DALPHOND, Sergeant (now P/O) Melville Hermes Joseph (R60726/J23451) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.405 Squadron - Award effective 21 January 1943 as per London Gazette dated 5 February 1943 and AFRO 757/43 dated 30 April 1943. Born 5 September 1915 in Morinville, Alberta; educated Edmonton Jesuit College. Home in Morinville, Alberta where he was employed by Alberta Forest Service and operated a private radio station. Enlisted in Edmonton, 3 June 1940. To No.1 ITS, 24 June 1940; graduated and promoted LAC, 19 July 1940; to No.1 WS on that date; graduated 22 November 1940 and posted next day to No.2 BGS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 23 December 1940. To No.1 Manning Depot, 2 January 1941; to Embarkation Depot, 4 February 1941. To RAF overseas, 2 March 1941. To No.19 OTU, 14 March 1941. To No.1 Signals School, 23 April 1941. To No.22 OTU, 10 May 1941. To No.405 Squadron, 10 July 1941. Missing following raid on Brest, 24 July 1941; escaped 5 September 1942. To RCAF Overseas Headquarters, 30 November 1942. Repatriated 13 January 1943. Commissioned 12 January 1943. To No.2 WS, 19 January 1943. To No.2 AOS, Edmonton, 13 March 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 7 June 1943. To No.5 EFTS, 16 October 1943. To No.3 SFTS, Calgary, 12 January 1944. To No.4 SFTS, Saskatoon, 19 January 1944. Qualified as pilot, 25 August 1944. To No.8 BGS, Lethbridge, 11 October 1944. To No.2 WS, Calgary, 25 October 1944. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 7 December 1944. To No.15 SFTS, Claresholm, 13 April 1945. To No.3 ANS, Portage la Prairie, 16 May 1945. Retired 11 September 1945. Rejoined RCAF with Northwest Air Command, Edmonton, 5 September 1946 (20185). To No.6 Communications Flight, Edmonton, 1 April 1947. To AFHQ, 1 August 1947. To RCAF Overseas Headquarters, 2 Augur 1947. Attached to No.4 Missing Research and Enquiries Unit, Wiesendorf, Germany, 28 August 1947 to 7 March 1948. Repatriated 5 July 1948. To No.112 Flight, Rivers, 6 July 1948. To “K” Flight, Edmonton, 4 October 1948. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 January 1950. To Canadian Joint Air Training Centre, Rivers, 27 March 1951. To No.1 Group Headquarters (Auxiliary), Montreal, 19 October 1951. To Tactical Group Communications and Rescue Flight, Edmonton, 27 October 1951. To AFHQ, 30 August 1952. To No.1 Ar Division, 26 May 1955. To No.6 Movements Unit, Paris, 1 January 1956. Promoted Squadron Leader, 1 January 1958. To Montreal, 5 May 1959 for service with Embarkation Unit. To AFHQ, 27 July 1961. To Lincoln Park, 5 September 1962. Retired 17 March 1963. Died in Summerland, British Columbia, 1 April 1991 as per Legion Magazine of July 1991. Photo PL-35063 shows him. No citation in RCAF cards other than "member of aircraft crew...displayed great gallantry and determination in attacks against targets in enemy occupied territory." Ian Tavender records, in The Distinguished Flying Medal Register for the Second World War (London, Savanah Publications, 2000) the following recommendation as found in Public Record Office Air 2/4937: // Sergeant Dalphond was the front gunner of an aircraft which took off from Pocklington at 1130 hours on 23rd July 1942 [sic] to bomb the Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen at Brest. The aircraft was shot down over the target and the crew were forced to bail out. Sergeant Dalphond landed safely and with courage and determination evaded capture and eventually arrived safely back in this country. I recommend the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal. // Public Record Office WO 208/3311 has MI.9 report based on interviews from 7 to 9 Octoner 1942. He had left Gibraltar on 30 September 1942 and arrived in Greenock on 6 October 1942. // I was front gunner of a Wellington which took off from Pocklington at 1130 hours 23 July [1941] to bomb Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen at Brest. The other members of the crew were:- // W/C Gilchrist (S/P.G. 672) // Sergeant Paton (S/P.G. 645) // P/O McKay (POW) // Sergeant West (POW) // F/L Whigham (killed) // The aircraft was hit by fighter fire while over the target and was wrecked, the rear gunner, F/L Whigham, being killed. The remainder of the crew baled out; I landed one and three-quarter miles west-north-west of Lesnevan, Brittany at 1540 hours. Before touching down I could see motorcycle ptrols conversing on the area. I hid my parachute and gloves in a hedge, and as I ran for cover, took off my harness, etc. I then saw a dozen French people coming towards me and beckoning. They took me to a nearby house and gave me civilian clothes. While I was there the Germans who came to the door were told there was no airman in the house and left. By this time my back, which had been wounded by cannon shell splinter, was swelling and very painful. The French directed me to a doctor in Lesnevan. On the way I met two girls on bicycles who took me to their house in Lesnevan and then to another when, presently, a doctor came, dressed my back, gave me 2,000 francs and advised me to get out of the district as quickly as possible. I left that house at 1800 hours returning with the two girls to their house. I slept the night in the house of an old woman four doors away, who supplied me with somebody else’s identity and ration cards. // Next morning [24 July] I was put in touch with helpers by whose aid I was passed across France and eventually came in contact with an organisation by means of which I was brought back to the United Kingdom. // To this is appended the following statement: // But I was caught by French gendarmes and interned at Fort St. Hippolyte, and Fort de la Revere. I made many attempts to escape. In August 1942, when the officers were moved to Fort de la Duchere, they left me in charge of escaping. In September 1942, in conjunction with outside help, I organised an escape of a large party, several of whom reached the United Kingdom. // See also entry for J.S. Paton for text of report on being shot down. // Training: Interviewed in Edmonton, 2 June 1940 and recommended as “dependable person.” // Course at No.1 WS was 20 July to 24 November 1940. Spent one hour in flying classroom as First Operator, three hours in flying classroom on Listening Watch and two hours in two-seater aircraft as sole operator. Courses in Theory (60/100), Practical Application (105/150), Morse, buzzer and lamp (180/200), Procedure (155/200), Signals Office Routine (55/100), Signals Organization (110/150) and Drill and PT (70/100). Placed eleventh in a class of 96. // Course at No.2 BGS was 25 November to 23 December 1940. Battle aircraft - five hours gunnery by day. “A desirable type for Air Gunner. Might be suitable for commissioning after service.” Placed sixth in a class of 17. // Attended No.5 EFTS, 18 October to 11 December 1943. Cornell aircraft - eight hours 50 minutes dual to first solo, 33.35 total day dual, 36.40 day solo, 3.35 night dual, 1.40 night solo, 10.05 on instruments, ten hours on instruments. Assessed in General Flying (306/450), Instrument Flying (177/250), Night Flying (68/100), Navigation, practical (65/100) and Link (72/100). Examined in Airmanship (227/300), Armament (171/200), Aircraft Recognition (92/100), Signals (50/100 on supplemental), and Air Navigation (198/300). “Good average ground school ability. Worked very hard to overcome lack of ITS training. Good average pilot, slightly careless about details. Very keen about his job.” // Attended No.4 SFTS, 14 February to 25August 1944. Crane aircraft - 7.45 day dual to first day solo, total 110.20 day dual, 83.15 day solo, 34.25 in formation, 2.30 night dual to first night solo, 11.15 total night dual, 6.50 night solo. Was 36.15 on instruments. Assessed in General Flying (213/300), Instrument Flying (144/200), Navigation (95/150), Armament (109/150), Night Flying (65/100), Formation (40/50) and Link (34/50). Examined in Airmanship (149/200), Armament (194/200), Navigation (137/200), Aircraft Recognition (88/100), Signals (174/200), and Meteorology (76/100). // Attended Flying Boat School, Vancouver, 10 January to 8 March 1949. Scored 174/200 on Ground Test, 126/200 on Flying Test. Flew Canso “A” Land (19.20 as pilot, 3.40 crew duties) and Canso “A” Water (48.55 as pilot, 6.55 crew duties). Passed as Low Average. S/L S.D. Turner (OC Flying Boat School) wrote: “This officer has worked hard and made a very creditable showing in ground subjects and written examinations. However, in practical flying he has been low average throughout the course. Flying Officer Dalphond received a total of 78 hours and 50 minutes flying time and received 63 percent on his final water flight check. He is somewhat handicapped by his short stature which makes it difficult for him to handle a large aircraft, especially during water manoeuvres where maximum use of controls is sometimes required. This officer requires considerable additional experience before being qualified as Captain and it is strongly recommended that he be given a season as second pilot on operations before being considered as Captain. Consideration should be given to the employment of Flying Officer Dalphond in a capacity other than that of a Flying Boat pilot. Qualified first pilot day on land and water - Qualified as second pilot night on land and water.”