The Westerner for August 9, 2010
Meeting: chair, Mike Ryan; music, Jerome; grace, Dan Graham
Attendance/Guests: 32 including Jim Gillespie, guest speaker; Melissa Maier, counsellor for Shane; Judy Harcourt, Rotary Club of Edmonton Riverview and Past District Governor
Hockey Pool: Doug MacDougall volunteered to set up this year's pool, thanks Doug
BBQ: August 21, @ Mike & Shauna Ryan's; 4:00 for cocktails; 6:00 for dinner; bring your own refeshments, steak or other meat to BBQ, lawn chairs; $3.00 for potatoes and other garnishments
District 5370 Governor Visit: bring your spouse or significant other to meet Jackie Hobal, former Edmonton West member; regular time for lunch meeting on August 30
Belize Literary Program: Jerome announced 2 of our members are in Belize (Jennifer and Al Sanderson with spouse Karen) - a BLOG has been set up - see first hand how our efforts to help the children are accepted/realized in Belize. If you click on the BELIZE LITERACY PROGRAM advert. at the side of the Westerner or our Website, it will take you directly to this Blog for the latest information.
Placencia, Belize: Duane advised the construction and installation of the toilets has been completed and Al Sanderson will do the final inspection. He will also deliver 2 cheques, each $1,000, one for high school scholarship program; one for hardship fund for principal Omar so he can assist students in need
GSE (Group Study Exchange): Mike and Al (Ryan & Sanderson) interviewed 8 candidates, narrowed to 2, could not rule 1 out, sent 2 names to District for the trip, one is environmental policy analyst, the other does other work in Environment Alberta
Al Hamilton & Friends Golf Tournament: John advised it was a success, sold out, will raise over $30,000
Finemaster: Bill Buckham fined $1 for not knowing how many strokes over par Tiger Woods was on the weekend @ Firestone, and how many strokes higher than his last appearance this was - 17 & 39; not wearing a Rotary pin; not attending Heritage Days
Happy Bucks: Bill Buckham for essential weed puller tool; Mike Ryan for large 2 year donation by TransCanada Corp to CleanScene; Rob Dunseith for Folk Music Festival; John Blimke for Folk Music Festival bringing a long lost friend to Edmonton from Santa Barbara, CA and a personal visit; Chris for Duchess Bakery on 124 Street
August Birthdays: happy birthday Bert
50/50: Dan Graham & Wayne did not match cards
Guest Speaker: Al Holmes introduced Jim Gillespie who was in the same squadron as Al and Bill Buckham in the 1960's. Jim flew Sabre Jets, T33's, Hercules & Voodoos. Jim came to tell us about 418 City of Edmonton Squadron which was significant in the order of battle for Canada as it was the 18th squadron set up in the Second World War, commissioned in 1941.
The squadron flew Boston Havricks at first, but was re-equiped with Mosquito wood composition planes in 1942. The planes were light and very fast. They were excellent for the sorties assigned to the squadron as they flew from England, across the English Channel, over the continent behind German lines. They held a pilot and navigator and were used as night fighters. If the sortie was assigned as a Ranger or Flower mission, then the pilot/navigator team could look for targets of opportunity. The squadron was the most decorated in the Allied Forces with 178 enemy aircraft destroyed, 9 possible kills, 103 damaged plus many ground vehicles, trains, river barges and buzz bombs destroyed. Jim mentioned several aces including Johnny King, Blatchford (Muni Airport is named after him), Russ Bannock with many DFC's (Distinguished Flying Cross) and other decorations between them.
The City of Edmonton adopted the squadron in 1944 which was a good fit as half of the manned contingent was from either Edmonton or elsewhere in Northern Alberta. The squadron stood down in Holland in 1945. After WWII, the squadron was involved in Cold War defence missions and flew the B25 Mitchell Bomber until 1959. They used Bittern Lake as a bombing practice range.
The badge representing the 418 Squadron was the first to be awarded to a post war squadron, is the only one that has a full human figure on it and has an Inuit slogan "Defend Unto Death". After 1959, the squadron was assigned a mix of Twin Otter, C45 Expeditor, T33 Jet Trainer aircraft until mid 1960's when they obtained the single Otter. In 1974, missions turned to search and rescue so they were assigned Twin Otter followed by C130 Hercules in 1992. The squadron was disbanded in 1992. 53 years of continuous operation.
In 1967, 418 Squadron was presented battle colours by Princess Alexandra and they are on display at the Rotunda of the Legislature of the Province of Alberta. Memorabilia of the squadron is on display at the City Centre Airport Museum Hanger. The hanger is designated as an historical site so should survive the current purge. Jim was thanked by Bill Buckham.