POPE, F/L Charles Stewart (J16309) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.429 Squadron - Award effective 5 April 1945 as per London Gazette dated 13 April 1945 and AFRO 824/45 dated 18 May 1945. Born 30 June 1921 in Stratford, Ontario; home there (carman); enlisted London, Ontario, 13 September 1940. To No.5 (BR) Squadrin, 8 October 1940. To No.1 ITS, 2 January 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 8 February 1941 when posted to No.3 EFTS; graduated 10 April 1941 when posted to No.1 Manning Depot; to No.2 SFTS, 4 May 1941; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 18 July 1941. To Embarkation Depot, 16 July 1941; to RAF overseas, 3 August 1941. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 15 January 1942. Commissioned 12 December 1942. Promoted Flying Officer, 7 June 1943. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 7 December 1944. Repatriated 5 August 1945; released 8 November 1945. Award presented by King George 29 June 1945. No citation other than "completed...numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which [he has] invariably displayed the utmost courage and devotion to duty." DHist file 181.009 D.2610 (RG.24 Vol.20627) has recommendation dated 19 January 1945. It states that his first tour consisted of 59 sorties on fighters, as follows: No.145 Squadron (16-30 October 1941, five sorties, one hour 40 minutes); No.401 Squadron (5 December 1941 to 25 May 1942, 37 sorties, 51 hours 20 minutes); No.411 Squadron (22 December 1942 to 18 May 1943, 17 sorties, 21 hours 15 minutes). Second tour was 16 sorties (99 hours), 1 November 1944 to 13 January 1945. RCAF photo PL-42296 (ex UK-19281) dated 19 March 1945 shows him. RCAF photo PL-42299 (ex UK-19274 dated 9 March 1945) shows F/L C.S. Pope (right) with his rear gunner, FS R.R. Brown of Montreal, “who combined with the mid-upper gunner to shoot down a FW.190 which attacked their aircraft during an attack on Worms, Germany.” Photo PL-44876 (ex UK-22457 dated 6 July 1945) taken after his investiture at Buckingham Palace on 29 June 1945. RCAF photo PL-44878 (ex UK-22459 dated 6 July 1945) taken following an all-Canadian investiture ceremony, 29 June 1945 at Buckingham Palace; shown with Mother-in-Law, Mrs. F. Thorp (Moston, near Manchester), and his wife (also os Moston). // Flight Lieutenant Pope has completed an operational tour on fighter aircraft. Returning for a second tour on bomber aircraft, this officer has established a splendid record of operational flying. He has completed sixteen bombing missions, most of which have been against the heavily defended industrial targets of Germany. He has at all times proven himself an outstanding captain of aircraft, possessed with a fine offensive spirit and a determination to press on to his objective in spite of all difficulties. By his cheerfulness and skilful leadership he has at all times inspired and encouraged his crew. // It is considered that this officer's fine operational record and devotion to duty fully merit the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. // NOTE: This pilot destroyed a FW.190 on 14 April 1943 northeast of Cherbourg. // The sortie list for No.428 Squadron was as follows: // 1 November 1944 - Oberhausen (5.25, second pilot) // 2 November 1944 - Dusseldorf (5.45, second pilot) // 4 November 1944 - Bochum (5.15) // 6 November 1944 - Gelsenkirchen (5.20) // 18 November 1944 - Munster (6.00) // 21 November 1944 - Castrop Rauxel (5.50) // 27 November 1944 - Neuss (5.30) // 30 November 1944 - Duisburg (6.45) // 2 December 1944 - Hagen (6.25) // 5 December 1944 - Soest (5.40) // 6 December 1944 - Osnabruck (6.05) // 28 December 1944 - Opladen (5.45) // 30 December 1944 - Cologne (6.25) // 2 January 1945 - Ludwigshaven (7.35) // 6 January 1945 - Hanau (7.10) // 13 January 1945 - Saarbrucken (7.45) // RCAF Press Release No.8994 dated 26 February 1945 from F/L H.W. Eggleston, transcribed by Huguette Mondor Oates reads: // WITH THE RCAF BOMBER GROUP IN GREAT BRITAIN: -- Completion of two tours of operations is not an unusual feat in the R.C.A.F. Bomber Group these days, but a pilot with the Bison squadron, F/L C.S. Pope, of Stratford, Ontario, holds the distinction of finishing tours of “ops” on both fighters and heavy bombers. // Arriving overseas in August, 1941 the 23-year-old skipper, after two months training, was assigned to an RAF squadron flying Spitfires. At the time, the Luftwaffe was very active over the English Channel and he spent a busy time on sweeps over the Channel to intercept German raiders. On his seventh sweep just off the English coast, F/L Pope was shot down by a FW.190. With his aircraft on fire, he bailed out successfully on the English coast. Later, however, he had his revenge when he shot down a FW.190 in mid-channel. Transferred to heavy bombers after a period of instructing, F/L Pope joined the Bison squadron making many more sorties on Halifaxes. // “I can thank my crew for getting me through the second tour,” said F/L Pope. “On my second last sortie to Worms where we hammered the railway yards, we were “jumped” by a FW190 which my gunners shot out of the sky. The only damage the aircraft suffered was a small piece out of the starboard inner prop from a cannon shell.” On two other occasions, sorties to Bochum and Cologne, F/L Pope’s aircraft was holed by flak without injury to the crew. // Married to an English girl, the former Miss Freda Thorpe, Manchester, (16 Wilford Street, Moston), F/L Pope joined the RCAF in London, Ontario in September, 1940. He won his wings and sergeant’s stripes at Uplands, Ontario, in July, 1941, and was commissioned in December, 1942.

RAMSEY, F/O Colin John Pope (J27234) - Mention in Despatches - No.158 Squadron (deceased) - Award effective 21 February 1947 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 120/44 dated 7 March 1947. Born 18 June 1924; home in Montreal. Attended McGill University for one year. Enlisted in Montreal, 25 August 1942 and posted to No.5 Manning Depot. To No.3 ITS, 19 October 1942; graduated and promoted LAC, 5 December 1942 but not posted to No.11 EFTS until 27 December 1942; graduated 19 February 1943 and posted next day to No.13 SFTS; graduated and commissioned, 11 June 1943. To “Y” Depot, Halifax, 27 July 1943; to RAF Overseas Pool, 3 September 1943 but only embarked from New York on 8 October 1943. Disembarked in Britain, 16 October 1943. At Bournemouth as of 17 October 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 11 December 1943. Posted to No.15 (P) AFU, 15 February 1944; to No.21 OTU, 9 May 1944; to No.41 Base, 22 September 1944; to No.158 Squadron, 3 December 1944. Killed in action, 20 February 1944 (Halifax LV920); buried in Germany. Certificate sent to his mother, 12 September 1949. The crew of LV920 consisted of Ramsey plus 163602 F/O G. Pond (RAF, navigator, safe), J26538 F/O A.M. Lang (RCAF, bomb aimer, safe), 1811697 FS F.W. Grant (RAF, WOP, killed), R261698 WO H.J. Bailey (RCAF, air gunner, safe), R261521 FS H.F. Tyler (RCAF, air gunner, safe) and 1897291 Sergeant W.M. Philpotts (RAF flight engineer, safe). The aircraft was attacked from below and set on fire. On 18 May 1945, F/O George Pond wrote to Ramsey’s mother: I wish to express the heartfelt condolences of myself and son in your great loss, but feel you would like to have some idea of our last trip over enemy territory. Andy, Hal, Phil, Jimmy and myself have just been released from a prison camp and our own people had no idea whether we were safe or not and it is with pride and deep feeling I say to you that but for the skill, courage and determination of your son not one of us would be with our wives and children today. I baled out second from last, and Andy gave Johnny his parachute but as we were so near the ground I can only presume he decided to crash land the plane in the hope of saving our badly wounded WOP Bill; this heroic gesture was of no avail and we were told by the German authorities that the two bodies were recovered and interred in the Ruhr. This letter is not one I like writing and I hope you will take this grave loss with the courage and fortitude displayed by your son in his last few minutes on earth. I realise nothing can replace him and both my wife and I will miss his boisterous and cheery companionship. Let me say here and now, I never met a braver Canadian and we pray to God that this sacrifice was not in vain. This letter was sent to the Honourable Colin Gibson, Minister of National Defence for Air, 23 February 1946 by Mr. E.J. Struthers, Second Vice-President of the Canadian Legion, who wrote:: Noting the attached report in the Ottawa Journal of last evening of a posthumous award having been given to Flying Officer D.D. Connor, reminded me of an action I have wanted to take for some time. This is to draw to your attention a brave action on the part of the late Flying Officer John Ramsey of Bedford, Quebec, which went unrecorded. Attached hereto is a copy of a letter which Mrs. Ramsey, mother of the late Flying Officer, received from Flying Officer G. Pond, who was a member of the crew on the last trip taken by Mrs. Ramsey’s son. I knew this young man very well, as did Brigadier C.G. Hepburn, former Chaplain of the Canadian Forces, and we both would appreciate it if a review of the late Flying Officer Ramsey’s service could be made to see if a posthumous award would be similarly merited. On 28 February 1946, G/C J.C. Scott (AFHQ) wrote to RCAF Overseas Headquarters: Attached hereto are letters which are self-explanatory concerning recognition for the subject noted officer. May an investigation be carried out and this Headquarters advised as to whether there is any record of a recommendation for an award having been raised on behalf of Flying Officer Ramsey; also the names of the surviving crew. On 2 March 1946 W.O. Davis (Private Secretary to the Chief of the Air Staff) wrote to Mr. Struthers stating that F/O D.D. O’Connor had been recommended for a DFC before he went missing, so it was not strictly a “posthumous” award. However, he stated that RCAF Overseas Headquarters had been contacted to see if a recommendation had been raised on behalf of Ramsey. RCAF Overseas Headquarters sent the information it had to Bomber Command. On 22 May 1946, that headquarters wrote to Ottawa: This is to advise you we have been requested by Headquarters, Bomber Command, to obtain statements from the surviving members of F/O Ramsey’s crew to substantiate our request for recognition in the form of a posthumous award. Another letter (20 May 1946) from RCAF Overseas Headquarters to AFHQ Ottawa summarised what was known: Flying Officer Ramsey and his crew were doing a sortie over enemy territory and his aircraft was shot down. The wireless operator of the crew was injured and Flying Officer Ramsey did pilot the aircraft to try to make a forced landing so that he could save the life of the wireless operator. On 6 June 1946, AFHQ wrote to the three RCAF survivors with the above statement and asked for any information they might offer. The replies were as follows: From P/O H.J. Bailey, 11 June 1946: In answer to your communication of the 6th instant, received by me this morning in regards to my “Skipper” and “Wireless Operator”, namely Flying Officer C.J.P. Ramsey and Sergeant W. Grant, who lost their lives on the night of February 20-21st, 1945. When I was ordered to bale out of our aircraft some eight or ten minutes after being hit and set on fire, the skipper was still alive and talking all the time about not having any controls left except rudder, and he wished me luck when I told him that I was leaving my turret which I had turned onto the port beam to keep clear of the flames which were covering the whole starboard side of the aircraft. As far as the wireless operator was concerned I know nothing, not having heard anything from him since before we were attacked and until I baled out. Then on the next night I met my bomb aimer, Flying Officer A.M. Lang, who told me what he knew and that was when the order came to abandon aircraft he proceeded to get the skipper’s chute and hand it to him. Then he noticed the wireless operator still sitting at his position so went to him and gave him the sign to jump, but there was no movement from him, so he put his chute on for him and in so doing saw blood running from his mouth and nostrils and a vacant stare in his wide open eyes. He then knew that there was nothing he could do as time was getting short so he left the aircraft. Now on knowing that Flying Officer Ramsey was still alive and at the controls when I left the aircraft it is quite possible that when he went to leave the aircraft he saw the wireless operator still at his position and decided that he was wounded and proceeded to try and land the aircraft which incidentally still had the bomb load aboard being unable to jettison. Well, I think this is about all I can give on this matter, Sir, and am hoping it will suffice, but if there is anything more with regards to this I will be only too glad to do what I can. H.F. Tyler, 11 June 1946 In reply to your letter of June 6th, 1946. Would say to my knowledge the information received is true and correct. At the time of my leaving the aircraft John Ramsey was doing his utmost to keep the aircraft airborne and bring it down as safely as possible for a burning aircraft. Flying Officer Ramsey was a real “skipper” and a grand fellow. He always thought of his crew first with a definite disregard of his own safety. F/O A.M. Lang, 28 June 1946 (excerpt) I presume you have read my previous statement regarding the crash and also the statements of the other members of our crew, so I shall not repeat them, Immediately after we were shot up I was off intercom for a couple of minutes during which time I imagine a crew check was made by Flying Officer Ramsey from which he would know Flight Sergeant Grant was injured. Our rear gunner seems to think that Flying Officer Ramsey was wounded too as he seemed to be confused for sa moment or two after pulling out of the spin, however he never said anything about this. He did say that he was having great trouble holding the aircraft in control and he was determined to get back across the lines before making any attempt to bale out. It is my belief that none of us would have got out of the aircraft if it had not been for Flying Officer Ramsey’s strength in holding the aircraft in control. In my own mind I am sure that he made an attempted crash landing to save the life of Flight Sergeant Grant. I know he made no attempt to get out as he could have if he tried. Subsequently, on 31 August 1946, RCAF Overseas Headquarters advised AFHQ that the decision had been made to grant a Mention in Despatches, but that confidentiality was imperative as it was unlikely to be promulgated before 1 January 1947.

HENRY MILTON F/O(BA) J36085//R89116. From Toronto, Ontario. Killed in Action Nov 27/44 age 22. #115 Squadron (Despite The Elements), Witchford, England. Target - Cologne, Germany. Lancaster aircraft #HK 624 was shot down and crashed on Danziger St., Cologne. F/Os E. Ingham (RAF), L.E. Light (RAF), K.G. Purvis (RAF), FSs R. Hogben (RAF), E. Spotswood (RAF), Sgts T. Leveritt (RAF), D.J. Hutchinson, and H. McPake (RAF) were also killed. This was nine man crew, there were two pilots and a mid under gunner on board. Flying Officer Bomb Aimer Pope is buried in the War Cemetery at Rheinberg, Germany.

WILLIAM JAMES FS(P) R100460. From Winnipeg, Manitoba. Killed Nov 9/42 age 24. #20 Operational Training Unit (Train To Triumph). Wellington aircraft lost. Please see FS D.C. Ferguson for casualty list and flight detail. Flight Sergeant Pilot Pope has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Runnymede War Memorial, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey, England.