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Signal Jun 2003 the Signal NEWSLETTER OF THE VENTURE ASSOCIATION June 2003 Anchormen Allan J. Snowie (Class of ‘66) First World War, Second World War and “Collishaw & Company” to be published years. Cold War conflicts have given rise to suc- in August, 2004. The British Royal Navy, The second highest Canadian naval ceeding generations of Canadian naval avia- who were loath to release their own ace was J.S. Fall (Hillbank BC) with 36 tors. At a time when our own Venture group trained officers to flying duties, recruited of naval aviators is about to pass into his- kills. A.T. Whealy and G.C. MacKay tory, it is timely for all of us to become better our Canadians as aviators. The RN saw (both of Toronto) downed 27 and 18 re- acquainted with some of the very first Cana- the war as a glorious opportunity for a spectively. Prairie lads A.W. Carter dian airmen who joined the Royal Naval Air second Trafalgar and kept most of their (Calgary) shot down 17; J.A. Glen (Turtle Service during the First World War. They trained watchkeepers in the fleet. Mountain, MB) 15; and H.LeR. Wallace pioneered our flight path to the deck. Ed. Herein follows a very much abbrevi- (Lethbridge) 14. In his encyclopedic volume Cana- ated sketch of a few of our many: The human costs were high on the dian Airmen and the First World War, It is the “ace factor” which draws Canadian side. S.V. Rosevear (Walkerton historian S.F.Wise tells us that 936 sons most readers to aviation books about the ON) was himself killed after bringing of Canada joined the Royal Naval Air war. We see numerous glossy covers down 25 of the foe; and C.R.R. Hickey Service during that conflict. Overall, this depicting a red Fokker Triplane; “Snoopy (Nanaimo BC) was lost following his st represented nearly one quarter of the vs. Red Baron” cartoons proliferate. In 21 . It may be superstitious to speculate, Royal Navy’s airmen. Such training and brutal reality, the ownership of the skies but after each achieved 13 victories, J.E. experience contributed greatly to our over the Western Front was a bloody, Greene (Winnipeg) and F.C. Armstrong country’s aviation heritage—a heritage hard-fought battle conducted in flying (Toronto) both died horribly in “flamers”. firmly anchored in this “ship’s company” machines that were initially little better W.B. Craig (Smith Falls ON) was another of men. Yet, at best, we only know about than kites with engines. Von Richthofen, very aggressive fighter, scoring one triple Raymond Collishaw (of Nanaimo BC) the Baron, brought down 80 Allied air- and two doubles before he was brought and his 60-victory Naval Ace of Aces craft. A.S. Todd (Georgetown ON) was down. th status in the 1914–1918 war. his 16 victim. After that combat Rich- thofen wrote: “…Only because we were Collishaw is but one, begging the question—who were the other 935? Few three against one did we detect the en- emy’s weak points. I managed to get have heard of F.G.T. Dawson (from Chester NS). ‘Wuffy’ Dawson joined the behind him and shot him down. The plane broke apart whilst falling.” Had the RNAS in September 1914 becoming Canada’s first naval pilot. After achieving fight been one-on-one what might have been the outcome? seven hours of solo flying he was sent out on English Channel patrols. He went on A.E Cuzner (Ottawa) was the nd to serve in the ill-fated Gallipoli Expedi- Baron’s 52 kill but it was our own A.R. tion and was invalided out of the service Brown (Carleton Place ON) who was by October 1915. Dawson recovered and instrumental in bringing down the red became the founding director of Fairey Fokker in April 1918. Sopwith Camels (flown by many of our WWI Canadian naval aviators) began to Aviation. The “Black Flight” was a fighting enter the RNAS in the middle of 1917 and ‘Red’ Mulock (Winnipeg), our sec- team that Collishaw put together in June met with immediate success. The 2F.1 ond naval aviator, was also our first ace, 1917. Consisting of W.M. Alexander Camel produced for the RNAS had more and finished the War as the highest- (Toronto), G.E. Nash (Stoney Creek ON), powerful engines and modified armament. ranking Canadian pilot in the new Royal J.E. Sharman (Oak Lake MB), and E.V. A total of 5,490 Camels were built. Cam- Air Force. The RAF was the result of the Reid (Belleville ON), they accounted for els were flown from barges towed behind April 1918 political marriage of the 68 enemy aircraft in just two months. destroyers, from platforms on the gun navy’s RNAS with the army’s Royal Reid and Sharman were killed in the ac- turrets of larger ships, as well as from Flying Corps. Today we would call that tions and Nash became a prisoner of war. early aircraft carriers. A 2F.1 successfully integration… and other names. Compare their totals to that of the famed flew after being dropped from an airship, French Lafayette Escadrille comprised of an experiment design to test an airship's The collective stories of our 936 38 American pilots who accounted for ability to carry its own defensive aircraft. naval airmen will be told in a book 199 enemy aircraft over a period of two Photo — Canada Aviation Museum the Signal While an even fifty Canadian naval it was best to attempt a glide into neutral way missions which could only lead to airmen became aces, including Observer Holland. This would mean internment recovery on land or a ditching alongside. L.A. Christian (Armstrong BC) with 9 and not prisoner of war status. Thus, indi- Pilots paid particular attention as to kills, the average aviator was fortunate viduals such as D.A.H. Nelles (Simcoe which destroyers had the best-drilled just to live through ab initio flying. Our ON) and A.G. Hodgson (Nelson BC) had boats crew! first trainee casualty was J.A. Alexander parolee freedom within the Netherlands. G.M. Breadner (Winnipeg) and A.H (Toronto) when his Caudron GIII col- Falling on the east side of the line A.J. Allardyce (Vancouver) took part in the lided with another student at NAS East- Chadwick (Toronto), W.A.W. Carter early deck flying tests. When the first church in September 1915. A few days (Fredericton) and D.M. Shields (Mt Al- true aircraft carrier, HMS Furious, be- later, D.A. Hay (Owen Sound ON) was bert ON) each managed to evaded cap- came operational during 1918, R.W. lost on a North Sea trainer. In three other, ture. Sadly K.M. VanAllen (Summerland Frost (Hamilton ON) served in her. separate instances, F.R. Bryans, H.T. BC) and L.E. Smith (Mystic PQ) were As one may gather from these vi- Coo, (both Toronto), and H. McK Reid among those who died of combat wounds gnettes, our Canadians brought home a (Bellville ON) were killed in midairs. in POW hospitals. large number of distinguished awards and J.H.StJ. DeBeauvais (St Constant PQ), On other war fronts, seaplane pilot honours. S.D. Culley (Vancouver) was our first French Canadian to join the air W.E. Robinson (Winnipeg) lost an engine put up for the Victoria Cross but in the services, also died learning to fly. J.L. and floated for several days drinking event, received “the poor man’s VC”, a Lavigne (Grand Mère PQ) suffered that rusty radiator water before he drifted Distinguished Service Order. Culley had same fate as did six dozen Canadian stu- ashore into the hands of the Turks. An- taken off from a towed barge to shoot dents. other guest of the Ottoman Empire was down a Zeppelin. R.G. Leckie (Toronto) “Pilot Wastage”, the cruel term that H. Aird (Toronto) who was flying copilot received the DSO, DSC (Distinguished the Royal Navy used to describe the to Alcock (of later Atlantic fame) when Service Cross) and DFC (Distinguished deadly attrition, continued once in action. engine failure brought their Handley Page Flying Cross). He brought down two First loss to the enemy was J.T. Bone bomber down near Constantinople. A.C. Zeps, and, had his frozen hands been able (Calgary) in October 1915 during a Burt (Brantford ON) lost a fight with an to clear a gun stoppage, his tally would bombing raid on Zeppelin sheds in Bel- enemy seaplane that promptly landed and have been three. B.D. Hobbs (Sault Ste gium. Among the nearly 100 combat picked him up. C.StC. Parsons (Toronto) Marie ON) sank a submarine and downed deaths that followed were A.J. Nightin- crashed alongside the armed trawler he a Zeppelin to win the DSO and two gale (Toronto) by anti-aircraft guns over was attacking and was rescued by them. DSC’s. Palestine; W.H Peberdy (Toronto) A.T. Cowley (Victoria) met the crew of a Observer H.J. Arnold (Queen Char- through aerial combat in Macedonia and U-Boat when his engine failed. In total, lotte Islands BC) won his DSO ranging N. Johnston (Westmount PQ) attacking 44 RNAS Canadians suffered the indig- guns to cripple the raider Konigsberg in the cruiser Goebden. Diving into a dog- nity of capture. German East Africa. T.D. Hallam fight L.A. Sands (Moncton) and W.A. As noted by the above paragraph, (Toronto) sank two submarines for two Moyle (Paris ON) collided. Another mid- not all aviators flew fighters.
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