Page 12 - RCAF Centenary

studies. But he became fascinated with aircraft and flying after seeing 3 Fury bi-plane’s fly overhead. He went on to join the RCAF in 1940, earn his wings in ’41 and become an instructor under the BCATP program. But his goal was to see action. Finally in 1944 he succeeded and was transferred to operations in the European theater. At that point things changed and his legacy began to build. As a side bar while on a training flight in Bagotville, the Harvard he was flying collided with a Hurricane and Charley ‘hit the silk’ - parachuting
to safety. In the RCAF #412 ‘Falcon’ squadron he flew sorties against V-1 and V-2 launch sites, then flew 3 of his 222 operational missions on D-Day. In his Spitfire he specialized in ground attacks eventually destroying 22 enemy locomotives and 131 other vehicles, mostly rail cars plus destroying 4 aircraft and damaging 4 others. In the process he survived enemy aircraft attacks and ground fire that rendered a total of 14 of his aircraft no longer useable. Truly he carried a lucky shamrock from his Irish heritage.
Any enemy’s luck ran thin when they were in Charley’s gun sites. But the crowning trophy came into his sights on 17 July while on a “targets of opportunity” mission with wing mate Steve Randall. Charley spotted a German Horch convertible staff car barreling along a road near Caen. He lined up from behind and at low level pulled the trigger of his 20mm cannons, strafing the vehicle which careened off the road. On board and seriously injured was Field Marshall Erwin Rommel – the Desert Fox had met the Flying Fox, taking this important figure in the German military command permanently out of the war. V.E. day brought Charley home and life resumed but he embraced other duties, one being an educator through Torch Bearers, a non-profit organization aimed at educating young people about Canadian military exploits, particularly the history of the RCAF. He also became the founding president of the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association and was a champion for veterans who served our country. On April 30, 2004, he was named Honorary Colonel of 412 Squadron
in Ottawa, ultimately belonging to 8 Wing/CFB Trenton. For his long service in the RCAF, he was awarded the Canadian Forces’ Decoration.
Charley Fox died on Saturday October 18th 2008 in a car accident just outside of Tillsonburg, Ontario, after attending a meeting at CHAA, perhaps driving as he once flew his Spitfires. He left a legacy most will never equal. At his funeral, a missing man formation flew overhead the large crowd of family, friends and colleagues to bid this airman farewell. As fellow RCAF Spitfire pilot John Gilliespi Magee wrote so elegantly ... ‘you have slipped the surly bonds of earth ... reached out ... and touched the face of God’.
The war had many dimensions as the country mobilized to join with our allies . Our next story is one which is common, but typifies the spirit of a nation.
Warrant Officer 1st Class George Samuel Latimer (1916-1991)
George Latimer had a typical childhood growing up in New Toronto. In spite of the Depression he managed to act on a passion to fly and obtained his private pilot’s licence in 1939 at age 23. Aerobatics in biplanes seemed to feed his need for some degree of excitement as he regularly buzzed the neighbourhood. When war broke out he booked
High Flight
“Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
– Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.”