B-52 Mitchell

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BEDFORD, Ronald Frederick Henry Warrant Officer, class 2, No.10 Squadron (Canada), R60957 Air Force Cross RCAF Personnel Awards 1939-1949
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BEDFORD, WO2 Ronald Frederick Henry (R60957) - Air Force Cross - No.10 Squadron (Canada) - Award effective 1 January 1943 as per Canada Gazette dated 9 January 1943 and AFRO 55/43 dated 15 January 1943. Born in Ryley, Alberta, 4 February 1920. Enlisted in Edmonton. Trained at No.1 ITS (graduated 22 November 1940), No.4 EFTS (graduated 24 December 1940) and No.8 SFTS (graduated 7 April 1941). Subsequently commissioned as J13489. Retired 12 September 1945. Rejoined via No.418 Squadron (Auxiliary), 7 October 1947 (120566); retired 1 January 1949. Re-engaged with Auxiliary for a few months in 1952. Award presented 16 April 1943. Acting Warrant Officer II Bedford has shown by his devotion to duty his exceptional ability as a pilot and captain of air crews, also by the number of operational sorties made and flying time and operational work that he has put in at this station that he has no personal regard for his own safety. By his unfailing energy and devotion to duty he has at all times given great inspiration to all other members of the squadron and the flying personnel at this station. He has carried out his allotted duties in an exemplary manner and under the worst flying conditions and never once has he hesitated when ordered to carry out almost impossible tasks. This Warrant Officer has made 91 operational sorties and has completed 702 hours in operational flying. The following are excepts from the diary of Station Gander: 24 June 1942 - “Digby 747 (Captain, FS Bedford) became lost in returning from patrol in very bad weather while dark was falling. After persistent efforts, plane was successfully guided, by W/T transmission, back to base and landed at 0101 hours GMT.” 25 July 1942 - “Digby 747 (Captain FS Bedford) at 1015 hours GMT in position 51-37N 56-10W attacked what was believed to be a submarine periscope, dropping four depth charges. No wreckage or other evidence of a successful attack was observed.”