MYLES, P/O John Robinson (J16477) - Air Medal (United States) - No.541 Squadron - effective 23 June 1943 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 1459/43 dated 30 July 1943. Born 13 January 1923 in Saint John, New Brunswick; home there; enlisted Moncton, 26 February 1941. To No.1 Manning Depot, 14 March 1941. To Technical Training School, St. Thomas, 4 May 1941; to No.3 ITS, 20 June 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 27 July 1941 although posting to No.21 EFTS was effective 26 July 1941; graduated 25 September 1941 when posted to No.9 SFTS’ graduated and promoted Sergeant, 19 December 1941. To “Y” Depot, 20 December 1941; to TAF overseas, 7 January 1942. Arrived No.17 (P) AFU, 23 March 1942; to GR (general reconnaissance ?), 25 April 1942; to No.8 (C) OTU, 30 June 1942; to No.1 PRU, Benson, 26 August 1941; to No.541 Squadron, 19 October 1942; Commissioned 20 November 1942. Promoted Flying Officer, 20 May 1943. To No.108 Airfield, 23 August 1943; attached to No.410 Squadron, 28 August 1942; attached to No.400 Squadron, 16-28 October 1943; served in No.544 Squadron, 2 November 1943 to 17 July 1944; with No.618 Squadron, 17 July 1944 to 9 May 1945 (promoted Flight Lieutenant, 20 November 1944). Attached to Australia, 7 May to 1 June 1945. Arrived back in UK, 7 July 1945; to Canada, 6 August 1945. Invested with DFC at Buckingham Palace, 13 July 1945. Released 26 September 1945. Attended Queen’s University and the University of Manitoba, where he received a Bachelor of Architecture Degree in 1950. He joined his father-in-law in the firm of Mott and Myles (later Mott, Myles, and Chatwin Ltd.) and practiced architecture in New Brunswick until he retired in 1989 following a stroke. Died Saint John, 6 October 2010. On 9 July 1945 he stated he had flown 70 sorties (44 with No.541 Squadron, 26 with No.544 Squadron). RCAF photo PL-28062 (ex UK-8951 dated 18 March 1944) shows him writing a letter; his navigator, F/O H.R. Cawker (J11805, Winnipeg) reads on the bed; caption says, in part, that Myles has flown 55 sorties and Cawker eight. RCAF photo PL-45287 (ex UK-22726 dated 19 July 1945) shows him at Buckingham Palace after investiture. For more on his career see Larry Milberry, Canada’s Air Force, Volume 2. On 19 May 1943 the Air Ministry writes to the Canadian High Commissioner as follows: // I am directed to inform you that the Commanding General, European Theatre of Operations, United States Army, has expressed the desire to confer the United States Air Medal on Pilot Officers J.R. Myles and M.W.O. Jones. These officers are said to have accomplished many photographic reconnaissance missions under great hazards and difficulties, the execution of which materially aided the United States Eighth Bomber Command in determining the results of their bombing missions and the planning of future operations. // The Commanding General's offer was accepted by this Department but it has since come to light that the first-named officer belongs to the Royal Canadian Air Force (Pilot Officer John Robenson Myles, Can/J.16477). // I am to request that you will be good enough to ascertain whether any objection is seen by your Government to the completion of the award to Pilot Officer Myles by the publication of the usual notice in the London Gazette. The omission to consult you at an earlier date is regretted. // In 2002 Mr. Myles provided to this transcriber the text of his Air Medal citation as published in USAAF Orders (date uncertain): // For exceptionally meritorious achievment while serving the Military Forces of the United States, from 6 September 1942 through 8 February 1943. During this period Pilot Officer Myles successfully accomplished many Photo Reconnaissance missions, under great hazards and difficulties, for the VIII Bomber Command. The results of these flights materially aided the VIII Bomber Command in determining the success of their bombing missions and the planning of future missions. The courage and skill displayed by Pilot Officer Myles reflect highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of His Majesty’s Government. // MYLES, F/O John Robinson (J16477) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.544 Squadron - Award effective 28 April 1944 as per London Gazette dated 5 May 1944 and AFRO 1186/44 dated 2 June 1944. // Flying Officer Myles is a most efficient operational pilot and has at all times displayed great keenness. On the 20th January 1944, when over Southern France, the starboard engine of his aircraft failed. In spite of complete wireless and electrical failure he safely reached base after a hazardous flight necessitating great skill and coolness. His courage and efficiency have been outstanding at all times. // Coastal Command Review of January 1944 included the following account by Myles himself: // On January 20 we were briefed for targets east of Toulouse. We were airborne in a Mosquito IX at 1120 hours and climbed to 10,000 feet over base before setting course for Toulouse. // We crossed out at Selsey Bill, on track at 23,000 feet and found trails down to 23,500 feet. We debated whether to turn back, but hoping trails would rise over the Channel we continued and finally crossed in at Caen at 25,000 feet, just under the trails. // We flew over broken cloud in the middle of France but the sky was practically clear at Toulouse. We did one run over Toulouse and Toulouse Blagnac airfield for luck and then set course for the first target. // After covering the first two targets I noticed oil escaping from the starboard engine but as the temperatures and pressure seemed normal and as the remaining targets were in the general area of home, we decided to continue. While doing the sixth target the oil pressure began to fall. I called the Observer back from the nose and he turned on the emergency oil supply but this did not seem to help and at 1400 hours, when the oil pressure was nearing 25 pounds, I feathered the starboard airscrew. // We first thought of going to Corsica but we decided there was too much water to fly over and we were not sure of the state of the aerodromes there anyway. // We next considered returning to base but I knew there was a lot of activity on the North French coast that day and I did not like the idea of coming through it at 10,000 feet on one engine. // We decided to set course for Gibraltar. I did not know what our petrol consumption would be on one engine and I did not think we had enough to reach Gibraltar, but we figured we would fly as far as possible, bale out and walk the rest of the way. // We set course for the east coast of Spain and decided to fly down it. I gradually reduced height from 26,000 to 12,500 feet where we were able to maintain height without overheating the port engine. We had maps of Gibraltar and Marseilles but of nothing in between. However, after flying some time I remembered an emergency map which made it possible for us to get the outline of the coast and the approximate distance to Gibraltar. // By this time we had also figured that our petrol consumption would allow us just a faint chance of making Gibraltar as long as the engine held out. We set an approximate course inland for Gibraltar and I decided to risk using some of our precious current (the generator is one the starboard engine) on sending out an SOS in the hope of getting a vector to Gibraltar. We called both on W/T and VHF but received no reply. // As soon as we left the coast we found it impossible to map read on my small map so the Observer busied himself getting ready to bale out. We tore off the inner hatch, tested his harness and parachute etc. // After two hours on one engine we were getting a bit tired, but we computed our petrol consumption again and it proved to be less than the first estimate. If only that engine would hold out ! // After three hours we found ourselves over mountains with approximately one hour’s petrol left. We now figured we must be on our Gibraltar map (which included the south coast of Spain) but with so many mountains around we could not pin-point ourselves accurately. But we realized from our watches that we must be near the south coast. We flew over the mountains full of expectancy...we pin-pointed ourselves on the coast of Malaga and there silhouetted against the sinking sun was the Rock of Gibraltar. // We circled the Rock at 10,000 feet, descended to 2,000 feet over the runway and fired off the colours of the day. I then made my first single engine landing in a Mosquito after spending six and a half hours in the air. Three and a half of these hours were on one engine and it did not even heat up.