DOWDING, F/O Harry James (J16027) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.403 Squadron - Award effective 22 October 1943 as per London Gazette dated 29 October 1943 and AFRO 2457/43 dated 26 November 1943. Born 27 September 1921, Sarnia, Ontario; home there. Enlisted in London, Ontario, 14 March 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To No.4 Manning Depot, 8 April 1941. To No.12 Equipment Depot, 21 April 1941. To No.3 ITS, 28 May 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 14 July 1941 when posted to No.12 EFTS; graduated 13 September 1941 when posted to No.1 SFTS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 19 December 1941. To “Y” Depot, Halifax, 20 December 1941. To RAF overseas, 7 January 1942. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 19 June 1942. Posted for further training to No.9 (P) AFU on 2 March 1942 and to No.58 OTU on 14 April 1942. At this latter unit he wrote off a Spitfire on 21 April 1942 on landing after his first solo on the type. Commissioned 15 October 1942. With No.403 Squadron, 16 June 1942 to October 1943; promoted Flying Officer, 15 April 1943; to No.8 AFDU, 11 October 1943. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 8 March 1944. With No.442 Squadron, 11 March 1944 to October 1944 including command. Reported to have been the first fighter pilot to touch down in then occupied France. Repatriated to Canada, 28 October 1944; released 6 February 1945. His brother, John Frederick Dowding, had been a wartime casualty (Air Gunner, No.19 OTU, killed in flying accident, 17 October 1944, Whitley AD685). Later employed locally by Mueller Limited where he began in the production department as a time study recorder. He later advanced to Plant Manager and finally to President. Credited with the following victories: 13 May 1943, one Bf.109 destroyed on his own plus one FW.190 destroyed (shared with two other pilots); 15 July 1943, one Bf.109 destroyed (shared with H.D. McDonald); 19 August 1943, one Bf.109 destroyed (shared with Brannagan); 6 September 1943, one FW.190 destroyed; 8 September 1943, one FW.190 damaged; 11 September 1943, one Bf.109 destroyed; 27 June 1944, two Bf.109s destroyed; 28 June 1944, one FW.190 damaged. In all he claimed 220 operational sorties. Awards presented 28 May 1947. Died in Sarnia, 2 April 2003. See photos PL-19232 (Sergeant K.D. Windsor talks to F/O H.J. Dowding at Spitfire), PL-19720 (full length portrait), PL-28938 (leading on tail of Spitfire), PL-34096 (with F/O W.A. Lindo) and PL-47295 (portrait by Robert Hyndman now in Canadian War Museum). // This pilot has at all times displayed the utmost keenness to engage the enemy, and has destroyed three enemy aircraft as well as sharing in the destruction of two others and damaging two more. He has taken part in numerous operations over enemy territory, many of which were deep penetrations on escort duty. In a period of five days he recently succeeded in destroying two enemy aircraft and damaging another. His flying skill and fighting spirit have at all times been of the highest order. // DOWDING, S/L Harry James, DFC (J16027) - Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross - No.442 Squadron - Award effective 1 December 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 239/45 dated 9 February 1945. // This officer continues to display the highest standard of skill, courage and devotion to duty. His example has greatly inspired the squadron which, within a period of a few weeks, has inflicted much loss on the enemy. More than 500 mechanical vehicles have been put out of action, many of them by Squadron Leader Dowding. In addition, this officer destroyed two of the nineteen enemy aircraft which were shot down by the squadron during the period. // RCAF Press Release No. 2742 dated 11 September 1943 from D. Martin reads: // Another German fighter was destroyed Saturday night by F/O Harry J. Dowding (John Street), Sarnia, Ontario, the second he had shot down in a week as the Canadian fighter wing escorted U.S. Marauders to the bombing targets in France. // The slim, blond 21-year-old veteran of 85 sweeps into enemy territory shot down an FW.190 on September 6th, badly damaged another two later and destroyed an Me.109 last evening. The kill brought the Wolf Squadron Pilot’s total to four destroyed. On Monday, Dowding saw the FW.190 burst into flames as he turned up into it and sent a short burst into the belly of the enemy’s kite. Last night, he chased an Me.109 which started to climb after the German thought he had eluded the young Canadian in a steep dive. But F/O Dowding got on the enemy’s tail and fired a short burst at about 200 feet as the plane sped at several miles a minute. “He flipped right over and went down helpless in a spin,” F/O Dowding reported. Seven other members of the Canadian wing saw the German crash in flames.