bars march april canadian aviator second world war bomber command leader commanded squadron later squadron raf course war bush pilot prior war joined flight instructor joined squadron fly operationally rest war taking drop rank occasion return active command tours operation participated dozens sorties europe early years born ottawa ontario march educated entered investment business montreal quebec joined flying club earning commercial pilot licence formed quebec prior second world war flown hours pilot command bush operations second world war joined flight lieutenant completed advanced course served instructor training plan instructors short period england training center posted squadron returning difficult weather conditions bombing berlin squadron night november forced land aircraft non operational airfield result temporarily suspected spy february promoted acting wing commander given command squadron awarded gallantry shortly transferred operations overseas headquarters staff duties served short term group taking command squadron february operation august bombing raid german military research facility acted deputy master bomber making passes target awarded september leadership raid soon raid promoted acting group captain squadron member group january flew sorties completing second tour operations squadron awarded bar promotion acting air commodore rank operational flying mentioned despatches december voluntarily reverted group captain begin tour operations time commanding officer squadron raf squadron led december end war command conducted raids submarine targets end war europe awarded second bar command squadron historian novelist remembers history canada air_force world war doubt toughest commanders saw job getting available aircraft target night operations patience incompetence compromise goal ground crews thought world thought world took granted remembering bottles beer treats worked particularly hard considered canada greatest bomber pilot postwar war returned private business inducted canada aviation hall fame july traveled calgary alberta minister defence observe official flight lancaster captained garrison pilot crew members captain brian wartime lancaster flight engineer died friday april
John Emilius Fauquier