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'We'll Win Again In Air,' Bishop Tells New Pilots
(By JOHN BASSETT JR.) (Staff Writer, The Globe and Mail.)
Camp Borden, May 23, 1940 — The same spirit that won supremacy of the skies for Canadian airmen during the last war and enabled them to smash the German Air Force, giving two blows for one, in the dark days of the spring of 1918, will again bring eventual victory to the Allies, Air Marshal William Avery Bishop, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C., Croix de Guerre, told a thousand officers and men of the Royal Canadian Air Force here today.
No. 1 Wing, Service Flying Training Service, of the Empire air training scheme, under the command of Wing Commander Frank S. McGill, marched a thousand strong under the keen eyes of the Air Marshal. Earlier he pinned the golden wings of the R.C.A.F. over the left breasts of twenty-seven fledglings from all parts of Canada, and two from England.
Stouter and twenty-five years older than the day he received his own wings, Air Marshal Bishop, with the same glinting blue eyes and power of character that blasted seventy-two German planes out of the skies over France a generation ago, bade the airmen of today to have courage. "The Allies will win this war, and win it in the air. But only after a desperate struggle which will call for a marshalling of all that is true and steadfast within us," he said.
Recalls the 100 Days
"The enemy has been able to strike with savage and brutal Force that has brought results momentarily favorable to him. But there is no reason to be in any way dismayed. In 1918 over the same ground the same enemy smashed with all his might, and was turned back. Then came the glorious 100 days when, with Canada always in the air, we drove him to his knees in surrender.
"I can remember those black days, how we used to worry about the outcome, and our leaders then bade us stand firm and give two blows for one. 'Keep your tails up,' we were told. The message is the same to you today. We will win this war and win it in the air."
The thousand men grouped informally, some sitting and some standing, had broken ranks at the Air Marshal's request, "because I want to speak informally to you." He spoke of the discipline of the Royal Canadian Air Force, which had built up great traditions in the past and was "building up an even greater tradition now, day by day. Every one of you, from the commanding officer to the cook, has a job to do. We are all serving the same cause, no matter what our rank."
Should Be "Justly Proud"
After inspection of the whole Wing, the twenty-nine officers who had earned their wings formed up at the head of the parade. Included in the group, which had representatives of Canadian cities from Halifax to Vancouver, were two Englishmen, also Pilot Officer Provisional A. C. Hull, former B.S.M. at Royal Military College, and Pilot Officer Provisional A. R. McNaughton, son of the Commander-in-Chief of the First Division, Canadian Active Service Force.
Facing them and speaking in a quiet, earnest voice, Air Marshal Bishop said, "Although it is twenty-five years since my own wings were pinned over my left breast, I still know of nothing to make a man more justly proud than the earning of them. I know you will be proud of yours, and I wish you all the luck in the world as you help us through this dreadful struggle."
The ceremony over, the column of straight, blue-clad figures marched past the Air Marshal, who took the salute standing under the Royal Canadian Air Force flag.
Later the young officers roared their yellow bombers over the camp, while the greatest ace of the last war stood watching his eyes squinting in the sun.
Those who were presented with wings were: P/O/P V. M. Terry of Calgary; P/O R. J. Bennell of England; P/O C. C. W. Marshall of Kingston; P/O/p A. C. Hull of Vancouver; P/O/p R. C. Weston of Saint John; P/O/p G. F. McAvity of Saint John; P/O C. A. B. Wallace of Vancouver; P/O/p R. R. Livermore of Calgary; P/O W. D. Perris of Edmonton; P/O P. S. Walker of Nova Scotia; P/O/p A. G. Hobbs of Calgary; P/O H. A. Sprague of Port Nelson, P/O W. R. D. Turner of Winnipeg; P/O F. S. Watson of Fort William; P/O/p H. M. Rowlings of Halifax; P/O/p G. A. Folkins of Calgary; P/O J. V. McColl of Waterdown, Out.; P/O G. A. Roy of Montreal; P/O R. C. Fumerton of Fort Coulonge, Que.; P/O/p C. H. Wilkinson of Calgary; P/O G. J. Elliot of Winnipeg; P/O/p C. W. J. Fernie of Vancouver; P/O C. K. Card of Saskatchewan; P/O D. L. G. Jones of Dalhousie, N.B.; P/O/p O. B. Pulsifer of Halifax; P/O L. E. Logan of Ottawa; P/O/p A. R. McNaughton of Ottawa; P/O C. M. Humphrys of Southampton, England and P/O A. G. Spurr of Nova Scotia.
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Born 7 April 1918 in Vancouver B.C.
Son of William Hobbs Fernie & Morach Christina MacGillivray
(Nee).
Father abandoned them when he was very young.
Cadet Corp. 72nd Seaforth Highlanders, Sept. 1932 to June 1936.
RCNRC (Halifax) Summers, 1937 & 1938.
Known as Campbell MacGillivray Fernie (at RMC).
With the RMC from Sept. 1936 to 14 Oct. 1939 (Wartime Diploma)
(Transferred [on paper] to the RCAF, June 1939, #C1167).
EFTS, , 2 February 1940 to 25 March 1940.
SFTS, , 25 March 1940 to 20 May 1940 & winged.
Advanced Flying Training, 20 May 1940 to 13 July 1940, promoted to F/O.
Flying Instructor's Course, CFS, Trenton, 12 August to 23 Sept. 1940.
Approved to marry Beverly Cosh (sister of Digby) 17 Sept. 1940)
Flying Instructor's Course, Camp Borden (Recategorized).
Promoted to F/L, 15 November 1941.
Embarked Canada 12 December 1941.
Arrived in the UK, 1 January 1942.
To No.3 PRC, 2 January 1942.
No.57 OTU, 24 February to 9 June 1942 (class #32)
(Rated
"Above Average" for everything except Aerobatics &
Dog
Fighting (Exceptional) & Air Firing (Average).
Posted to 41 Squadron, 9 June 1942.
Posted to 111 Squadron, 9 July 1942.
MIA 25 July 1942, at approximately 0600 hours, 111 Squadron, Spitfire
WE3603. Last seen floating in his dinghy approx. 5 m. W of Ostend.
His watch showed up in a German prisoner's possession but no
explanation for that has ever been given.
Officially, he was never seen again and he has no known grave.
His name is on the Runnymede War Memorial. |
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Air Force Casualties
Ottawa, July 29, 1942 - (CP) - The Royal Canadian Air Force, in its 329th casualty list of the war, today reported five men killed on active service overseas and eleven missing after overseas air operations.
The overseas section of the list also reported one man seriously ill. Seven men were listed as killed on active service in Canada, one as drowned accidentally in Canada and two men and a woman as seriously ill in Canada.
Following is the latest list of casualties with next-of-kin:
FERNIE, Campbell William James, Flight Lieutenant, missing after air operations overseas. Mrs. M.C. Fernie (mother), Vancouver.
REID, Donald George, Flight Sergeant, missing after air operations overseas. M.J. Reid (brother), Windsor.
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Air Force Casualties
Ottawa, April 14, 1943 - (CP) – In it’s 549th casualty list of the war, containing 19 names, the RCAF tonight named three men as killed on active service overseas and 10 missing on active service after overseas air operations. Following is the latest list with next of kin:
FERNIE, Campbell William James, F/L, previously reported missing on active service overseas, now, for official purposes, presumed dead. Mrs. M. C. Fernie (mother), Vancouver.
SMITH, Jerrold Alpine, P/O, previously reported missing on active service overseas, now, for official purposes, presumed dead. D. A. Smith (father), Regina.
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No Known Victories
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Butch & Beverley Cosh, Digby Cosh's sister
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