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BALDWIN, William Henry Flight Lieutenant, No.405 Squadron, J15169 Distinguished Flying Cross RCAF Personnel Awards 1939-1949
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BALDWIN, F/L William Henry (J15169) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.405 Squadron - Award effective 16 June 1942 as per London Gazette dated 22 September 1942 and AFRO 1653/42 dated 16 October 1942. Born in Ottawa, 12 January 1910; home there (worked in Metropolitan Life Insurance, 1928-1929, RCAF Photo Section, 1929-1932; commercial artist; did lettering for almost all the Book of Remembrance, 1934-1940; also a radio announcer for CKCO, 1937-1939); enlisted Ottawa, 28 June 1940. To No.1 ITS, 20 July 1940; graduated and promoted LAC, 16 September 1940 when posted to No.1 AOS; to No.1 BGS, Jarvis, 6 January 1941; promoted Sergeant and posted to No.1 ANS, 15 February 1941. To Embarkation Depot, 28 March 1941. To CPR, Montreal, 22 April 1941 for Ferry Command duty, attending OTU at St. Hubert, 23 April 1941 to 14 June 1941. Embarked for overseas as of 14 June 1941. Taken on strength of No.3 PRC, Bournemouth, 17 June 1941. To No.12 OTU, 19 June 1941. To Chipping Warden, 17 August 1941. To No.405 Squadron, 4 September 1941. Commissioned, 26 January 1942. With No.405 Squadron, 5 September 1941 to 13 September 1942 (31 sorties). Promoted Flying Officer, 1 October 1942 (Appointments, Promotions Retirements dated 20 November 1942). Promoted Flight Lieutenant with effect from 8 July 1942 (Appointments, Promotions, Retirements dated 20 April 1943). Award presented 8 December 1942. On leave or detached duties in Canada, 17 December 1942 to 29 June 1943 (much of on leave to Ottawa). RCAF wished to retain him in a Training Command function "to proceed on a tour of all ITS's and AOS's to lecture aircrew on the latest Bomber Command practice in Navigation." However, his release on leave from Bomber Command had been on condition of his returning to Bomber Command. Reposted to No.405 Squadron, 6 July 1943. Promoted Squadron Leader, 7 July 1943 (Appointments, Promotions, Retirements, 18 September 1944, having been Acting Squadron Leader, paid since 12 October 1942). Killed in action, 23/24 August 1943 (No.405 Squadron, Halifax HR918); buried in Germany. See article by Thomas Ritchie, “Twice Immortalized - William Henry Baldwin, DFC and Canada’s Books of Remembrance”, Airforce Magazine, Volume 31, No.3 (Autumn 2007). // Pilot Officer Baldwin is a navigator of exceptional ability which, combined with his courage and initiative, has contributed materially to the success of the operations in which he has participated. His unfailing cheerfulness and optimism, in spite of all hazards, has proved a source of inspiration. // NOTE: The above is worth comparing to the original citation and sortie list, drafted 13 July 1942. Sortie list is unusually detailed. Source: Public Records Office Air 2/9598. // 10 October 1941 - Ostend (3.51) - Successful attack on docks // 16 October 1941 - Duisburg (4.55) - Target attacked in cloud // 22 October 1941 - Mannheim (7.25) - Target attacked - successful // 24 October 1941 - Frankfort (5.35) - Target attacked, 10/10 cloud // 7 November 1941 - Berlin (7.46) - Bombed target on ETA in 10/10 cloud // 9 November 1941 - Hamburg (5.46) - Successful attack on docks. // 22 November 1941 - Wilhelmshaven (4.51) - Attacked seaplane base in 10/10 cloud. // 7 January 1942 - St.Nazaire (6.40) - Very successful attack carried out. // 17 January 1942 - Bremen (5.16) - Target bombed in 10/10 cloud. // 26 February 1942 - Kiel (6.01) - Very successful attack. // 3 March 1942 - Paris (6.05) - Highly successful attack on engine works. // 7 March 1942 - St.Nazaire (4.36) - Successful attack on target area. // 10 March 1942 - Essen (4.54) - Target attacked in poor visibility. // 26 March 1942 - Essen (4.37) - Successful attack on target. // 28 March 1942 - Lubeck (7.14) - Highly successful attack on aircraft factory. // 5 April 1942 - Cologne (6.41) - Target attacked with success. // 8 April 1942 - Hamburg (6.49) - Attacked target in 10/10 cloud. // 10 April 1942 - Essen (5.18) - Successful attack on target. // 15 April 1942 - Dortmund (6.07) - Jettisoned in 10/10 cloud. // 17 April 1944 - Hamburg (6.14) - Successful attack on target. // 30 May 1942 - Cologne (5.42) - Bomb release unserviceable; brought bombs back. // 1 June 1942 - Essen (5.01) - Very successful attack on target. // 6 June 1942 - Emden (5.12) - Docks attacked with success. // 8 June 1942 - Essen (5.35) - Target attacked despite terrific opposition. // 25 June 1942 - Bremen (5.11) - Docks hit in successful attack. // 2 July 42 - Bremen (4.58) - Successful attack on target. // Pilot Officer Baldwin has shown great presence of mind and cool courage in all his sorties. His confidence has inspired the other members of this squadron. In view of the consistency of this officer's work it is recommended that he be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. // Training: Interviewed on 29 May 1940 by F/O R.H. Cowan who noted, “Very much above average in all respects - is taking Air Crew assignment through eagerness to serve.” // Course at No.1 ITS was 22 July to 17 August 1940. Marked as follows: Mathematics (52/100), Armament, P and O (94/100), Drill (84/100), Law and Discipline (88/100). Placed 102nd in a class of 126. Assesses as “Good observer material. No doubt he will do well.” // Course at No.1 AOS lasted from 14 October 1940 to 4 January 1941. Flew in Anson aircraft - 19 hours 34 minutes as First Navigator (day) and 21 hours 35 minutes as Second Navigator (day). Air work assessed as follows: “Work in air showed improvement towards end of course to bring his marks above the class average.” Ground Training courses and marks as follows: D.R. Plotting (75/150), D.R. Written (103/150), Compasses and Instruments (103/150), D/F with W/T (85/100), Signals (25/50), Maps and Charts (57/100 following a Supplemental Exam), Meteorology (61/100), Photography (58/100), Reconnaissance (63/100). Ground School Instructor noted, “Hard worker. Slow to grasp things. Failed to pass examination in Maps and Charts but successfully passed the supplemental.” In Ground School he placed 40th in a class of 43. Assessed overall as “Average”, suitable for a commission but unsuitable to instruct. The Chief Instructor, F/L W.F. Stapley, wrote, “Very neat in his work. Will make a good officer with a little more experience. Pleasing personality. Well liked by his class clates and the instructors.” // At No.1 BGS, course lasted 6 January to 17 February 1941. All air training on fairey Battles (19 hours ten minutes on day bombing, five hours 15 minutes on day gunnery plus 100 minutes as a passenger. In air exercises his average high level bombing error was 219 yards (best was 184 yards) while in low level bombing his average error was 77 yards. In Air Gunnery he scored 8.5 percent hits on Beam Tesr, 2.7 percent hiots on Bam Relative Speed Test and 2.7 percent hits on Under Tail Test. In “Proficiency as Bomb Aimer” he obtained 207 out of 300 marks (“Average”) and under “Proficiency as Air Gunner” he was graded 143 out of 200 marks (“Average”). Placed 40th in a class of 40 and deemed unsuitable for commission. G/C G.E. Wait wrote of him, “Energetic and confident. Tried hard but did not stand out in any way.” // At No.1 ANS for Advanced Air Observer training, the course lasted 17 February to 15 May 1941. All training on Anson aircraft - six hours five minbutes as First Navigator (day), six hours 40 minutes as Second Navigator (day), five hours 45 minutes as First Navigator (night) and 13 hours 50 minutes as Second Navigator (night). Air training assessed as “Not very consistent - spotty.” In Ground School he truly terrible marks (28 percent in Astronomical Navigation, Plotting and 25 percent in Astronomical Navigation, Written). He failed the course and ranked 82nd in a class of 82. The Chief Instructor wrote, “This NCO seemed to have difficulty with arithmetical figures but otherwise is a good student.” The Commanding Officer of the schol (W/C F.R. Miller) neverthelss wrote, “A good NCO but failed to absorb Astro Navigation.” // No record of overseas training. // Particulars of Death: Crew of Halifax HR918 (lost 24 August 1943) were as follows: J15655 F/O F.A. Harman (pilot), J15169 S/L W.H. Baldwin, DFC (navigator), 1230164 Sergeant S. Cugley (WOP/AG), 52286 P/O L.R. King, DFM (Flight Engineer), J20912 F/O P.J.A. Magson (Air Gunner), R112570 Sergeant A. Menzies (Air Gunner) and R151487 Sergeant J.A. Miller (Air Gunner). Burial site investigated by Berlin Detachment, MRES, on 20 September 1947 (Baldwin) and 16 December 1947 (other members of the crew). Aircraft had been shot down in flames about 0315 (German time) and bodies initially buried as "unknown American soldiers."