Pride for Bomber Command

Heroes Remember

Pride for Bomber Command

I am still somewhat concerned that it has taken so long for what appears to be the general acceptance of the courage that the Bomber Command crews displayed and the effort which they made and the success they contributed in defeating Germany. It was a war and a bitter war in which we were fighting for our lives and if we hadn’t done the job I’m not sure, at all sure that we would have succeeded. I mean there was a phase of war in the UK when the only people who were really taking any direct action against the Germans were Bomber Command and they paid a big price for it.

Mr. Watts expresses his concern for the length of time it took for recognition of the contribution Bomber Command made during wartime service.

Jack Watts

Jack Vincent Watts was born on November 10, 1920, and was raised in Hamilton, Ontario, where he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on July 2, 1940. He flew on Royal Air Force squadrons throughout his wartime service, serving with squadrons 10, 462, 109 and 105. He finished the war as a squadron leader and received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Bar. He retired as a brigadier-general in 1975. On his return to Canada after the war, he played in the Canadian Football League with the Hamilton Tigers and the Wildcats. He moved to Ottawa for his service career, and resided there with his war bride, Norma Zelia, formerly of Coventry, England.