I had come across Joe Lecomte’s name often since 2010, but I never wrote that much about him.
My interest was piqued again by one thing Lloyd Stanley Lafoy had told his grandson part of a story he had never told anyone before.
Joe Lecomte would have been a bush pilot in Northern Ontario and Quebec before the war, but most importantly he had saved his crew and Lloyd Lafoy during an operation deep in Germany on 30/31 March 1944.
This never told before story is why I have started researching Joe Lecomte to learn more about his life and career, first on airforce.ca where you can search for awards.
I will highlight my observations in bold and also add some notes in parentheses of what was written on that website.
LECOMTE, W/C Joseph Hector Lucien (C1181)
– 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 3 December 1917 (and baptised on 5 December) at St. Theodore d’Acton, Quebec (his parents were Henri Lecomte and his mother was Herminie Demers); home in Acton Vale, Quebec (university student).
Enlisted in Montreal, 9 October 1939. Commissioned October 1939.
Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 15 September 1941.
Flying instructor at No.5 SFTS as of 17 January 1942.
To “Y” Depot, 3 March 1943.
To RAF overseas, 27 March 1943
Promoted Squadron Leader, 27 February 1944.
Promoted Wing Commander, 24 May 1944.
Commanded Nos.425 and 415 Squadrons (posted to 415 Squadron on 24 August 1944 ) and Base Tholthorpe.
Repatriated via Debert, 11 June 1945.
Remained in postwar RCAF, retaining rank of Wing Commander; to Eastern Air Command, 15 October 1945. (He married Bernadette Desjardins in 1945).
To No.1 Instrument Flying School, 8 November 1945.
To Staff College, Toronto, 15 February 1946.
Commanded Camp Borden, 1949-1951, and Station Trenton, 1951-1955.
Service also included NATO duties and command of Nos.423 and 432 Squadrons.
Retired December 1966.
Died (in an automobile accident) at St.Bruno, 18 December 1975, age 59.
RCAF photo PL-15718 (ex UK-3598 dated 8 April 1943) shows arrival overseas of F/L J.L. Kennedy (Fort William, inspecting new British currency), F/L J,H. Lecompte (Actonvale, Quebec, putting away a Canadian five dollar bill) and F/L Ken Moreham (St.Lambert, Quebec, on right).
RCAF photo PL-26927 (ex UK-8793 dated 10 March 1944) shows personnel from Montreal with an Ontario Nursing Sister – left to right (standing), S/L Roy McLernon of Cedar Avenue, (sitting) F/O Louis Renaud (Casgrain Street), Nursing Sister Elaine Matheson (Southampton, Ontario), F/L Hector Payette (Medical Officer, 288 Dorchester Street) and F/L Lucien Lecomte (Chemin Ste. Catherine).
Photo PL-33868 (ex UK-16584) shows him 17 November 1944 when he was a Group Captain and base commander at Tholthorpe; caption states he had over 2,00 hours (typo) flying in Africa (I am not sure he was in Africa) and England.
PL-42067 (ex UK-18470 dated 28 January 1945) taken as he watches aircraft take off from his station.
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.1633 (RG.24 Vol.20603) has recommendation dated 28 July 1944 when he had flown 21 sorties (122 hours five minutes), 15 February to 21 June 1944.
From the time of his arrival on No.425 Squadron, Wing Commander Lecomte has shown exceptional aggressiveness, courage and fine offensive spirit which have been an example and goal for all members of his squadron.
Wing Commander Lecomte tackles all his work with vigour and has spent many hours in the air on training each captain of his squadron. That this has paid dividends is evidenced by the fine operational record attained by this squadron during the past months. In June his squadron was awarded the Base Pennant for all around efficiency.
Wing Commander Lecomte’s organization of ground training, and constant and diligent attention to all phases have been of the highest order. He is untiring in his efforts to press home to all crews by personal lectures, points of airmanship which he has learned over years of experience.
In addition to ground duties, Wing Commander Lecomte has operated on 21 sorties since February 1944 over targets in Germany, France and Belgium, including Berlin, Schweinfurt, Essen and Stuttgart. His fine offensive spirit and keenness for operations has kept the morale of his squadron at a very high level.
In recognition of this officer’s devotion to duty and fine leadership I recommend the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. [G/C J.L. Hurley, CO Station Tholthorpe].
The sortie list was as follows:
England to North Africa (17.30) (to be added later using RCAF ORBs)
15 February 1944 – Berlin (7.45, second pilot)
24 February 1944 – Schweinfurt (7.50)
1 March 1944 – Stuttgart (8.20)
7 March 1944 – Le Mans (5.10)
22 March 1944 – Frankfurt (6.30)
24 March 1944 – Berlin (8.20)
26 March 1944 – Essen (5.25)
26 April 1944 – Essen (4.45)
27 April 1944 – Aulnoye (4.10)
30 April 1944 – Somain (4.45)
7 May 1944 – St. Valery (3.45)
9 May 1944 – Calais (3.10)
10 May 1944 – Ghent (3.55)
19 May 1944 – Merville (4.25)
27 May 1944 – Bourg Leopold (4.40)
31 May 1944 – Au Fevre (4.35)
5 June 1944 – Houlgate (4.50)
6 June 1944 – Coutrance (4.35)
15 June 1944 – Boulogne (4.50)
21 June 1944 – St. Martin (3.50) (more sorties later)
LECOMTE, W/C Joseph Hector Lucien, DFC (C1181) – Mention in Despatches – Station Tholthorpe – Award effective 1 January 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 337/45 dated 23 February 1945.
LECOMTE, G/C Joseph Hector Lucien, DFC (C1181) – Mention in Despatches – Station Tholthorpe – Award effective 1 January 1946 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 322/46 dated 29 March 1946. AFRO gives unit only as « Overseas »; unit found in McEwen Papers list of recommendations for MiD.
LECOMTE, W/C Joseph Hector Lucien, DFC (20168) – Croix de Guerre with Silver Star (France) – Award as per AFRO 485/47 dated 12 September 1947. Pilot. External Affairs file “French Awards to Canadian Armed Forces – Particular Cases” (Library and Archives Canada, RG.25, Box 4140) has the following citation:
Group Captain Lecomte was a Squadron Commander and Station Commander in the Royal Canadian Air Force Bomber Group and during this time this officer displayed the highest degree of skill and enthusiasm in directing attacks against German installations in France.
RCAF photo PL-33868 (ex-UK-16584 dated 17 November 1944) has the following caption: “Group Captain Joseph Lecomte, DFC, has just been appointed to his present rank and given command of the RCAF bomber station from which the Alouette and Snowy Owl squadrons operate. Former C.O. of the Alouettes before taking over the Swordfish squadron, he is reunited with his former squadron, in which he completed his tour of operations in Africa and England. Hailing from Acton Vale, Quebec, Group Captain Lecomte, DFC, has to his credit over 2,000 hours of flying, and figures among the young French-Canadians who have gained fastest promotion in the RCAF. He is 26 years old. In the brief period of seven months, he rose from the rank of Flight Lieutenant to that of Group Captain.” Heritage Canadian Forces Data Anniversary Dates RCAF 100th Anniversary
I had also found more information about him on the Internet…
The more is always the better.
Joseph Hector Lucien Lecomte DFC was born at St. Theodore d’Acton (QC). He was a university student in Montreal, prior to October 9, 1939 when he enlisted in the RCAF in Montreal.
In 1940, he graduated as a pilot, from No. 1 Service Flying Training School at Camp Borden ON. After completing flying training he served as an instructor at the air crew training school at Saskastoon, Saskatchewan and later at the St. Hubert QC, training school.
After arriving overseas in the UK and receiving additional training he was posted to No. 425 (Alouette) Squadron, bomber Command.
For Bomber Command air crew, there was a low probability of surviving and returning safely, from all of their tour of 30 missions over enemy held Europe. Over 60 per cent of air crew who began a tour of 30 missions would lose their lives before completing their tour.
Regardless of the terrible odds, bomber crews buckled on their parachutes and began each mission with determination. They fell prey to the hazards of fog, icing and lightning, and they perished amongst the bursting shells of anti-aircraft guns.
However, the greatest number died in the desperately unequal combat and the overwhelming firepower of tenacious German night fighter defenders. Over 9,900 Canadians in Bomber Command air crew, sacrificed their lives fighting dictatorship and autocracy. On each bombing mission there were many who crashed after being hit by flak or enemy fighter action. Some airmen survived the crashes, others were rescued at sea, and some were taken prisoner.
A great many of those who died never had a chance to bail out. They perished when their aircraft loaded with 11 tons of explosives and high octane gas either exploded in the air or on impact with the ground. Others were killed when they plumetted 6 to 8 kilometres to the ground after their parachutes caught fire from their burning aircraft.
By October 1944, Lecomte, squadron commander, had survived 21 risky and dangerous bombing missions over enemy occupied territory against heavily defended targets and was awarded the Distinguished flying Cross (DFC) for his skill and valour. France decorated Lecomte with the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star and he was twice « Mentioned In Despatches. »
In the early summer of 1944, Wing Commander Lecomte took command of No. 415 Squadron and later the same year was named commanding officer of RCAF Station, Tolthorpe, Yorkshire, one of the RCAF bases in RCAF No. 6 Bomber Group.
Postwar, Lecomte commanded RCAF Station, Debert, Nova Scotia and later RCAF Station, Camp Borden ON and later the RCAF Station at Metz, France. During the mid 1950s, he commanded jet interceptor squadrons at St. Hubert and Bagotville QC. He retired in December 1966.
Wing Commander Lecomte died December 18, 1975 at St. Bruno QC, just 30 miles from his birthplace at Acton Vale QC. He was buried in the « Field of Honour » Pointe Claire QC.
This is a photo of Joe Lecomte with his pilots when he was 415 Squadron’s C.O.
The source is here.
Pilots of 415 Squadron line up in front of “Willie the Wolf”.
Front Row L to R: P/O D. McTaggart; F/Lt J. C. Hovey; F/Lt L. I. Doucet; W/Cdr L. H. “Joe” Lecomte; S/Ldr Sam Franklin; P/O C. A. Chartier; F/O D. J. Stewart.
Centre Row L to R: P/O F. M. Forbes; F/O Ronald Sierolawski; P/O R. W. Gingrich; F/O B. H. Roberts; F/O W. F. Brown; P/O J. D. Little.
Back Row L to R: F/O J. E. McAllister; F/Sgt W. D. Lane; P/O J. W. Tims; F/O J. K. Meagher; P/O R. M. Stevens; P/O W. C. MacNeil; P/O Tony Tinmouth, DFM.
Photo Courtesy of the Canadian Forces Photo Unit. PL-32876.
Now the question I am asking myself…
Was Joe Lecomte really a bush pilot in Northern Ontario and Quebec before the war, or was it just a kind of rumour going around at Tholthorpe in 1944 when he was the C.O.?
RCAF 425 Alouettes III 