Lloyd Chadburn
Encyclopedia
Lloyd Vernon "Chad" Chadburn DSO &
Bar
, DFC
(August 21, 1919 – June 13, 1944) was a Canadian World War II
fighter pilot
.
, Quebec
on 21 August 1919, later moving with his parents to Oshawa, Ontario
as an infant. He grew up there and in Aurora
. He worked as a bank clerk at the Bank of Toronto
and as a salesman for the Red Rose Tea Company.
in April 1940, but re-mustered as a Pilot
. He graduated from the Number 2 Flight Training School in Ottawa
on 9 October 1940 as a Pilot Officer
.
In December 1940 Chadburn was posted to Number 112 RCAF Squadron flying Hawker Hurricane
s and made his first operational flight in March 1941. He was posted to the Uk in 1941, and joined 412 Squadron (RCAF) in June 1941, moving to 19 Squadron (RAF) in September.
In February 1942 Chadburn was posted to Number 416 (RCAF) Squadron in Peterhead
, Scotland
as a Flight Lieutenant
. Days later he took over command of the Squadron, becoming the first graduate of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
to lead a Fighter Command Squadron. He was also the youngest Squadron Leader
in the Air Force at age 21.
Squadron Leader Chadburn and 416 Squadron flew defensive missions over Dieppe
on 19 August 1942, covering the Canadian and Allied raid and claiming his first air victories. He was then awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
.
After a leave in Canada, Chadburn was posted to No. 402 Squadron and then No. 403 Squadron prior to his promotion to Wing Commander
for the RAF Digby Wing in June 1943. He led the Wing in flying escort to American bombers and the RAF medium bombers of No. 2 Group. He was supposedly dubbed The Angel for his escort would assure the bomber crews a safe passage to and from the target. On 3 November 1943 the Wing claimed 7 Bf 109's of II./JG 3 ( 5 were actally lost), with Chadburn claiming 2 personally.
By the time Chadburn left the Digby Wing in December he had received the Distinguished Service Order
twice, the first RCAF officer to be so decorated and was one of only four in history.
In early 1944 Chadburn was appointed Wing Commander, Fighter Operations at RCAF Group Headquarters Overseas. He was sent back to Canada for a War Bond drive in the spring and upon his return was made Wing Commander of Number 127 wing RCAF, comprising 403, 421 and 416 Squadrons.
. He was 24 years of age.
He was made a Chevalier (knight
) in the French
Légion d'honneur
and awarded the Croix de Guerre avec Palme
. Only three RCAF officers received the Légion d'honneur, and Chadburn was the only one to receive the Croix de Guerre.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(August 21, 1919 – June 13, 1944) was a Canadian World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
.
Birth
Lloyd Chadburn was born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
on 21 August 1919, later moving with his parents to Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
as an infant. He grew up there and in Aurora
Aurora, Ontario
Aurora is an affluent town in York Region, approximately 20 km north of Toronto. It is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.Many Aurora residents commute to Toronto and surrounding communities.In the...
. He worked as a bank clerk at the Bank of Toronto
Bank of Toronto
The Bank of Toronto was a Canadian bank, founded on July 8, 1857 by George Gooderham, that merged with The Dominion Bank on February 1, 1955 to form the Toronto-Dominion Bank...
and as a salesman for the Red Rose Tea Company.
Career
Chadburn applied to enlist in both the Army and Navy in 1939, but was turned down both times. After a spell working for General Motors and with The bank of Toronto, Chadburn was accepted by the Royal Canadian Air Force as an Air GunnerAir gunner
An air gunner a.k.a. aerial gunner is a member of an air force aircrew who operates flexible-mount or turret-mounted machine guns or autocannons in an aircraft...
in April 1940, but re-mustered as a Pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
. He graduated from the Number 2 Flight Training School in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
on 9 October 1940 as a Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
.
In December 1940 Chadburn was posted to Number 112 RCAF Squadron flying Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s and made his first operational flight in March 1941. He was posted to the Uk in 1941, and joined 412 Squadron (RCAF) in June 1941, moving to 19 Squadron (RAF) in September.
In February 1942 Chadburn was posted to Number 416 (RCAF) Squadron in Peterhead
Peterhead
Peterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement , with a population of 17,947 at the 2001 Census and estimated to have fallen to 17,330 by 2006....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
as a Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
. Days later he took over command of the Squadron, becoming the first graduate of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
to lead a Fighter Command Squadron. He was also the youngest Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in the Air Force at age 21.
Squadron Leader Chadburn and 416 Squadron flew defensive missions over Dieppe
Dieppe, New Brunswick
Dieppe is a Canadian city in Westmorland County, New Brunswick.-Geography:Dieppe is located on the Petitcodiac River east of the adjacent city of Moncton...
on 19 August 1942, covering the Canadian and Allied raid and claiming his first air victories. He was then awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
.
After a leave in Canada, Chadburn was posted to No. 402 Squadron and then No. 403 Squadron prior to his promotion to Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
for the RAF Digby Wing in June 1943. He led the Wing in flying escort to American bombers and the RAF medium bombers of No. 2 Group. He was supposedly dubbed The Angel for his escort would assure the bomber crews a safe passage to and from the target. On 3 November 1943 the Wing claimed 7 Bf 109's of II./JG 3 ( 5 were actally lost), with Chadburn claiming 2 personally.
By the time Chadburn left the Digby Wing in December he had received the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
twice, the first RCAF officer to be so decorated and was one of only four in history.
In early 1944 Chadburn was appointed Wing Commander, Fighter Operations at RCAF Group Headquarters Overseas. He was sent back to Canada for a War Bond drive in the spring and upon his return was made Wing Commander of Number 127 wing RCAF, comprising 403, 421 and 416 Squadrons.
Death
On 13 June 1944 Wing Commander Chadburn was killed in a collision with another Spitfire pilot while taking off from a landing strip in NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. He was 24 years of age.
Honours
Wing Commander Chadburn's record includes 5 enemy airplanes destroyed (3 shared), 5 aircraft probably destroyed (1 shared), 7 aircraft damaged (2 shared), two E-boats destroyed, and another 2 damaged, as well as a destroyer damaged..He was made a Chevalier (knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
) in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and awarded the Croix de Guerre avec Palme
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
. Only three RCAF officers received the Légion d'honneur, and Chadburn was the only one to receive the Croix de Guerre.