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WAR AT SEA. 1914 RCN 2 OLD CRUISERS, 2 SUBMARINES, FISHING YACHTS, AND 350 MEN. HMCS RAINBOW. HMCS NIOBE. RAINBOW PATROLS WEST 2 YEARS VENTURES TO PANAMA ONCE NO ACTION 1917 WITHDRAWN AS NOT SEA WORTHY. NIOBE SAILED FOR NY AND CONVOY DUTY ONCE WITHIN A YEAR AT PORT NOT SEA WORTHY.
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WAR AT SEA • 1914 RCN 2 OLD CRUISERS, 2 SUBMARINES, FISHING YACHTS, AND 350 MEN
RAINBOW PATROLS WEST 2 YEARS • VENTURES TO PANAMA ONCE • NO ACTION • 1917 WITHDRAWN AS NOT SEA WORTHY
NIOBE SAILED FOR NY AND CONVOY DUTY ONCE • WITHIN A YEAR AT PORT NOT SEA WORTHY
THETWO CANADIAN SUBMARINES PURCHASED BY RICHARD MCBRIDE SAILED FROM BC THROUGH PANAMA CANAL TO SAIL FOR EUROPE NOT FIT TO CROSS ATLANTIC SO SOLD FOR SCRAP IN 1920
CANADA’S NAVAL ROLE? • THOUSANDS SERVE IN RN • SUB HUNTERS BUILT AND SERVED CONVOYS FROM HALIFAX AND CAPE BRETON
WE ORGANIZED CONVOYS • RCN MINESWEEPING OFF COAST • PATROLLED GULF OF ST LAWRENCE • WE BUILT 700 SHIPS FOR THE ENGLISH • NIOBE CREW ATTEMPT TO SCUTTLE MONT BLANC
OUR MERCHANT MARINERS PLAYED MORE IMPORTANT ROLE • GERMAN U-BOAT BLOCKADE CRIPPLED ENGLAND • OUR MERCHANT SAILORS DIED IN HUNDREDS TO BRING BRITAIN THE TOOLS OF WAR
WWI IN THE AIR • CANADA PLAYED A MUCH LARGER ROLE IN THE AIR • 1914 NO RCAF, 1918 NO RCAF, SO HOW PLAY A ROLE?
BY THE END OF THE WAR 1563 CDNS DIED SERVING IN THE AIR WAR • CANADIANS FLEW FOR RFC • FLEW EVERYTHING FROM FIGHTERS, TO BOMBERS, TO BOAT PLANES, TO BALLOONS
BY 1918 25,000 CDNS HAD SERVED IN RFC; ONE QUARTER OF RFC • START OF WAR AIR FORCE ONLY OBSERVATION • BY 1917 ERA OF DOGFIGHT • LIFE SPAN IN 1917 THREE WEEKS
CDNS EARNED REP AS GREAT FIGHTER PILOTS • OF THE TOP 27 ACES IN RFC 10 WERE CANADIAN • THESE TEN SHOT DOWN 438 PLANES • TOP ACE OF WWI WAS BARON MANFRED VON RICHTHOFEN • SECOND LEADING ACE WAS RENE FONCK
THE RED BARON SHOT DOWN 80 PLANES EVENTUALLY SHOT DOWN HIMSELF AND KILLED
RENE FONCK OF FRANCE WAS THE LEADING ALLIED AIR ACE WITH 75 KILLS HE SURVIVED THE WAR
WILLIAM AVERY BISHOP CANADA’S LEADING ACE SECOND ALLIED ACE THIRD OVERALL WITH 72 CONFIRMED KILLS
BILLY BISHOP • BEGAN WAR IN INFANTRY • DID NOT LIKE MUD SO TRANSFERRED TO RFC • OBSERVER AT FIRST • IN 1917 BEGAN CAREER AS FIGHTER PILOT • HE FINISHED THIRD WITH A FULL YEAR LESS OF COMBAT FLYING
HIS BEST PERIOD WAS 25 PLANES IN 12 DAYS • JUNE 2 1917 SOLO ATTACK ON AERODROME ATTACKING GERMAN AIRCRAFT AS TOOK OFF • STAYED UNTIL RIDDLED WITH FIRE AND RETURNED TO BASE • WON VC FOR THIS ACTION, BUT DID IT HAPPEN? • PULLED FROM LINE AS A HERO
RAYMOND COLLISHAW • CANADA’S SECOND LEADING ACE, YET NO VC • 62 VICTORIES • SHOT DOWN KARL ALMMENRODER OVER YPRES • TALLIES DOWN AS MORE FAMOUS • BROUGHT HOME TO SELL WAR BONDS • FOUGHT COMMUNIST RUSSIA AFTER WWI • FLEW WITH DISTINCTION INTO WWII WITH RAF
DONALD MACLAREN FROM OTTAWA
DONALD MACLAREN • CANADA’S THIRD ACE WITH 54 KILLS • LEADING ACE FOR THE SOPWITH • WON DFC, MC, MC BAR, DSO • ONCE LED THREE AIRCRAFT IN ATTACK AGAINST 19 ENEMY
WILLIAM BARKER • CANADA’S FOURTH ACE 50 KILLS • WON THE VC FOR AMAZING ACTION • INFANTRY, OBSERVER, PILOT • WOUNDED SEVERAL TIMES IN 1917
SERVED IN ITALY, CHALLENGING GERMANS AND AUSTRIANS TO FIGHT • ON WAY TO BRITAIN SPOTTED BY GERMAN PLANE, DOWNED IT • A SECOND ATTACK SHATTERED LEFT LEG, BEFORE HE DOWNED IT • THE REST OF A GERMAN PATROL ATTACKED • RIGHT LEG SHATTERED, DOWNED TWO MORE PLANES • THEN HIT IN RIGHT ELBOW, UNCONSCIOUS SPIN
REVIVED BY WIND AND ENGAGED REMAINING GERMANS • FIRED ON AND DAMAGED TWO MORE PLANES WHO FLED • CRASHED IN FIELD WHERE SCOTTISH REGIMENT GOT HIM AND PULLED HIM FROM WRECKAGE • NEVER RECOVERED FULLY, BUT FOR KILLING FOUR AND DAMAGING TWO HE EARNED THE VC
ROY BROWN • CANADIAN ACE WHO LED SQUADRON • HATED WATCHING NEW PILOTS DIE SO OFTEN FLEW ABOVE PROTECTING THEM • APRIL 1918 PROTECTING FIGHTER PILOT MAY WHO WAS BEING ATTACKED BY RED BARON • BROWN PURSUED, FOLLOWED BARON AND DOWNED HIM?