This is the translation of an original post on my first blog I had created to pay homage to RCAF 425 Alouette Squadron. I am quite sure by reading Karl Massey’s father’s citation that he was in North Africa in 1943.
This is again Joseph Jean Charles Ubald Masse’s citation found on Airforce.ca Website…
MASSE, WO1 (now P/O) Joseph Jean Charles Ubald (R55488/J87969)
– Distinguished Flying Cross
– No.425 Squadron
– Award effective 6 October 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 2534/44 dated 24 November 1944.
Born September 1921 in Quebec City; home in Montreal; enlisted in Quebec City, 4 September 1940 as an Electrician.
Posted that date to No.4 Manning Depot.
To Technical Training School, 21 January 1941.
Promoted AC1, 7 June 1941.
To No.15 SFTS, 11 June 1941.
Promoted LAC, 1 October 1941.
Remustered to aircrew, 14 March 1942, reverting to AC2 and posted to No.4 ITS.
Premoted LAC, 1 April 1942.
Posted elsewhere (possibly Trenton), 26 May 1942.
To No.4 BGS, 4 July 1942.
Graduated and promoted Sergeant, 14 August 1942.
To « Y » Depot, 28 August 1942.
To RAF overseas, 26 October 1942.
Promoted Flight Sergeant, 14 February 1943.
Promoted WO2, 14 August 1943.
Commissioned 3 June 1944.
Promoted Flying Officer, 3 December 1944.
Repatriated 22 January 1945.
To Mountain View, 6 March 1945.
To Release Centre, 4 October 1945.
Retired 5 November 1945.
Medal presented 25 February 1949.
Gunnery Officer with RCAF Auxiliary, Quebec City, 8 February 1949 to 11 October 1950 (Flying Officer and Flight Lieutenant).
Throughout a tour of operational duty as air gunner, Warrant Officer Masse has consistently displayed outstanding initiative and a fine fighting spirit. On a recent sortie he was rear gunner of an aircraft which was hit and damaged by enemy fire. As a result of violent evasive action the elevators were rendered unserviceable and the aircraft went out of control. The door leading to the rear turret was jammed but Warrant Officer Masse managed to force his way through. Control having been temporarily regained, this officer then succeeded in locating the defective control rod and with the assistance of the flight engineer the damage was repaired. By his coolness and presence of mind Warrant Officer Masse contributed in good measure to the safe return of the aircraft.
Now for what I wrote back in 2011.
There are few pictures of 425 Alouette when the squadron was based in Tunisia. Here are a few that can be found in the souvenir brochure of the 45th anniversary of the squadron.
Kairouan
Wing Commander Joe St. Pierre
Above is Wing Commander St. Pierre. Mr. Corbeil knew him well. He likes to reminisce.
Everybody called him Joe, but I called him Bill… I saw him again in 1944 in Mont-Joli. When he recognized me, he told me…… « Corbille »… and he hugged me. Bill St. Pierre was an American who worked for Imperial Oil before he joined the RCAF.
Alouette.
RCAF 425 Alouettes III 