Mis à jour le 28 octobre 2023
More to come later… You can view more here…
Reuniting Unsung Heroes – Sergeant John Clarke
The pilot
An air gunner
The Flight Engineer
Part of the crew
New found crew member…
Joseph Ernest St-Louis WAG
Reuniting Unsung Heroes – Sergeant John Clarke
Updated October 31, 2023
Another crew member has been further identified thanks to the contribution of Richard Girouard, researcher for le Musée de la Défense aérienne de Bagotville.
All new images at the end are from the collection of Joseph Ernest St-Louis wireless air gunner. His family donated these precious artefacts especially the log book.
October 30, 2021
Source 6bombergroup via Richard Girouard
My blog will be reuniting Flight Engineer Clarke with his crew thanks to his son-in-law’s contribution.
For now, this is all I know as on October 30, 2021.
Bonjour from England.
My late father-in-law John Clarke was one of the small number of RAF flight engineers transferred to the RCAF when the Squadrons were upgraded from twin to four engined bombers. He flew a full tour with the Alouette and finished the War as a Pilot Officer. He was very proud to have served with his French comrades and visited Canada to meet up with them, including the Saint. We have various items of his, which relate to the Squadron, including his Log Book, which we would like to share, and keep his memory and those of his comrades alive. Can anyone help with the mechanics of getting this done?
Many thanks.
Peter
Updated October 31, 2021
Searching for operations flown by Perrier’s crew
Source Bomber Group 6 Website
From the collection of Réal St-Amour (The Saint) via his daughter Chantal
From a reader and a contributor to the blog
About the pilot
DFC citation
PERRIER, F/L Joseph Gerard Fernand (J36485) –
Distinguished Flying Cross – No.425 Squadron – Award effective 18 October 1945 as per London Gazette dated 26 October 1945 and AFRO 133/46 dated 8 February 1946.
Born 1918 in Moose Creek, Ontario; home in Bourlamaque, Quebec or Eastview, Ontario (diamond driller). Former member of Royal Canadian Artillery; enlisted Ottawa 15 June 1942. Trained at No.3 ITS (graduated 3 April 1943), No.4 EFTS (graduated 12 June 1943), and No.9 SFTS (graduated 15 October 1943). Commissioned October 1943. Medal sent by registered mail 7 November 1949.
This officer has completed many operational sorties. In December 1944 he was detailed to participate in an attack against Osnabruck. Whilst over the target area enemy anti-aircraft [fire] was encountered. The four engines of his aircraft failed momentarily, causing a loss of 7,000 feet in height, but Flight Lieutenant Perrier with great skill kept his aircraft airborne and when an altitude of 9,000 feet had been reached his engines began to function again. On the return journey engine trouble developed again and he was forced to make an emergency landing. Flight Lieutenant Perrier’s initiative and keen judgement were mainly responsible for the safe return of the aircraft.
Transcription
La guerre change le caractère des jeunes
C’est ce qu’affirme le sous-lieutenant d’aviation Gabriel Langlais du C.A.R.C. (Sous-lieutenant d’aviation)
Avec le C.A.R.C., en Grande-Bretagne, le 19 (Dépêche retardée) – À toute école préparatoire au vol de guerre, c’est à la section que l’on rencontre officiers et sous-officiers. C’est là qu’ils se rassemblent pendant le jour, en attendant de monter en avion ou de se rendre aux cours théoriques. La section se compose de petites huttes situées à proximité du périmètre de la piste d’envol. Il y a autant de groupes de huttes qu’il y a de métiers dans le personnel: pilote, navigateur, mitrailleur, radiotélégraphiste, bombardier-pointeur, etc.
A la section, des aviateurs causent des sujets les plus variés, depuis leur impatience d’aller affronter l’ennemi jusqu’au temps où ils étaient garçonnets et allaient voler des pommes chez le voisin. D’autres jouent aux dames ou au tennis sur table; d’autres, enfin, se sont étendus dans un coin et dorment paisiblement. Il suffit de causer pendant quelques minutes avec celui-ci et celui-là pour constater que les tempéraments ont changé quelque peu, et souvent beaucoup, chez chacun d’eux, depuis le jour où ils ont quitté le Canada pour venir aider à en finir avec le nazisme. A quoi cela est-il attribuable? A la présence constante du danger? A l’impatience d’aller se mesurer avec l’ennemi? Au fait d’être éloignés de ses parents et amis de toujours? A tout cela sans doute. Mais il est évident que tous ces jeunes gens qui furent appelés, du jour au lendemain, à prendre, quelques secondes, les plus graves décisions – des décisions dont dépendent souvent leur propre vie et celles de leurs compagnons d’équipage – sont devenus des hommes, tout en gardant des figures jeunes et le goût des folies réservées à la jeunesse.
Ce sera difficile pour ces jeunes, à leur retour au Canada, de se réadapter à la vie normale, à la vie de famille. D’autre part, ce sera difficile également pour leurs parents et amis de les comprendre. Aussi importe-t-il que ceux-ci se préparent à retrouver en eux, non pas des frais émoulus de l’école ou de l’université, mais des jeunes hommes aguerris, qui ont souffert, qui ont accompli de grandes et nobles actions. On ne saurait se montrer trop bons et trop compréhensifs envers eux. Ils l’ont tellement mérité.
Comme il s’agira d’hommes aguerris, ils ne seront pas portés, à moins qu’on ne le leur demande, à parler de leurs souffrances morales et physiques. D’ailleurs, ils auront bien vite oublié cela. Mais ils se souviendront des bons moments vécus à telle ou telle station aérienne, ils seront heureux de commenter les exploits d’un tel ou tel, et quoi encore. Autrement dit, ils seront enclins à ne montrer que le beau côté de l’affaire. Et ce sera beaucoup mieux. Mais encore ne faudra-t-il pas oublier qu’il y a eu l’autre côté de l’affaire. Ces jeunes gens retourneront au Canada plus forts que jamais, ils afficheront un cran et une volonté qu’on ne leur connaissait pas, mais ils ne garderont tout cela qu’en autant qu’on saura les comprendre et les aider. Ce sont là des constatations sérieuses, nous dira-t-on peut-être, mais elles nous sont venues en causant avec de bons maris, de bons fils, de bons fiancés canadiens français, dont le seul désir est de voir la fin de la guerre au plus tôt pour rentrer dans leurs foyers respectifs. Et ici qu’il nous soit permis de mentionner quelques-uns de nos interlocuteurs! Sous-lieutenant d’aviation Gérard Poirier, pilote, 133, chemin de Montréal, Eastview (Ont.); sergent Lucien LeBlanc, bombardier-pointeur, 46, rue Merton, Ottawa; sergent Joseph Saint-Louis, radiotélégraphiste-mitrailleur, 46, quatorzième avenue, Lachine; sergent Roger Asselin, mitrailleur, 6354, rue de Châteaubriand, Montréal; sergent Euloge Bouchard, navigateur, La Tuque; sergent Charles Numainville, radiotélégraphiste, des Cèdres; sergent de section Charles d’Ambroise, radiotélégraphiste-mitrailleur, de Squatteck, près de Rivière-du Loup; sergent Roger Lerminaux, mitrailleur, de Montmartre (Sask.); sergent Paul Gendron, radiotélégraphiste, 37, rue Bérard, Drummondville; officier pilote André Nobert, navigateur, Gravelbourg (Sask.); sergent Georges-Emile Morand, bombardier-pointeur, 2322, rue Sheppard, Montréal.
Translation
War changes the character of young people
So says Pilot Officer Gabriel Langlais of the RCAF. (Pilot Officer)
With the RCAF., in Great Britain, on the 19th (Delayed Dispatch) – At any preparatory school for war flying, it is in the section that one meets officers and NCOs. It is where they gather during the day, waiting to fly or to go to theory classes. The section consists of small huts located near the perimeter of the runway. There are as many groups of huts as there are occupations in the personnel: pilot, navigator, gunner, radio operator, bomb-aimer, etc.
In the section, airmen talk about various subjects, from their impatience to go and face the enemy to the time when they were boys and went to steal apples from the neighbour’s house. Others are playing checkers or table tennis; others have stretched out in a corner and are sleeping peacefully. You only have to talk to this one and that one for a few minutes to see that tempers have changed somewhat, and often a lot, in each of them since the day they left Canada to help end Nazism. To what is this attributable? The constant presence of danger? The eagerness to go and fight the enemy? To being away from his lifelong friends and family? All of these things, no doubt. But it is obvious that all these young people who were called upon, from one day to the next, to take, for a few seconds, the most serious decisions – decisions on which their own lives and those of their crewmates often depended – have become men, while retaining youthful figures and a taste for the follies reserved for youth.
It will be difficult for these young people, on their return to Canada, to readjust to normal life, to family life. On the other hand, it will also be difficult for their parents and friends to understand them. It is therefore important that they prepare themselves to find in them, not fresh out of school or university, but seasoned young men who have suffered, who have done great and noble deeds. We cannot be too kind and understanding towards them. They have so deserved it.
As they will be seasoned men, they will not be inclined, unless they are asked, to talk about their moral and physical sufferings. Besides, they will soon forget about it. But they will remember the good times at this or that air station, they will be happy to comment on the exploits of so-and-so, and what not. In other words, they will be inclined to show only the good side of the story. And that will be much better. But we must not forget that there was another side to the story. These young people will return to Canada stronger than ever, with a grit and a will that we did not know they had, but they will only keep it if we understand and help them. These are serious observations, we may be told, but they have come to us while talking to good husbands, good sons, good French-Canadian fiancés, whose only desire is to see the end of the war as soon as possible in order to return to their respective homes. And here let us mention some of our interlocutors! Pilot Officer Gérard Poirier, 133 Montreal Road, Eastview, Ont. Sergeant Lucien LeBlanc, Bomb-aimer, 46 Merton Street, Ottawa; Sergeant Joseph Saint-Louis, Wireless Operator, 46 Fourteenth Avenue, Lachine; Sergeant Roger Asselin, Machine Gunner, 6354 Chateaubriand Street, Montreal; Sergeant Euloge Bouchard, Navigator, La Tuque; Sergeant Charles Numainville, Wireless Operator, des Cèdres; Flight Sergeant Charles d’Ambroise, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Squatteck, near Rivière-du Loup; Sergeant Roger Lerminaux, Air Gunner, Montmartre, Sask.; Sergeant Paul Gendron, wireless operator, 37 Bérard Street, Drummondville; Pilot Officer André Nobert, navigator, Gravelbourg, Sask.; Sergeant Georges-Emile Morand, bomb-aimer, 2322 Sheppard Street, Montreal.
Transcription
En annonçant la décoration le quartier général du C.A.R.C. publie la citation suivante: « En décembre 1944 il fut choisi pour participer à un raid sur Osnabruck. Au-dessus de la ville l’avion fut touché par le feu ennemi et ses quatre moteurs stoppèrent. Le lieutenant de section Perrier ne quitta pas les commandes et laissa plonger son avion 7,000 pieds après quoi les moteurs recommencèrent de tourner. En revenant à sa base les moteurs arrêtèrent de nouveau et il fut forcé de descendre. Grâce à son sang-froid et à son initiative le lieutenant de section Perrier a ramené l’avion à sa base ».
Gérard Perrier s’enrôla en 1942 et fit son entraînement à Ottawa, Lachine, Victoriaville et Windsor. Il reçut ses ailes et le grade d’officier-pilote, le 1er octobre 1943. Il faisait partie de l’escadrille des « Alouettes ».
Translated transcript
In announcing the award the C.A.R.C. headquarters publishes the following citation: ‘In December 1944 he was chosen to take part in a raid on Osnabruck. Over the city the plane was hit by enemy fire and all four engines stopped. Flight Lieutenant Perrier remained at the controls and let his plane dive to 7,000 feet, after which the engines started to run again. On returning to base the engines stopped again and he was forced to descend. Thanks to his coolness and initiative, Flight Lieutenant Perrier brought the plane back to its base.
Gérard Perrier enlisted in 1942 and trained in Ottawa, Lachine, Victoriaville and Windsor. He received his wings and the rank of Pilot Officer on October 1, 1943. He was part of the « Alouettes » squadron.
Transcription
Un Anglais parle! Ce n’est pas que ce soit rare un Anglais qui parle mais quand vous en trou vez un pour vous parler des Alou ettes, je crois qu’il vaille la peine d’être écouté. L’officier-pilote W. F. Clarke, de Bury St. Edmunds. Suffolk, Angleterre. (Muttismoor, Hollow Road) qui sert dans la RAF depuis 1943, vient de terminer son premier tour d’opérations, avec un équipage cana dien-français de l’escadrille des Alouettes. Il est ingénieur de son métier d’aviateur.
« Cela me chagrine que mon tour soit terminé » a-t-il déclaré, « Si j’avais à en accomplir un second, je voudrais le faire avec le même équipage. parce que je considère que c’est le meilleur équipage qui soit. Chacun de ses membres con naissait réellement son affaire. Ils étaient sérieux et conscients de leur responsabilités.
« Je les respecte » … Faisant allusion aux Canadiens de langue française qu’il a connus aux Alouettes, Clarke ajouta: « J’aime l’escadrille. J’ai appris à y connaître les Canadiens français que j’aime, que je respecte et en compagnie desquels, je me sens heureux. »
L’officier-pilote Clarke qui était employé dans une usine de carrosserie, avant la guerre, espère bien retourner à son métier, après la guerre, et aux Etats-Unis, ou au
Canada, si possible.
Translation
An Englishman speaks! Not that it is unusual for an Englishman to speak, but when you find one to tell you about the Alouettes, I think he is worth listening to. Pilot Officer W. F. Clarke, of Bury St. Edmunds. Suffolk, England. (Muttismoor, Hollow Road) who has served in the RAF since 1943, has just completed his first tour of operations, with a Canadian-French crew of the Alouette squadron. He is an engineer by trade.
« If I had to do a second tour, I would want to do it with the same crew, because I consider it the best crew ever. Each of them really knew their stuff. They were serious and aware of their responsibilities.
« I respect them » … Referring to the French Canadians he knew at the Alouettes, Clarke added: « I like the squadron. I got to know the French Canadians there, whom I love and respect and with whom I feel happy.
Pilot Officer Clarke, who was employed in a body shop before the war, hopes to return to his trade after the war, and to the United States or Canada if possible.
Membre d’équipage
Membre d’équipage
Son frère
Updated 11 November 2021
Updated 11 November 2021
Update
Log book
Sergent Robert Bruyère DFM
Mise à jour le 25 août 2021
Une nouvelle lectrice s’ajoute sur la 3e édition de mon blogue. Elle est la fille de Robert Bruyère. Elle a corrigé une information tirée de la citation de son père.
Citation
BRUYÈRE, Sergent George Joseph Robert (R54826, plus tard J16501) – Médaille du service distingué dans l’aviation – Escadron n° 425 – Attribution en vigueur le 1er décembre 1942 selon la London Gazette du 4 décembre 1942 et AFRO 2069/42 du 18 décembre 1942.
Né le 3 juin 1917 à Ottawa ; domicilié à Montréal ; s’y est engagé pour des tâches générales, le 27 mars 1940 et a été affecté à Trenton. Promu AC1, le 27 juin 1940. Promu caporal, le 21 septembre 1940. Réorienté vers l’aviation, retourne à AC2 et est affecté au No.1 ITS, le 28 novembre 1940 ; gradué et promu à LAC, le 4 janvier 1941 ; au No.1 WS, le 3 février 1941 ; gradué le 21 juillet 1941 lorsqu’il est affecté au 6e BGS ; gradué et promu sergent, le 18 août 1941. Au dépôt d’embarquement, date incertaine. Dans la RAF outre-mer, le 12 décembre 1941. Promu sergent de section, le 18 février 1942. Par la suite, il a été mis en service avec effet à cette date. Rapatrié le 20 mars 1943. Au Centre de recrutement de Montréal, le 17 décembre 1943. Promu capitaine d’aviation, le 1er octobre 1944. Retraité le 16 juillet 1945. Décédé à Lachine*, Québec, le 19 août 2003. Prix remis par le Roi George le 30 mars 1943.
Cité avec le P/O J.A.T. Doucette, DFC. Le 6 novembre 1942, le sous-lieutenant d’aviation Doucette et le Sergent Bruyère étaient respectivement pilote et opérateur radio d’un avion en opération pour attaquer de jour un objectif dans le nord-ouest de l’Allemagne. Au cours du vol aller, l’avion fut attaqué par trois chasseurs ennemis. Le sergent Bruyère a été gravement blessé, ayant une jambe cassée et des blessures à la poitrine, au bras, au front et à la main gauche. Un membre de l’équipage, en se portant à son secours, a marché sur la trappe d’évacuation et est tombé à travers celle-ci. Mais le sergent Bruyère l’a rattrapé et l’a aidé à se mettre en sécurité. Lorsque l’engagement avec le chasseur ennemi fut terminé, le sous-lieutenant d’aviation Doucette continua à voler et attaqua sa cible. Sur le chemin du retour, le sergent Bruyère, malgré son état critique, a conseillé ses collègues sur le fonctionnement de son équipement de radio sans fil dans des circonstances extrêmement difficiles. Le sous-lieutenant d’aviation Doucette et le sergent Bruyère ont tous deux fait preuve d’un courage indomptable et d’un dévouement sans faille.
Le communiqué de presse de l’ARC n° 1106, rédigé par l’officier d’aviation Marcel Beauregard, publié le 25 janvier 1943, se lit comme suit Le sous-lieutenant d’aviation Léopold Desroches, navigateur, de Montréal (Québec), ne serait pas vivant aujourd’hui si le sergent de section Robert Bruyère, D.F.M., opérateur radio, également de Montréal, ne l’avait pas saisi à temps alors qu’il était sur le point de disparaître par l’écoutille de secours au-dessus de l’Allemagne. C’est exact. Mais le sergent de section Robert Bruyère ne serait pas lui-même en vie si ses compagnons d’équipage n’avaient pas été aussi diligents lors des cours de premiers soins donnés par le lieutenant d’aviation Hector Payette, de Montréal, médecin de l’escadron de bombardiers canadiens-français. « Bruyère était si gravement blessé et perdait tellement de sang qu’il serait mort pendant le voyage de retour », a déclaré le capitaine d’aviation Payette ; « mais Desroches et Trudeau lui ont sûrement sauvé la vie en lui posant un garrot sur la jambe gauche et juste au bon endroit ». Bruyère a été touché quatre fois par le feu de l’ennemi, mais il est maintenant hors de danger. Cela s’est produit alors que des avions de l’escadron de bombardiers canadiens-français participaient à un raid de jour au-dessus du nord-ouest de l’Allemagne. Le bombardier, piloté par le sous-lieutenant d’aviation Théodore (Ted) Doucette, D.F.C., de Sudbury, Ontario, était très proche de la cible et juste en dessous des nuages, à environ 300 pieds du sol, lorsque trois Me 109F sont venus par derrière et ont attaqué le bombardier à une distance de 500 mètres. Le sergent Pierre-Paul Trudeau, d’Outremount (sic), au Québec, qui était le mitrailleur arrière, a attendu et a ensuite ouvert le feu sur le chasseur au centre. Il l’a eu très vite car ce chasseur a immédiatement commencé à dégager de la fumée et s’est écrasé au sol peu après. Au même moment, le chasseur de droite s’est détaché et a attaqué le bombardier par le côté tribord tandis que le troisième passait au-dessus de l’aile gauche. Le sergent Bruyère, qui se tenait au centre de l’avion et qui regardait par l’écoutille, a été touché quatre fois et est tombé au sol. Le sergent Desroches, qui était à côté du pilote, s’est précipité pour l’aider et lui posait un garrot sur la jambe gauche lorsqu’il est tombé contre la trappe de secours, l’a ouverte et est passé à travers. Bruyère l’a attrapé par le lapel de sa combinaison de vol et l’a aidé à remonter dans le bombardier. À ce moment-là, le pilote avait perdu le contrôle et le bombardier était en piqué en spirale. À quelques mètres du sol, Doucette réussit à reprendre le contrôle et, en quelques minutes, il fait entrer le bombardier dans les nuages. L’avion était alors au-dessus de la cible et les bombes ont été larguées. Le sergent Trudeau avait quitté sa tourelle et s’occupait du sergent Bruyère, tandis que Desroches était retourné à son siège de navigateur et que le sergent Derrick Vollans, du Yorkshire, le bombardier, faisait office de radiotélégraphiste. Desroches, Vollans et Trudeau étaient tous trois en tenue de combat, ayant enlevé leur Mae West pour faire un lit à leur compagnon blessé. Le bombardier était très endommagé – le système d’intercommunication était inutilisable, le système hydraulique était hors service, l’un des ailerons était presque abattu, l’autre avait été endommagé, l’un des réservoirs de carburant fuyait de l’essence et il y avait deux trous dans les ailes. Malgré tout cela, le lieutenant Doucette a réussi à ramener l’avion à la maison et il a même effectué un atterrissage parfait. L’atterrissage a été si bon que le sergent Bruyère, depuis son lit à l’hôpital, a dit : « Ted, tu n’as jamais fait un si bel atterrissage avant. Je n’ai rien senti ». Le lieutenant Doucette a appris que son opérateur radio avait été blessé alors qu’il atteignait la cible, mais il ne savait pas qu’il était dans un état aussi grave. « Nous ne voulions pas lui dire tout de suite », a déclaré le sergent Trudeau, « à cause de l’effet que cela pouvait avoir sur lui et je lui ai juste dit que Bob (Bruyère) avait été légèrement blessé ». « Ce n’est qu’à ce moment-là », a poursuivi Trudeau, « que j’ai vu que les ailerons avaient été endommagés. J’en ai parlé à Doucette, mais il n’a pas répondu. Il a simplement croisé les doigts et m’a fait un clin d’œil. Il a certainement fait du bon travail ». « En fait », a déclaré le lieutenant d’aviation Payette, « il serait difficile de trouver un meilleur exemple de la coopération qui doit exister entre les membres d’un équipage. Chacun a fait sa part si bien. C’était une merveille de compréhension, et c’est pourquoi Bruyère est maintenant en vie.
BRUYERE, Sergeant George Joseph Robert (R54826, later J16501) – Distinguished Flying Medal – No.425 Squadron – Award effective 1 December 1942 as per London Gazette dated 4 December 1942 and AFRO 2069/42 dated 18 December 1942. Born 3 June 1917 in Ottawa; home in Montreal; enlisted there for General Duties, 27 March 1940 and posted to Trenton. Promoted AC1, 27 June 1940. Promoted Corporal, 21 September 1940. Remustered to aircrew, reverted to AC2 and posted to No.1 ITS, 28 November 1940; graduated and promoted LAC, 4 January 1941); to No.1 WS, 3 February 1941; graduated 21 July 1941 when posted to No.6 BGS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 18 August 1941. To Embarkation Depot, date uncertain. To RAF overseas, 12 December 1941. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 18 February 1942. Subsequently commissioned with effect from that date. Repatriated 20 March 1943. To Montreal Recruiting Centre, 17 December 1943. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 October 1944. Retired 16 July 1945.
Died in Lachine*, Quebec, 19 August 2003.
Award presented by King George 30 March 1943.
Cited with P/O J.A.T. Doucette, DFC. On November 6, 1942, Pilot Officer Doucette and Sergeant Bruyere were captain and wireless operator respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack an objective in Northwest Germany in daylight. On the outward flight the aircraft was attacked by three enemy fighters. Sergeant Bruyere was seriously injured, sustaining a broken leg and wounds in the chest, arm, forehead and left hand. A member of the crew, when going to his assistance, stepped on the escape hatch and fell through it but Sergeant Bruyere caught him and assisted him back to safety. When the engagement with the enemy fighter was terminated, Pilot Officer Doucette flew on and attacked his target. On the return journey Sergeant Bruyere, despite his critical condition, advised his colleagues on the operation of his wireless equipment in extremely difficult circumstances. Both Pilot Officer Doucette and Sergeant Bruyere displayed indomitable courage and unswerving devotion to duty. RCAF Press Release No.1106, written by F/O Marcel Beauregard, released 25 January 1943, read as follows: Pilot Officer Leopold Desroches, navigator, of Montreal, Quebec, wouldn’t be alive today if Flight Sergeant Robert Bruyere, D.F.M., wireless Operator, also of Montreal, had not grabbed him in time as he was about to disappear through the emergency hatch over Germany. That’s right. But Flight Sergeant Robert Bruyere wouldn’t be alive himself if his crew companions had not been so diligent at the first aid lectures given by Flight Lieutenant Hector Payette, of Montreal, medical officer of the French Canadian bomber squadron. “Bruyere was so badly injured and was losing so much blood that he would have died during the trip back”, said Flight Lieutenant Payette; “but Desroches and Trudeau surely saved his life when they put a tourniquet on his left leg and just at the right place”. Bruyere was hit four times by the enemy’s fire, but he is now out of danger. This happened when aircraft of the French Canadian bomber squadron were taking part in a daylight raid over N.W. Germany. The bomber, which was flown by Pilot Officer Theodore (Ted) Doucette, D.F.C., of Sudbury, Ontario, was very close to the target and just below the clouds, at about 300 feet from the ground, when three Me’s 109F’s came from behind and attacked the bomber at a distance of 500 yards. Sergeant Pierre-Paul Trudeau, of Outremount, Quebec, who was the rear gunner, waited and then opened fire on the fighter in the centre. He got it very soon because that fighter immediately began pouring out smoke and crashed to the ground shortly afterward. At the same moment, the fighter at the right peeled off and attacked the bomber from the starboard side while the third passed over the left wing. Flight Sergeant Bruyere, who was standing in the centre of the aircraft, looking through the astro-hatch, was hit four times and fell on the floor. P\O Desroches, who was beside the pilot, rushed to help him and was putting a tourniquet on his left leg when he fell against the emergency hatch, opened it and went through. Bruyere grabbed him by the lapala of his flying suit and helped him to climb back into the kite. By that time the pilot had lost control and the bomber was in a spiral nose-dive. A few feet from the ground Doucette succeeded in regaining control and, in a very few minutes, brought the bomber into the clouds. The aircraft by this time was over the target, and the bombs were dropped. Sergeant Trudeau had left his turret and was taking care of Sergeant Bruyere, while Desroches had gone back to his navigator’s seat and Sergeant Derrick Vollans, of Yorkshire, the bomb aimer, was acting as Wireless Operator. Desroches, Vollans and Trudeau were all three in battle dress, having taken off their Mae West to make a bed for their injured companion. The bomber was badly damaged – the intercommunication system was unserviceable, the hydraulic system was out of order, one of the ailerons was nearly shot off, the other had been damaged, one of the fuel tanks was leaking gasoline and there were two holes in the wings. Despite all this, P/O Doucette succeeded in bringing the aircraft home and he even made a perfect landing. The landing was so good that Sergeant Bruyere, from his bed at the hospital, said, “Ted, you have never made such a nice landing before. I didn’t feel anything”. P/O Doucette learned that his Wireless Operator had been injured as he reached the target, but he didn’t know that he was in such a serious condition. “We didn’t want to tell him right away”, said Sergeant Trudeau, “because of the effect it might have on him and I just told him that Bob (Bruyere) had been slightly injured”. “It was only then”, continued Trudeau, “that I saw the ailerons had been damaged. I told Doucette about it, but he didn’t answer. He simply crossed his fingers and gave me a wink. He certainly did a good job”. “As a matter of fact”, said Flight Lieutenant Payette, “it would be difficult to find a better example of the co-operation which must exist between the members of a crew. Everybody did his own part so well. It was a marvel of understanding, and that is why Bruyere is now alive.
Note
Information corrigée par la fille de Robert Bruyère. Son père est décédé à Lachute et non à Lachine.
November 11 – R220222’s Final Mission – Epilogue
November 11 – R220222’s Final Mission – Epilogue
Last time I wrote about Jean-Paul Corbeil’s final mission. He had survived 40 operations flown over Europe from May to September 1944.
Well I was wrong. He flew his last operation on August 16.
In 2015 he had an idea.
This is the English version of the letter he wrote in March 2015.
The letter was in an enveloppe with another enveloppe with a special card inside. On one side of the card there was the cover of his log book and a photo of his crew taken in May 1944. On the other side there was an image of a page taken from his log book where we can see his two operations on D-Day.
86 letters and cards were sent in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day 2015. Some were sent in Canada, some in England, some in the United States, some in Belgium, some in France.
Later, he asked me to write again to these people and to add this to the blog…
My last mission
Dear friends,
As Remembrance Day approaches, let us remember the 42,000 young Canadians, including some 19,000 airmen, who gave their lives in the defence of freedom during the Second World War. I would like to share with you my last letter that accompanied the reproduction of a page from my logbook, along with a photo of our crew, and ask that you keep these authentic documents for posterity.
I want to suggest that you give copies of this mission card, as well as the envelope with a postage stamp created especially for this project, to people of your choice who will be able to pass it on from generation to generation.
Also, you may freely distribute copies of everything you have received to people who would be interested in promoting the duty to remember in their entourage. The next time I contact you by email, I will tell you where and when the idea for this project came to me and what happened next.
What about this project? One hundred original cards, accompanied by a letter explaining my last mission, were sent around the world to people who had expressed an interest in honouring the memory of Alouette Squadron and promoting peace. Several people wrote to me and told me to whom they would eventually send the card, letter and stamped envelope specially for this project.
On behalf of myself and all the Alouettes, we wish you and your family a serene and long lasting peace.
Jean-Paul Corbeil, Canadian veteran
…
Jean-Paul Corbeil died on October 3rd, 2018 and the final mission has been dormant since. That was until I found the grandson of Lloyd Lafoy who flew one operation with Jean-Paul Corbeil in 1944.
Lloyd Lafoy was known as Lucky Red. Red because of his hair colour and Lucky because he always came back from his operations.
Lucky Red was also an air gunner. When he flew with Jacques Terroux’s crew he was manning the mid-under turret and Jean-Paul Corbeil was the mid-upper gunner. In my numerous meetings with Mr. Corbeil we never spoke about Lucky Red because I did not know they were both on the same operation.
Since my last contact with Che Lafoy who received a card, I have started to find people who would understand Mr. Corbeil’s final mission on Earth.
All of the remaining cards have been sent. Each recipient shares something with R220222.
One recipient is the grandson of Wing Commander William Gerald Phelan. His grandfather signed one of R220222’s log pages. He had checked his August 1944 entries for errors or omissions.
Something was not by the book. Day operations had to be in black and night operations in red. R220222 had to enter all the information the right way.
Squadron Leader Phelan approved his log book.
I am sure R220222 was not reprimanded for it, but he remembered it when he told me about what would happen if a Squadron Leader would find something wrong in an airman’s log book…
Don’t give me no bullshit…
Les 40 missions de Jean-Paul Corbeil
Écrit en 2013
Mis à jour le 25 février 2021
J’ai parlé à monsieur Corbeil de ma petite rencontre au Air Show de Gatineau avec Jack McLean, mid-under gunner dans l’escadrille 415 Swordfish.
32 missions without a scratch…
Monsieur Corbeil avait connu un mitrailleur du même nom. J’ignorais que Jean-Paul Corbeil avait été aussi un mid-under gunner en plus d’avoir été un mid-upper gunner.
C’était dans son logbook.
W Gunner!
Il m’a tout raconté.
J’aurais dû m’en douter en regardant cette photo que j’avais numérisée de son scrapbook en 2010.
Jean-Paul Corbeil (mitrailleur) et Pierre Gauthier (navigateur)
Je n’avais jamais remarqué la tourelle ventrale et sa mitrailleuse. Je pensais que c’était la coupole d’un radar.
On a bel et bien une mitrailleuse de calibre 0.50 (12,7 mm).
Je n’avais jamais eu le courage de demander cette question à monsieur Corbeil lors de mes neuf dernières rencontres.
40 missions without a scratch…
Avez-vous…
Voir l’article original 8 autres mots
Why this blog about Wing Commander Phelan? The answer…
About Wing Commander Phelan
Because there was so little written about him.
Shortly after Remembrance Day last year, I spent some time searching online for my grandfather William Gerald Phelan to see if any information was available about him. After sorting through various government sites I found Pierre’s blog about 420 Squadron, one of the two squadrons that he served with during his time with the RCAF. To my surprise and pleasure there were a few photos of him that I had never seen before. Over the next few days I spent hours going through the site reading about the history and missions, looking at photos and wondering about the people and the lives they lived.
My grandfather died in 1970 long before I was born, so we never got to meet. Most of what I know about him came from what my mom and other family members have told me. He studied philosophy…
Voir l’article original 415 autres mots
November 11 – R220222’s Final Mission
Updated 23 May 2021
One final mission card was sent last week to someone who is also preserving the past like Jean-Paul Corbeil when he was a young kid.
Guy Fournier sent me about 190 photos taken at No.9 B&G School in Mont-Joli, Quebec in 1942. This is one of those photos where four LACs earned their air observer wings. All four survived the war.
Here’s another one…
Another final mission card will be sent next week to this airman’s grandson.
Wing Commander William Gerald Phelan’s grandson is contributing to my blog on RCAF 420 Squadron. More people who have been contributing will be receiving a card. Another person is Philip Plant whose father-in-law was a flight engineer with RCAF 420 Squadron. Two more people whose fathers were part of the same squadron have been chosen.
End of update
In 2015, Jean-Paul Corbeil told me he wanted to do a final mission with him. He had survived 40 operations flown over Europe from May to September 1944. Two of those operations were on D-Day.
This is a letter he wrote back in March 2015.
With this letter he had this card.
On one side there was the cover of his log book and a photo of his crew taken in May 1944.
On the other side there was an image of a page taken from his log book where we can see his two operations on D-Day.
More than 80 letters and cards were sent in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Day 2015. Some were sent in Canada, some in England, some in the United States, some in Belgium, some in France.
Later, he asked me to write again to these people and to add this to the blog…
My last mission
Dear friends,
As Remembrance Day approaches, let us remember the 42,000 young Canadians, including some 19,000 airmen, who gave their lives in the defence of freedom during the Second World War. I would like to share with you my last letter that accompanied the reproduction of a page from my logbook, along with a photo of our crew, and ask that you keep these authentic documents for posterity.
I want to suggest that you give copies of this mission card, as well as the envelope with a postage stamp created especially for this project, to people of your choice who will be able to pass it on from generation to generation.
Also, you may freely distribute copies of everything you have received to people who would be interested in promoting the duty to remember in their entourage. The next time I contact you by email, I will tell you where and when the idea for this project came to me and what happened next.
What about this project? One hundred original cards, accompanied by a letter explaining my last mission, were sent around the world to people who had expressed an interest in honouring the memory of Alouette Squadron and promoting peace. Several people wrote to me and told me to whom they would eventually send the card, letter and stamped envelope specially for this project.
On behalf of myself and all the Alouettes, we wish you and your family a serene and long lasting peace.
Jean-Paul Corbeil, Canadian veteran
…
The next time I contact you by email, I will tell you where and when the idea of this project came to me and what happened next…
The follow-up never came as he asked me to wait before I could share it.
Jean-Paul Corbeil died on October 3rd, 2018.
Where did this idea come from?
Jean-Paul Corbeil remembered the nun who taught him when he was a little boy in Bonfield. She had talked about the First World War and she had asked the children to bring something that reminded them of that war.
Jean-Paul Corbeil was the only schoolboy to bring something… an old rifle from the war.
It was there that he understood the meaning of the expression the duty to remember.
Le 11 novembre – La dernière mission de R220222
Le 11 novembre 2015, voici ce que j’écrivais sur mon premier blogue dédié à l’escadrille Alouette. C’était en fait un peu cryptique je l’avoue. C’était au sujet de la dernière mission de Jean-Paul Corbeil, l’ancien combattant qui avait survécu après 40 opérations en théâtre de guerre.
Monsieur Corbeil avait eu cette idée d’une dernière mission quelques mois auparavant le Jour du Souvenir.
Revoici la lettre qu’il avait écrite.
Avec cette lettre se trouvait une carte avec au recto et au verso ceci…
Monsieur Corbeil était là lors du Jour J.
Plus de 80 lettres et cartes avaient été envoyées dans les semaines précédant le Jour du Souvenir 2015.
Plus tard, il m’avait demandé d’ajouter ceci sur le blogue…
Ma dernière mission
Chers amis et chères amies,
À l’occasion du jour du Souvenir qui approche, souvenons-nous des 42 000 jeunes Canadiens, dont quelque 19 000 aviateurs, qui donnèrent leur vie pour défendre la liberté durant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. Je tiens à vous parler de ma dernière lettre qui accompagnait la reproduction d’une page de mon livre de bord, ainsi qu’une photo de notre équipage en vous priant de conserver pour la postérité ces documents authentiques.
Je veux vous suggérer de remettre des copies de cette carte mission, ainsi que l’enveloppe qui porte un timbre de poste créé spécialement pour ce projet, à des personnes de votre choix qui sauront la transmettre de générations en générations.
Également, vous pouvez librement distribuer des copies de tout ce que vous avez reçu aux personnes qui auraient intérêt à promouvoir dans leur entourage le devoir de mémoire. Lors de mon prochain contact par courriel, je vous dirai où et quand l’idée de ce projet m’est venu et la suite.
Qu’en est-il de ce projet? Cent cartes originales, accompagnées d’une lettre expliquant ma dernière mission, ont été expédiées à travers le monde à des gens qui avaient exprimé un intérêt à honorer la mémoire de l’escadrille Alouette et à promouvoir la paix. Plusieurs personnes m’ont écrit et m’ont indiqué à qui ils allaient transmettre éventuellement la carte, la lettre et l’enveloppe timbrée spécialement pour ce projet.
En mon nom personnel, et en celui de tous les Alouettes, nous vous souhaitons à vous et à votre famille, une paix sereine et inébranlable.
Jean-Paul Corbeil, ancien combattant canadien
…
Lors de mon prochain contact par courriel, je vous dirai où et quand l’idée de ce projet m’est venu et la suite…
La suite n’est jamais venue.
D’où venait cette idée?
Jean-Paul Corbeil se rappelait de la religieuse qui lui enseignait quand il était petit garçon à Bonfield. Elle avait parlé de la Première Guerre mondiale et elle avait demandé aux enfants d’apporter quelque chose qui rappelait cette guerre.
Jean-Paul Corbeil avait été alors le seul écolier à avoir apporté quelque chose… un vieux fusil de la guerre.
C’est là qu’il avait compris le sens de l’expression le devoir de mémoire.
Je me souviens d’Hector Lucien Lecomte — Hector Lucien Lecomte
J’avais souvent rencontré le nom de Joe Lecomte dans mes recherches sur l’escadrille Alouette depuis 2010, mais je n’avais jamais écrit sur lui. Mon intérêt a été à nouveau piqué par une anecdote que Lloyd Stanley Lafoy avait racontée à son petit-fils : une partie d’une histoire qu’il n’avait jamais racontée à personne auparavant. Joe […]
Je me souviens d’Hector Lucien Lecomte — Hector Lucien Lecomte
Ottawa Men Receive Wings in West
Félix Turcotte received his wings at No. 33 Service Flying Training School…
That might seem trivial or not that important unless you are related to Félix Turcotte seen here with his crew in Tunisia.
Newspaper clipping and photo courtesy of Che Lafoy, grandson of Lloyd « Lucky Red » Lafoy.
Lest we forget
RCAF 425 Alouettes III 