Clifford Arthur Stevenson "Shorty" Anderson

use switches Fighter Pilots Air Gunners Navs./ R/Os Other Aircrew Gallery Misc.

use switches HOME Sitemap Slang Thanks/ Sources About Us Links

--------------------------------------------------

“Hot” Pilot Got Callup After Years in RCAF

24 Feb 1944 - S/L Cliff Anderson, the Toronto Mosquito pilot who shot down two German bombers attacking London Tuesday night, received his notice to report for an army medical two years after he had arrived overseas.
At that time he had already flown Spitfires, Defiants and Beaufighters in risky intruder night patrols over France and R.A.F. bomber convoys was just beginning to fly in a new secret plane - the Mosquito. His mother, Mrs. Arthur S. Anderson, 15 Chambers Ave., is tolerant of the National Selective Service, "They can't help those things you know," she said in a husky Scot burr. "We just didn't answer the letter."

Has "Cat's Eyes"
His "cat's eyes," his mother calls them, were discovered shortly after he arrived overseas in September, 1941, fresh from Dunnville with a brand-new pair of wings and a commission. He was given night fighter training immediately, and that's the sort of work he's been doing ever since.
Mrs. Anderson takes credit for her son's excellent night vision.
"His eyes are light blue, like my side of the family. When he visited my relatives in Dundee they all remarked on it," she said proudly. "Of course, though, he ate a lot of carrots when he was young." The Andersons had a canny way of communicating the information that he was flying the new Mosquitos. About a year ago, letter after letter from Cliff begged for news about the mosquitos around the cottage. "Are they bad this year?" he asked. His parents got it.
"He's been wanting to get a Jerry for a long time. Every letter he puts a note on the bottom, "I wish I could get my first Jerry." Well, now he's got his first and second," his mother mused. "I can't imagine him shooting any one down though. He was always so quiet at home."
Educated at General Mercer Public School and Oakwood Collegiate, the 25-year-old known as Shorty in his squadron, was a clerk in Loblaw's before he enlisted in November 1940. A younger brother, Douglas, 19, is attending the university and taking naval training.

--------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------

DAMAGED PLANE REACHES TARGET
Hamilton Flyer Tells of Attack in Weekly Summary Issued By RCAF

Ottawa, Feb. 26, 1944 —(CP)— Severely damaged during 11 attacks by enemy night fighters, an R.C.A.F. Halifax bomber continued to its target of Leipzig, bombed it and then returned to base to provide the highlight of last week's bomber activity, the R.C.A.F. reported today, in it’s weekly summary of operations.

Lost Tall Fin
The big aircraft, piloted by F/O Bill Blake, of Hamilton, and a member of the Canadian bomber group's Ghost squadron, suffered loss of its starboard tail fin and the port undercarriage and several of the inter communications and oxygen lines.
“I never saw so many fighters,” said Blake later. “The sky seemed to be full of them.”
While the Bombers were adding to their laurels, the Canadian fighter pilots too were busy making history.
S/L C. A. Anderson, of Toronto, a former Sunday school teacher who never before had bagged a plane, got two hi-speed German bombers, a Junkers 88 and a Junkers 188, in 20 minutes last Tuesday night while the Germans were bombing London.
From his night-fighter Mosquito, Anderson sent the JU-88 flaming into the sea and watched the 188 explode after crashing on the ground.
S/L Anderson’s navigator on this trip was P/O George Bodard of Mannville Alberta.
Two Messerschmitt 410's returning from a previous raid on London, ran afoul of a Canadian night fighter Mosquito over their base near Juvincourt, northern France, and were shot down. The Mosquito was piloted by F/L Bob Kipp, of Kamloops, B.C. and its navigator was F/O Peter s Huletsky of Montreal.
The trip was the 13th together for the pair. Their leave was supposed to start two hours before they took off but they decided to get the 13th trip over with and not have it to look forward to at the end of their furlough.
Canadians in Coastal Command also were busy and Monday night Albacore dive-bombers of an RCAF squadron attacked and damaged two enemy E-boats in the English Channel.

News of Activity
From Italy came news of activity by the "City of Windsor" squadron. Monday four of its Spitfires tackled a vastly-superior enemy force over the Anzio beachhead, compelling the Germans to flee. F/L Hedley Everard of Timmins, Ont., is believed to have brought down a Messerschmitt 109.
WO Tom Bradshaw, of Edmonton, pilot of an RAF Wellington bomber, was, bringing his aircraft home from a bombing at Anzio when icing caused an engine to go dead and the aircraft went into a violent spiral. Bradshaw ordered his crew to jump but he stuck to his plane. Five hundred feet from the ground he conquered the spiral and flew safely back to base.
Heavy R.C.A.F. bombers were out on "ops" three nights. Lancasters and Halifaxes helped attack Leipzig and Stuttgart, and on a third operation, Halifaxes laid mines in enemy waters.
The squadrons which attacked the German industrial centers included several recently converted to Halifaxes from medium bombers, including the French-Canadian Alouette squadron, on operations for the first, time since returning from North Africa. Swarms of enemy fighters defended the way to and from Leipzig.
Spitfires operated on three days, providing support and cover for United States Army Air Force bombers in attacks on German targets and on enemy-held Europe.

--------------------------------------------------

ANDERSON, S/L Clifford Arthur Stevenson (J6956) - Mention in Despatches - No.410 Squadron
Award effective 14 June 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 1395/45 dated 31 August 1945.

--------------------------------------------------

Victories Include:

2 / 0 / 0

Navigator was F/O G.P.A. Bodard

--------------------------------------------------