Ontario

DAVID FRANCIS GASTON
ROULEAU
PILOT OFFICER ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE
LISGAR COLLEGIATE GRADUATE

• David Rouleau was born in Ottawa, lived along the still waters of the Rideau Canal, attended Lisgar Collegiate and summered along the logging route known as the Gatineau River. He attended the University of Toronto where he earned a Bachelor of Arts. David Rouleau’s life would have been one of happiness assured a college graduate in a quiet town, one of family roots and children to come and of success- perhaps as a teacher. He was young, shy, wide-eyed and innocent in the way that good young men were in 1941. However, his barely-underway life was swept up in the massive fire storm of the Second World War. A boy who loved swimming, badminton and paddling on the Gatineau River, whose family loved him for his brightness and kindness became serial number J15348 and went forth from the bosom of his family to learn to fly and kill men just like him whose leaders had chosen a dangerous path.
• His is the story of all Canadian airmen of the Second World War; one of duty and honour to be sure- but also one of excitement, fellowship, the thrill of flying and the pride of being counted among the finest warriors Canada had.
• Rouleau enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force taking elementary flying training at St. Eugene, Ontario- just to the east of here. He then went on to No. 2 service Flying Training School at RCAF Uplands in Ottawa never more than a short drive from his family. After earning his wings, David Rouleau most likely enjoyed a short leave with his family, was then swept away into the maelstrom of war- never to return- until now.
• Rouleau sailed across the Atlantic to train on Spitfires. After his operational training, he joined 131 Squadron, RAF as a Flight Sergeant, flying with them for 10 months before he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer. A week after, he left 131 to join pilots sailing for the defence of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, reaching Gibraltar before June of 1942. On June 2^nd, he sailed aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle with fellow pilots and their Spitfire fighters. On the morning of the 3^rd, 31 pilots including Rouleau launched from Eagle’s deck, formed up and headed for Malta. Close to the island fortress, they were attacked by 12 Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighters of II/JG 53 led by legendary Luftwaffe ace Gerhard Michalski. Four of the 31 Spitfires were shot down by the Germans including that of Pilot Officer David Francis Gaston Rouleau. He was never seen again.
• James Cobley grew up during the Second World War. His father Fred worked for Pressed Steel, building fuselages for the Avro Lancaster bombers of Bomber Command. Immediately after the war, Fred purchased a RAF leather flying jacket from a war surplus store for £3. He wore it for several years to work at the factory, but in 1950 gave it to his teenaged son Jim, who had secretly wanted it since his father brought it home. Jim would wear the jacket as he walked to work at the same factory where his father worked. Jim loved the way he looked in that jacket, the way it attracted attention- especially from the girls. He wore it to all the football matches he could attend- and that was a lot as Jim was a great fan.
• In 1952, Jim joined the Royal Air Force for his National Service and was deployed to Singapore. After returning from duty, Jim took various jobs but excelled eventually as a toy salesman. Throughout all this time, Jim continued to wear his flying jacket whenever he could- especially to football matches to watch his beloved Oxford United side. The “Fan in the Flying Jacket” was seen by hundreds of thousands of people as Jim travelled to away games across England.
• It wasn’t until 1984 that Jim, at the suggestion of a friend, had a close look at the faded label in the jacket. Close inspection revealed the faint penciled lettering with the name “Rouleau” and a service number- J15348. It was then that Jim’s abiding curiosity set in motion a search for the story of “Rouleau” that would last a quarter of a century, involve dozens of people and cross an ocean- a quest that would bring his beloved jacket home.
• That search led Jim to the jacket’s owner- Pilot Officer David Rouleau- who had died during  the war trying to get to Malta. Several times the search for more about Rouleau reached a dead end. But persistence on the part of Jim and his friends in England and in Ottawa led Jim not only to the truth but in the end to the family members of David Rouleau. The quest brought to light considerable information about the last days of David Rouleau’s life that his family had never known. Now some 66 years after his disappearance, his family has learned the truth, come together to celebrate his life and touched the jacket that their beautiful son once wore. It will now be proudly displayed close to his home in the Vintage Wings of Canada library along with other artefacts from his personal effects- all because of one man’s curiosity and kind-heartedness.

VINTAGE WINGS OF CANADA FOUNDATION
LA FOUNDATION DES AILES D'EPOQUE DU CANADA

Vintage Wings of Canada would like to thank the following people for their help in making David Rouleau come to life - Judith Burns, Howard Cook, Ken Cowan, Tim Dubé Steve Fochuk, Norma Geggie Helen
Gillespie, Hugh Halliday, Graham Hughes, Carolynne Irvin, Ted Latham, Pat MacAdam, Andrew Pentland, Mike Potter, Harold Pretty, Carl Vincent, Chris Terry and above all Jim Cobley, Pat Hall and Peg Christie.

IN MEMORY OF THE STUDENTS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE KOREAN CONFLICT  1950-1953

GRAY, ALEC

IN HONOUR OF THE STUDENTS WHO SERVED IN THE KOREAN CONFLICT 1950-1953

BOWEN, GERALD R.

KEILLOR, HUNTLEY W.

KERR, J. GORMAN

MACARTHUR, ROBERT A.

LAUGHTON, ROBERT C.

LOOMIS, D. GORDON

NEWMAN, RONALD E.

CHANCE, PETER

MEREDITH, DOUGLAS

Letter to LCol B. Plourde

21 May 2009

Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde
Regional Command South
Kandahar Afghanistan
International Security assistance

Sir,

As you know my son, David is 15 and attends Lisgar Collegiate Institute in Ottawa. Lisgar’s origins start in 1843 in Ottawa with ine of the first cadet corps in Canada starting in 1861. Many Lisgar students served during the Finning(sic) Raids, both World Wars, and Korea. Last’s(sic) Remembrance speaker was a recent Lisgar graduate Artillery Captain who had just finished a tour in Afghanistan. Lisgar’s graduates have gone on to become leaders in many fields across Canada. As Canadian Forces members with long service and overseas tours, we both recognize the requirement for lifelong academic pursuits is the corner stone of a sound and safe society. I request that a Canadian flag be flown in recognition of Lisgar’s many years of contribution to Canada in both Peace and War. Thank-you for your consideration and I pray that everyone returns home safe.

Davis Paull
Captain
Parent of Lisgar Student

Letter /flag from LCol Plourde

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada

2067 de Bleury Street

Montreal, QC H3A 2K2

Students, Teachers. Staff and Parents of Lisgar Collegiate Institute

Since 1843 Lisgar Students, Teachers and Staff have served Canada in many professions and continues to be recognized as a leader in the education community. Lisgar has a long proud history of duty and service to Canada which includes service as both civilian and Military personnel in Canadian conflicts since Confederation.

On 22 August 2009, the enclosed Canadian flag was flown in Forward Operation Base Walton, Dand District, Kandahar province, Afghanistan in recognition of Lisgar Collegiate Institute past, present and future community service and accomplishments.

The Canadian contingent in Afghanistan is represented by a wide spectrum of Military and civilian personnel from across Canada who have voluntarily left their homes and families to join the international community to aide Afghanistan in shaping their own future through peacefully and productive choices.

Education is one of the pillars of a safe and sound society and your participation as a learning community contributes in no small way to the success of Canada at home and around the world.

For those who are serving here and around the world it is empowering to be in contact with Canadians such as your community who we consider to (be) part of the larger Canadian contingent.

Best wishes to all of you for your continuing success in all aspects of your future.

G.B. Plourde

Commanding Officer

Lieutenant-colonel

[front/devant]

WESTBORO
WORLD WAR I
1914 — 1918

IF YE BREAK FAITH WITH US WHO DIE
WE SHALL NOT SLEEP. THOUGH POPPIES GROW
IN FLANDERS FIELDS
WHEN YOU GO HOME
TELL THEM OF US AND SAY
FOR YOUR TOMORROW
WE GAVE OUR TODAY
SO POPPIES GROW
IN FLANDERS FIELDS

KOREA
1950 — 1953

WORLD WAR II
1939 — 1945

[back/arrière]

LEST WE FORGET

DEDICATED JUNE 8, 1985

MANUFACTURED BY MARTEL AND SONS
FOR HERITAGE MEMORIALS

[plaque]

THIS MEMORIAL DEDICATED ON
JUNE 8, 1985
TO HONOUR THE FALLEN MEMBERS OF
WESTBORO AND SURROUNDING AREA
WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
ERECTED BY THE
WESTBORO WAR MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION

For King and Country

Members of

St John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Parish of Ottawa

who volunteered for active service

with

Canada's Fighting Forces

1939 - 1945

Roll of Honour

Southminster

(At bottom of scroll)

* These made the supreme sacrifice

I am among you as he that serveth

In honoured memory of the

members of Southminster United Church

who gave their lives in the war of 1939 - 1945

For the Lord God giveth them light

and they shall reign for ever and ever

Canada

1914 - 1919

Roll of Honour

Ottawa South Methodist Church

They saw with their wider vision the Empire and its need and came with swift decision to do the utmost deed

R. Coons          W. McFadden          R. Smith

W. Endicott       J.H. Richards          W.H. Drummond

C.S. Evans       C. Raymond

In honour of

For God and Right

1914 - 1918

Calvin Church

Roll of Honour

(* Killed in Action)

To the Glory of God and in affectionate memory of the men of this Parish who made the supreme sacrifice in World War 1939-1945

Byron Joseph Becker

John Carwin Coburn

Richard Nichols Ferris

Emmett Patrick Finn

William John Hope

Stephen Oliver Kinsella

Martin Allan Knight

John Albert MacDonald

John Alfred Malloy

Joseph John Skillen

James Earl Sauvé

Greater love hath no man than this. That a man lay down his life for his friends. May their souls rest in peace.

Erected by the Congregation of St. Margaret Mary's Parish.