Stories

Stories From 408 Squadron Members

Watching The Russkies by Moe Gates

Painting   "Watching the Russkies"   [ by Don Connolly ] In mid September of 1954, in my last 30 days on 408 (Photo) Squadron, I was informed by my Nav Leader, F/L Andy Clarke, that I was to go on a final trip for which the crew would be briefed that afternoon. I reminded him that...

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The Rockcliffe Years – The Photo Mapping

The Rockcliffe Years - The Photo Mapping By Squadron Leader Morris Konick, (Ret‘d), CD       As a former Photo Officer with 408 (Photo) Squadron, and you will note I purposely emphasized Photo Squadron, because I wanted to differentiate if form its original inception as a Bomber Squadron, and its subsequent endeavors to which it gravitated...

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408 Returns to Oudenburg

408 Returns to Oudenburg By Captain Jeffrey Bird    408 SQN At 17:55 local time on November 9, 1941 a formation of nine aircraft took off for a night raid from Syerston airfield, ten miles to the north east ofNottingham.  One of these aircraft was a Handley Page Hampden bomber from 408 squadron with the following...

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Diary of a Snake Charmer 408 Sqn RCAF By M. Ridgeway

Diary of a Snake Charmer 408 Sqn RCAF  By M. Ridgeway Manning Pool, where good boys were made better Manning Pool , or Manning Depot , makes no never mind, was located in the mouldering pile known as the Agricultural Buildings in the Exhibition Grounds, Toronto. A place to cause the strong to know fear...

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Our First Mission by Bruce Wallace

Our First Mission by Bruce Wallace The target was a flying bomb site (V1) at or near L’HEY just over the coast of France. Exactly where doesn’t matter to the event. It was our first operation (OP), as a crew, over enemy occupied territory and I guess we were all “on our toes” and somewhat...

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The Little Old Lady

The Little Old Lady By Wally Kasper It was a raw November night with just enough broken cloud to reveal a full moon so we aircrew types had been stood down from ops. The Bomber squadrons didn't operate during the full moon period, they had enough hazards without giving the enemy night fighters the edge...

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Shoran recollections of a 19-year old Airman

Shoran recollections of a 19-year old Airman – the kid in the Squadron By Ron Blessin I was only a short-timer in the RCAF.   I joined at the age of 17, right after High School graduation in Chilliwack, B.C.   There were a number of reasons why I chose to join – a spirit of wanderlust...

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SHORAN OPERATIONS

                                                       408 (P) SQUADRON                                         SHORAN OPERATIONS 1949 -  1957   As previously stated, the airborne photography program conducted for many years by the Air Board and then the RCAF, provided a picture of the ground features but the position of those features were not established accurately on the earth’s grid nor in relation to...

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The Bochum Raid

The Bochum Raid Certain periods in our lives were experienced with such intensity that they remain deeply etched in memory. The short time that Emmy and I were at Linton-on-Ouse was such a time. There was only the present, and it was full of excitement fear and for me, glory.      David Sokoloff February 1996   On  November...

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The Course of True Love Never

The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth      By Wally Kasper True love in Jolly Olde England was hard enough to find in the wartime years without its path being fractured by a thundering mighty Lancaster early in the morning. The night before had been “a dark and stormy night” to say the...

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THE KINGSVILLE CONNECTION

THE KINGSVILLE CONNECTION 1941-45 and Beyond by Gary R Tetzlaff The Squadron’s first CO, W/C Nelles Timmerman has explained how he chose a goose for the heraldry--as a second choice. What remains unclear, is how in his mind, the Canada Goose became such a matter-of-fact symbol of Canada. Only Air Commodore Timmerman is likely to...

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Piloting a heavily-armed Griffon helicopter over Afghanistan

Piloting a heavily-armed Griffon helicopter over Afghanistan By Gary Lewchuk “The ability to prevent troops from being fired upon just by our presence, not even having to  fire a round, is something to take pride in,” said Captain  Jason Marchinko, who flew a heavily armed CH-146 Griffon helicopter for his second tour in Afghanistan during the...

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The Lancaster Era – Memorable Operating Considerations

The original Lancaster, of yesteryear, was designed for only one purpose, that of conducting the operations of mid-latitude heavy bombers; it was not really designed for activities in the high latitude winter arctic; but, it was all we had at the time. In these high technology days of satellite communications and precision navigation systems, it’s...

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How The Lancaster “Miss Kingsville” Got Her Name

How The Lancaster "Miss Kingsville" Got Her Name by Bob Swaddling In 1974 I was in a hobby shop in Detroit and bought a Profile Publications book on the camouflage and markings of the lesser known Lancaster Mk II with Bristol Hercules radial engines. On looking through the pictures used in the book I was...

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Dunwoodie Crew 24 Dec 1944

[gview file="http://forfreedom.ca/newsletters/408DunwoodieCrew24Dec1944.pdf"]    

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Passing of Mr. Joe Drouin – 12 May 2021

Passing of Mr. Joe Drouin - 12 May 2021

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2 Thoughts to “Stories”

  1. Ashley

    That is pretty neat.

  2. We are happy to report that the crash site of Lancaster LL687 has been found in the village of Spreckens Germany. Today,Sept. 24 2015 the Bremervorde Newspaper (Brewmervorde Zeitung) is running a two page story on the search for the lost bomber. The field where the plane crashed was identified by a Mrs Weiss who on July 30 1944 was witness to the events following the crash . At 82 years old she still remembers being awoken by the tremendous noise of the explosion. For more details you can contact me at the above email or view : http://www.davidscottdiary.com/

    JC Charlebois.

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