Mois : novembre 2023

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Group Captain Gabriel Taschereau – En commençant par la fin

C’est grâce à l’inestimable collaboration de Richard Girouard que je pourrai partager toutes les photos de l’album du Group Captain Gabriel Taschereau.

Il y en avait une qui avait piqué ma curiosité de généalogiste amateur dans mes temps libres…

Elle démontrait le sens de l’humour du Group Captain.

Source

https://www.mesaieux.com/Obituary/Gabriel-TASCHEREAU/708236

TASCHEREAU Gabriel À l’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, le 22 juin 1999, est décédé le Group Captain (Colonel d’aviation) Gabriel Taschereau, LVO, DFC, CD, ADC, époux de dame Marielle Gagné. Outre son épouse, il laisse dans le deuil ses quatre enfants, issus d’un précédent mariage avec feu dame Madeleine Brunet: Pauline, Francine, Liliane et Richard. Lui survivent également son frère Pierre (Paulette Belleau), sa soeur Yolande (Gilles B. Girard), de même que ses beaux-frères et belles-soeurs: Thérèse Boivin (feu Claude Taschereau), Denis Lavoie (Lise Gagné), Fernande Savard (feu Claude Gagné), Marc Brunet (Bibiane Lachance), Jacques Brunet (Doris Hill), Lorraine Brunet (Charles E. Garneau), Marjorie Brunet (feu Raymond Sanfaçon), Robert Cloutier (feu Gabrielle Brunet) et Gabrielle Robitaille (feu Paul E. Brunet).

Gabriel Taschereau s’est enrôlé dans le Corps d’aviation royal canadien au début de la guerre de 1939-1945.

Après son entraînement comme pilote et navigateur aérien, il fut affecté à l’escadrille 425 à Dishforth, en Angleterre, d’où il participa à vingt-et-une missions de bombardement au-dessus de l’Allemagne.

En mai 1943, il fut muté en Tunisie avec son escadrille, d’où il prit part à vingt-huit autres missions au-dessus de la Sicile et de l’Italie continentale.

Rapatrié en Angleterre, il servit comme instructeur dans diverses bases d’entraînement opérationnel.

Revenu au Canada avec le grade de Squadron Leader, il suivit le cours de spécialiste en navigation aérienne à Rivers, Manitoba. Versé à la Réserve, il commanda l’escadrille 2452 à Québec, comme Wing Commander. Il fut ensuite nommé conseiller de l’Aviation de Réserve pour la région de Québec, auprès du Chef de l’État-Major de l’Air, et promu au grade de Group Captain.

De 1956 à 1980, il fut attaché aux lieutenants-gouverneurs de la province de Québec, d’abord en qualité de secrétaire général et aide de camp, puis comme chef de cabinet et aide de camp principal.

En semi-retraite depuis 1980, il continua à servir comme conseiller spécial et de camp honoraire. Nommé colonel honoraire de l’escadron tactique d’hélicoptères basé à Valcartier, il fut appelé à prononcer des conférences à diverses bases aériennes à travers le Canada, dont Goose Bay, Gander, Bagotville, Trenton, North Bay, Ottawa, Saint-Hubert, Valcartier, Saint-Jean et Edmonton.

Au cours de sa carrière dans l’aviation, il fut décoré de la Distinguished Flying Cross, et reçut l’insigne officiel (Operational Wing) pour son tour d’opérations aériennes contre l’ennemi. Il fut également créé membre honoraire des Forces aériennes françaises libres. Il fut aussi récipiendaire de l’étoile de la guerre de 1939-1945, de la « Aircrew Europe Star », de l’Étoile France-Allemagne, de l’Étoile d’Italie, de même que des médailles de Défense de Grande-Bretagne, de Bomber Command, d’Enrôlement volontaire et service outre-mer, de la Victoire, du Couronnement de la Reine, du Centenaire de la Confédération, du Jubilé de la Reine et celle de Long-service dans les Forces canadiennes. Il reçut aussi quatre distinctions françaises: la Croix de Chevalier du Mérite Combattant, la Médaille de la Victoire, la Croix du Combattant volontaire allié et la Médaille de bronze de l’École de l’Air de Salon-de-Provence. Il était également Officier de l’Ordre vénérable de Saint-Jean-de-Jérusalem. En 1989, il fut admis, à titre de lieutenant, dans l’Ordre Royal de Victoria, et reçut la décoration appropriée des mains de la Reine au Palais de Buckingham.

À suivre la semaine prochaine…

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Another Alouette – Flight Lieutenant Lloyd McPhee

I have been contacted by Lloyd W McPhee’s daughter who has shared an article about her father, also a navigator like Group Captain Gabriel Taschereau, and some of her father’s log book pages.

Log books are so precious…

Now for the article.

Editor’s Note: The year 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. We are honoured to feature a story from the Standard Freeholder of one of the many local men and women who fought courageously for our freedom in that war. 

Lloyd W. McPhee was born in Cornwall in 1920 and attended Cornwall Public School and CCVS. After leaving school he was employed by Howard Smith Paper Mill until he enlisted in the R.C.A.F in January 1941. He trained at Brandon Man. and Regina Sk. graduating as an air navigator in August 1942. He arrived in England in October 1942. He had a distinguished career as an air navigator until the war’s end.

After the war his career with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation took him to Ajax Ont. where he and his first wife Monica (née Purcell) raised a family of eight. Later in life, then a widower, he returned to Cornwall to attend a CCVS school reunion. There, he rekindled a relationship with an old classmate and friend, Audrey Young (née Grant), herself a widow. In 1992 the two were married and eventually settled in a house in the Riverdale area. In their later years both Lloyd and Audrey continued to be active CTHS members working to preserve local heritage. Lloyd died in 2003, Audrey in 2009.

Ed. note: Audrey is the mother of CTHS members Gay Young and Sharon McCullough.

The following article was published in the Standard Freeholder on February 2, 1945. It is an interview with Lloyd who was home in Cornwall on a 30 day leave from the R.C.A.F.

Narrow Escape All In Day’s Work For Stocky Cornwall Navigator Home On Leave.

Narrow escapes were common occurrences for Flight Lieutenant Lloyd McPhee, home after two and a half years of overseas service which include 38 trips over enemy territory and one non-operational tour as a navigation instructor. The chunky clean cut airman related some of the highlights of his experiences in an interview with a Standard Freeholder shortly after his arrival in the city yesterday. Flt. Lt. McPhee was with the famous Alouette squadron in North Africa and took part in operations in aid of the invasions of Sicily and Italy. All of the tour was flown in Wellington bombers—Wimpys as he affectionately called them. “They are the workhorses of the R.A.F.” said the repatriate. “They are the oldest bomber in bomber command and one of the most reliable”

McPhee got quite a kick out of describing his plane’s distinguishing insignia. The plane was called “Y” for Yorker and the insignia painted on the side was a large ice cream cone. After each operational mission an extra drop oozed from the cone.

Slightly odd looking, perhaps although none the worse for his many experiences, the expat told of his close calls without the least sign of nerves.

He related a harrowing experience which the crew went through at Catania during the invasion of Sicily.

“As our Wellington, alone and at low level, came in over the target area, the darkness below was suddenly lit by flares. The Wehrmacht’s anti-aircraft batteries were firing at us. Nevertheless, the crew and captain kept right on in the straight bombing run. Our Wimpy went right on through the gauntlet of flack bursts and just as the bomb aimer shouted—bombs away— a great explosion damaged the bomb bay. A shell had struck us. A few seconds earlier and we and the Wellington would have disintegrated into dust in the blast of that 4,000 pounder”.

McPhee recalled with evident relish that one of the air gunners was making his first trip on that eventful night. After the flight started he also informed us that he was celebrating his birthday. “He got quite a party”, said McPhee with a wry grin. “At least he said afterwards that he was so scared he couldn’t think.”

The bomb aimer on that trip had experienced a bit of good fortune. He had remained behind in the body of the plane after giving the bombs away signal. Had he returned to the front gun turret as was his usual custom, he would have been blown to pieces since succeeding flak bursts had blown four holes from top to bottom of the turret.

“We just about had it in Naples too.” The Jerries coned us with searchlights and brought us down to 1,000 feet before we could shake them. From 5,000 feet down we were susceptible to light flak and they really poured it on. We collected 21 holes in the plane that night.” A further trip had seen them blast German concentrations at Bartia, on the island of Corsica. The Free French had driven the Germans to Napoleon’s birthplace and their aircraft had got a direct hit on a warehouse from which smoke was seen pouring.

“Rome is a beautiful sight on a bright moonlit night”, said McPhee. “The moon is much brighter than in Canada and a full moon lasts 11 nights. In one night, against a beautiful setting of white snow we saw Rome, Florence, Pisa and Leghorn”.

Climate conditions in North Africa were described as exceedingly warm with temperatures averaging around 125 degrees in the summer season. The two hottest days experienced by the airman showed temperatures of 150 degrees in the sun and very little less than that in the shade—if such could be found.

“There wasn’t a tree within miles of the station”, said the stocky navigator “and our tents were so hot you couldn’t even touch the canvas. Wet clothes dried in less than 20 minutes in a wind coming from the desert which felt as if it were coming from a furnace. The food consisted of hard tack, bully beef, grapes and dehydrated potatoes with bread and margarine as infrequent delicacies. However, I couldn’t lose weight on it.”

Flt. Lt. McPhee said people in Canada would find it hard to believe the conditions under which the Arab people exist. There is practically no sanitation in the country and the natives themselves are backward. “Believe it or not”, said McPhee, “You can smell an Arab town from 1,000 feet in an aircraft. Take it from me that Arab cities are not the beauty spots that Technicolor paints them. From my own experience the European settlement of Algiers is the most advanced and cleanest of African cities.”

The repat had high praise for his comrades in the Alouette squadron. The crew was all French Canadian with the exception of himself. Good fellowship and a high standard of maintenance with correspondingly low losses were features of the unit. The unit had maintained a high standard of bombing efficiency in spite of the fact planes went to their destinations guided by astral-navigation, their courses plotted by the stars. This is an entirely different technique from that now employed on the modern bombers which use radar to a great extent.

As evidence of the bomber-aimers of the squadron, McPhee related the story of a bombing run over the Salerno beachhead in which the squadron had to bomb within three miles of advancing American troops and had succeeded in doing so without injuring any of the advance elements.

In addition to his operational tour Flt. Lt. McPhee has to his credit 13 months of navigation instruction at a conversion unit. He is on a thirty day leave and has not made up his mind whether he will ask to be posted to the Far East or take an administrative position in Canada.

Photos of the Vickers Wellington taken from Gabriel Taschereau’s photo album courtesy Richard Girouard.

 

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Group Captain Gabriel Taschereau – La citation pour sa DFC

C’est grâce à l’inestimable collaboration de Richard Girouard que je pourrai partager éventuellement toutes les photos de l’album du Group Captain Gabriel Taschereau.

Voici celle de son équipage.

Album-photo (collaboration de Richard Girouard)

L’équipage de C. Blakeney

De gauche à droite : Sgt L. Roberge, Sans-filiste; F/Sgt J. Goyette, mitrailleur arrière; P/O G. Hutton, bomb aimer; F/Lt C. Blakeney, pilote; and F/O G. Taschereau, navigateur

Ci-dessous la source pour la citation

Search Awards

TASCHEREAU, F/O Joseph Leon Gabriel (J10715)

– Distinguished Flying Cross – No.425 Squadron

– Award effective 23 November 1943 as per London Gazette dated 30 November 1943 and AFRO 166/44 dated 28 January 1944.

Born Victoriaville, Quebec, 26 July 1915; home in Quebec City; enlisted there 12 September 1940 and posted to No.4 Manning Depot.

To No.3 ITS, 19 April 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 16 May 1941 when posted to No.11 EFTS; to No.8 SFTS, 3 July 1941; ceased training and posted to Trenton, 31 July 1941; to No.5 AOS, 26 September 1941; to No.7 BGS, 3 January 1942; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 14 February 1942 when posted to No.1 ANS; graduated and commissioned 19 March 1942 but not posted to No.31 GRS until 10 April 1942.

To RAF overseas, 14 June 1942.

Promoted Flying Officer, 1 October 1942.

Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 March 1944.

Repatriated 18 December 1944.

To No.3 Training Command, 29 December 1944.

To No.8 AOS, 15 January 1945.

To No.1 CNS, 19 February 1945.

To No.1 Radio and Navigation School, 12 March 1945.

To No.1 Air Command, 12 September 1945.

To No.2 Release Centre, 12 October 1945.

Retired 27 November 1945.

Postwar auxiliary service as 121379.

Obituary stated that he had flown 21 sorties over Germany and Western Europe plus 28 in the Mediterranean theatre. “Repatriated to England, he served as an instructor in various training bases operational. He returned to Canada with the rank of Squadron Leader. He attended the specialist in air navigation in Rivers, Manitoba.” In Reserve, he commanded No.2452 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron Quebec, as Wing Commander. Appointed adviser to the Air Force Reserve for the Quebec City region promoted to the rank of Group Captain. From 1956-1980, he was attached to the Lieutenant Governors of the Province of Quebec, first as Secretary General and aide, then as chief of staff and aide-de camp. In semi-retirement after 1980, he continued to serve as special advisor. Also Honourary Colonel to the Tactical Helicopter Squadron based in Valcartier, he lectured at various air bases across Canada, including Goose Bay, Gander, Bagotville, Trenton, North Bay, Ottawa, Saint-Hubert, Valcartier, Saint John and Edmonton. Also an honorary member of the Free French Air Forces. DFC presented 21 May 1947. Awarded Lieutenant, Royal Victorian Order (LVO) as per Canada Gazette of 22 October 1988 while serving as private secretary and ADC to the Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec. Died at Hotel-Dieu de Quebec, 22 June 1999.

RCAF photo PL-28893 (ex UK-10382 dated 5 May 1944) is a classroom scene at an OTU; F/O Gaby Taschereau (standing) explains his experiences; seated in front row are F/O Bill Tessier (Lachute), Sergeant Gaston Dufour (Thetford), F/O Emile St. Arnaud (Big River, Saskatchewan); seated in front row are P/O Joe Baillargeon (Windsor, Ontario) and F/O Ken Renaud (Edmonton).

 

Album-photo (collaboration de Richard Girouard)

Photo PL-28098 (ex UK-10394 dated 5 May 1944 shows three popular instructors at an OTU. Seated at desk drawing up a report is F/O Gaby Taschereau (Quebec); behind him looking on are F/O Andre Peloquin (air gunner, Montreal) and P/O Roger Delaroche (air gunner, Montreal).

 

Album-photo (collaboration de Richard Girouard)

Flying Officer Taschereau has participated in a large number of operational sorties over German and Italian territory. His efforts have at all times been characterized by accuracy and reliability. On one occasion during a night bombing attack over Sicily the aircraft in which he was navigator was attacked by an enemy fighter and the wireless operator was severely wounded. Flying Officer Taschereau immediately rendered first aid, at the same time navigating the aircraft safely back to base. A most skillful navigator, this officer’s cheerful confidence and devotion to duty have always merited the highest praise.

Autres photos du mitrailleur arrière Peter Goyette dans l’album-photo

Autres photos de Gabriel Taschereau dans l’album-photo

 

 

 

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Du salpêtre dans le gruau

Écrit en 2014 quand j’ai fait connaissance pour la première fois avec le Group Captain Gabriel Taschereau…

Difficile d’écrire juste une fois par semaine sur mon blogue depuis j’ai eu plein d’information sur ce pilote de l’escadrille 425 Alouette. En fait, je pourrais écrire plusieurs articles par jour seulement avec les pages du logbook de Rodolphe Lafrenière. De quoi faire un livre avec toutes ses 36 missions. Mais ça n’intéresserait probablement personne […]

Du salpêtre dans le gruau
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