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.