Colonel (Ret) Leonard N. Baldock, OStJ, CD, APA, CGA
(1924 – 1991)
Born and educated in Windsor, Colonel Baldock once served as the General Manager of Naylor Lumber Company Limited (The Naylor Group), in Essex, Ontario. He joined the RCAF in 1942, and served in Eastern Air Command on anti-submarine and convoy patrols with No. 162 Squadron based from Reykjavik, Iceland as an Air Observer (Navigator-Bombardier). On cessation of hostilities, he became a charter member of the “Air Force Club of Windsor” in September 1945, which became Branch No. 364 of the Royal Canadian Legion in 1946, and also Wing No. 412 of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association in 1949. Mr. Baldock was active on the executive of that organization since its inception and was President (Wing) in 1953. He was Ontario Group President, of the RCAF Association in 1954-55, and was a member of the National Executive Council and Advisory Council, being its National President in the years 1960-’62.
On completi.on of his executive duties with the Association, he was appointed Senior RCAF representative for the Windsor area with the rank of Group Captain. On February 1st, 1968 he became Senior Air Representative and later Senior Reserve Advisor to the Deputy Chief of Operations and Reserves, Ottawa, for the Windsor area with the rank of Colonel. Mr. Baldock was interested in Royal Canadian Air Cadet work, having been an instructor and adjutant for No. 310 RCAC Squadron until 1953, which squadron, along with No. 13 and 332, was sponsored by Wing No. 412· (Air Force Club of Windsor) RCAF Association. For many years he was a member of the sponsoring committee and responsible for the organization of its financial campaigns. From 1959-62 he was a director of the Ontario Provincial Committee of the Air Cadet League of Canada, He was also the Windsor chairman for the RCAF Benevolent Fund. He was instrumental in the establishment of No. 2451 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, RCAF (Reserve) in Windsor in 1954.
Colonel Baldock organized and was Windsor Area Chairman for the celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of Powered Flight in Canada. This entailed a program of 22 events which were held during 1959 by a committee representing 25 different organizations with aviation interests. These events were held to commemorate the first powered flight by the late Honourable J.A.D. McCurdy from Baddeck, N.S. on February 23, 1909.
He was a licensed public accountant in the Province of Ontario, and was entitled to use the designation APA – Accredited Public Accountant. He was a Commissioner of Oaths in and for the Province of Ontario, and a member of the Detroit Chapter of the American Management Society and of the Windsor Chapter of the Society of Industrial Accountants of Ontario. Among other interests, he served as an elected representative on the corporation of Canterbury College, and was Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, Windsor Branch. He was Area Superintendent, Ambulance, St. John Ambulance, responsible for training the Brigade in the Southwestern Area and was also Finance Chairman for St. John Ambulance, Windsor Branch. He was a member of the Protocol Committee for the City of Windsor, and the proposed Windsor Military Institute Branch, Vice-Chairman.
Colonel Baldock was a lecturer at the University of Windsor in Industrial Organization and Management, and was a Past President of Branch No. 364 Royal Canadian Legion, and the War Birds of the RAF Hangar No. 1, Windsor/Detroit Area.
