HUDSON, F/L John (J15661) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.425 Squadron - Award effective 1 July 1943 as per London Gazette dated 9 July 1943 and AFRO 1724/43 dated 27 August 1943. Born in Zealandia, Saskatchewan, 8 April 1918; home in Victoria, British Columbia. Was educated at the Ontario College of Agriculture and a horticulturalist prior to enlistment. Served in 5th (British Columbia) Coast Brigade, Royal Canadian Artillery (militia) as Gunner, 8 August to 4 November 1940. Enlisted in Vancouver, 5 November 1940 and posted to No.2 Manning Depot, Brandon. To No.7 SFTS, Macleod, Alberta (guard), 17 December 1940. To No.2 ITS, Regina, 20 February 1941. Graduated and promoted LAC, 8 April 1941 when posted to No.18 EFTS, Boundary Bay; ,ay have graduated 6 June 1941 but not posted to No.12 SFTS, Brandon until 20 June 1941; graduated 1 September 1941. To “Y” Depot, 3 September 1941. To RAF Trainee Pool, 5 October 1941. Taken on strength of No.3 PRC, Bournemouth, 19 October 1941. To Station Cottesmore, 10 December 1941 for training at No.14 OTU. Commissioned 10 July 1942. To No.420 Squadron, 15 October 1942. Promoted Flying Officer and posted to No.425 Squadron, 23 November 1942. Promoted Flight Lieutenant and posted to No.22 OTU, 4 May 1943. Attached to No.1 ECDU, 26 May 1943. To No.40 OTU, 23 June 1943. Attached to No.3 Flying Instructor School, 23-25 June 1943. To No.23 OTU, 10 August 1943. Promoted Squadron Leader and posted to No.24 OTU for instructional duties, 16 February 1944. Embarked from Britain for Canada, 11 August 1944 for special leave in Canada. Embarked from Canada, 3 October 1944; disembarked in Britain, 12 October 1944. To No.61 Base, 31 October 1944. Attached to No.1666 Conversion Unit, 15 December 1944. To No.432 Squadron, 10 February 1945. To No.428 Squadron, 19 February 1945. To No.434 Squadron, 27 March 1945. Repatriated to Canada, 10 June 1945. Retired 5 September 1945. Re-engaged with RCAF, Vancouver, 16 July 1946. To Western Air Command Headquarters, 18 July 1946. Retained rank of Squadron Leader as of 1 October 1946 (19611 in postwar RCAF). To Station Patricia Bay, 1 March 1947. To No.11 Group Headquarters, 1 May 1947 (this became Tactical Group). To RCAF Staff College, Toronto, 4 September 1949. To Station St. Hubert, 31 July 1950. To Station Calgary, 24 September 1951. To Station Winnipeg, 21 January 1952. To Station Toronto, 16 October 1955. To Station Lac St. Denis, 26 September 1958. To NORAD duty in Wisconsin, 17 July 1960.To Station Comox, 18 September 1964. Commenced retirement leave, 2 November 1964; final discharge 21 April 1965. Died in Central Saanich, British Columbia, 8 November 1981 as per British Columbia Vital Statistics. Photo PL-43498 shows S/L Jack Hudson DFC (Victoria, left) and S/L Jack Brown, DFC (Toronto, right) twiddling with bomb rack, No.434 Squadron. Photo PL-44404 (ex UK-21554 dated 25 May 1945) taken after investiture. RCAF photo PL-44407 (ex UK-21557 dated 25 May 1945) is of three DFC recipients after investiture - S/L J. Hudson (Oak Bay, Victoria), S/L G.C. Semple (Toronto) and F/L H.L. Forrest (Winnipeg). Flight Lieutenant Hudson has completed a full tour of duty in a most commendable manner. Coming to a newly formed squadron, his experience and enthusiasm have been most helpful in training new captains and crews. He has taken part in numerous operational missions over such targets as Hamburg, Cologne, Mannheim and Turin, displaying, throughout, exceptional qualities of leadership, gallantry and devotion to duty. NOTE: Public Record Office Air 2/8964 has recommendation drafted 29 April and redrafted 7 May 1943 by W/C J.M.W. St.Pierre when he had flown 30 sorties (173 hours 15 minutes). Sortie list and submission as follows: 3 June 1942 - GARDENING, St.Nazaire (6.20) 5 June 1942 - GARDENING, Ameland (3.55) 8 June 1942 - Essen (4.40) 19 June 1942 - Emden (4.55) 25 June 1942 - Bremen (6.15) 28 June 1942 - Sea sweep (5.50) 6 July1942 - GARDENING, Lorient (6.55) 22 July1942 - Sea sweep (5.05) 26 July1942 - Hamburg (6.10) 29 July1942 - Sea sweep (4.50) 31 July1942 - Dusseldorf (5.35) 5 October1942 - Aachen (4.05) 13 October1942 - Kiel (7.10) 15 October1942 - Cologne (6.40) 6 November1942 - Wilhelmshaven (5.45, day) 8 November1942 - GARDENING, Borkum (4.50) 9 November1942 - Hamburg (7.10) 11 November1942 - GARDENING, Terschelling (5.20) 17 November1942 - GARDENING, Terschelling (4.35) 20 November1942 - Turin (8.00) 25 November1942 - GARDENING, Isle de Croix (5.50) 6 December1942 - Mannheim (8.30) 9 December1942 - Turin (7.20) 6 February 1943 - GARDENING, Juist (4.40) 7 February 1943 - Lorient (6.15) 14 February 1943 - Cologne (6.05) 24 February 1943 - Wilhelmshaven (5.20) 26 February 1943 - Cologne (5.30) 28 February 1943 - St.Nazaire (6.30) 11 April 1943 - GARDENING, Egmond (3.50) Flight Lieutenant Hudson has now completed a full tour of operations in a most satisfactory. He was posted to the squadron when it was young in its operational life, having then to his credit 19 successful attacks against the enemy. Coming to a new squadron, his experience and enthusiasm was most helpful in training new captains and crews. In recognition of continued good service I recommend the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. Group Captain J.L. Plant added his comments on 7 May 1943: None of the crews of the squadron had any extensive bombing experience when Flight Lieutenant Hudson joined it. The manner in which he bestowed the benefit of his knowledge on these inexperienced crews deserves great praise and to him personally goes a large measure of credit for the operational successes of the squadron. I recommend that he be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The Base Commander, Station Topcliffe, wrote on 8 May 1943: Flight Lieutenant Hudson throughout his tour has shown exceptional qualities of leadership and coolness and his splendid record and quiet but dogged determination has instilled in other crews a high standard of morale, which has been greatly instrumental in the success of the squadron. I strongly concur on this recommendation. HUDSON, S/L John, DFC (J15661) - Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross - No.434 Squadron - Award effective 18 October 1945 as per London Gazette dated 26 October 1945 and AFRO 133/46 dated 8 February 1946. Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross Squadron Leader Hudson has attacked some of the enemy\'s most strongly defended targets. As a flight commander he has always set an inspiring example by his courage and determination. This officer\'s brilliant leadership both in the air and on the ground has been reflected in the high standard of operational efficiency attained by his flight. DHist file 181.009 D.1941 (RG.24 Vol.20612) has recommendation by W/C J.C. Mulvihill dated 21 May 1945; sortie list and submission as follows: 1 March 1945 - Mannheim (7.45) 6 March 1945 - Zweibrucken (7.20) 20 March 1945 - Heide (5.20) 22 March 1945 - Hildesheim (6.25) 24 March 1945 - Maraias Stinnen (6.30) 25 March 1945 - Hanover (6.45) 4 April 1945 - Merseberg (9.05) 8 April 1945 - Hamburg (6.20) 10 April 1945 - Leipzig (8.35) 13 April 1945 - Kiel (6.15) 16 April 1945 - Schwandorf (8.55) Since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Squadron Leader Hudson has completed eleven sorties on his second tour. As a Flight Commander he has set a high standard and his courage and determination, his brilliant leadership in the air and on the ground, have reflected in the squadron’s operational efficiency. I recommend the n on-immediate award of the Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross. Notes: Interviewed for RCAF in Vancouver, 30 July 1940. Described as follows: “Is a fine type of boy. He finds the war coming at this time something of a nuisance and comes into the Air Force somewhat fatalistically. Is well poised and balanced, and his action is deliberately taken. Well spoken and has a good mind. Prefers to manage sports rather than to play them. Will develop executive qualities. Needs to be steamed up on the Air Force but once launched will do well. The normal characteristics of a pilot - build, demeanour (which is collected) and sang froid. Recommended.” Involved in accident, 17 April 1942, No.14 OTU, Hampden AD845, with R7702 Sergeant W.B. Council (WAG); aircraft repairable by contractor’s working party. Night exercise, landed but turned down wrong side of runway and hit a sunken obstruction (gun position) - described as “gross carelessness”. On Lancaster KB747, No.428 Squadron, 24 March 1945 (daylight operational raid), 1840 hours. On return flight the port inner engine emitted white fumes. He suspected a glycol leak and featheresd immediately. Although temperature and pressure gauges were reading normal, he noted that earlier in the trip the motor had run roughly, but it was not until he was back over England that he feathered. Described as “technical failure.” At the time he had 52 solo hours on Lancasters and 437 solo hours on all types. Crew were J15661 S/L J. Hudson, DFC (captain), J16421 S/L J.C. Archibald (navigator, previously Mentioned in Despatches), J17691 F/O W.G. McLellan, DFC (bomb aimer), 2281185 Sergeant W.E. Pepper (flight engineer), J85776 F/O R.J. Shaver (WOP), J86007 F/O R.J. Boyer (mid-upper gunner) and J18414 F/O F.C. Doucet (rear gunner). In a summary of his career he stated he had flown six Lancaster sorties with NO.428 Squadron and three Lancaster sorties with No.434 Squadron. Having flown a Lancaster to Dartmouth from overseas (10 June 1945) he flew a Lancaster on an Eastern area tiur for the RCAF Benevolent Fund (5 September 1945). On 22 June 1955 he reported his flying to date as being on the following types: Tiger Moth (60.30), Cessna Crane (88.00), Anson (38.40), Oxgord (94.00), Hampden (153.55), Whitley (3.55), Wellington (408.25), Lancaster (225.20), Expeditor (156.35), Dakota (131.10), Harvard (105.50), Vampire (29.05), Norseman (2.00), Mitchell (1.45), Otter (18.10). On 29 March 1955, General N.F. Twining (Chief of Staff, USAF, Washington) wrote to Air Marshal Roy Slemon (RCAF Chief of Air Staff) as follows: The heroic and selfless actions performed by personnel of the RCAF in the rescue of crew members of a USAF B-47 which crashed near The Pas, Manitoba on 13 February 1955 have been brought to my personal attention. The prompt manner in which your personnel responded to the rescue alert undoubtedly resulted in the saving of the lives of two USAF crew members and materially aided in the ultimate recovery of a third crew member. Accordingly, I would like to extend, on behalf of the USAF, my most sincere appreciation for the assistance and cooperation rendered on this occasion. These humanitarian acts were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect credit upon your fine organization. Although there were undoubtedly many individuals who had an active part in the rescue effort, the following have been cited as particularly deserving of credit: RCAF Air Commodore J.G. Bryans, RCAF Station Winnipeg, Canada Squadron Leader J. Hudson, RCAF Station Winnipeg, Canada Squadron Leader W.H. Spafford, 111th Communications and Rescue Squadron, Winnipeg, Canada. Sergeant W. Dawson, 111th Communications and Rescue Squadron, Winnipeg, Canada. Corporal C.P. Cooney, 111th Communications and Rescue Squadron, Winnipeg, Canada. Nursing Sister M.L. MacDonald, 111th Communications and Rescue Squadron, Winnipeg, Canada. Sergeant T.P. McMenamon, 111th Communications and Rescue Squadron, Winnipeg, Canada. Leading Aircraftman E.A. Thompson, 111th Communications and Rescue Squadron, Winnipeg, Canada. In addition to the above personnel, would you please convey my thanks to the following members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and various civil agencies for their invaluable assistance: RCMP Pilot Sergeant A.M. Beaumont, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Corporal R.L. Fletcher, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Special Constable C. Fossineauve, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Corporal R. Pollock, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Civil Components Mr. Bon Fletcher, Saskatchewan Government Airways Mr. Clark, Saskatchewan Government Airways Mr. Tom Lamb, Lamb Airways, The Pas, Manitoba Dr. S.L. Carey, Clearwater Sanitarium, The Pas, Manitoba Mr. Alex Clark, Airport Manager, The Pas, Manitoba.