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BALL, Frank Westoby Wing Commander, No.415 Squadron, C841 Distinguished Flying Cross RCAF Personnel Awards 1939-1949
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BALL, W/C Frank Westoby (C841) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.415 Squadron - Awarded effective 8 September 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 1704/45 dated 9 November 1945. Born 17 September 1916, Brandon, Manitoba (birth date in obiruary notiice); home in Belleville, Ontario; enlisted in Toronto, 4 July 1938; qualified for pilots wings, 17 June 1939 at Trenton. Early in war employed a various flying schools; January 1943 made Deputy Director of Air Trainig at AFHQ; posted overseas, February 1944. Flew with Nos.427 and 415 Squadrons. Postwar RCAF (rose to Major-General). Major postings included CO of Station Aylmer (March 1947); attendance at at USAF War College (August 1948 to June 1949); Director of Air Operations, AFHQ (January 1951); National Defence College (November 1952 to July 1953); CO, Station North Bay (July 1953 to July 1955; Chief Instructor, RCAF Staff College (July 1955); Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy, HA, Allied Air Forces Central Europe (September 1958 to December 1961);Chief of Operational requirements at AFHQ (December 1961 to September 1964); Commandant, Air Force College, Toronto (September 1964 to 15 July 1965); Deputy Chief of Plans (July 1965 to October 1966); Chief of Operations (October 1966); Chief of Staff, 4th Allied Tactical Air Force (July 1967); retired May 1969. Died in Toronto, 16 April 1999. Photograph PL-36366 is a 1946 portrait; PL-40862 and PL-40863 taken with No.415 Squadron; PL-42993 (20 March 1945) taken with F/L T.J. McGill, Strasburg, Saskatchewan, completing his first tour; RCAF photo PL-42985 (ex-UK-19728) of 20 March 1945 is captioned as follows: “Four Permanent Force Men get together at a Canadian bomber station in Britain. Left to right - F/L Art Carveth, Toronto, F/L Doug Barlow, North Vancouver, W/C F.W. Ball, St. Thomas, Ontario, and F/L Eric Atkins, DFC, Cremona, Alberta. W/C Ball commands the Swordfish Squadron, Carveth is his adjutant, and Ball and Atkins are former former squadron members.” Should the last part read, “...and Barlow and Atkins are former squadron members.” ? RCAF photo PL-42985 (ex-UK-19728) of 20 March 1945 is captioned as follows: “Four Permanent Force Men get together at a Canadian bomber station in Britain. Left to right - F/L Art Carveth, Toronto, F/L Doug Barlow, North Vancouver, W/C F.W. Ball, St. Thomas, Ontario, and F/L Eric Atkins, DFC, Cremona, Alberta. W/C Ball commands the Swordfish Squadron, Carveth is his adjutant, and Ball and Atkins are former former squadron members.” Should the last part read, “...and Barlow and Atkins are former squadron members.” ? RCAF photo PL-43837 (ex UK-21139, circa 4 May 1945) has the following caption: “Appropriate wide grins are sported by this Swordfish Squadron trio as the letter confirming the adoption of their Canadian Bomber Group squadron by the San Antonio Gold Mines in Bisset, Manitoba is tacked up in their Nissen hut headquarters in England. Sergeant G.K. Booth, Swordfish member for two and a half years is the tacker, watched by W/C F.W. Ball of St. Thomas, Ontario, commanding officer, and F/L Arthur Carveth of Montreal and Toronto, adjutant.” PL-133781 is a 1962 portrait. Award presented at Government House, 14 November 1950; photo PL-50462 shows him with his wife after investiture. No citation other than "completed...numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which [he has] invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty." DHist file 181.009 D.2618 (RG.24 Vol.20627) has recommendation compiled by G/C R.A. McLernon, 3 April 1945, when Ball had completed 20 sorties (114 hours 50 minutes) from 20 September 1944 to 21 March 1945. // Wing Commander Ball has completed a large number of sorties against some of the most heavily defended and deeply situated targets in Germany. As a captain of a heavy bomber, his operational record proves him to be exceptional. He has displayed at all times great keenness to participate in operations and on each operation he has inspired his crew with great confidence by his fine offensive spirit. // As a Squadron Commander, Wing Commander Ball is indeed outstanding. Admired and respected by all those associated with him, he has moulded, by astute leadership and great professional skill, one of the finest squadrons in Bomber Command. It is my considered opinion that his exceptionally fruitful and tireless efforts, and the great courage he has constantly displayed, fully warrant the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (Non-Immediate). // The sortie list was as follows: // 20 September 1944 - Calais (3.05) // 24 September 1944 - Calais (4.30) // 25 September 1944 - Channel guns (4.40) // 27 September 1944 - Sterkrade (4.25) // 28 September 1944 - Cap Gris Nez (4.20) // 6 October 1944 - Dortmund (5.55) // 25 October 1944 - Hamburg (5.10) // 28 October 1944 - Cologne (6.15) // 30 October 1944 - Cologne (6.05) // 21 November 1944 - Castrop Rauxel (7.00) // 27 November 1944 - Neuss (5.25) // 2 December 1944 - Hagen (6.55) // 28 January 1945 - Stuttgart (7.15) // 2 February 1945 - Wanne Eickel (6.10) // 7 February 1945 - Goch (6.40) // 21 February 1945 - Worms (7.40) // 24 February 1945 - Kamen (6.30) // 3 March 1945 - Cologne (6.05) // 15 March 1945 - Castrop Rauxel (6.00) // 21 March 1945 - Rheine (5.25) // RCAF Press Release No. 6444 dated 3 September 1944 from P/O M.N. Negru, transcribed by Huguette Oates, reads: // WITH THE RCAF BOMBER GROUP OVERSEAS: -- In more than six years from his debut with the RCAF as provisional pilot officer, Wing Commander F.W. Ball, St. Thomas and Belleville, Ontario, has taught many men to fly, has risen to his present rank and held the post of Deputy Director of Air Training at Air Force Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario. But only now is he within sight of his major goal since war began; he expects imminently to make his first trip against the enemy as captain of a heavy bomber. // W/C Ball now is himself a pupil at a heavy conversion unit in England, undergoing final training to handle the four-engined giants of this Canadian group. Within a day or so, he will be ready to begin his first tour of “ops”. “I’ve been teaching pupils for almost five years now,” said the 27-year-old pilot, “and I’m very keen to get a chance to put my own teachings into practice myself.” // When his overseas posting came through at last in February, he made sure of getting here fast. He came at the controls of a transport plane which he ferried from Canada. During the recent investiture held there by His Majesty, W/C Ball acted as commander of his station parade. “All the rest of the people there were getting gongs (decorations),” as he modestly put it, “and there was no one else to do the job.” // While walking along the lines with the inspection party following presentation of the decorations, he was asked by the King what his job was with the unit. “I’m afraid I must have ‘shaken’ His Majesty when I told him I was only a pupil,” he commented. // W/C Ball entered the permanent Air Force on graduation from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, in 1938. He had just started a flying instructors’ course at Camp Borden when war broke out. On completion of the course, he taught at Central Flying School there until appointed examining officer of civilian flying clubs for Ontario in June, 1940, with headquarters at No.1 Training Command, Toronto, Ontario. // He became chief supervisory officer of 12 SFTS, Goderich, Ontario, and also served at 5 SFTS, Brantford, Ontario, and 10 SFTS, Dauphin, Manitoba, before being named deputy director of air training.