COX, S/L Richard Morse (41344) - Air Force Cross - Central Flying School and No.7 Flying Instructor School - awarded as per London Gazette 1 September 1942. Born in Winnipeg, 27 February 1916; home there. Enlisted in RCAF as a rigger, 1934; trained as a pilot at Trenton, 1938; qualified to wear pilot’s flying badge, 18 October 1938. Joined RAF, being appointed Acting Pilot Officer on Probation, 6 November 1938. Instructor in UK until 1942; commanded No.109 Squadron; Chief Instructor at a Bomber Command OTU; later Chief Instructor at the OTU in Comox. Transferred to RCAF, 7 November 1943 (C828) and remained in force to 1968 (19504 and 431-052-018), retiring as an Air Commodore (finally struck off strength on 27 February 1969). Died at Sidney, British Columbia, 2 March 1995; see obituary in Journal of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, Volume 33, No.3 (Fall 1995). RCAF photo PL-42013 (ex UK-18858 dated 17 February 1945) shows W/C Charles Harris (left) and W/C Richard M. Cox following recent investiture. AFRO 1497/42 dated 18 September 1942 (reporting AFC) described him as a Canadian in the RAF and published the citation which appears below. Air Ministry Bulletin 7913 refers. AFRO 1497/42 dated 18 September 1942 (reporting AFC) described him as a Canadian in the RAF and published the citation which appears below. Air Ministry Bulletin 7913 refers. // This officer has been employed as a flying instructor for four and three quarter years and has been a member of the instructional staff at Central Flying School and No.7 Flying Instructor School since August 1940. He is a keen and capable flight commander and for the past five months has been employed as Assistant Chief Flying Instructor. His energy and devotion to duty have been most outstanding. // Another citation on Directorate of History and Heritage, CFHQ card says: // ...has shown outstanding ability and devotion as flying instructor and has been a source of inspiration to his people. // COX, W/C Richard Morse (41344) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.109 Squadron - awarded as per London Gazette 15 August 1944. No published citation. Air Ministry Bulletin 15067/AL.853 refers. Public Record Office Air 2/9632 has recommendation drafted by the Officer Commanding, RAF Station Little Staughton, dated 24 May 1944 when he had flown 32 sorties (92 hours 20 minutes) as follows (some references not explained): // 9 July 43 - Gelsenkirchen (marking) // 12 July 43 - Aachen (marking) // 22 Aug 43 - Brauwerler (bombing) // 23 Aug 43 - Berlin (marking) // 30 Aug 43 - Munchen Gladbach (marking) // 31 Aug 43 - Berlin (marking) // 23 Sept 43 - Special operation (marking) // 27 Sept 43 - Emden (bombing) // 29 Sept 43 - Bochum (marking) // 1 Oct 43 - Hagen (marking) // 3 Oct 43 - Special operation (marking) // 7 Oct 43 - Emden (bombing "A") // 31 Oct 43 - North Sea (Aircraft "A" // 1 Nov 43 - Dusseldorf (marking) // 9 Nov 43 - Bochum (bombing) // 19 Nov 43 - Leverkusen (marking) // 23 Nov 43 - Knapsack (bombing) // 16 Dec 43 - Special operation (marking) // 22 Dec 43 - Special operation (marking) // 30 Dec 43 - Special operation (marking) // 1 Jan 44 - Hamborn (bombing) // 4 Jan 44 - Special operation (marking) // 13 Jan 44 - Essen (bombing) // 14 Jan 44 - Special operation (marking) // 21 Jan 44 - Special operation (marking) // 2 Feb 44 - Rheinhausen (bombing) // 15 Feb 44 - Twente (bombing) // 20 Feb 44 - Leeuwarden (bombing) // 24 Feb 44 - Twente airfield (bombing) // 30 Mar 44 - Cologne (bombing and marking) // 22 Apr 44 - Dusseldorf (marking) // 30 Apr 44 - Abencout (bombing, day) // This officer has commanded No.109 Squadron with success whilst on his operational tour with the Pathfinder Force. He has also proved himself to be an outstanding captain of aircraft whilst employed on special marking duties, his accuracy and efficiency being a fine example to the rest of the squadron. He possesses morale of the highest order, and I can strongly recommend him for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. // This document was minuted "Strongly recommended" by the Air Officer Commanding, No.8 Group, on 30 May 1944. // RCAF Press Release No. 7519 dated 23 June 1949, transcribed by Huguette Oates, reads: // Appointment of Wing Commander R.M. Cox, DFC, AFC, of Fort Garry, Manitoba, as senior RCAF Air Cadet Liaison officer at Air Force Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario, replacing Wing commander W.F.M. Newson, DSO, DFC, was announced today by Air Force Headquarters. W/C Cox, wartime commander of a RAF Mosquito bomber squadron, whose operations constituted one of the most highly guarded of Allied bombing techniques, was on the directing staff of the RAF Staff College in Britain before taking his new position. // Wing Commander Cox, 33, enlisted in the RCAF as a rigger in 1934 and, before the outbreak of war, took pilot training at Trenton, Ontario, and entered the RAF as a pilot officer. In Britain, he flew as an operational pilot and instructor until 1942, when he took command of No.109 squadron, flying with the Pathfinder Force and Bomber Command. This squadron was one of two using the highly secret “Oboe” technique of marking and bombing enemy targets. // In 1943, W/C Cox transferred to the RCAF and later was appointed chief instructor at a bomber operational training unit. A year later, he returned to Canada to serve as chief instructor at the RCAF’s transport operational training unit at Comox, B.C. Subsequently, he was transferred to the RCAF Staff College and, upon being graduated, remained on the directing staff. In 1945, he was moved to a similar post at the RAF Staff College in Britain, a position he held until taking over his present duties. // As senior Air Cadet Liaison officer, W/C Cox works in close cooperation with the Air Cadet League of Canada and all other civilian organizations connected with cadet activities. He deals with cadet training problems, and act as a co-ordinator for summer training camps on RCAF stations and exchange visits to the United Kingdom and the United States.