CHURCHILL, F/L Rae Edward (J23054) - Netherlands Flying Cross - No.295 Squadron - Award effective 28 September 1945 as per Canada Gazette dated 6 April 1946 and AFRO 388/46 dated 12 April 1946. Born May 1920. Home in Edmonton; enlisted in Vancouver, 26 September 1940. To No.7 Equipment Depot, 23 October 1940. To No.2 ITS, 28 November 1940; graduated and promoted LAC, 3 January 1941 when posted to No.16 EFTS; graduated 20 February 1941 when posted to No. 10 SFTS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 28 May 1941; To Trenton, 7 June 1941; to No.4 Training Command, 25 August 1941 for instructional duties at No.32 EFTS. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 1 December 1941. Commissioned 3 November 1942. To \"H\", 23 November 1942. To No.34 OTU, 7 January 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 3 May 1943. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 3 November 1944. Retained rank of Flight Lieutenant in postwar RCAF (service number 26384). Still in RCAF as of 1954. Public Records Office Air 2/9556 has recommendation for \"Dutch Award\" dated 18 August 1945 from W/C H.E. Angell, CO of No.295 Squadron. Mentioned 21 sorties (93 hours). Flight Lieutenant Churchill completed a tour of operations with this squadron in May 1945. During this tour he carried out 21 operational sorties over the Continent in support of the Underground Movements of France and Holland. Also he took part in the three major Airborne Invasions over the Continent. Of these 21 sorties, 19 were highly successful. On the night of the 3rd/4th of February 1945, Flight Lieutenant Churchill was captain of an aircraft detailed to drop two S.A.S. troops and five containers on FABIAN 23. This operation was completely successful. During his tour Flight Lieutenant Churchill proved himself to be an extremely capable and efficient captain of aircraft. He displayed great courage and devotion to duty in the face of extremely bad flying weather and heavy enemy opposition and he always showed great keenness for operational flying.