SPROULE, W/C John Alexander (39692) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.48 Squadron - awarded as per London Gazette dated 20 October 1944. Born Brandon, Manitoba, 23 November 1917. Appointed Acting Pilot Officer on Probation, RAF, 9 May 1937. To No.58 Squadron, Boscomb Down, November 1937 (Whitleys). Took part in the first raid on Germany at night on 3/4 September 1939. Took a Specialist Navigation Instructor course at St Athans (Wales) and Port Albert (Ontario). AFRO 142/42 dated 30 January 1942 reported his promotion to Squadron Leader, effective 1 December 1941, while with an RAF school in Canada. Ferried Boston BZ250 from Canada overseas via Brazil and Natal, December 1942; ferried PBY JX269 to Britain, September 1943. Flew in Middle East with No. 24 Squadron. Later transferred to RCAF (C89500), commanded No.437 Squadron and awarded Netherlands Bronze Lion (see RCAF awards data base). In postwar RCAF; awarded Queen's Coronation Medal, 23 October 1953 as a Wing Commander in London. Died in Ottawa, 7 June 1995. See on-line Brandon Sun article (https://www.brandonsun.com/westman-this-week/brandon-soldier-played-pivotal-role-in-second-world-war-456417833.html). Photos PL-33876 and PL-33879 show him. AFRO 2684/44 dated 15 December 1944 (announcing his award) also confirmed him as a Canadian in the RAF. Air Ministry Bulletin 16017/AL.899 refers. // One morning in August 1944, Wing Commander Sproule led his squadron on a vital supply mission to France. While over the target his aircraft was hit by light anti-aircraft fire in many places. Although the aircraft had sustained much damage and the rudder was useless, a course was set for a landing ground which was safely reached. Almost as the aircraft touched down it collided against a tree. Even so, a successful crash landing was effected. This officer displayed exceptional skill and great determination in the face of most adverse circumstances. // Further to this incident (with No.48 Squadron) the following is from Colin Cummings' "Though Without Anger - Losses of Transport and Special Duties Aircraft and Assault Gliders 1940 to 1945", posted 29 December 2021 on RAF Commands website: // 21-Aug-44 KG421 Dakota III 48 Sqn Jurques // The aircraft; flown by Wing Commander John Sproule the squadron commander, took off from its base at Down Ampney at 0530 hours to drop supplies to the advancing forces in France. En route bad weather with very low cloud, having a base of about 300 feet, was encountered and the aircraft was kept beneath this. Approaching the DZ, which was lit by fires, the aircraft was fired on by enemy guns and damaged in the wings and engines and the co-pilot and navigator were wounded. A course was set for the airstrip at Amblis (B14) but the aircraft became progressively more difficult to control and the rudder ceased to function. The aircraft then struck the tops of some trees and the pilot made a skilful forced landing. Being close to the front lines, the crew and air despatchers needed to find a safe haven and eventually they located friendly forces and were evacuated to UK. // NOTE: Public Record Office Air 2/9160 has recommendation drafted by the Officer Commanding, Station Down Ampney, 24 August 1944 when he had flown 13 sorties (four in Bomber Command, nine in No.46 Group) for a total of 37 hours five minutes on operations. // In the early morning of 21st August, Wing Commander Sproule was leading his squadron on an emergency re-supply mission under very adverse weather conditions with a cloud base between G.L. [ground level] and 300 feet. Whilst making his run in to the DZ [Drop Zone] the aircraft was hit by a number of bursts of light flak, Wing Commander Sproule and his second pilot and navigator all receiving slight wounds. The navigator being laid on the floor and attended by the Wireless Operator, the captain set a course which he hoped would bring him out near B.14 where he could make a safe crash landing and probably save most of his aircraft. The rudder was useless and course had to be maintained by throttle manipulation. Both engines and the whole cockpit became very hot and the weather was deteriorating with heavy rain. The aircraft eventually struck a tree and Wing Commander Sproule and his second pilot, by both hauling on the control column, were able to make a crash landing. // Wing Commander Sproule made the most gallant efforts under deplorable conditions to save his aircraft and crew; he has during the whole of his service in 46 Group and particularly since commanding 48 Squadron, shown great courage and fine leadership and I consider that this should be recognised by the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. // On 8 September 1944 the Air Officer Commanding, No.46 Group, added his remarks: // This officer displayed great courage and leadership under conditions of great difficulty, when dropping ammunition on the Polish forces which were at that moment surrounded near Falaise. Strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. // This was approved on 11 September 1944 by Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Air Commander-in-Chief, Allied Expeditionary Air Force. // RCAF Press Release No.8835 dated 17 February 1945 from F/L Ron Gadsby, transcribed by Huguette Mondor Oates, reads: // If you consult your dictionary you will find that, among other things, a Husky is an animal used for the towing of heavy loads over great distances and that he works well in a team. The name seemed a natural when the men of one RCAF Transport squadron decided to give themselves a handle, and they couldn’t have chosen a more apt title. Since the squadron’s inception in September, they have established a reputation for tireless work, have carried incredible loads over long distances, and have shown a team spirit that is a credit to them all. // Since September, the “Huskies” have tasted the salt of battle and have won for themselves a niche in the heroes’ gallery of the RCAF, a niche that is an inspiration to the whole service. // When it was decided to form an exclusively RCAF Transport Squadron, the authorities sought a man who could inspire and lead such a unit. He must be a man who had experience with twin engine aircraft and who had proved himself in the heat of battle. He must have a personality that could weld fresh aircrews into a solid unit and he must be able to inspire them with his own leadership. He must be a Canadian, of course, and when they sought this man, they made a happy choice. W/C J.A. Jackie Sproule, DFC, (then squadron leader), was the selection. // In 1937, Jackie Sproule had left his home in Brandon, Manitoba, to follow a career in the skies. He came to England, joined the RAF and was subsequently commissioned as a bomber pilot. He was in England when the storms of war broke and he played his part in the Battle of Britain. He served well, and after a tour of instructional duties with the RAF in Canada, he returned to England and the war. // It was shortly after D-Day that W/C Sproule had a miraculous escape from death. He was flying a Dakota laden with ammunition for some Polish partisans, and at only 300 feet. The Hun was sending up a hail of flak and the Dakota was badly shot up. Not only that, but the weather was closed in to the ground. He turned his aircraft in an effort to make the Allied lines before the crash which he knew to be inevitable. One motor was out of commission, there were flak holes in the fuselage, the ailerons were gone, the batteries were shorting. The navigator was bleeding profusely from a wound in the back. The skipper himself had a shrapnel wound in the leg, and his co-pilot was suffering from cuts in the face received when the glass on the instrument panel was shattered. // Suddenly, out of the mist a hill loomed and the stricken Dakota with the pilot fighting to the last struck the ground. There was a shattering, tearing crash and the plane bounced into some thick gorse and came to a stop. As best they could, they scrambled from the wreckage and assisted the navigator who was badly hurt and hurried away from the wreckage, fearful of fire. // Riding in the rear of the plane had been two members of the Army Service Corps. Their job was to throw out the supplies at the D-Z (dropping zone), and these unsung heroes of the army had been riding with the crew on many of their operations. They were unhurt, and W/C Sproule sent them for help. In ten minutes, they were back, having travelled in a circle in the fog that completely shrouded the hilltop. // The navigator had been made comfortable in a parachute canopy, but it was urgent that help be found so the skipper and his second pilot, with a compass salvaged from the wreckage, began a search for help. They made painful progress down the hillside, uncertain as to whether they were in enemy territory and in a few minutes they came to a farm house. // As they approached it, the farmer’s wife encountered them and ran crying into the house. In a moment, the farmer appeared, provided hot milk, and sent his daughter for help. In the minds of the wounded men, there was some doubt as to where the girl had gone, and they compelled the farmer to stay with them until they were certain of his loyalty. Shortly afterwards, the welcome sight of a British uniform told the fliers they were safe. The navigator was taken to hospital where he recovered, and the shrapnel was removed from W/C Sproule’s leg. Within a week, he was ready for action again. // This, then, was the man selected to lead the Transport Squadron. His release was secured from the RAF and he sewed to his tunic the wings of the RCAF. With him, he brought S/L MacVeigh, AFC, of Calgary, who had also been in the RAF in the pre-war days. It was a team that wouldn’t be beaten. They were given three days to form the squadron. Crews were assigned; Dakotas were provided and they went to work. They had little in the way of comforts but they made the best of it. It was a big job and it had to be done. // To many people, the name Transport Squadron creates a picture of a glorified aerial taxi service. It is an erroneous impression. The work of the Huskies goes far beyond the transportation of freight, although the hauling of supplies is a minute part of their job. One of the most important departments of their service is the towing of glider-borne troops and that in itself is a specialized job. It is a job that requires timing, METICULOUSLY accurate navigation, and sheer guts. The Huskies proved their ability at Arnhem and they still talk about that fateful day. It was grim work when you consider they had to bring their planes in at under five hundred feet in the face of a desperate screen of flak. The world knows the story of Arnhem and the heroism that was born that day. The Husky Squadron of the RCAF was in to the finish. // Glider towing is but one of the airborne activities in which the squadron participates. They also carry medical supplies and food to isolated pockets of resistance when there is need for them. These supplies are carried in paniers slung beneath the wings on “bomb” racks, and dropped with pin-point accuracy to their target. Following a glider drop in which the specially trained airborne troops are set down in an indicated area, it is the job of the Huskies to keep them supplied. When a glider company goes down, it is equipped with food and supplies to keep them in action for 48 hours. At the end of that time, the Huskies must resupply the men. It is then that the enemy does his best to keep the supplies from reaching the men on the ground, and it is then that the Huskies have further opportunity to prove their qualities. They do not fail. // It is interesting to note the preparation that goes into the filling of an airborne assignment. All supplies must be carefully weighed and packed. There must be a variety of material to meet every emergency and they must be identified by the men on the ground instantaneously. The simple solution to the problem was found when they decided to use coloured parachutes, each colour for a separate item. Thus, when the men land in the battle zone and their supplies float down to them, they can immediately gather what they need in the shortest possible time by merely noting the colour of the parachutes. // The timing required for a tug and glider take-off is a masterpiece of precision. To see a mass take-off is to see something that could never be forgotten. Marshalled in long rows on the runway, nose to tail, are the gliders. Ahead is the lead aircraft with its towing cable already attached to the first glider. On either side, facing the central runway, wait the remaining tow-planes, their motors idling. It is dawn, and the red and green wing-tip lights add a note of eeriness to the scene. A motor lorry dashes along the perimeter track, off to one side, its lights clumsily jostling a path through the darkness. There is little conversation in the gliders as the men sit erect, their safety belts already adjusted, and the pilots in their Dakotas are busy with their throttles and dials, testing, testing. // A green flare swishes repeatedly and, immediately, the lead aircraft moves along the runway until his tow rope is taut. The glider moves and in a few seconds it becomes airborne, lighter than the tow plane which seems to hug the ground to the last second. Hardly had the glider become airborne before the second plane is on the line and is moving down through the misty dawn. And another and another, until the sound of the last aircraft is dying away. It is organization, and if you had a stop watch in your hand, you would have noted that an exact space of time existed between each take-off. That type of flying takes training, lots of training. The Huskies have it. // Airborne operations have not been frequent, but the training goes on endlessly. When the next “ho” is scheduled for the Huskies, it will be even better than the last one because the members of the squadron are seeing to it. // Aside from assuring themselves that they will have the best trained glider squadron in the business, the Huskies maintain a daily transport service to the continent which in itself, has set up a creditable record. They have flown everything across the Channel from reinforcements for the Allied armies to jeeps, and W/C Sproule chuckles when he tells you that one day they flew a shipment of neckties for the British ATS. They carry blood plasma for the wounded and whenever their aircraft take off from England, they are loaded with materials that will shorten the war. On the return trip, they bring leave personnel or perhaps casualties. // Today and every day, the RCAF Husky Squadron is adding to a glorious page in the RCAF history and when the war ends, whether it be this week or the next, you will know that Jackie Sproule’s boys were in there to the end. They are like that.

SPROULE, W/C John Alexander, DFC (C89500) - Netherlands Bronze Lion - No.437 Squadron - Awarded 1 January 1946 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 183/46 dated 22 February 1946. Former CAN/RAF with interesting career. Born Brandon, Manitoba, 23 November 1917. Joined RAF, 1937. Awarded DFC (London Gazette, 20 October 1944) as Wing Commander and CO, No.48 Squadron. Commanded No.437 on its formation and led it to Arnhem (shot down, wounded). Transferred to RCAF, 4 October 1944. Commanded RCAF contingent in Victory Parade, June 1946. In postwar RCAF (20459); awarded Queen's Coronation Medal, 23 October 1953 as a Wing Commander in London. Retired 9 May 1969. Died in Ottawa, 1995. See on-line Brandon Sun article (https://www.brandonsun.com/westman-this-week/brandon-soldier-played-pivotal-role-in-second-world-war-456417833.html). Photo PL-33876 shows him alone; PL-33878 with squadron badge and his second-in-command, S/L Charles McVeigh; PL-33879 also shows him. Photo PL-44169 (ex UK-21846 dated 31 May 1945) shows No.437 Squadron mascot “Brevet”, W/C J.A. Sproule and S/L Charles McVeigh near Brussels. Public Records Office Air 2/9642 has recommendation. // On the 1st September 1944 this officer was appointed to command a newly formed transport squadron. Despite the short time available the squadron attained a very high standard of efficiency and participated fully in every phase of the airborne operations in the Arnhem theatre. Wing Commander Sproule led the squadron on the first sortie of the operations and throughout he has displayed good leadership and determination which contributed materially to the success of many sorties.

EDWARD ALAN FS(N) R92104. From Vancouver, British Columbia. Killed in Action May 26/43 age 24. #166 Squadron (Tenacity). Wellington aircraft #RE 235 lost to enemy action. Four crew members, not Canadians, missing believed killed. Flight Sergeant Navigator Sproule has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Runnymede War Memorial, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey, England.