BURTON, F/L Elgert (J36530) - Air Force Cross - No.164 Squadron (now No.168 Squadron) - Award effective 1 January 1946 as per Canada Gazette of that date and AFRO 82/46 dated 25 January 1946. Born 26 November 1919. Enlisted in Winnipeg, 20 June 1941 and posted to No.2 Manning Depot. To No.11 Equipment Depot, 7 August 1941. To No.4 ITS, 1 September 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 3 October 1941 but not posted to No.16 EFTS until 9 October 1941; graduated 6 December 1941 when posted to No.10 SFTS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 10 April 1942. To Halifax, 11 April 1942. To No.1 ANS, 28 April 1942. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 10 October 1942. To No.12 (Communications) Squadron, 27 April 1943. To No.164 Squadron, 14 May 1943. Promoted WO2, 18 August 1943. Subsequently commissioned with effect from 15 June 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 1 January 1944. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 January 1945. To No.168 Squadron, 18 June 1944. Attached to Canadian Air Liaison Mission, Far East, 15 July 1944. To No.164 Squadron again, 1 December 1944. To No.168 Squadron, 12 May 1945. To No.1 Air Support Unit (Exercise MUSK OX), 29 December 1945. Retired 10 July 1946. Died in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, 17 December 1999. As of award he had flown 3,214 hours, 2,047 hours as instructor, 427 hours in previous six months. Award sent by registered mail via Department of External Affairs, 28 June 1955, when he was living in Fairview Park, Ohio. This officer has flown over 2,000 hours on transport duties, the last 1,400 hours as a Captain. This flying has been mainly over water, including Trans-Atlantic and Far East duties. A great deal of his flying has been in extremely inclement weather. His work has been faultless and as a transport captain his work has been exemplary. RCAF Press Release 6806 dated 12 January 1946 read as follows: Fort Churchill, January 11 - An RCAF aircraft played a belated Santa Claus to the residents of Eskimo Point, 180 miles north of here today. As part of training exercise of Operation Muskox the plane dropped Christmas parcels and mail to the isolated settlement on the shores of Hudson Bay. The mail delayed by ordinary means of travel, had reached the Hudson Bay Company post at Churchill and was waiting for a tractor train or dog team to take it north which might have meant a delay of a month. Carried in the aircraft piloted by Flight Lieutenant Edwin (Ollie) Burton, AFC, of Portage la Prairie, most recently decorated pilot on the exercise, the bundles were parachuted to the frozen shore of Hudson Bay. The drops were made in two runs, the first releasing a supply of gasoline to be used by the moving Army force of Muskox when it reaches Eskimo Point and the second included the Christmas parcels for the few settlers. From the air the residents of the trading post could be seen clearly as they waited for the “Bundles from Heaven” and scarcely had the first can of gasoline touched down before a dog team and driver appeared to take it to safety. When the wicker basket of parcels was released an excited crowd of Eskimos and whites followed its course to the Bay and waved their thanks. The supply dropping in the Dakota aircraft was under command of Major E.G.. Cutbill of Hamilton.