1942
Roland Francois Pilon
 |
If you ever saw Charles Boyer in
an R.C.A.F. uniform asleep in a lecture room -- there you have Roland
Francois Pilon, native of Rockland, Ontario, B.A. graduate of the
University of Ottawa (class of '37) and former public school
teacher. A modest man by day, Pilon is a man to be reckoned with
once the bright lights of the city come into view...did you ever hear
the one about the captain and the passenger who wouldn't stop
betting? Celebrating his
twenty-fourth birthday last December 2, Roly didn't list any particular
pastimes, but man, with that profile.....!! Follow this link to learn more about François Roland Pilon |
| -a note on the inside page of
Roland François Pilon's "Observer's and Air Gunner's Flying Log
Book" stated that on June 24, 1942, he had been on 3 ascents to 35,000
feet with no symptoms and so recommended to fly to 35,000 feet and over. Certificates of Qualification - March, 1942, No.4 Air Observer School (London, Ontario), qualified as Air Observer Navigator; during his time there, he logged 60h40 daytime flying and 14h10 night flying. -April, 1942, No.4 Bomber and Gunner School (Fingal, Ontario), qualified as Air Observer Armament; during his time there, he logged 21h40 daytime flying and 3h35 night flying. -May, 1942, No.2 Astro-Navigator School (Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick), qualified as Astro-Navigator; during his time there, he logged 12h15 daytime flying and 14h25 night flying. Total training flying time: 126h45. Overseas Training -August, 1942, No.10 Advanced Flying Unit; during his time there, he logged 7h50 daytime flying and 3h10 night flying. -September and October 1942, flying Wellington's on cross-country exercises, both day and night, and bombing exercises; 28h10 daytime flying, 18h45 night flying. -December 1942 and January 1943, Operational Training Unit; during his time there (wherever that was), he logged 35h25 daytime flying and 44h20 night flying. Total overseas training flying time: 137h45 -Beginning in March 1943, he receives an additional 35h daytime training and 5h50 night training on Halifaxes, piloted just about all by W/O Jacques Guay -by March 24, 1943, he had flown 201h daytime and 104h15 nightime. From December 1942 onwards, he was part of W/O Jacques Guay's bomber crew. -March 25, 1943, joins the 408th Squadron, RCAF at Leeming Station. Operational Flights -first operational flight April 4, 1943 against Kiel -second operational flight April 6, 1943, laying mines near Ile de Ré, France -third operational flight April 10, 1943 against Frankfurt -fourth operational flight April 16, 1943 against Pilsen, from which he did not return, having died in the crash of his Halifax bomber EQ-X of 408th Squadron near Guise, Ainse, France. |