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Anzacs, Canucks, Yanks Given Wings at Borden
(By C. W. MacQUEEN, Staff Writer, The Globe and Mail) Camp Borden, Feb. 11, 1941 — Two sets of wings were presented here tonight to members of a graduating class from the Advanced Air Training School, which, instructors said, was the best class to receive wings at the R.C.A.F. station. The class was composed of Australians and Canadians, the former forming practically three-quarters of it.
The Australians were easily distinguished from their brother graduates of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan by their dark blue uniforms, which have no brass buttons or belt buckles. Their wings are almost as distinctive, being somewhat wider and shallower than those of the R.C.A.F. They bear the letters R.A.A.F. surrounded by a light blue wreath on a dark blue background. This was the second set of Australian graduates from the Empire Plan, the other class having received their wings in Regina.
The presentation was made by Squadron Leader W. E. Kennedy, acting Officer Commanding of the station, in the presence of a large number of other men of the station, and friends.
"You have reached the culmination of all your months of work," he told the men, "and Canada and her sister Dominion, Australia, are proud of you. I don't have to advise you to carry on as you have in the past. You have that idea instilled into you already. You have set a great record already and I am sure that you will maintain and add further luster to it. Those of us who are left behind will be with you in spirit and we wish you the best of luck."
Then each man was called forward from the large row that extended across the drill halt and after smartly saluting and having a congratulatory handshake, his prized wings were pinned on his breast.
The Australians were the first to receive their wings and they came from all parts of the Commonwealth, Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania. Included among them was a native of New Zealand.
An added feature of the ceremonia1 parade was the presentation of the O/C's Trophy to Flight Lieutenant Phillips, commander of No. 1 Day Maintenance Squadron, for the highest scoring section in the sports competition during January, the first month of the competition. Among the Canadians who received their wings was LAC S. J. Kozlowski of Ottawa, a son of a member of the staff of the Polish Consul-General in Ottawa. Young Kozlowski was born in Montreal and is reported to be the first Polish-Canadian to receive RCAF wings. He was secretary of the Polish Canadian Club of Ottawa and president of the Student Council of Lisgar Collegiate there. His brother ... (illegible line) ...sity, was among the graduates today. Tomorrow afternoon at the Church of the Messiah, Toronto, he will be married to Miss Elise Switzer of Regina.
Another Canadian member of the class and another Bennett, T. L. of Ottawa, is a graduate of the Royal Military College.
The ceremony was the culmination of over seven months training by the Australian boys. After preparing for four months in their native Country, they took about three weeks crossing the Pacific, and they have been at Camp Borden since late in November.
Among those who received their wings are: W. L. F. Anderson, Brisbane; H. B. Chisholm, Sydney; J. A. Cormack, Sydney; K. K. Cox, Melbourne; J. G. M. Curds, Sydney; L. G. Horsfall, Melbourne; E. S. Hughes, Adelaide; H. G. Lesser, Adelaide; J. M. Mayall, Mildura; B. J. McLelland, Sydney; K. H. Murray, Melbourne; J. H. 0'Byrne, Launceston, Tasmania; J. W. Roche, Sydney; J. R. Ross, Seymour; M. E. Sheldon, Sydney; P. A. Stephenson, Melbourne; R. S. Waddy, Sydney; C. N. Wann, Apsley; W. D. Willis, Melbourne; N. W. R. Wood, Sydney; G. B. Chapman, Charleville; W. D. Eccleton, Sydney, a native of New Zealand; J. R. H. Elphick, New South Wales; R. A. Gray, Sydney; R. T. Holt, Brisbane; B. A. Knappett, Victoria; E. E. Lewis, Melbourne; D. W. McCormick, Melbourne; W. J. Metherall, Melbourne; R. Shaw, Sydney; P. M. Sloan, Melbourne; K. W. Truscott, Melbourne; and J. L. Tully, Queensland.
The Canadians include : D. W. Bennett, Lennoxville, Que.; D. A. Fraser, Toronto; W. J. Archibald, Oakville; T. L. Bennett, Ottawa; W. H. Davidson, Preston; G. Gosman, Portage La Prairie; S. J. Kozlowski, Ottawa; P. S. Leggatt, Montreal; L. A. Broad, Belleville; J. W. A. Harling, Montreal; and T. R. Watt, Prince Albert, Sask,
Americans included : O. B. Hughes, Niagara Falls, N.Y., and D. Schnebly, New York City.
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Born in Liverpool, England, 10 January 1921
Son of William Hunter & Louise Frances Harling
Educated at McGill University
Member of the COTC
Home in Westmount (Montreal)
Enlisted there, 20 July 1940
Trained at
No.2 ITS (graduated 20 September 1940)
No.6 EFTS (graduated 27 November 1940) &
No.1 SFTS (graduated 11 February 1941 as a Sgt. Pilot)
Promoted to W/O (2nd Class), 12 February 1942
Commissioned P/O 15 April 1942
Promoted to F/O 15 October 1942
Promoted to F/L 15 April 1944
Instructed at
No.2 SFTS, Uplands, 2 May 1941 to 28 December 1942
Arrived overseas 13 February 1943
At
No.3 PRC, Bournemouth, 13 Feb to 16 Mar. 1943
No.5 (P) Advanced Flying Unit, 16 March to 11 May 1943
No.57 OTU, 11 May to 1 August 1943
On strength at Station West Kirby, 1-11 August 1943
No.57 OTU [again], 11 August to 8 October 1943
With 416 Squadron, 8 October 1943 to 1 January 1945
When he was KIA while attempting to take off in SM304
during "Operation Bodenplatte"
Buried in Belgium - Age 23 |
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YOUNG WARBIRDS RECEIVE WINGS
Son of Polish Consular Member at Ottawa Graduates
Camp Borden, Ont., Feb. 12, 1941— (CP)—A large group of Royal Canadian and Royal Australian Air Force flyers received their wings in a ceremony Tuesday at the advanced training school under, the British Commonwealth air training Plan.
About three-quarters of the men were Australians from all parts of the Commonwealth and they were distinguished from the Canadian and United States flyers from their dark blue uniforms, unadorned with brass buttons or belt buckles and by their wider, shallower wings.
Among the R.C.A.F. graduates were: S. J. Kozlowski, son of a member of the Polish consular staff in Ottawa, and O. B. Hughes, Niagara Falls, N. Y.
The Canadians who graduated included D. W. Bennett, Lennoxville, Que.; D. A. Fraser, Toronto; W. J. Archibald, Oakville; T. L. Bennett, Ottawa; W. H. Davidson, Preston; G. Gosman, Portage La Prairie; S. J. Kozlowski, Ottawa; P. S. Leggatt, Montreal; L. A. Broad, Belleville; J. W. A. Harling, Montreal and T. R. Watt, Prince Albert, Sask. Americans included O. B. Hughes, Niagara Falls, N.Y., and D. Shnebly, New York city.
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Fliers Win DFC's
Ottawa, Jan. 1, 1945 - (CP) - Air Force Headquarters tonight announced the award of three bars to the Distinguished Flying Cross and of 30 DFC's to RCAF personnel serving overseas.
Two of the DFC's went to F/L Douglas Warren and F/L Bruce Warren, twin brothers from Ponoka, Alta., who are serving with the same squadron overseas. The recipients:
BAR TO DFC
S/L W.A. Olmsted, Hamilton
F/O D.W. Goodwin, Maynooth
F/O D.R.C. Jamieson, 148 Gilbert Ave., Toronto
DFC
S/L W.M. Foster, Guelph
S/L E.H. Lapp, Redcliffe, Alta.
S/L A.E. Monson, North Hollywood, California
S/L A.H. Sager, Vancouver
S/L E.P. Wood, Renfrew
F/L W.D. Burton, Brantford
F/L J.M. Ballachey, High River, Alta.
F/L W.C. Fox, Dunnville
F/L R.E. Evans, Cleveland, Ohio
F/L P.L. Gibbs, Harlan, Sask.
F/L D.W.A. Harling, Westmount, Que.
F/L J.E. McLurg, Westmount, Que.
F/L H.J. Nixon, Hamilton
F/L J.D. Orr of Victoria
F/L W.B. Peglar, 144 Glengarry Ave., Toronto
F/L D.B. Rodd, Concord, Mass.
F/L N.G. Russell, New Westminster
F/L B. Warren, Ponoka, Alta.
F/L D. Warren, Ponoka, Alta.
F/L G.M. Smith, Nelson, B.C.
F/O W.K. Carr, Grand Bank, Nfld.
F/O W.F. Cook, Clinton
F/O D.H. Kimball, Oromocto, N.B.
F/O J.P. Lumsden, Hamilton
F/O H.F. Morse, Haney, B.C.
F/O G.F. Ockenden, Edmonton
F/O P. Slayden, Houston, Texas
F/O A.M. Sauve, Hull, Que.
F/O W.R. Weeks, Loggieville, N.B.
P/O J.A. Kerr, Alexander, Man.
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Distinguished Flying Cross
HARLING, F/L David William Armstrong (J11481) - No. 416 Sq. (deceased)
Award effective 18 December 1944 as per London Gazette dated 29 December 1944 &
AFRO 379/45 dated 2 March 1945.
Flight Lieutenant Harling has shown himself to be an outstanding pilot and an excellent flight commander. Since D-Day he has either destroyed or damaged thirty enemy mechanical vehicles. In addition he has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft and damaged one. Both in the air and on the ground Flight Lieutenant Harling has displayed commendable courage, keenness and consistent devotion to duty.
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Air Force Casualties
Ottawa, Jan. 17, 1945 — The Department of National Defense for Air today issued casualty list No. 1,093 of the Royal Canadian Air Force, showing next-of-kin of those named from Ontario, include:
OVERSEAS
Killed on Active Service
HARLING, David William Armstrong, Flt. Lieut. Westmount, Que.
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Victories Include :
26 Aug 1944
27 Sept1944
29 Sept 1944
30 Sept 1944 |
one FW190
one FW190
one Me109
one Me109
one FW190
1/2 Me109 |
destroyed (Spitfire MK827)
destroyed,
destroyed &
damaged, all W of Bocholz (NH408)
destroyed, Emmerich (NH408)
destroyed, Nijmegen (NH408) |
4.5 / 0 / 1
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Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm
HARLING, F/L David William Armstrong, DFC (J11481) (deceased)
Awarded 17 July 1948 as per Canada Gazette of that date &
AFRO 455/48 dated 23 July 1948
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