Page 12 - December 2018

In late July, a buddy of mine, Don Hammond, went to On Sept. 10, I was sent by train with about thirty
London, Ontario recruiting office and applied for aircrew others to Camp Borden, an R.C.A.F. base just north-
enlistment, and he was called the next week. This made west of Barrie, Ontario. We were detailed there for
me think of my making an application in London and guard duty. As air crew in waiting our dress required
when the harvest was finished, in mid-August, I went that we wear a white "flash" in our hats. See photo.
down to Hamilton recruiting office, and asked for my Typical guard duty was in a guard hut out on the
papers so that I could try London. After some discussion, edge of the airfield. After the first few nights we
the recruiting officer said if I would leave my papers with stopped expecting Germans to attack the airfield
him, he would guarantee I would be called within a and looked for something to relieve the boredom.
week. His word was good.
Camp Borden was a single engine pilot training
Part of my reason for hurrying up the enlistment was school - Harvards. We white-flashed guards were
that the Battle of Britain was not going well at that time given permission to fly as passengers on training
and I was afraid the war would be over before I got in. I flights. One nice day, another chap and I went up to
was signed in on August 20, 1940 and proceeded the flight office and got permission to go up for a
immediately to Manning Depot, which was in the old ride with pilots doing practice flights. I had an
Horse Palace at the Canadian National Exhibition enjoyable flight - the other guy and his pilot were
grounds in Toronto. The routine at the Manning Depot killed when the pilot failed to recover from an
was to get us (a) into a uniform that came near to fitting. inverted spin. Such was fate.
Many of us had to go to a private tailor to get an Many of the guard posts were out at the edge of the
acceptable fit. (b) Get vaccinations. (c) Parade grounds
field with scrub growth for another hundred yards
marching etc.
before the bush proper started. In this area, deer
About the fourth morning, I overslept and in rushing to used to wander around, with just the eyes visible at
get cleaned up ready for parade, I overdid it, and fainted night. One night at a guard shift change, at 2 a.m.,
at the wash basin. The Corporal insisted I go on medical the four of us decided we should challenge this
parade. When I got to see the doctor, he asked a activity, and after shouting "Halt - who goes there?"
number of medical questions, and when very pointedly with no response, we all fired a shot at the deer
asked if I drank very much. I replied just as pointedly (plural). The deer took no notice but the Sergeant of
that "I have never had a drink in my life!" He appeared the guard arrived very quickly and was somewhat
to be amused at this and closed the discussion by verbally abusive to us, and arranged for us to be
suggesting that a beer or two once in a while would paraded before the station commander officer the
improve my circulation. Two beers that evening had next morning. The C.O. had a good sense of
a very relaxing effect on me. humour. After telling us that we could be court
martialled for what we had done, he relaxed and

told us that since our whole group was being posted
the next day to Toronto to #1, Initial Training School,
he would just forget the incident.

The Initial Training School, informally called the I.T.S.
was located in the old Toronto Hunt Club, and was
basically a "ground school" where some clever
people decided whether each one of us should go off
to (a) pilot training, (b) air observer training or (c)
wireless operator-air gunner training or (d) straight
air gunner training.

Most of the several hundred of us in the class
wanted to be pilots and there were all sorts of
stories went round as to how and on what the

choice would be made.