Where to start?
Lloyd Stanley Lafoy’s grandson told me to start with this photo.
Who am I to argue with this request especially when he has shared more than 100 photos from his grandfather’s album?
The Alouettes are going back to England after their stay at Kairouan. This is what « Lucky Red » had written on the back of the photo.
Africa. Oct. 1943,
Tunis to Algiers
Jones C.R. › Turcottes › crews.
Turk Turcotte was not awarded a DFC, but C. R. Jones was awarded one…
Who was C.R. Jones?
JONES, F/L Chesley Robert (J85017)
– Distinguished Flying Cross – No.425 Squadron
– Award effective 2 October 1944 as per London Gazette dated 13 October 1944 and AFRO 2637/44 dated 8 December 1944. Born 12 November 1921, Regina; home in Vancouver.
Served with Coast Brigade, Royal Canadian Artillery. Enlisted in Vancouver, 7 October 1941 and posted to No.3 Manning Depot.
To No.15 SFTS (guard duty), 5 December 1941. To No.2 ITS, 31 January 1942; graduated and promoted LAC, 28 March 1942 but not posted to No.15 EFTS until 11 April 1942, graduated 20 June 1942 when posted to No.15 SFTS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 9 October 1942.
To “Y” Depot, 23 October 1942; to RAF overseas, 29 October 1942. Commissioned 15 February 1944. Promoted Flying Officer, 15 June 1944.
Repatriated 13 August 1945. Retired 2 October 1945.
Died 28 May 1993 in Squamish, British Columbia.
Medal sent by registered mail, 12 September 1949, when he was living in San Jose, California.
RCAF photo PL-26880 (ex UK-8355 dated 29 February 1944) shows (left to right) Sergeant D.K. McBain (mid-upper gunner, Toronto, Sergeant Willie Morris (flight engineer, RAF) and Warrant Officer C.R. Jones (pilot, Vancouver).
RCAF photo PL-42771 (ex UK-19662, 22 March 1945) has the following caption: “‘Skipper’ looks on as his boss, F/O Robert Jones, DFC of Vancouver, B.C. (with pen) and F/O Alan Harris, DFC of Toronto fill in their log books. Both pilots have completed an operational tour and are now taking an advanced instructors course.
F/O Jones formerly flew with the Alouette Squadron in Tunis.” No citation other than « completed…numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which [he has] invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty ».
DHist file 181.009.D.1730 (PAC RG.24 Vol.20607) has recommendation dated 27 July 1944 when he had flown 33 sorties (196 hours 30 minutes) in a tour from 12 May 1943 to 6 July 1944; tour included a crash-landing on 3 October 1943.
A bomber pilot of outstanding skill and highly commendable courage, Flight Lieutenant Jones has completed one tour of operations with a total of 33 offensive sorties against enemy targets. These operations include attacks on Berlin, Leipzig Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Nuremburg. On all of these sorties, his superb captaincy and airmanship contributed, in a great measure, to the successful completion of his missions and the safe return of the aircraft.
With exceptional tenacity of purpose that characterize all his actions, this officer has always reached his objective on schedule and bombed most successfully.
Under a calm and quiet manner, Flight Lieutenant Jones has a fine offensive spirit in action. His dogged determination, skill and devotion to duty are an example and an inspiration to others.
Source
To be continued…
RCAF 425 Alouettes III 