Excerpts from the Diary of LAC Richard P. Perry.

 

Left Dunville and proceeded to:

 

No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto on April 2, 1943

 

We were held in Toronto pending an opening in the Observer course at Malton.

What a long wait.  In the interim I took a Bombing and Gunnery Course at Jarvis, which lasted from June 13, 1943 until September 3, 1943.

 

June 14, 1943

 

Had our flight photograph taken, Course 84, and given an introductory talk on the course procedure.

 

June 15, 1943 to June 19, 1943

 

Bombing lectures all day.  All about bombsights, bomb trajectory, aiming point, release mechanisms, etc.  Did not make very much sense.  I was the only New Zealander in a course of Australians.  Several amusing episodes.  A Lysander caught fire and the front part of the aircraft was completely destroyed.  We made practice parachute jumps in the hangar.  We went on parade, the Aussies in their ‘Goons’ (overalls), and me in my uniform made of officer’s material.  All were sent off parade as being improperly dressed.  Were introduced to the Anson and the Bolingbroke, the aircraft that we would be using.  The last two of 8 airmen in one of the Ansons that crashed, died on the 18th.  Not very encouraging as we had heard stories about the numbers killed during training.

 

June 20, 1943

 

Up for our first flight in an Anson.  Flew up to as far as Toronto and then back over Sergeant Roden’s parents farm.  On this flight I informed the Sergeant that I had just come off a pilot’s course at Dunville and he immediately handed over the controls.  I continued to do this with all of our instructors and, as a result, racked up many piloting hours.  I found the Anson a funny aircraft to fly.  Lots of vibration and very sloppy controls.  On the ground we practiced bombing using the AMBT Simulated Bombing equipment.

 

June 21, 1943

 

Bombing lectures all day.  Getting very sick of them.  Compulsory study in the evening.

 

June 22, 1943

 

Started Gunnery lectures and were introduced to the gun turret in the afternoon.  Also a session on low level bombing.

 

We carried on, lectures and practical gunnery, skeet shooting, ground firing Brownings etc. right through until July 12 on which date we, once again, took to the air.  In the interim we had one example of a Bolingbroke crashing on landing but, fortunately, nobody killed. 

 

July 12, 1943

 

Anson #7318                      3 hours

 

Flew up as far as Owen Sound with Sergeant Watson on a Wind Finding exercise.  Once again took over the controls on the flight back home.

 

We did not fly again until July 23.  Went on leave up to Toronto and stayed with the Ramage’s.  It was during this time that I decided I was going to marry daughter, Rosemary. (Audrie)

 

Back on lectures again after leave.

 

July 23, 1943 to September 3, 1943

 

Flew on bombing runs interspersed with gunnery from this date right through to the end of the course.  The usual was bombing a ground target and being marked on the error or shooting at a drogue being towed by a Lysander and counting the number of holes in the drogue when we got down again.  The bombing was done using bombsights in the Ansons and the gunnery was from the turrets in the Bollingbrokes.  During this time Group Captain Tiny White, head of the New Zealand Air Forces, who was making an inspection trip around the Canadian training facilities, visited us.  We were introduced to night bombing.  Two of the Aussies were tossed off the course so our whole course, me included, formed up and marched out the gates past the Guardhouse.  The CO was alerted and came running out after us, pleading with us to come back.  Our spokesman advised the CO that we would do so as long as he put the two airmen back on course.  They were put back on September 3, 1943.

 

The course ended with exams on bombing and gunnery and evaluation of our practical marks and on Saturday, September 5, 1943, we headed back to Toronto and the Air Observers Course.  During this time I had dropped 90 bombs, fired 3,200 rounds of ammunition, spent 20 hours in the air and had a course mark of 85%.

 

Left Jarvis and proceeded to:

 

No. 1 AOS, Malton on September 5, 1943

 

September 7, 1943

 

Lectures and tests all day with some star recognition thrown in.

Had our flight photograph taken, Course 84, and given an introductory talk on the course procedure.

 

September 8, 1943

 

Anson familiarization again.  Getting to know that aircraft very well.

 

September 9, 1943

 

Anson #6889

Up for familiarization flight in afternoon.  Flew up north to Lake Simcoe and back down to Toronto again, twice.  Map read along the way and talked Sgt. Coughlin into taking over the controls for a spell.

 

September 10,1943

 

Spent day learning all about aerial photography.  Flight photos came out well but were not allowed to take one.

 

September 11, 1943

 

Anson #6011

Flew for three hours doing aerial photography on significant landmarks.

 

Again most of the course was lecture interspersed with flying and 48 hour leaves, which I spent out at the Ramages.  I formally asked Rosemary (Audrie) if she would marry me during a visit to Taylor’s Bush, just North of Toronto.

 

September 19, 1943

 

Anson #6699

Went on my first navigation flight, Guelph, Totenham and return to base.

Then on the 20th and from that date until October 4th flew solidly on navigation flights. 

                  Cambellford – Huntsville – Aurora – Base

                  Roblin – Kaladar Station – Tottenham – Base

                  Kinkardine – Strathburn – Guelph – Base

                  Marlbank – Northbrook – Richmond Hill – Base

                  Lake Kawaywaymog – Lake of Bays – Bolton – Base

                  Bala – Campbellford – Richmond Hill – Base

                  London – Bewley – Tottenham – Base

                  Kaladar Station – Aurora – Base

 

October 7/9, 1943

 

Anson #6003

Three days of photography.  Spent six hours photographing a variety of subjects from the air and evaluating the results back at base.

Then another navigation flight,  Brigden – Tilbury – Base.

 

October 14, 1943

 

Anson #6699

Our last navigation flight, Bracebridge – Cambellford - Bradford – Base

 

We flew 30 hours of this during the day and 20 hours during the night for a total course score of 80%.  We had half-term exams which took two days in the middle of the course and a final exam at the conclusion.  We had a ceremony on October 15, 1943, were presented with certificates and I was upgraded to the rank of Pilot Officer.  We had our final leave in Toronto during which time I presented Rosemary (Audrie) with an engagement ring.  I took the train to Halifax and boarded the “Mauretania” for the trip to England in the middle of November 1943.