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A Storch by was used by German commando officer FOR FURTHER READING: After the Second World War, an
Otto Skorzeny on one of the most daring operations AOP unit was formed at Rivers, Man.
of the war: landing it on a tiny mountainside field to
Co-located there under the Canadian Joint Air Training
ferry out deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, Centre was the RCAF's 417 Squadron, which had a mix of
who had held captive by Italian partisans. Mussolini's
Harvards and Mustang fighters. Photos of these aircraft
rescue gave credibility to the puppet state set up by
appear in Kostenuk and Griffin's book, RCAF Squadrons and
Germany in northern Italy after the remainder of that Aircraft.
country surrendered to the Allies in 1943. "Maybe,"
said Ashfield mischievously, "if the war had lasted During the Korean War, one of AOP Flight's pilots, Capt.
much more, we would have been called on to do the P.J.A. Tees won the first Distinguished Flying Cross awarded
same. But maybe it was just as well!" to a Canadian Army officer since the First World War for
operations while serving with the Commonwealth Division's
Cliff Ashfield left the regular army after the war, but AOP Flight. An aircraft painted to resemble his Auster 6, s/n
remained active in the militia, or reserve army. After
VF582, now resides in the National Aviation Museum in
working in journalism and public relations, he
Ottawa. This aircraft was the subject of three-view
changed careers and trained as a chiropractor. Living
drawings and an article in the November and December
in Whitewood, east of Regina, he was honorary 1969 issues of Random Thoughts, the magazine of CAHS's
colonel of the 10th Field Regiment, the militia artillery
sister organization, the Canadian branch of the
regiment headquartered in Regina.
International Plastic Modellers Society. This drawing
indicated the Korean War Auster was dark green over dark
earth.
CAHS members who subscribe to the society's Journal will
remember that the Spring 1994 issue carried an article on
the army's three wartime AOP squadrons, illustrated by a
color drawing of one of their Austers.
Discussing it, Ashfield noted that the green/dark earth
colors seemed correct, if much brighter and well-defined
that appeared on the aircraft he flew.
417 Squadron was disbanded in 1948.
The RCAF got out of the tactical fighter business completely
until the late 1960s, when the first of 115 Canadair-built CF-
5s entered service. Around 1956, the army replaced its
Austers with 24 Cessna L- 109 lightplanes that it used until
the early 1970s, when they were replaced by CH-136 Kiowa
helicopters. For those wanting still more history, he noted
the existence of a museum of army aviation at Middle
Wallop on Britain's Salisbury Plain, which he visited --
coming face-to face with a picture of himself taken some 50
years ago.
Cliff passed in 2002 -- a thoroughly great guy
with fine sense of humour and of history.
