STOWE, F/L William North (J10643) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.130 Squadron - Award effective 10 July 1945 as per London Gazette dated 24 July 1945 and AFRO 1619/45 dated 19 October 1945. Born 2 November 1922 in Edmonton; home in Toronto (COTC, ex-Royal Canadian Artillery); enlisted there 28 May 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. Trained at No.5 ITS (graduated and promoted LAC, 24 September 1941), No.1 EFTS (graduated 21 November 1941) and No.2 SFTS (graduated and commissioned 13 February 1942). To No.118 Squadron, 15 March 1942, serving with that unit in Aleutian campaign. Tour ended in August 1943. Posted to Britain, arriving 16 October 1943. Further trained at No.57 OTU. Posted to No.41 Squadron, 28 February 1944. To No.130 Squadron towards the end of the war. On 2 May 1945 his aircraft damaged by blast from his own bomb while attacking motor transport and forced-landed. To No.401 Squadron after VE Day, then to No.412 Squadron (5 July 1945) and then No.430 Squadron (7 August 1945). Repatriated to Canada in September 1945. To No.4 Release Centre, 2 October 1945; released 5 November 1945. Award sent by registered mail 28 June 1949. Served in postwar RCAF Auxiliary (120663), commencing 28 June 1948 while attending university and serving with No.400 Squadron. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 January 1951. Promoted Squadron Leader, 1 January 1952. Promoted Wing Commander, 1 June 1952 and given command of that unit. In April 1954 he moved to Regina, was transferred to Reserve of Officers and trained pilots on Chipmunks (July 1955 to January 1957) when he returned to Toronto. Although still a Chipmunk instructor, he was reclassified as an Engineering Officer. Chris Shores, Those Other Eagles (Grub Street, London, 2004) provides a victory list as follows: 3 September 1944: one FW.190 destroyed in Liege area (No.41 Squadron; Spitfire EB-H, shared with another pilot); 23 January 1945: one FW.190 damaged, Pelm area, northwest Ruhr (No.41 Squadron, Spitfire RM863, EB-L); 24 April 1945: one Bf.109 destroyed near Nevendorf plus one FW.190 destroyed at Rechlin airfield (No.130 Squadron); 25 April 1945: one Me.262 probably destroyed, Lubeck (No.130 Squadron; aircraft attacked while landing, pilot ejected half-way down runway but aircraft not seen to be totally wrecked); 30 April 1945: two FW.190s destroyed, Banzkow/Schwerin Lake area (No.130 Squadron, one shared with another pilot). This officer has completed numerous sorties during his tour of operational duty. On one occasion recently his aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and he was forced to make a crash landing in advance of our forward troops. Flight Lieutenant Stowe made his way successfully to our lines and within a few days he was again engaged in operational flying. This officer has destroyed at least three enemy aircraft and in addition destroyed and damaged more than 180 enemy transport vehicles including trains, barges, tugs and mechanical transport. He has served with outstanding success as a flight commander. NOTE: RCAF Order 1306/43 issued 9 July 1943, under the heading “Summary Award”, read as follows: 1. Flying Officer William North Stowe (J10643), an officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force serving at an RCAF unit in Western Air Command, was tried summarily by the Air Officer in charge Administration, Western Air Command, Vancouver, B.C. under Section 47 of the Air Force Act on the 18th day of May 1943, and was found guilty on a charge of so negligently landing one of His Majesty’s aircraft as to cause it to collide with another of His Majesty’s aircraft thereby damaging both aircraft. 2. He was sentenced to be reprimanded.