McGUFFIN, S/L William Chester (J15712) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.419 Squadron - Award effective 3 November 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 1/45 dated 5 January 1945. Born 3 April 1915 in London, Ontario; home in Calgary. Salesman and Department Manager with T. Eaton Company, 1935-1940. Formerly in 17th and 8th Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (Non-Permanent Active Militia), 1929 to 1940. Obtained Private Pilots License 3663, 31 July 1940. Enlisted in Calgary, 19 December 1940 and posted to No.2 Manning Depot, Brandon. To No.37 SFTS, Penhold (guard duty), 27 January 1941. To No.2 ITS, Regina, 17 March 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 9 April 1941; to No.5 EFTS, Lethbridge, 10 April 1941; graduated 28 May 1941 and posted directly to No.10 SFTS, Dauphin; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 8 August 1941; to “Y” Depot, 10 August 1941. Embarked for United Kingdom, 28 September 1941, arriving October 1941. Taken on strength of No.3 PRC, Bournemouth, 13 October 1941. Attached to No.13 Beam Approach Training Flight, date uncertain to 4 November 1941; to No.12 OTU, 5 November 1941. To No.156 Squadron, 28 February 1942. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 1 March 1942. To No.419 Squadron, 20 March 1942. Commissioned 13 July 1942. To No.22 OTU as instructor, 18 September 1942; this included a preliminary CFS-standard course at Hullavington, 18 November to 23 December 1942. Promoted Flying Officer, 12 January 1943. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 28 April 1943. Detached to Headquarters, No.6 Group, 6 May 1943 but returned to No.22 OTU. Took Engine Handling Course, Bristol, 16-23 May 1943. Attended School of Air Sea Rescue, 20 June to 3 July 1943. Posted to No.23 OTU, 14 January 1944. Embarked to Canada for special leave (illness in family), 11 March 1944, arriving Halifax 16 March 1944. Embarked from Canada, 24 May 1944, arriving in Britain 2 June 1944. Attended No.6 Group Battle School, 24 June to 1 July 1944. Attached to No.1664 Conversion Unit, 1 July to 6 August 1944. To No.419 Squadron, 6 August 1944. Promoted Squadron Leader, 21 August 1944. Killed in action 23/24 October 1944. RCAF photo PL-33731 (ex UK-15624) is of him alone. RCAF photo PL-33732 (ex UK-15625, 6 October 1944) with bombs he had promised to release on behalf of an Ottawa family with whom he had stayed while on leave in Canada. DFC presented to next-of-kin, 17 April 1947. // One night in August 1944, Squadron Leader McGuffin was detailed as captain of aircraft to attack Bremen. On approaching the target his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and severely damaged. The oxygen economizer and the hydraulic and intercommunication systems were rendered unserviceable. In spite of this, Squadron Leader McGuffin pressed home his attack. His aircraft was again hit before leaving the target but he flew it safely to base. Squadron Leader McGuffin is a most efficient and gallant captain. // DHist file 181.009 D.1634 (RG.24 Volume 20604) has recommendation by W/C D.C. Hagerman dated 3 September 1944 when he had flown 36 sorties (171 hours 55 minutes) as follows: // Flight Lieutenant McGuffin has completed a tour of night operations against the enemy and is presently on his second operational tour. // On the night of 18th August 1944 he was detailed as Captain of Aircraft to attack Bremen. On approaching the target his aircraft was hit by flak and severely damaged, the hydraulics oxygen economiser and inter-com being rendered unserviceable. In spite of this Flight Lieutenant McGuffin pressed home his attack and bombed the target successfully but was again hit by flak and his aircraft badly riddled. As the oxygen supply was completely unserviceable, he dropped to 14,000 feet on the journey back over enemy occupied territory and, when over the sea, to 10,000 feet. // The high state of efficiency and the confidence of the crew in Flight Lieutenant McGuffin were directly responsible for the success of this operation. I consider Flight Lieutenant McGuffin ‘s courage, devotion to duty and efficiency as Captain merit the immediate award of the DFC. // His first tour was on Wellingtons; the second was on Lancasters. The sortie list for both tours was as follows; // 8 April 1942 - Hamburg (6.30, second pilot) // 12 April 1942 - Le Havre (4.00, second pilot) // 13 April 1942 - Boulogne (3.45, second pilot) // 24 April 1942 - Dunkitque (2.00, second pilot) // 26 April 1942 - Heligoland (2.45, second pilot) // 29 April 1942 - Heligoland, Gardening (5.30, second pilot) // 2 May 1942 - La Rochelle, Gardening (6.10, second pilot) // 6 May 1942 - Nantes (7.10, second pilot) // 29 May 1942 - Cherbourg (4.25, captain from this time forward) // 1 June 1942 - Essen (4.40) // 2 June 1942 - St. Nazaire, Gardening (6.30) // 4 June 1942 - Dieppe (4.00) // 6 June 1942 - Emden (4.40) // 16 June 1942 - Essen (3.55) // 19 June 1942 - Emden (4.00) // 21 June 1942 - Frisians, Gardening (3.35) // 22 June 1942 - Emden (4.05) // 25 June 1942 - Bremen (5.00) // 27 June 1942 - Bremen (4.30) // 29 June 1942 - Bremen (4.40) // 2 July 1942 - Bremen (4.30) // 13 July 1942 - Duisburg (3.55) // 21 July 1942 - Duisburg (3.50) // 23 July 1942 - Duisburg (3.25) // 25 July 1942 - Duisburg (4.00) // 28 July 1942 - Hamburg (3.40) // 29 July 1942 - Saarbrucken (4.30) // 31 July 1942 - Dusseldorf (4.50) // 6 August 1942 - Duisburg (2.30) // 9 August 1942 - Osnabruck (4.00) // 1 September 1942 - Saarbrucken (6.30) // * * * * * // 15 August 1944 - Soesterburg (3.40) // 16 August 1944 - Stettin (8.45) // 18 August 1944 - Bremen (6.20) // 27 August 1944 - Minoyecques, daylight (4.10) // 28 August 1944 - Stettin (9.30) // McGUFFIN, S/L William Chester DFC (J15712) - Croix de Guerre with Gold Star (France) - No.419 Squadron (deceased) - AFRO 485/47 dated 12 September 1947. No citation. News of award communicated to his parents, 30 August 1947, at which time it was noted that the award was "for his invaluable service towards the liberation of France in the recent war." External Affairs file “French Awards to Canadian Armed Forces - Particular Cases” (Library and Archives Canada, RG.25, Box 4140) has the following citation: // Flight Lieutenant McGuffin completed an operational tour flying heavy bombers. When nearing completion of his second tour this intrepid flyer was killed when on a bombing sortie during the campaign for the liberation of France. // NOTES: On 25 January 1942 he damaged Wellington DV436 at No.12 OTU, Chipping Warden. As of that moment he had flown 9.30 (solo day) and 14.15 (solo night) on type. Returning from night cross-country he made a normal approach to land. While holding off, a strong gust of wind lifted the port wing causing starboard wing to touch the ground. He righted aircraft and landed safely. “Pilot not considered at fault. The wind was gusting on the night in question and flying conditions were bumpy near the ground. It is considered that the pilot was too near the ground to be able to correct the effects of the gust in time.” // Following his first tour with No.419 Squadron he claimed 31 sorties (250 operational hours) from March to August 1942 (application for Operational Wing, 29 February 1944). // On 29 December 1942, at No.22 OTU, Wellesbourne, damaged Wellington III, HF807, on non-operational night flight. At the time he had flown 576 hours overseas on all types, 413 hours on Wellington. Also aboard were R128599 Sergeant G.A. Anderson (pilot) and R140357 Sergeant H.A. Jackson (air gunner); no injuries. “While instructing pupil [Anderson] on normal night approach and landing found him undershooting badly about 150 yards off end of runway. As we were losing height I immediately took over, pulled nose up and opened throttles fully. On reaching flare path, throttled back to make a landing. Aircraft touched down, bounced once and seemed to float for unusually long time at such a low air speed. As it settled down, I applied full brake and overshot. Aircraft skidded over soft ground where port wheel hit ditch and collapsed.” Assessment of the accident put surprising amount of blame on McGuffin: “I consider the screened instructor to blame, in that he allowed the aircraft to get too low before taking over and touched down on the runway with the speed of the aircraft too high. Recommend log book endorsement of ‘Gross Carelessness’.” // Assessed 24 January 1944 at No.22 OTU: “This officer is a good worker and has proved himself an efficient instructor. In the matter of games he does not display much interest. Can usually depend on his loyalty but is occasionally inclined to lapse in his standard of behavior out of working hours. He ran a very good Airmanship Section during his time with this unit.” To this, G/C J.B. Tait added, “This officer has been lacking in the standard of behaviour and self-discipline expected. His work while on duty has been very satisfactory.” // Assessed by S/L C.P. Potter, 27 February 1944 on leaving No.23 OTU: “Slightly above average, keem, reliable and has had a lot of experience in OTU and operational work.” To this, W/C G.A. Roy added, “He has done extremely good work on this station. Good administrative ability.” // Course at No.1664 Conversion Unit is explained in great detail and bears description. It consisted of the following exercises: // 1. Familiarisation. // 2. Dual - circuits and landing (carried out on 18 July, one hour 35 minutes duak, with F/O K.O. Fry. “Flying generally fairly good. Take-offs O.K. initially but climbs aircraft too sharply. Circuit fair, not sure where to select undercarriage down. Room for improvement of approaches. Throttles off too late. Cockpit drill poor.” // 3. Dual, C and L, Overshoot procedure. // 4. Dual, 3-engine flying, to include one demonstration landing and at least one landing by the pupil at the controls before going solo. // 5. Solo, C and L. (Exercises 3, 4 and 5 carried out on 19 July 1944 involving two hours 15 minutes dual with F/O Fry and 45 minutes solo; “Still very hazy about procedure generally. Taxying poor, does not correct enought. Take offs still too sharp. A climb airspeed wants more attention Three-engine procedure poor.”). // 6. Dual check including overshoot procedure. // 7. Solo, C and L, three-engine flying. // 8. Solo, C and L, Central flying. S.B.A. [Standard Beam Approach] practice.(Exercises 6, 7 and 8 were carried out with F/O Fry on 20 July - one hour dual and two hours solo; “Still needs three-engine practice. Not enough attention paid to airspeed and cockpit drill”.). // 9. Dual - three-engine landings and overshoots; two-engine flying. (Exercises 8 and 9 carried out on 21 July; one hour 35 minutes dual and one hour 30 minutes solo). // 10. Solo, complete crew. Bombing, W/T practice, Gee and map reading. // 11. Solo, complete crew. Air to air firing, General Flying. (Carried out on 23 July; three hours 30 minutes flown). // 12. Dual, complete crew - Fighter affiliation. // 13. Solo, complete crew - Fighter affiliation, three-engine flying, S.B.A. (Exercises 12 and 13 were flown on 28 July - out of normal sequence - 50 minutes day dual and one hour 20 minutes day solo). // 14. Solo, complete crew - Bombing, S.B.A. practice (carried out on 24 July; three hours 15 minutes flown.) // 15. Dual, night C and L to be completed in two nights with a check dual on second night prior to solo. // 16. Solo, night C and L. (Exercises 15 and 16 carried out on 27 July under supervision of a F/O Grey; two hours 40 minutes night dual, two hours 20 minutes night solo). // 17. Solo, complete crew. Day cross-country.(Exercise 17 flown on 28 July, six hours 55 minutes. Another Exercise 17 flown on 4 August using H2S - six hours flown). // 18. Solo, complete crew. Night cross-country, night bombing. (Exercise 18 flown on 31 July, five hours solo at night). // 19. Solo, complete crew. Night cross-country. // In addition, he flew an H2S exercise on 30 July 1944 (two hours solo by day). Total flying was thus 7.15 day dual, 19.20 day solo, 2.40 night dual and 14.15 night solo for a total of 43 hours 30 minutes. // The HCU course also incorporated a special H2S training portion, conducted with McGuffin, F/O R.O. Molloy (navigator) and F/O J. Futoranski (air bomber). This lasted 16-21 July 1944. Ground portion included “Bench Work”(six hours) and “Synthetic Trainer” (six hours 30 minutes); exercises were tend blind bombing runs and six homings. The air work involved 12 hours 40 minutes (which seems to be in addition to the summary given above); it involved two blind bombing runs and three homings. The instructor was a F/L C. Hancock who wrote, “Above average” and “Should do well, showed big improvement at this unit.” Under the heading of “Further Training Required” he wrote, “Air practice in blind bombing and mining procedure.” // In a separate assessment, F/O Molloy (navigator) was assessed by F/L W.D. Renton, DFC as “An average navigator. Has shown great improvement during the course.” Assessed in D.R. Navigation, Log Keeping, Calculations (speed and accuracy), use of aids (D.R. compass, A.P.I., GEE, H2S), and navigation in several categories (climb and descent, level flight, track keeping and timing). // A form dated 21 July 1944 (signed by P/O F.S. Finner, “Night Vision Officer”) also gave times of instruction in night vision plus marks. The five aircrew members given such training were McGuffin (four hours 30 minutes, marked 24/40), air bomberFutoranski (17 hours 30 minutes, 40/40), flight engineer Mallabone (11 hours 30 minutes, 28/40), Mid-Upper Gunner Sergeant Neville (17 hours 30 minutes, 40/40), and Rear Gunner Sergeant Neufeld (17 hours 30 minutes, 36/40). // Report from No.419 Squadron, 28 December 1944 following his loss stated he had flown 44 sorties and 258 operational hours (13 sorties and 77 hours 55 minutes in most recent tour. // The website “Lost Bombers” provides the following on his final sortie. Lancaster KB776, No.419 Squadron (VR-F), target Essen, 23/24 October 1944. KB776 was delivered to No.419 Squadron in August 1944. It took part in the following operations: Stettin, 16/17 August 1944; Russelsheim, 25/26 August 1944; Stettin, 29/30 August 1944; Bochum, 9/10 October 1944; Essen, 23/24 October 1944 (lost). When lost this aircraft had a total of 164 hours. Airborne at 1613 hours,23 October 1944 from Middleton St.George. Crew (all killed) were S/L W.C.McGuffin, DFC, RCAF, Sergeant J.Mallabone, F/O R.Molloy, RCAF, F/O J.Futiranski, RCAF, Flight Sergeant R.C.Schlievert, RCAF, Flight Sergeant R.T.Neville, RCAF, Flight Sergeant E.Neufeld, RCAF.

W.C. J15712. Aircraft squadron letters were VR-F and Sgt. J. Mallabone (RAF) was also killed.