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BONNER, John Cyril Flight Lieutenant, No.143 Wing, C7177 Mention in Despatches RCAF Personnel Awards 1939-1949
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BONNER, F/L John Cyril (C7177) - Mention in Despatches - No.143 Wing - Award effective 1 January 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 337/45 dated 23 February 1945. Born 28 December 1910 in Ottawa; home there; enlisted there 31 January 1936 and employed as steno clerk and book keeper; to Dartmouth, 28 August 1939 to be Clerk of Orderly Room; to No.119 Squadron, Hamilton, 10 September 1939 (same duties); to No.1 Manning Depot, Toronto, 15 October 1939 (Clerk in charge of Forms Publications); to AFHQ, 15 January 1940 as Clerk in charge of Legal Section and Warrant Officer in charge of Orderly Room; to No.32 OTU, Patricia Bay, 1 November 1941 (RCAF Liaison Officer, commissioned same date); to AFHQ, 6 April 1942 (Directorate of Personnel, Dress Regulations and Personnel Problems) Posted overseas and sent to No.126 Wing (30 September 1943), No.143 Wing (10 January 1944), No.126 Wing (6 January 1945). Repatriated and assigned to No.9 (Transport) Group, 19 April 1946. Remained in postwar RCAF. Retired in rank of Squadron Leader, 8 July 1960. Died in Ottawa 11 July 1993. No citation. RCAF photo PL-30699 (ex UK-12443) and PL-30700 (ex UK-12444), both dated 12 July 1944, are captioned as follows: “Adjutants, as a rule, have worrisome jobs, but F/L John C. Bonner, 110 Goulburn Avenue, Ottawa, who speaks for the Commanding Officer on a RCAF Typhoon fighter-bomber airfield in Normandy has no regrets that he traded a comfortable chair and a desk in RCAF Headquarters in Ottawa for a tent and a coal oil lamp in France. ‘Since the war began my main desire has been to get as close to action as an Admin type can, and being posted to a Typhoon Wing in TAF has satisfied my ambition’ he comments happily. Incidentally, the fighter bomber squadron is served by the airfield in which F/L Bonner is the adjutant and he has developed an almost paternal interest in members of the squadron, following their activities with keen interest. Comparing his thee years service in the Jackson Building with his year overseas, he says, ‘Work in the AMP Division was interesting but concerned with policy and statistics. Here it is the human problems that constitute my job and it is far more satisfying. I have enjoyed this work. My position at Headquarters was more or less static but since I joined the Tactical Air Force I have had to move, with only a few hours notice, anywhere from 50 to 500 miles, and set up shop almost as soon as we arrive - yes, it is quite a change.’ F/L Bonner is a member of the Permanent Air Force and he enlisted January 1, 1936. Prior to coming overseas he had been on numerous stations from Dartmouth, N.S. to Patricia Bay, B.C. ‘I gleaned a great deal of experience at Headquarters that helps me now. Personnel covers everything from enlistment to death and working in AMP I leaned the answers to a lot of questions I run into now.’” RCAF photo PL-33178 (ex UK-15796 dated 14 October) is captioned as follows: “Apparently the administrative officer wants something of the adjutant. Squadron Leader D.A, Brownlee of Ottawa is seen with his adjutant, Flight Lieutenant Jack Bonner, also of Ottawa. The little play is being enacted in front of one of the wooden horses with which the Germans hoped to camouflage their airdromes from Allied prying eyes. On the horse’s head is ‘Pat’, the squadron leader’s dog.” PL-33179 (ex UK-15797) shows Bonner on the “horse” which a Dutch boy scout holds. PL-33180 (ex UK-15798) shows Corporal Ernie Belanger (Ville Lasalle, Quebec), Flight Lieutenant Jack Bonner (Ottawa) and Corporal Len Simonson have fun with the “horse”. Photo PL-31102 (ex UK-13568 dated 12 August 1944) shows him in Normandy. PL-40741 (ex UK-15952 dated 30 November 1944) taken showing him conferring with Wing Adjutant, F/L Jack Bonner over a log book; taken in front of tented headquarters. // // BONNER, S/L John Cyril (C7177) - Mention in Despatches - No.143 Wing - Award effective 1 January 1946 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 322/45 dated 29 March 1946. No citation. // Although no citations have been found, the following assessments are worth noting: // An excellent officer, well informed in service knowledge who has worked consistently hard for the benefit of this unit during the difficult formative period. (W/C G. Hillock, 10 May 1944) // A clean-cut, reliable, permanent force officer who is an asset to the Wing” (G/C P.Y. Davoud, 6 November 1944) // The general efficiency of this officer enabled this wing to obtain, throughout operations, a very high degree of administration. I strongly recommend this officer for temporary Squadron Leader. (W/C G.W. Northcott, 8 November 1945). // Photos PL-30699 and PL-30700 (formerly UK12443 and UK 12444) taken 12 July 1944 had the following caption: // Adjutants, as a rule, have worrisome jobs, but Flight Lieutenant John C. Bonner, 110 Goulburn Avenue, Ottawa, who speaks for the Commanding Officer of an RCAF Typhoon fighter-bomber airfield in Normandy has no regrets that he traded a comfortable chair and a desk in RCAF Headquarters in Ottawa for a tent and a coal oil lamp in France. // “Since the war began my main desire has been to get as close to action as an Admin type can, and being posted to a Typhoon wing in TAF has satisfied my ambition,” he comments happily. // Incidentally the fighter bomber squadron is served by the airfield of which Flight Lieutenant Bonner is the adjutant and he has developed an almost paternal interest in members of the squadron, following their activities with keen interest. // Comparing his three years services in the Jackson Building with his year overseas, he says, “Work in the Air Member Personnel Division was interesting but was concerned with policy and statistics. Here it’s the more human problems that constitute my job and it’s far more satisfying. I have enjoyed this work. My position at Headquarters was more or less static but since I joined the Tactical Air Force I have had to move, with only a few hours notice, anywhere from 50 to 500 miles, and set up shop almost as soon as we arrive - yes, it’s quite a change.” // Flight Lieutenant Bonner is a member of the Permanent Air Force and he enlisted January 31, 1936. Prior to coming overseas he had been on numerous stations from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to Patricia Bay, British Columbia. “I gleaned a great deal of experience at Headquarters that helps me now. Personnel covers everything from enlistment to death and working in AMP I learned the answers to a lot of questions I run into now.” // Photo PL-42118 (formerly UK-19007), dated 10 February 1945 has the following caption: “Mentioned in Despatches in the King’s New Year honors list for his work as adjutant of another unit, S/L J.C. Bonner of Ottawa has been promoted recently to that rank and appointed senior administrative officer of the Canadian top-scoring Spitfire wing in 2 TAF, now based on an advanced airfield in Holland.” // RCAF Press Release No. 8395 dated 19 January 1945 reads: // ADVANCED RCAF AIRFIELD IN HOLLAND: - Mentioned in Despatches in the King’s New Year’s honors list for a “leading role”, as adjutant, in the forming and administering of his former unit – a crack Typhoon fighter-bomber wing, Jack C. Bonner (C7177), Ottawa, Ontario (110 Goulburn Avenue), has been promoted to rank of squadron leader and appointed senior administrative officer of the Canadian top-scoring Spitfire wing in 2nd TAF. // S/L Bonner, who landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day with the Typhoon unit, played a large part in its successful moves across 450 miles of France, Belgium and Holland behind the retreating Germans and, during one phase, the setting up of its airfield intact at four different locations within eight days. A member of the permanent Air Force since January 1936, when he entered as a clerk, he has risen through the ranks from that of AC2. Posted to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia as a Corporal on outbreak of war, he served with units across Canada to Patricia Bay, B.C. – including two periods in the Directorate of Personnel at Air Force Headquarters, Ottawa – before proceeding to Britain in September, 1943, as a Flight Lieutenant. For a few months there, S/L Bonner was supernumerary administrative officer with the Spitfire wing he has just rejoined. When a 2nd TAF Canadian Typhoon wing was being formed in Northern Scotland with three RCAF squadrons from the Aleutians and Eastern Air Command, he was named adjutant. The “Tiffie” airfield’s transfer to the continent entailed a trek of about 500 miles before embarkation and constituted the largest convoy of its kind. // Thirty-four years old, S/L Bonner was in the stock brokerage business in Ottawa – with Flood, Potter and Company and earlier with McDougall and Cowans, prior to joining the RCAF. He is a graduate of Lisgar Collegiate, where he won several cups for boxing and tennis and participated in rugby and skiing. “He is a credit to the service and has made a definitely worthwhile contribution to his organization,” said, in part, the recommendation for his Mention in Despatches.