Decision to Join the Air Force

Back in those times almost everyone joined one of the forces. I was about 125 to 126 pounds so hearing that the army boys, the soldiers carried 80 pounds on their backs I decided that I had difficulties lifting 80 pounds let alone carrying it. And I had no love of the sea so that pretty well… I ended up in the air force deciding to join the air force. And I joined when I was 18, when I turned 18 and I was put on reserve and it wasn’t until January 1943 that I was, the year I was sworn into the air force. I did my basic training in Lachine and a number of postings. I eventually ended up in PEI at Mount Stewart where I did my bombing and gunnery and I got my wings in January 1944. I then was sent overseas in the end of March and I landed in Greenwich, Scotland on April 1st, April Fools Day! We were trained to Bournemouth on the south coast and spent a lovely spring there. It was a beautiful spring that year and we had a great time there waiting to be posted. The postings came and the three friends that I went overseas with that I had met during my training, one of them I grew up with Al LeBlanc, they were sent to 6 Group which was the Canadian group and I was seconded to the Royal Air Force which I was devastated to be separated but you went where you were sent.

Mr. Muir recounts the process he took in training to become amid upper gunner in the Lancaster Bomber with RAF 50 Squadron.

Fraser Muir

Fraser Alexander (Red) Muir was born on June 27, 1924, in Westville, Nova Scotia. Mr. Muir trained as an air gunner and received his wings at Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island, in January 1943. He was seconded to the Royal Air Force (RAF) after arriving overseas in April, 1943, and was eventually posted to 50 Squadron, 5 Group, RAF Bomber Command based in England. Mr. Muir served as a mid upper gunner, and completed 35 operations over enemy territory, and had achieved the rank of warrant officer 2 at the end of the war. On returning to Canada, he returned to high school, and went on to complete a Bachelor of Commerce at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He was employed at Air Canada, retiring in 1983 after 30 years of service.