RAINVILLE, FS (now P/O) Guy Henri (R55373/J15751) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.419 Squadron - Award effective 16 June 1942 as per London Gazette dated 22 September 1942 and AFRO 1653/42 dated 16 October 1942. Born in Montreal, 12 June 1913; home in Quebec (agriculture student); enlisted there 29 June 1940. To No.1 ITS, 22 July 1940; promoted LAC, 16 September 1940 and posted that date to No.2 WS; to No.2 BGS, 19 January 1941. Graduated and promoted Sergeant, 17 February 1941. Reported overseas, 5 April 1941. Later served in No.425 Squadron. Commissioned 21 July 1942. Promoted Flying Officer, 4 December 1942. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 7 April 1943. Invested with award by King George, 18 May 1943. Shot down and taken prisoner, 14 January 1944 while with No.432 Squadron (Lancaster DS850). Repatriated to Canada, 1 June 1945; to Composite Training School, 12 June 1945; to Release Centre, 12 September 1945. Released 18 September 1945. Died in Ottawa, 15 November 1981. RCAF photo PL-15932 (ex UK-3943 dated 20 May 1943) taken outside Buckingham Palace; F/O Les Wainwright admires the DFM just presented to F/L Guy Rainville. PL-15939 (ex UK-3950 dated 20 May 1943) taken after investiture, with Mrs. P. Ashley-Cooper of Hexton Manor. Photo PL-15944 (ex UK-3955 dated 20 May 1943) shows (left to right), Paul Dupuis (CBC war correspondent, Montreal), F/L Guy Rainville, and F/O Duhamel (RCAF public relations officer). Numerous papers deposited with Canadian War Museum including unpublished autobiography (CWM Call Number: 58A 1 192. 19) // This airman is employed as an air gunner. He has at all times displayed exemplary qualities and his work had been completed in an assuming yet forceful manner. By his skill and teamwork he has played a good part in the success of the crews with whom he has flown. He has participated in attacks on dockyard installations and industrial targets both in Germany and German occupied territory. His courage and tenacity have been noteworthy. // Public Records Office Air 2/9598 has recommendation (date missing) listing 38 sorties (188 hours 35 minutes) as follows: // 20 October 1941 - Antwerp (docks) // 23 October 1941 - Kiel (docks) // 7 November 1941 - Essen (industrial) // 30 November 1941 - Hamburg (docks) // 28 December 1941 - Wilhelmshaven (docks) // 9 January 1942 - Brest (docks) // 17 January 1942 - Bremen (docks) // 1 March 1942 - Dinghy search, North Sea // 8 March 1942 - Essen (industrial) // 10 March 1942 - Essen (industrial) // 25 March 1942 - Essen (industrial) // 28 March 1942 - Essen (industrial) // 8 April 1942 - Hamburg (docks) // 10 April 1942 - GARDENING, Dutch Coast // 12 April 1942 - Essen (industrial) // 14 April 1942 - Dortmund (industrial) // 15 April 1942 - Cologne (industrial) // 15 April 1942 - Dortmund (industrial) // 22 April 1942 - Dortmund (industrial) // 24 April 1942 - Rostock (industrial) // 26 April 1942 - Rostock (industrial) // 2 May 1942 - Larochelle (docks) // 4 May 1942 - Stuttgart (industrial) // 17 May 1942 - Borkum (industrial) // 19 May 1942 - Mannheim (industrial) // 21 May 1942 - Lorient (docks) // 30 May 1942 - Cologne (industrial) // 2 June 1942 - Essen (industrial) // 6 June 1942 - Emden (industrial) // 8 June 1942 - Essen (industrial) // 18 June 1942 - Emden (industrial) // 19 June 1942 - Emden (industrial) // 21 June 1942 - Borkum (industrial) // 22 June 1942 - Emden (industrial) // 25 June 1942 - Bremen (docks) // 27 June 1942 - Bremen (docks) // 29 June 1942 - Bremen (docks) // 2 July 1942 - Bremen (docks) // 8 July 1942 - Wilhelmshaven (docks) // Flight Sergeant Rainville has completed 38 sorties against the enemy, 31 of which were with this squadron. His determination in the execution of his duties account in a large part for this number of sorties. He displayed at all times most exemplary qualities and his work was carried out in an unassuming yet forceful manner. His cool and cooperative execution of his duties while on operations has played a great part in the successes of the crews with which he has flown. // Flight Sergeant Rainville is of French-Canadian descent, and as such he has set a fine example for future French-Canadian aircrew. His ability, courage, tenacity and coolness qualify him for official recognition. // The website “Lost Bombers” has two entries respecting his latter experiences with No.432 Squadron. The first relates to Lancaster DS851 (QO-D), target Berlin, 2/3 December 1943. This aircraft was delivered to No.432 Squadron in October 1943 and took part in the following operations: Sea Search, 18/19 November 1943 (aborted); subsequently lost on its first combat operation (LL618 also lostt). Airborne at 1706 hours, 2 December 1943 from East Moor. Badly shot about by a night- fighter and crashed at 0035 hours on return to base, finishing up in a field beyond the upwind end of the runway. Crew consisted to F/O C.Wales, RCAF; Sergeant J.Dickinson; Flight Sergeant J.Evans; Flight Sergeant J.Garvey ;Sergeant J.Aplin ;Sergeant D.Thomas; F/L G.Rainville, DFM ,RCAF. // Lancaster DS850 (QO-M), target Brunswick, 14/15 January 1944. This aircraft was delivered to No.432 Squadron in October 1943. It took part in the following operations; Berlin, 2/3 December 1943; Berlin, 1-2 January 1944; Berlin, 2/3 January 1944; Brunswick, 14/15 January 19 when lost, as was Lancaster DS740. Airborne at 1703 hours, 14 January 1944 from East Moor. Hit by flak over the target which severely wounded Sergeant J.H. Aplin and caused much structural damage. Petrol tanks were ruptured and the order to bale out was given in the vicinity of Rheine, the Lancaster crashing on the Engdener Wuste, east of Nordhorn. Crew were F/L C.V.Wales, RCAF (POW); Flight Sergeant G.C.Pike, RCAF (POW); Sergeant A.L.Thomas (wounded); Flight Sergeant J.S.Evans (POW); Flight Sergeant W.J.T.Garvey (wounded); Sergeant J.H.Aplin (killed); Sergeant R.A.Hutchinson (killed); F/L G.H.Rainville. DFM, RCAF (Squadron Gunnery Leader, POW, subsequently held in Camp L3, POW number 3386. // Rainville subsequently filed a “Loss of Bomber Aircraft’ report, stating he had flown 50 sorties and that his position on this night was rear gunner. He was interrogated on 10 April 1945. // We were on the bombing run when a flak shell exploded very near the aircraft. I immediately opened the rear turret doors in order to get out because I thought we had been seriously hit. The aircraft was shuddering violently and skidding for a minute or so. Almost at the same time an incendiary bomb dropped from above crashed through the astro hatch and the WOP who was standing there was fatally wounded in the head. Pilot gave order to second pilot and engineer to look after WOP after our bombs had been dropped. Soon after this a strong smell of petrol enveloped the aircraft, which I reported to pilot who immediately asked engineer if he could find the leak and stop it. From the answer given by engineer I gathered he could not reach the location of leak owing to the wounded WOP who was lying down in the passage. A check of the petrol gauges revealed we were losing a great amount of petrol and after 50 minutes on the return journey the engineer stated he had ten minutes left. The pilot gave the order to get ready to abandon aircraft. I came out of the turret, as I found there was not enough room to maneouvre quickly and safely. I put my chute on and plugged the intercom in standing near the rear door and waiting for orders. Meanwhile the mid-upper had been ordered out of his turret and asked to try and move the WOP to either front or rear exit with the help of second pilot. This had already been found impossible to do owing to lack of room and the condition of the wounded. While standing by I heard engineer say he had only four minutes or so to go. The bomb aimer asked permission to bale out and half a minute later I made the same request which was granted immediately by pilot. Opening the rear door I jumped out from 11,000 feet and a few minutes later hit a ploughed field near the Osnabruck-Rheine road approximately 15 miles from Rheine. // Details: The incendiary bomb did not explode; it tore a big gap in the WOP’s head and his brains could be seen. He regained consciousness now and again. In Dulag Luft (cooler) the navigator told me he had been informed by the Germans that the WOP and mid-upper had been found dead in aircraft. The aircraft did not climb above 18 or 19,000 feet. According to later information given by pilot, most of his instruments were faulty. Dropped height gradually on return trip. // RCAF Press Release No.744 dated 11 August 1942, transcribed by Huguette Mondor Oates, reads: // The Royal Canadian Air Force “Moose” squadron, of Bomber Command has lost its most veteran French-Canadian member, but his former mates rejoice in the reason for his departure. F/S Guy Rainville, 29-year-old wireless operator-front gunner from Quebec City, who has completed a large number of operational trips over enemy territory, will now go to the newly formed French-Canadian squadron as assistant gunnery leader with the rank of pilot officer. His new job will keep him on the ground for some time, which is reasonable enough for a man who has taken part in all the big raids, including both the 1000-bomber forays, seven trips to Essen, and five each to Bremen and Emden. // Guy’s most exciting moment in the air force occurred when he was attached to an R.A.F. squadron which took part in one of the early raids on Cologne. His plane was one of the first over the target area, and for 35 minutes his “kite” was subjected to a barrage of flak. The crew were ready to bail out at a moment’s notice, but the pilot finally managed to escape the barrage – only to get lost. They reached Britain safely, however, and landed at a strange airdrome – with only 10 gallons of gas left. // Rainville did seven “ops” with the RAF squadron before being posted to the RCAF Wellington “Moose” squadron which has made such a name for itself in bombing operations. // Guy, born in Montreal, took his training at Toronto, Calgary and Mossbank, Saskatchewan. He arrived in England in April 1941 and after final training at an Operational Training Unit was posted to the RAF squadron, joining the “Moose” outfit in February of this year. // The young French-Canadian flier is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Rainville, of Quebec City, where Mr. Rainville is Curator of the Provincial Museum. Guy is a nephew of Senator Athanase David, long Provincial Secretary of the province of Quebec. He has a brother Louis, a corporal in the RCAF, as well as another brother and one sister at home. // He was educated at Levis College, Quebec, and was a student at the Agricultural School of Ste. Anne de la Pocatiere when he decided to enlist in the RCAF. He was a keen baseball and hockey player, patrolling the right field sector for the Napoleon Baseball Club of the Quebec District League. His last hockey experience was with the RCAF Varsity team at Calgary.