{"id":431,"date":"2010-12-30T13:46:40","date_gmt":"2010-12-30T19:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=431"},"modified":"2021-05-20T07:03:19","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T13:03:19","slug":"stories","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=431","title":{"rendered":"Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list wp-block-latest-posts\"><li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?p=4782\">Mapping Canada: The RCAF&#8217;s No. 408 (Photographic) Squadron<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?p=3864\">Passing of Mr. Joe Drouin &#8211; 12 May 2021<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?p=3849\">Squadron Leader \u2018Mac\u2019 McIlroy, wireless operator who was shot down over France \u2013 obituary<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?p=3806\">Kenneth Adams and W\/C Eastern Crew<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?p=3751\">Flight Lieutenant Newton Reid Brydon<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?p=3691\">408 Squadron flies the C-130B<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?p=3395\">A Memorial to a Hampden Crew.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?p=384\">(no title)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif;\"><em><code>Stories From 408 Squadron Members<\/code><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"ccchildpages-1\" class=\"ccchildpages ccflex threecol simple ccclearfix\"><div class=\"ccchildpage  ccfirst ccodd ccpage-count-1 ccpage-id-439 ccpage-watching-the-russkies-by-moe-gates ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"Watching The Russkies by Moe Gates\">Watching The Russkies by Moe Gates<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">Painting\u00a0\u00a0 \"Watching the Russkies\"\u00a0\u00a0 [ 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...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=439\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  cceven ccpage-count-2 ccpage-id-925 ccpage-the-rockcliffe-years-the-photo-mapping ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"The Rockcliffe Years &#8211; The Photo Mapping\">The Rockcliffe Years &#8211; The Photo Mapping<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">The Rockcliffe Years - The Photo Mapping By Squadron Leader Morris Konick, (Ret\u2018d), CD \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 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...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=925\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  cclast ccodd ccpage-count-3 ccpage-id-1000 ccpage-408-returns-to-oudenburg ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"408 Returns to Oudenburg\">408 Returns to Oudenburg<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">408 Returns to Oudenburg By Captain Jeffrey Bird\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 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.\u00a0 One of these aircraft was a Handley Page Hampden bomber from 408 squadron with the following...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=1000\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  ccfirst cceven ccpage-count-4 ccpage-id-426 ccpage-diary-of-a-snake ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"Diary of a Snake Charmer 408 Sqn RCAF  By M. Ridgeway\">Diary of a Snake Charmer 408 Sqn RCAF  By M. Ridgeway<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">Diary of a Snake Charmer 408 Sqn RCAF\u00a0 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...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=426\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  ccodd ccpage-count-5 ccpage-id-442 ccpage-our-first-mission ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"Our First Mission by Bruce Wallace\">Our First Mission by Bruce Wallace<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">Our First Mission by Bruce Wallace The target was a flying bomb site (V1) at or near L\u2019HEY just over the coast of France. Exactly where doesn\u2019t matter to the event. It was our first operation (OP), as a crew, over enemy occupied territory and I guess we were all \u201con our toes\u201d and somewhat...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=442\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  cclast cceven ccpage-count-6 ccpage-id-462 ccpage-462-2 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"The Little Old Lady\">The Little Old Lady<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">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...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=462\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  ccfirst ccodd ccpage-count-7 ccpage-id-587 ccpage-shoran-recollections-of-a-19-year-old-airman ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"Shoran recollections of a 19-year old Airman\">Shoran recollections of a 19-year old Airman<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">Shoran recollections of a 19-year old Airman \u2013 the kid in the Squadron By Ron Blessin I was only a short-timer in the RCAF.\u00a0\u00a0 I joined at the age of 17, right after High School graduation in Chilliwack, B.C.\u00a0\u00a0 There were a number of reasons why I chose to join \u2013 a spirit of wanderlust...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=587\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  cceven ccpage-count-8 ccpage-id-725 ccpage-725-2 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"SHORAN OPERATIONS\">SHORAN OPERATIONS<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0408 (P) SQUADRON \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SHORAN OPERATIONS 1949 - \u00a01957 \u00a0 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\u2019s grid nor in relation to...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=725\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  cclast ccodd ccpage-count-9 ccpage-id-772 ccpage-772-2 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"The Bochum Raid\">The Bochum Raid<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">The Bochum Raid Certain periods in our lives\u00a0were 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\u00a0and for me, glory.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 David Sokoloff February 1996 &nbsp; On\u00a0 November...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=772\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  ccfirst cceven ccpage-count-10 ccpage-id-1031 ccpage-1031-2 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"The Course of True Love Never\">The Course of True Love Never<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 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 \u201ca dark and stormy night\u201d to say the...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=1031\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  ccodd ccpage-count-11 ccpage-id-1344 ccpage-the-kingsville-connection ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"THE KINGSVILLE CONNECTION\">THE KINGSVILLE CONNECTION<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">THE KINGSVILLE CONNECTION 1941-45 and Beyond by Gary R Tetzlaff The Squadron\u2019s 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...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=1344\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  cclast cceven ccpage-count-12 ccpage-id-1371 ccpage-1371-2 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"Piloting a heavily-armed Griffon helicopter over Afghanistan\">Piloting a heavily-armed Griffon helicopter over Afghanistan<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">Piloting a heavily-armed Griffon helicopter over Afghanistan By Gary Lewchuk \u201cThe ability to prevent troops from being fired upon just by our presence, not even having to\u00a0 fire a round, is something to take pride in,\u201d said\u00a0Captain \u00a0Jason Marchinko, who flew a heavily armed CH-146 Griffon helicopter for his second tour in Afghanistan during the...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=1371\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  ccfirst ccodd ccpage-count-13 ccpage-id-1683 ccpage-1683-2 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"The Lancaster Era &#8211; Memorable Operating Considerations\">The Lancaster Era &#8211; Memorable Operating Considerations<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">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\u2019s...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=1683\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  cceven ccpage-count-14 ccpage-id-1960 ccpage-1960-2 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"How The Lancaster &#8220;Miss Kingsville&#8221; Got Her Name\">How The Lancaster &#8220;Miss Kingsville&#8221; Got Her Name<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">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...<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=1960\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  cclast ccodd ccpage-count-15 ccpage-id-2360 ccpage-2360-2 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"Dunwoodie Crew  24 Dec 1944\">Dunwoodie Crew  24 Dec 1944<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">[gview file=\"http:\/\/forfreedom.ca\/newsletters\/408DunwoodieCrew24Dec1944.pdf\"] &nbsp; &nbsp;<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=2360\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"ccchildpage  ccfirst cceven ccpage-count-16 ccpage-id-3866 ccpage-passing-of-mr-joe-drouin-12-may-2021 ccpage-has-parent ccpage-pid-431 ccpage-parent-stories\"><h3 class=\"ccpage_title\" title=\"Passing of Mr. Joe Drouin &#8211; 12 May 2021\">Passing of Mr. Joe Drouin &#8211; 12 May 2021<\/h3><div class=\"ccpages_excerpt\">Passing of Mr. Joe Drouin - 12 May 2021<\/div><p class=\"ccpages_more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/?page_id=3866\"  title=\"Read more ...\">Read more ...<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"wikipediapreview_detectlinks":true,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-431","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=431"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/431\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3894,"href":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/431\/revisions\/3894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forfreedom.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}