. When the 118(F) squadron moved to Dartmouth NS in 1941 he was posted along as well.

While in Dartmouth NS he was also task to load Hurricanes on CAMs (Catapult Aircraft Merchantman). The orders were that this at night with no lights to prevent any enemy agents to know what was going on. The time he carried this out it had to be done on a Saturday night. His crew was unhappy Saturday nights the bars were pretty lively over in Halifax across the harbour. The Hurricane was carefully loaded on a barge and taken in Bedford basin past the Halifax water front were sounds of the parties came from. Once in Bedford Basin the plane was hoist up on the CAM. By dawn the Hurricane was sitting on the catapult ready for launch hidden under tarps from any prying eyes. The airmen have arrived back across the harbour in Dartmouth were dismissed but the partying would be over so they would head to bed.

On Sundays the workday at the time did not start till after church service so Sunday morning were the only time that the harbour and the basin was quiet. My grandfather awoke in Sunday mid-morning to the roar of a merlin engine. The assigned pilot having got his beauty rest the night before decided he would go out the CAM and make sure the Hurricane was working. That quiet Sunday morning, everybody in both cities and along shoreline knew about the secret weapon to be used against the German Condors following convoys in the Atlantic.

In late 1941 he was posted to back to Rockcliffe where he was a tech instructor. He was also instructor in Toronto from 1943.

In Oct 1944 he was finally sent overseas. As a Flt Sgt and Master Mechanic ("A" group) he incharge of the ground crew in 425 sqn that was maintaining the Halifax's and latter Lancasters.

In June 1945 he volunteered for the Pacific as part of the Tiger Force. He was granted 30 days leave in Canada before he was to be shipped out. His 30 days leave ended on 7 August 1945. Two days later he was still in Canada. On the 6 Sept 1945 he was released.