Les états de service de Georges Nadon

Voici comment le monde se souvenait auparavant de ce pilote de Spitfire…

Les petites amies et la bière…

Dorénavant on se souviendra de lui tout autrement…

Un des enfants de Georges lui avait probablement déjà posé cette question:

Papa, qu’est-ce que tu faisais durant la guerre?

Georges Nadon avait probablement répondu…

Continue à faire tes devoirs. Je te raconterai tout ça plus tard.

Georges Nadon selon ses enfants a très peu parlé de la guerre. Les états de service de Georges Nadon raconteront tout, tout comme son logbook que je partagerai lors des prochains billets sur ce blogue dédié à la mémoire de Georges Nadon.

Premier arrêt, le Manning Pool où il demeurera 12 jours (du 6 au 18 janvier 1941).

Puis en route vers Picton en Ontario pour 20 jours (du 18 janvier au 7 février 1941). Visite virtuelle de Picton en cliquant ici. Puis c’est le No. 4 Bomber and Gunnery School (No. 4 B&GS) à Fingal en Ontario, pour une durée d’un mois seulement (du 7 février au 4 mars 1941).

(Wikipedia) RCAF Station Fingal was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located near Fingal, Ontario, Canada. It was operated and administered by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

Fingal hosted No. 4 Bomber and Gunnery School (No. 4 B&GS), which trained bomb aimers and air gunners. The school opened on 25 November 1940 and closed 17 February 1945. Aircraft used included the Fairey Battle, Northrop Nomad, Westland Lysander, Bristol Bolingbroke and Avro Anson.[1] Bombing ranges were located near Melbourne, Frome, Tempo, and Dutton. There was also a bombing range on Lake Erie. A marine unit was based in Port Stanley.[2][3] Classroom facilities with residences were commandeered from Universities, Colleges, The station magazine was the “Fingal Observer”.

Ce séjour d’un mois seulement est très révélateur puisque le No. 4 B&G était une école d’entraînement pour les mitrailleurs et les bombardiers (bomb aimers). Georges Nadon a dû démontrer des aptitudes de pilote puisqu’on l’envoie dans un I.T.S., un Initial Training School pour recevoir un entraînemennt destiné aux étudiants-pilotes. C’est pourquoi il sera affecté au No. 3 I.T.S. à Victoriaville  (du 4 mars 1941 au 3 mai 1941).

(Wikipedia) Initial Training Schools

Pilot and Air Observer candidates began their 26 or 28 week training program with four weeks at an Initial Training School (ITS). They studied theoretical subjects and were subjected to a variety of tests. Theoretical studies included navigation, theory of flight, meteorology, duties of an officer, air force administration, algebra, and trigonometry. Tests included an interview with a psychiatrist, the 4 hour long M2 physical examination, a session in a decompression chamber, and a “test flight” in a Link Trainer as well as academics. At the end of the course the postings were announced. Occasionally candidates were re-routed to the Wireless Air Gunner stream at the end of ITS.

Il sera affecté ensuite à un Elementary Flying Training school, le No. 13 E.F.T.S. à St-Eugène en Ontario (du 3 mai 1941 au 6 juillet 1941).

(Wikipedia) Elementary Flying Training Schools

An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a recruit 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.[2] Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.[3] The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.

 No. 1 Malton, Ontario (Moth)

 No. 2 Fort William, Ontario (Moth)

 No. 3 London, Ontario (Finch)

 No. 4 Windsor Mills, Quebec (Finch and Moth)

 No. 5 Lethbridge,Alberta, moved to High River, Alberta (Moth and Cornell)

 No. 6 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (Moth and Cornell)

 No. 7 Windsor, Ontario (Finch)

 No. 8 Vancouver, British Columbia, moved to Boundary Bay, British Columbia [3] (Moth)

 No. 9 St. Catharines, Ontario (Moth)

 No. 10 Hamilton, Ontario, moved to Pendleton, Ontario (Moth and Finch)

 No. 11 Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec (Finch and Cornell)

 No. 12 Goderich, Ontario (Finch)

 No. 13 St. Eugene, Ontario(Finch)

 No. 14 Portage la Prairie, Manitoba (Moth and Finch)

 No. 15 Regina, Saskatchewan (Moth and Cornell)

 No. 16 Edmonton, Alberta (Moth and Finch)

 No. 17 Stanley, Nova Scotia (Finch and Moth)

 No. 18 Boundary Bay, British Columbia (Moth) [8]

 No. 19 Virden, Manitoba (Moth and Cornell)

 No. 20 Oshawa, Ontario (Moth)

 No. 21 Chatham, New Brunswick (Finch)

 No. 22 L’Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec (Finch)

 No. 23 Davidson, Saskatchewan, moved to Yorkton, Saskatchewan

No. 24 Abbotsford, British Columbia (Cornell)

 No. 25 Assiniboia, Saskatchewan — originally No. 34 RAF (Cornell)

 No. 26 Neepawa, Manitoba — originally No. 35 RAF (Moth)

 No. 31 DeWinton, Alberta — taken over by the Toronto Flying Club. (Moth, Stearman and Cornell)

 No. 32 Bowden, Alberta (Moth, Stearman and Cornell)

 No. 33 Caron, Saskatchewan (Cornell)

No. 34 Assiniboia, Saskatchewan — taken over by Winnipeg Flying Club as No. 25 EFTS [3] (Moth)[8]

No. 35 Neepawa, Manitoba — taken over by Moncton Flying Club as No. 26 EFTS [3] (Moth and Cornell)

No. 36 Pearce, Alberta (Moth and Stearman)

Le No. 13 E.F.T.S. fera l’objet de nos prochaines articles avant de se diriger au No. 14 S.F.T.S. à Alymer en Ontario, où fut prise cette photo.

Georges Nadon fut affecté à cette base du 6 juillet 1941 au 24 septembre 1941.

Source de l’image

Georges Nadon recevra ses ailes de pilote au No. 14 Service Flying Training School à Alymer en september 1941, puis sera envoyé outre-mer après quelques semaines de permission pour dire au revoir à sa famille.

Nous avons quelques photos prise lors de l’entraînement de Georges à Alymer.

LAC Scott et LAC Joffre Ribout (No.14 S.F.T.S. Alymer)

Joffre Ribout (No.14 S.F.T.S. Alymer)

Georges Nadon (No. 13 E.F.T.S. St-Eugène ou No.14 S.F.T.S. Alymer)

Sergeant Trumley, son instructeur (No.14 S.F.T.S. Alymer)

liquez ici pour une video de cette école d’entraînement training school.

Georges Nadon’s record of service

This is how Georges Nadon was remembered by…

Girlfriends and beer…

Now he is going to be remembered by this…

Maybe one of Georges’ children once said:

What did you do in the war Dad?

Georges Nadon would have probably said…

Let’s get on with your homework. I will  tell you all about it later.

Georges Nadon’s record of service tells all as well as his complete logbook that I will share with you in the upcoming posts.

First stop was Manning pool where he stayed for 12 days (from 6 January 1941 to 18 January 1941)

Recruits began their military careers at a Manning Depot[6] where they learned to bathe, shave, shine boots, polish buttons, maintain their uniforms, and otherwise behave in the required manner. There were two hours of physical education every day and instruction in marching, rifle drill, foot drill, saluting, and other routines.

Remedial high school education was offered to bring 17 and 18 year old recruits up to the RCAF academic level. There was also a standard aptitude test — the RCAF Classification Test.

After 4 or 5 weeks a selection committee decided whether the recruit would be trained for aircrew or groundcrew. Aircrew “Wireless Air Gunner” candidates went directly to a Wireless School. “Air Observer” and “Pilot” candidates went to an Initial Training School.

Recruits were often assigned “tarmac duty” to keep busy. Some were sent to factories to count nuts and bolts, some were sent to flying schools and other RCAF facilities to guard things, clean things, paint things, and polish things. Tarmac duty could last several months or more.

The No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto was the Coliseum Building on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds and it accommodated up to 5,000 personnel.

No. 1 Toronto, Ontario

No. 2 Brandon, Manitoba moved to Swift Current, Saskatchewan

No. 3 Edmonton, Alberta

No. 4 Quebec City, Quebec

No. 5 Lachine, Quebec

No. 6 Toronto, Ontario[note 3] (Women’s Division, October 1941 – May 1942)[7]

No. 7 Rockcliffe, Ontario (Women’s Division, Fall 1942)

Wikipedia

Then Picton, Ontario for 20 days (from 18 January 1941 to 7 February 1941) Virtual visit to Picton here.

Off to No. 4 Bomber and Gunnery School (No. 4 B&GS) in Fingal, Ontario, for 1 month only (from 7 February 1941 to 4 March 1941).

(Wikipedia) RCAF Station Fingal was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located near Fingal, Ontario, Canada. It was operated and administered by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

Fingal hosted No. 4 Bomber and Gunnery School (No. 4 B&GS), which trained bomb aimers and air gunners. The school opened on 25 November 1940 and closed 17 February 1945. Aircraft used included the Fairey Battle, Northrop Nomad, Westland Lysander, Bristol Bolingbroke and Avro Anson.[1] Bombing ranges were located near Melbourne, Frome, Tempo, and Dutton. There was also a bombing range on Lake Erie. A marine unit was based in Port Stanley.[2][3] Classroom facilities with residences were commandeered from Universities, Colleges, The station magazine was the “Fingal Observer”.

This one month stay is most revealing since No. 4 B&G is for training gunners and bomb aimers. Georges Nadon must have shown some potential as a pilot since he was sent to an Initial Training School to get pilot training. This is why we see him following courses at No. 3 I.T.S. Victoriaville, Quebec (from 4 March 1941 to 3 May 1941).

(Wikipedia) Initial Training Schools

Pilot and Air Observer candidates began their 26 or 28 week training program with four weeks at an Initial Training School (ITS). They studied theoretical subjects and were subjected to a variety of tests. Theoretical studies included navigation, theory of flight, meteorology, duties of an officer, air force administration, algebra, and trigonometry. Tests included an interview with a psychiatrist, the 4 hour long M2 physical examination, a session in a decompression chamber, and a “test flight” in a Link Trainer as well as academics. At the end of the course the postings were announced. Occasionally candidates were re-routed to the Wireless Air Gunner stream at the end of ITS.

Then off he went to an Elementary Flying Training school, No. 13 E.F.T.S. St. Eugene, Ontario (from 3 May 1941 to 6 July 1941).

(Wikipedia) Elementary Flying Training Schools

An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a recruit 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.[2] Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.[3] The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.

 No. 1 Malton, Ontario (Moth)

 No. 2 Fort William, Ontario (Moth)

 No. 3 London, Ontario (Finch)

 No. 4 Windsor Mills, Quebec (Finch and Moth)

 No. 5 Lethbridge,Alberta, moved to High River, Alberta (Moth and Cornell)

 No. 6 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (Moth and Cornell)

 No. 7 Windsor, Ontario (Finch)

 No. 8 Vancouver, British Columbia, moved to Boundary Bay, British Columbia [3] (Moth)

 No. 9 St. Catharines, Ontario (Moth)

 No. 10 Hamilton, Ontario, moved to Pendleton, Ontario (Moth and Finch)

 No. 11 Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec (Finch and Cornell)

 No. 12 Goderich, Ontario (Finch)

 No. 13 St. Eugene, Ontario(Finch)

 No. 14 Portage la Prairie, Manitoba (Moth and Finch)

 No. 15 Regina, Saskatchewan (Moth and Cornell)

 No. 16 Edmonton, Alberta (Moth and Finch)

 No. 17 Stanley, Nova Scotia (Finch and Moth)

 No. 18 Boundary Bay, British Columbia (Moth) [8]

 No. 19 Virden, Manitoba (Moth and Cornell)

 No. 20 Oshawa, Ontario (Moth)

 No. 21 Chatham, New Brunswick (Finch)

 No. 22 L’Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec (Finch)

 No. 23 Davidson, Saskatchewan, moved to Yorkton, Saskatchewan

No. 24 Abbotsford, British Columbia (Cornell)

 No. 25 Assiniboia, Saskatchewan — originally No. 34 RAF (Cornell)

 No. 26 Neepawa, Manitoba — originally No. 35 RAF (Moth)

 No. 31 DeWinton, Alberta — taken over by the Toronto Flying Club. (Moth, Stearman and Cornell)

 No. 32 Bowden, Alberta (Moth, Stearman and Cornell)

 No. 33 Caron, Saskatchewan (Cornell)

No. 34 Assiniboia, Saskatchewan — taken over by Winnipeg Flying Club as No. 25 EFTS [3] (Moth)[8]

No. 35 Neepawa, Manitoba — taken over by Moncton Flying Club as No. 26 EFTS [3] (Moth and Cornell)

No. 36 Pearce, Alberta (Moth and Stearman)

No. 13 E.F.T.S. will be our next series of articles before going to No. 14 S.F.T.S. Alymer, Ontario, where this picture was taken.

Georges Nadon was there from 6 July 1941 to 24 September 1941.

Source of picture

Georges Nadon got his wings at No. 14 Service Flying Training School at Alymer in September 1941, he then we went overseas after a few weeks leave to say goodbye to his parents.

We have some pictures of Georges’ training days in Alymer, Ontario.

LAC Scott and LAC Joffre Ribout (No.14 S.F.T.S. Alymer)

Joffre Ribout (No.14 S.F.T.S. Alymer)

Georges Nadon (No. 13 E.F.T.S. St. Eugene or No.14 S.F.T.S. Alymer)

Sergeant Trumley, instructor (No.14 S.F.T.S. Alymer)

You can click here to view a video of that training school.

277 sorties

Je ne pense pas que cette photo fut prise à Malte en 1943. J’avais quelques doutes quand je l’ai vue la première fois. Je reconnais Georges Nadon, mais je ne pense pas que la photo a été prise à Malte.

Je ne crois pas que les pilotes aient eu le temps de se faire prendre en photos entre deux décollages d’urgence, surtout à Malte en 1943.

Cela dit, on peut être certain des 277 sorties effectuées par Georges Nadon.

C’est ce qu’il avait dit au journaliste Elwy Yost.

Georges Nadon a fait deux tours d’opérations. Il est revenu de la guerre, mais il n’en a pas tellement parlé.

Son logbook parle pour lui!

Il raconte le nombre d’avions abattus, ceux probablement descendus, et le nombre d’avions endommagés. On voit aussi le nombre de véhicules ennemis détruits au sol.

Mais le logbook ne mentionne aucunement la peur toujours présente lors de ces 277 sorties.

277 sorties

I don’t think that this picture was taken in Malta in 1943. I had my doubt when I first saw it. I know Georges Nadon is pictured here, but I think this was not taken in Malta.

I don’t believe pilots had time in Malta to have their picture taken between two scrambles.

This being said, you can’t lie about Georges Nadon’s 277 sorties.

This is what Georges Nadon told Elwy Yost.

Georges Nadon did two tours of operations. He came back from the war but never talked about it that much.

His logbook tells all!

It tells how many planes destroyed, probables and damaged, and how many MET (mechanized enemy transport) were destroyed. But it does not tell us about the fear which was part of these 277 sorties.

Entracte

Je pense que tous ceux qui lisent ce blogue depuis le 6 mars ont besoin d’un petit entracte.

Vous savez maintenant pourquoi j’ai commencé à écrire sur la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, et pourquoi je vais écrire sur Georges Nadon un pilote canadien-français de Spitfire.

Si vous avez visionné la video cette semaine sur Pierre Clostermann alors vous comprenez pourquoi j’ai tant écrit sur la guerre.

Ce documentaire explique parfaitement ce que ressentaient les pilotes durant un combat aérien au-dessus de l’Europe.

La peur !

Mais ce mot était tabou parmi les pilotes…

Pierre Clostermann est devenu mon héros quand j’ai lu son livre durant mon adolescence. C’est la lecture de ce livre qui est la source de ma passion pour l’aviation…

Je fus rivé à mon écran d’ordinateur pendant 53 minutes même si je savais presque toute l’histoire que racontait Pierre Clostermann. C’était comme mettre toutes les pièces d’un casse-tête que j’avais commencé en 1964. Ce que Clostermann dit à la fin sur la guerre reflète exactement ce que je pense de la guerre et des fous qui les déclenchent.

Nous avons tous besoin de héros pour nous guider dans nos vies.

Je vous reviendrai dorénavant tous les lundis sur ce blogue maintenant que vous savez pourquoi j’écris tant sur la Deuxième Guerre mondiale et pourquoi j’ai l’intention d’écrire sur un pilote de Spitfire dont le passe-temps préféré était les jolies filles et la bière.

Georges Nadon, un pilote de Spitfire

Intermission

I guess everyone reading this blog since March 6 needs a little intermission.

You now know why I started writing about WW II, and that I am French Canadian, and that I am going to write in both languages about a French Canadian Spitfire pilot who fought during WWII.

If you have watched the video this week about Pierre Clostermann then you understand why I have been writing so much about WWII.

This documentary explains so well how pilots felt during air combat over Europe during WWII.

Fear!

But that word was taboo among pilots…

Pierre Clostermann became my hero when I read his book as a teenager, and that started all my passion for aviation…

The documentary is only in French so something might be lost if you can’t understand French. I was riveted for 53 minutes in front of my computer screen even though I knew most of what Pierre Clostermann was recounting. It was like putting the pieces of a puzzle together I had started back in 1964. What he says at the end about the war is exactly what I think about wars and madmen who start them.

We all need heroes to show us directions in life.

I shall return only every Monday from now on this blog now that you know why I have writing so much about WW II, and why I intend to write about a Spitfire pilot whose favourite pastime was girlfriends and beer.

Georges Nadon, a Spitfire pilot

Georges Nadon – l’homme derrière l’avion

Je sais que Georges Nadon se tient devant et non derrière son Spitfire… Juste un petit jeu de mots ce matin.

Je connais le type de Spitfire photographié ici, et je sais probablement quand cette photo fut prise.

Qui était Georges Nadon, l’homme “derrière” l’avion, et comment découvrir tout son courage puisqu’il a si peu parlé de ses souvenirs de guerre?

Je me demande aussi pourquoi il a baptisé son Spitfire Henry.

Je l’ai demandé à son fils et à sa fille qui ont partagé les souvenirs de guerre de leur père en leur écrivant un courriel. Son fils m’a écrit et a partagé cette anecdote racontée par son père.

Un moment donné en Europe, un squadron leader venait d’atterrir et mon père atterrissait tout de suite en arrière de lui sauf que le leader ne s’est pas tassé  pour donner assez de place à mon père pour atterrir avec aisance. Ils ont failli avoir une collision. 

Le leader a commencé à engueuler mon père mais mon père s’est défendu en disant que lorsqu’il avait pris son cours de pilotage, une des choses à faire une fois atterri, c’était de faire la place pour le suivant, chose que le leader n’avait pas fait. Selon les pilotes, il parait que le leader était un peu “show off”.

C’est à ce moment là que tous les autres pilotes qui étaient sur place ont pris la part de mon père et le leader s’est viré de bord avec la face rouge sans dire un mot de plus.

Les vétérans parlaient rarement de la guerre. Je le sais pour avoir eu le privilège d’en rencontrer quelques-uns depuis 2010.

Revenons à l’avion derrière George. C’est un Spitfire Mk IX, et la photo a dû être prise en France en regardant le sol et le type de revêtement de plaques d’acier perforées utilisées sur les aérodromes en France après le Jour J.

Je sais que Georges Nadon était avec l’escadrille 403 Squadron lors de son dernier tour d’opérations en regardant son logbook. Il fit son premier tour avec l’escadrille 122 en Angleterre, puis avec l’escadrille 185 à Malte, avant d’être rapatrié au Canada et basé à Bagotville en 1943. C’est à cette époque qu’il se maria. 

Son deuxième tour d’opérations fut avec l’escadrille 403 de juin 1944 à mars 1945.

Pourquoi est-ce si important que j’écrive sur un Spitfire baptisé Henry?

Parce que Georges Nadon n’a jamais parlé de ses 277 missions faites durant le Deuxième Guerre mondiale, et que fort probablement il avait baptisé son Spitfire Henry à cause d’Henriette qui était le nom de sa femme.

Georges Nadon – the man behind the plane

I know Georges Nadon is in front of a Spitfire and not behind… Just playing with words this morning.

I know what type of Spitfire is pictured here, and when this picture was probably taken.

Who was Georges Nadon, the man behind the plane, and how do we find out how brave a man he was since he talked so little about the war?

I was wondering why he named that plane Henry.

So I asked his son and his daughter. I wrote them an e-mail and his son wrote back with an anecdote from his father.

Un moment donné en Europe, un squadron leader venait d’atterrir et mon père atterrissait tout de suite en arrière de lui sauf que le leader ne s’est pas tassé  pour donner assez de place à mon père pour atterrir avec aisance. Ils ont failli avoir une collision. 

Le leader a commencé à engueuler mon père mais mon père s’est défendu en disant que lorsqu’il avait pris son cours de pilotage, une des choses à faire une fois atterri, c’était de faire la place pour le suivant, chose que le leader n’avait pas fait. Selon les pilotes, il parait que le leader était un peu “show off”.

C’est à ce moment là que tous les autres pilotes qui étaient sur place ont pris la part de mon père et le leader s’est viré de bord avec la face rouge sans dire un mot de plus.

Translation

At one time in Europe, a squadron leader had just landed his plane, and my father was right behind him. However the squadron leader stayed on the runway leaving not enough space for my father to make an easy landing. I was a close call. 

The leader started to give an earful to my father, but my father argued back telling him he had learned in his training days that once you have landed you clear the way for other pilots to land, what the leader had not done. According to fellow pilots it seems the leader was a bit of a “show off”.

At that precise moment all the other pilots who were there took my father’s side, and the leader turned away, his face red without saying another word.

 

Veterans seldom talked about the war. I know because I had the privilege of meeting some veterans since 2010.

Getting back to the plane I think the Spitfire behind George is a Spitfire Mk IX, and this picture would have been taken in France by looking at the pierced-steel plank.

I know Georges Nadon was with 403 Squadron in his last tour of operations because I have his logbook. His first tour was with 122 Squadron in England and then 185 Squadron in Malta, before being rapatriated in Canada, and stationed at Bagotville in 1943. At that time he got married. 

His second tour of operations was with 403 Squadron from June 1944 through March 1945.

So why is this so important that I should write about this Spitfire named Henry?

Because George Nadon never talked about the 277 sorties he did in WW II, and he most probably named his Spitfire after Henriette his wife’s name.

Why I started writing about WW II in the first place?

I wonder if I should be posting this article this morning…

I know I have been demanding quite a lot of reading lately from my readers. People reading this post would probably be asking themselves these few simple questions…

Why would someone start writing about WW II in the first place since 2009, and why he is writing another blog this time paying homage to a French-Canadian Spitfire pilot who had been immortalized by this picture taken at RAF Hornchurch in May 1942?

He has to be related somehow!

IWM

Nope…

Georges and I are not closely related.

Maybe we share the same sense of humour.

So why am I writing a blog paying homage to a French-Canadian Spitfire pilot who had been immortalized by this picture taken at RAF Hornchurch in May 1942?

It’s quite simple…

Because Georges Nadon’s daughter wrote a few words in a comment on my blog dedicated to RCAF 403 Squadron which has close to 400 posts written since 2011…

What  a lovely picture for those times.

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People reading what I just wrote are probably scratching their heads and wondering why someone would write so much since 2011 about a RCAF squadron during WW II?

Simple, because back in 2011 the grandson of Walter Neil Dove, an English-Canadian Spitfire pilot, shared with me scanned images of his grandfather’s logbook and his photo album. That’s how the blog RCAF 403 Squadron came into being.

People curious enough would then be asking themselves how I met Greg Bell, Walter Neil Dove’s grandson?

Quite simple…

Because I was staying in a B&B in the Hamilton area when I went to visit George Stewart, a Mosquito pilot with 23 Squadron. The B&B owner told me his son Greg had all of his father-in-law’s war memorabilia and he asked me if I was interested in meeting his son…

How I got to meet George Stewart, a Mosquito pilot with more than 1000 hour flying time in a Mosquito who did 50 missions in WW II and later trained Chinese nationalist pilots in 1948?

Do you really want to know?

You can click here to read the first post I wrote in 2010 about 23 Squadron if you have time on your hands…

I am still not sure if I should be posting this article this morning, and if I am going to write it also in French for people who can’t read English, or just send them to view this video on You Tube about a Spitfire pilot who shared his war memories.

La vignette – Prise 2

source of the image

Above: Flight Sergeant Georges Nadon of No 122 Squadron was the focus of another photo-story taken at Hornchurch in May 1942. This time, the photographer’s brief was to record the movements of a single pilot over the course of the day. The 27-year-old French-Canadian, seen striking a pose in the cockpit of his Spitfire was asked to list his hobbies. Somewhat predictably, the response was ‘girlfriends and beer’! He survived the war after service on Malta and in northwest Europe.

Ci-dessus: le Flight Sergeant Georges Nadon de l’escadrille 122 fut le centre d’intérêt d’un reportage-photos à Hornchurch au mois de mai. Cette fois, la tâche du photographe était de capter sur pellicule les déplacements d’un seul pilote durant une journée. Ce Canadien français de 27 ans, posant dans le cockpit de son Spitfire, fut questionné sur ses passe-temps. La réponse fut en quelle sorte prévisible: les petites amies et la bière! Il survécut à la guerre après avoir servi à Malte et dans le  nord-ouest de l’Europe.

J’ai montré mon billet La vignette au vétéran aviateur que je rencontre tous les lundis quand sa santé le lui permet. Hier, il se portait bien et j’étais anxieux de lui rendre visite de nouveau. Je voulais lui parler de Georges Nadon, mon pilote de Spitfire et de la question posée en 1942 par le photographe à propos de ses passe-temps.

les petites amies et la bière…

Mon vétéran de 90 ans a eu un large sourire…

Une vraie réponse de pilote…

Georges Nadon est né à Bonfield en Ontario. C’est ce que j’ai dit à mon vétéran just pour voir sa réaction. Son visage s’est illuminé.

Il était aussi né à Bonfield en 1923.