History

WILLIAMS, P/O John William (J15604) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No. 249 Sq.

Award effective 9 Sept 1942 as per London Gazette dated 11 Sept 1942 & AFRO 1535/42 dated 25 September 1942

"This officer has fought the enemy with great determination. Within a short period he has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft, two of which he shot down in one day. Later his aircraft was damaged by enemy fire but he flew it safely to base. His courageous example has been most inspiring."

John Williams, known affectionately as “Willie the Kid” on Malta, survived his months on the island with nine aerial victories and a DFC, only to die in the crash at Gibraltar of an RAF Liberator transporting pilots to England for a rest. George Beurling was one of only three survivors of that crash.

The following is published on the RCAF Association website.

WILLIAMS, John William Pilot Officer, No.249 Squadron, J15604 Distinguished Flying Cross RCAF Personnel Awards 1939-1949

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WILLIAMS, P/O John William (J15604) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.249 Squadron - Award effective 9 September 1942 as per London Gazette dated 11 September 1942 and AFRO 1535/42 dated 25 September 1942. Born 1 February 1922 in Kamloops, British Columbia. Educated there and in Chilliwack (1936-1940). Name changed from "Larson" to "Williams" following his mother's second marriage. So keen to enlist that he took a six month ground course in aviation by correspondence. Enlisted in Vancouver, 24 October 1940. Attended No.2 Manning Depot, Brandon. Trained at No.2 ITS, Regina (17 January to 20 February 1941, graduated 9th in a class of 115), No.16 EFTS, Edmonton (21 February to 3 May 1941, graduated 11th in a class of 27) and No.32 SFTS, Moose Jaw (4 May to 16 July 1941; graduated as Sergeant, 30th in a class of 61; school mates included J.H. Turnbull and H.J. Everard). The CFI at No.32 SFTS (W/C N.E. Morrison), wrote of him, “General flying good and safe. Has made himself good average by hard work. Should develop into a good fighter pilot”. Arrived in Britain, 30 August 1941. Trained at No.57 OTU, 5 September to 21 October 1941 where he was assessed as being “Average” in most categories (Natural Aptitude, Skill in Landing, Airmanship, Aerobatics/Dogfighting, Cockpit Drill, Formation Flying, and Map Reading). He was judged “Above Average” only in Instrument Flying. With respects to “Personal Qualities” he was again considered average in most respects, but was “Below Average” under the heading “Sense of Responsibility” and “Above Average” in “Dash” (meaning ability to take quick, decisive action). On 21 October 1941 the CFI at No.57 OTU summarised him as follows: “An average pilot who does not take his flying training seriously enough. Inclined to be over-confident and somewhat lacking in discipline”. The course at No.57 OTI had included one hour 40 minutes dual instruction, 52 hours 30 minutes solo (all by day) and one hour 55 minutes on Instrument Flying. He had been involved in 18 hours 40 minutes of formation flying and had spent five hours 55 minutes in the Link. With No.132 Squadron, 21 October 1941 to 30 March 1942 (promoted to Flight Sergeant, 1 February 1942); with No.603 Squadron, 30 March to 28 April 1942; with No.164 Squadron, 28 April to 9 May 1942; with No.249 Squadron, 9 May 1942; commissioned 22 June 1942; to No.2 SPTC, 29 June 1942; to No.145 Squadron, 21 July 1942; to No.1413 Flight, 8 September 1942. NOTE: the last three postings appear in pencil in his file and are questionable. Known in Malta as "Willie the Kid". Killed 31 October 1942 in crash of Liberator AL516 (No.511 Squadron), Gibraltar (E.H. Glazebrook was another member of the RCAF killed in the crash while G.F. Beurling, RAF, was injured) . Award presented to next of kin, 18 May 1944. Aerial victories (as listed by Chris Shores, Aces High) are as follows: 10 May 1942, one Ju.88 damaged; 12 May 1942, one Ju.88 damaged' 14 May 1942, one Bf.109 damaged; 10 June 1942, one Re.2001 destroyed; 15 June 1942, one Bf.109 damaged; 8 July 1942, one Ju.88 destroyed, one Bf.109 destroyed and one Ju.88 damaged; 10 July 1942, one Bf.109 destroyed; 14 July 1942, one Bf.109 destroyed; 27 July 1942, two Bf.109s destroyed; 27 August 1942, one Ju.87 probably destroyed on the ground, Sicily; 5 September 1942, one Bf.109 damaged; 14 October 1942, two Bf.109s damaged; 15 October 1942, one Ju.88 probably destroyed; 16 October 1942, one Ju.88 destroyed; 24 October 1942, one Bf.109 destroyed. This officer has fought the enemy with great determination. Within a short period he has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft, two of which he shot down in one day. Later his aircraft was damaged by enemy fire but he flew it safely to base. His courageous example has been most inspiring.

MacFarlane, F/S Ronald Ernest (J/16696) - Distinguished Flying Medal - 101 Squadron RAF

Award effective 10 February 1943 as per London Gazette dated 12 February 1943 and AFRO 373/43 dated 5 March 1943.

“One night in January 1943, Flight Sergeant MacFarlane was captain of an aircraft which was attacked by three Junkers 88. When returning from an operational sortie the mid-upper gunner was killed, the rear gunner severely wounded and the aircraft was badly damaged. Flight Sergeant MacFarlane took violent evasive action and succeeded in shaking off the enemy aircraft. Shortly afterwards the bomber was held by searchlights and engaged by intense anti-aircraft fire, and height was lost down to 4,000 feet in avoiding further damage. Soon afterwards a formation of five hostile fighters was sighted but when they attempted to attack Flight Sergeant MacFarlane skilfully avoided them. By masterly airmanship this airman extricated his aircraft from a perilous situation and flew it safely back to this country.”

On December 16, 1943, with then Flight Lieutenant MacFarlane at the controls, Lancaster I DV300 of 101 RAF Squadron was the third victory of the night for the top Luftwaffe night fighter ace Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer. Schanufer brought down four Lancasters over the Netherlands that night. There were no known survivors of the crash of Flight Lieutanant MacFarlane's aircraft.

Note: See below the write up on Flying Officer Newton Reid Brydon who was the Bomb Aimer on the 21/22 January, 1943 mission that earned then Flight Sergeant MacFarlane the Distinguished Flying Medal. See also below 101 SQUADRON (RAF) ESSEN RAID NITE 21/22 JANUARY 1943.

Flight Lieutenant James Stewart Lees, D.F.C. Citation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

“This officer was pilot of an aircraft detailed to attack Leipzig one night in December 1943. Whilst many miles from the target the aircraft was hit by bullets from an enemy fighter. The rear turret was rendered unserviceable and the main hydraulic gear was damaged. The windscreen near the pilot was shattered causing intense cold in the cabin. In spite of this, the resolute pilot flew on to the target, executed his attack, afterwards flying the aircraft to base where he effected a masterly landing. His skill, courage and tenacity set an example of the highest order. Pilot Officer [sic] Lees has successfully completed very many sorties, including five attacks on Berlin.”

Although James Lees did not move to Chilliwack with his parents, several reports about Lees' exploits during the war were presented in the Chilliwack Progress. Lees remained in Alberta and prior to his enlistment in the R.C.A F. worked at Turner Valley, Alberta. He was a frequent visitor to Chilliwack until posted overseas in August 1942. As the pilot of a Lancaster bomber, Lees was reported missing on a raid over Milan until it was reported he had crash landed in North Africa. Lees returned to England aboard a transport plane and next encountered difficulties over Berlin. On this mission the starboard engine burst into flames and the plane started to lose height. Lees decided to press onwards towards the target until the port outer engine began to overheat causing the aircraft to lose further altitude. Although forced to jettison the bomb load the crew, being so close to Berlin, decided to observe the city in flames. On the return trip, the crew reported they could see the fires for some 200 miles. On operations over Leipzig, Lees' Lancaster aircraft was raked by machine‑gun and cannon‑fire from stem to stern by a German night fighter. Despite the attack, Lees and his crew continued the flight and dropped the bomb-load against the city. Lees managed to land the Lancaster at base without the use of flaps and with two burst tires. Lees' abilities as a bomber pilot with 50 Squadron were recognized with the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1943. Lees joined the peacetime R.C.A F. after his discharge from active service. His wife, Evelyn Gladys Lees arrived from England to Abbotsford, where James Lees' parents had moved. On September 15, 1946, three weeks after being reunited with his wife and family, James Lees was killed when the Dakota aircraft in which he was a passenger crashed near Estavan, Saskatchewan. Twenty‑one R.C.A.F. service personnel were killed. James Lees is also commemorated on the Abbotsford War Memorial.

The following is recorded on the RCAF Association website.

LEES, James Stewart Flying Officer, No.50 Squadron, J20727 Distinguished Flying Cross RCAF Personnel Awards 1939-1949

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LEES, F/O James Stewart (J20727) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.50 Squadron - Award effective 14 December 1943 as per London Gazette dated 28 December 1943 and AFRO 297/43 dated 11 February 1943. Born in Oyen, Alberta, 1 January 1917. Home in Chilliwack, British Columbia. Garage man for one years; oil well worker for three years. Enlisted in Calgary, 23 July 1941. To No.3 Manning Depot, Edmonton, 24 September 1941. To No.2 BGS, Mossbank, 25 September 1941. To No.2 ITS, Regina, 11 November 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 3 January 1942; taken on strength of No.15 EFTS, Regina, 4 January 1942; [ may have graduated 13 March 1942 but not struck off strength until 28 March 1942; taken on strength of No.3 SFTS, Calgary, 29 March 1942; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 17 July 1942. Subsequently commissioned with effect from that date (Canada Gazette, 19 December 1942) but even at No.1660 CU he was referred to as ?Sergeant?. Struck off strength of No.3 SFTS, 31 July 1942 on posting to ?Y? Depot. To RAF Trainee Pool, 6 August 1942. Disembarked in United Kingdom, 18 August 1942. To No.11 (P) AFU, 29 August 1942. Attached to No.1521 Beam Approach Training Flight, 11-15 October 1942. To No.19 OTU, 19 October 1942. Attached to No.10 OTU Detachment, St.Eval, 23 January to 15 February 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 17 January 1943. To No.1660 Conversion Unit, 9 March 1943. Attended No.74 TTN (whatever that is), dates uncertain. To No.50 Squadron, 20 April 1943. Attached to Maison Blanche, 7 August 1943, returning by plane from North Africa on 29 August 1943. Struck off strength of No.50 Squadron, 23 December 1943 on posting to No.1654 Conversion Unit. Attended No.3 Flying Instructor School, 19 January to 1 March 1944 before taking up duties at CU (see assessments). Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 24 May 1944. Posted again to No.50 Squadron, 5 January 1945. To No.5 Lancaster Finishing School, 13 January 1945. To No.50 Squadron, 19 March 1945 and appears to have flown three sorties. Repatriated via Station Yarmouth, 23 July 1945. Released 28 September 1945. Re-engaged in postwar interim force, 4 July 1946. One of 21 killed in crash of Dakota at Estevan, Saskatchewan, 15 September 1946. Incident in citation would have occurred on night of 2/3 December 1943. This officer was pilot of an aircraft detailed to attack Leipzig one night in December 1943. Whilst many miles from the target the aircraft was hit by bullets from an enemy fighter. The rear turret was rendered unserviceable and the main hydraulic gear was damaged. The windscreen near the pilot was shattered causing intense cold in the cabin. In spite of this, the resolute pilot flew on to the target, executed his attack, afterwards flying the aircraft to base where he effected a masterly landing. His skill, courage and tenacity set an example of the highest order. Pilot Officer [sic] Lees has successfully completed very many sorties, including five attacks on Berlin. NOTE: On 8 August 1943, 0830 hours, Maison Blanche, Lancaster DV223, crashed. He had 500 hours at the time. Only injury was to Sergeant B. Shearwood (broken left arm and finger). He described it as follows: I took off from RAF Station Skillingthorpe, Lincs, as the pilot of Lancaster DV223 on August 7th at 2120 hours to carry out an operational sortie as briefed under Bomber Command Instructions; the target was located, and although my port outboard engine was on fire, I dropped bombs in the target area. On completion of bombing run, I decided to make North Africa instead of returning to base, having switched off and feathered the propeller of my port outer engine, we made all preparations to abandon aircraft but as the fire subsided, decided to carry on. We tried to contact H.F. Blida but failed, received Q.D.M.s from M.F. which brought us to Maison Blanche; contacted control but TP reception very distorted. I circled the aerodrome for a considerable time looking for the flare path to indicate my line of approach, but was unable to find it. The weather being bad I flew round for approximately one hour trying to keep in contact with control; we could see clusters of lights to the North of the aerodrome, but immediately over the drome, with the exception of intermittent flashes from flood light, which was changed two or three times, visibility was very poor. We were instructed by control to land from west to east, but owing to weather conditions had to make two overshoots; on the third and which had to be the final one, owing to lack of petrol, my bomb aimer, Sergeant Shearwood, volunteered to remain in the prone bomb aimer?s position and guide me in as on a normal bombing run. My landing lights were on. We were practically down on the ground; the aircraft lurched off for landing, when I noticed I was approaching slightly across runway which was practically obscured. I endeavoured to swing onto the general direction of the runway, but couldn?t quite make it, and owing to lightness of the aircraft we floated a long way. I then saw another aircraft immediately in front of me, and trying to avoid it, without success, our port side struck the aircraft on the ground, and came to rest after a broadside skid with port main plane on the ground. I then ascertained the condition of my crew and found that with the exception of No.615667 Sergeant Shearwood who had sustained injuries on the left side, the remainder of the crew were perfectly alright. On leaving the scene of the crash I had to pass over the main runway and could see no evidence of a flare path or any other airdrome landing lights. A further report on damage stated: The outer port engine of Lancaster DV223 showed definite signs of fire, the sump being semi-melted and main bearings gone. The port side of nose and front turret of aircraft were badly damaged. Port main plane and both engines damaged. Port tail unit torn off and port undercarriage completely ripped off. The starboard wing tip was also missing. The crash was approximately 100 yards to the right of runway having skidded broadside for approximately 30 yards after striking parked aircraft and damaging starboard wing of parked aircraft. Training: Course at No.2 ITS was from 10 November 1941 to 2 January 1942. Courses and marks as follows: Mathematics (110/150), Armament (83/100), Signals (143/150), Aircraft Recognition (84/100), ATE (87/100), Drill (85/100), Law and Discipline (90/100), Link (71/100). Ranked 43rd in a class of 134.. ?An alert and hard working young airman who had some trouble early in the course with his signals but passed his final exam with better than average marks. He is very anxious to become a pilot.? Course at No.15 EFTS was 6 January to 13 March 1942. Flew Tiger Moth aircraft - 31.40 dual, 43.20 solo. This included eight hours instrument flying and three hours night flying. Also logged ten hours in Link. In air tests deemed ?A fair student but very rough on controls? Ground subjects were Airmanship (190/200), Airframes (70/100), Aero Engines (84/100), Signals, Practical (70/100), Theory of Flight (82/100), Air Navigation (133/200), Aircraft recognition (65/75), Armament (93/125). Placed 15th in a class of 42. Described as ?Good steady hardworking type of student. Very responsible.? Course at No.3 SFTS was 30 March to 17 July 1942, all on twin-engine aircraft. He flew 45.50 day dual, 46.25 day solo, 5.40 night dual, 10.30 night solo. Instrument flying was 30.45; Link time was 18 hours 45 minutes. Described as ?Average pilot. Airmanship and air sense fair. Judgment good. Reactions slow.? Ground school courses were Airmanship and Maintenance (152/200), Armament W (82/100), Armament P (73/100), Navigation and Meteorology (161/200), Signals W (36/50) and Signals P (50/100). Deemed average; graduated 42nd in a class of 55. At No.11 (P) AFU, course lasted 29 August to 20 October 1942. All flying on Oxfords (31.05 day dual, 1725 day solo, 2.10 night dual, 6.20 night solo; 4.25 on instruments, 4.15 as passenger and 6.20 in Link. Damaged Lancaster R5853, 10 April 1943 at No.1660 Conversion Unit, Swinderby. He had completed three normal circuits with instructor (F/O N.F. Turner). He reported, ?On the night of April 9th, 1943, I had been doing dual circuits and landings. Taxied back to taxi post and was going solo. The instructor got out of the aircraft. I was just going to get permission to take off when the undercarriage collapsed. Upon checking, the undercarriage lever was still locked in the down position.?. There was a strong suspicion that he had accidentally toggled the level, but both he and the flight engineer swore on oath they had not, and F/O Turner confirmed that the lever was in the ?Down? position immediately after he re-entered the aircraft. No mechanical faults found. When passed out of No.1660 Conversion Unit, he was described as ?Above average pilot and a very good captain. Rather lax in appearance but is very keen and should do well.? Others in his crew were Sergeant N Horsley (1145051, flight engineer, ?Good engineer. Good at checks and emergency procedure. Appears rather lacking initiative in the air. Good bearing and appearance?), Sergeant D.L. Crerar (638144, navigator, ?Only an average navigator, who tends too much to ground on D.F. and the pre-flight plan. Fair bearing and appearance.?), Sergeant B.F. Shearwood , 615667, (air bomber, ?Above average; a very keen air bomber of pleasing character and excellent bearing. Trained at No.19 OTU, Kinloss, he has carried out his automatic exercises with enthusiasm and success. Crew cooperation on bombing details excellent.? ), Sergeant C.H. Mollison (1083885, WO/AG, ?Average operator, good bearing and appearance, more experience of fault-finding indicator.?), Sergeant C.H. Brown (532595, mid-upper gunner, described as ?A good air gunner. Serve feed and turrets are his apparent weakness. Crew cooperation good. Keen and reliable, and should make good. Of good appearance and bearing. Good results obtained on the course. Average assessment?) and Sergeant E.T. McLeod (R99253, later WO E.T. McLeod, RCAF, awarded DFC, described as ?Another good air gunner. Crew cooperation good. Range estimation seems his only weak point. Is keen and relaible with good appearance and bearing. Average assessment.?). Assessments: 24 February 1944, S/L M.M. Stephens (No.3 Flying Instructor School) assessed him as an instructor at No.1654 CU. He had been tested on Oxford (42 hours in all) but was not considered up to ?Q? standard: ?His patter is very disjoined and not very clear. He does not tell one exactly what he does. His demonstrations need improving and his judgement is fair only.: 7 July 1944, W/C R. Kingsford-Smith, No.1654 Conversion Unit, when he had flown 840 hours as a pilot (47.35 hours other than pilot, and 145 hours 55 minutes in previous six months. ?Although this officer shows keenness, he lacks initiative and foresight. Average bearing.? 7 January 1945, W/C R. Kingsford-Smith, No.1654 Conversion Unit, when he had flown 924 hours (82 in previous six months): ?Is now an experienced Conversion Unit instructor. He has proved to be average both as an instructor and flight commander. He is popular and has a strong personality but at times is inclined to be disinterested in his work. His sense of discipline and administrative ability could be improved.? To the above, G/C W.P.J. Thompson added, ?Has proved himself an average instructor at this unit. He was recently selected to be repatriated to Canada but has since waived his leave and volunteered to complete a second tour of operations. He is considered a keen and capable officer whose administrative ability should improve with more experience.? As of 24 October 1945 he reported his flying times as follows: Crane (120), Oxford (90.55), Whitley (157.45, Halifax (16.25), Lancaster (291.30), Stirling (187). Operational time had totsalled 258 hours and total flying time was 938 hours 35 minutes).

Harvey Weeks, DFC

WEEKS, P/O Harvey Alexander (J19026) - Distinguished Flying Cross -No.617 Squadron - Award effective 19 June 1944 as per London Gazette dated 30 June 1944 and AFRO 1861/44 dated 25 August 1944. Born 10 December 1919. Home in Chilliwack, British Columbia; enlisted in Vancouver, 13 February 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To No.7 SFTS, 7 April 1941 (guard). To No.2 WS, 22 June 1941; promoted LAC, 24 July 1941; graduated 7 December 1941; to Trenton, 9 December 1941; to No.5 BGS, 15 January 1942; graduated 16 February 1942 and promoted Sergeant). To “Y” Depot, Halifax, 17 February 1942; to RAF overseas, 12 March 1942. Commissioned 29 September 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 23 March 1944. Repatriated 19 May 1945. To Western Air Command, 27 May 1945; to No.3 Repair Depot, 14 July 1945. To No.7 Reserve Equipment and Maintenance Unit, 1 November 1945. To No.8 Release Centre, 22 November 1945. Released 24 November 1945. Died in Sardis, British Columbia, 22 March 1992. Award presented in Chilliwack, 15 May 1948. No citation other than "completed...many successful operations against the enemy in which [he has] displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty." Public Records Office Air 2/9015 has recommendation dated 10 April 1944 when he had flown 46 sorties (302 hours 20 minutes), 27 October 1942 to 20 March 1944. // 27 October 1942 - GARDENING (8.10) // 6 November 1942 - Genoa (9.25) // 9 November 1942 - Hamburg (5.40) // 20 November 1942 - Turin (7.35) // 28 November 1942 - Turin (7.50) // 6 December 1942 - Mannheim (6.05) // 8 December 1942 - Turin (8.30) // 9 December 1942 - Turin (8.00) // 20 December 1942 - Duisburg (4.15) // 21 December 1942 - Munich (8.25) // 5 January 1943 - Essen (1.50, DNCO) // 13 January 1943 - Essen (4.25) // 17 January 1943 - Berlin (7.20) // 18 January 1943 - Berlin (9.20) // 31 January 1943 - Hamburg (7.40) // 2 February 1943 - Cologne (5.05) // 11 February 1943 - Wilhelmshaven (5.05) // 13 February 1943 - Lorient (2.25, DNCO) // 14 February 1943 - Milan (9.20) // 18 February 1943 - Wilhelmshaven (5.30) // 21 February 1943 - Bremen (5.40) // 26 February 1943 - Cologne (5.40) // 28 February 1943 - St.Nazaire (5.55) // 1 March 1943 - Berlin (6.55) // 5 March 1943 - Essen (4.20) // 8 March 1943 - Nuremburg (8.00) // 9 March 1943 - Munich (7.20) // 11 March 1943 - Stuttgart (6.20) // No.617 Squadron // 16 May 1943 - Mohne Dam (3.00, DNCO) // 15 July 1943 - San Paule d'Enza (9.55) // 24 July 1943 - Leghorn (8.05) // 29 July 1943 - Genoa (9.35) // 16 September 1943 - Antheer Viaduct (12.00) // 11 November 1943 - Antheer Viaduct (7.45) // 16 December 1943 - Flixecourt (3.10) // 20 December 1943 - Liege (4.00) // 22 December 1943 - Special (3.05) // 30 December 1943 - Flixecourt (3.20) // 4 January 1944 - Freval (2.55) // 21 January 1944 - Special (3.45) // 25 January 1944 - Freval (3.50) // 2 March 1944 - Albert (4.40) // 4 March 1944 - St.Etienne (6.55) // 10 March 1944 - St.Etienne (8.10) // 15 March 1944 - Special (5.40) // 16 March 1944 - Clermont Ferrand (7.10) // 18 March 1944 - Bergerac (6.55) // 20 March 1944 - Special (6.20) // Pilot Officer Weeks has completed 46 operational sorties as an Air Gunner. He has taken part in attacks against such heavily defended targets as Berlin, Essen, Hamburg and has several times been in action over northern Italy. He volunteered to join a Special Duties squadron in March 1943 and has since then carried out 20 sorties against specially selected targets in occupied Europe. He has been operating continuously since October 1942 and his magnificent devotion to duty and complete disregard of danger when his aircraft has been heavily engaged have materially assisted in these successful attacks against the enemy. He has been a source of inspiration to the remainder of his crew and he is strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Possible correction to the date of death given above as 22 March 1992. According to an Ancestry site Mr. Weeks died on Mar. 22, 1991 and was buried on Mar 11, 1992.