415 Squadron Association
SWORDFISH VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II
Flying Officer William Lane
Bill Lane was born in the rural community of Daysland, Alberta on November 16, 1924. Although only aged 14 at the outbreak of the war, young Bill had already decided that he wanted to join the RCAF and learn to fly. His family moved to Edmonton in 1942 just as he completed high school. Bill was only 17 when he enrolled and quickly found himself at #4 Initial Training School located in Edmonton. As he turned 18, he was sent to the Elementary Flying Training School at High River, Alberta where he flew the Fairchild PT-26B Cornell. By the summer of 1943, he was training at #3 Service Flying Training School located Curries Field in Calgary. He earned his “wings” on the Cessna T-50 Crane, graduating on September 17, 1943. He enjoyed a three week embarkation with family and friends. He then made is way to Halifax and boarded the Queen Mary arriving at South Hampton, England on October 31. He was then transported to the RCAF Personnel Receiving Center in Bournemouth, Dorset.
Fairchild PT-26B Cornell Cessna T-50 Crane
In short order Bill was transferred to #11 Advanced Flying Unit located at RAF Shawbury, for familiarization flights before his transfer to #22 Operational Training Unit located at RAF Wellesbourne Mountford. At the OTU crews of six were formed and introduced to multi-engine bombing on the Vickers Wellington. Bill’s all Canadian crew included: FO E.G. (Glen) LeGrice, Navigator; Sgt W.R. (Randy) Graham, Bomb Aimer; WO P. (Robbie) Roberts, Wireless Operator; Sgt W. Smallbridge, Mid-Upper Gunner; and Sgt S Eltherington, Tail Gunner. The crew then moved on to RAF Topcliff to complete heavy bomber conversion. RAF Topcliff had been transferred to #6 Group (RCAF) and became the Group’s central training station preparing crews for operations on Canadian Squadrons located throughout Yorkshire, England. It was at this time that Sgt Smallbridge and Sgt Eltherington were ordered to be repatriated and Sgt John Miller and Sgt F. (Sammy) Bannister were brought on as replacements. Also FSgt Jim Ruff, Flight Engineer (UK), joined the crew as they began Halifax conversion at 1664 (RCAF) HCU located at RAF Dishforth, which was a satellite station of RAF Topcliffe. While training at the HCU, Bill’s crew was sent on a special mission to drop “window” on 5 June 1944. At the time they did not realize the importance or the real reason for their mission. It was sometime later that they understood that the mission had been used as one of many diversions executed for “D” Day. Soon after the crew completed the conversion course and was posted to 426 Squadron, which was located at Litton-on-Ouse. Over the next month they flew a total of six operational missions with 426.
A decision had been taken in late May 1944 to re-assign 415 Squadron from Coastal Command to Bomber Command. The Squadron would be transferred to RAF East Moor and would require trained Halifax crews before it could be declared operational ready. The new Commanding Officer, Wing Commander McNeil, was charged with integrating a disparate group of crews into a cohesive squadron. These crews were primarily drawn from existing Canadian Bomber Crews; basically one crew per Squadron was transferred to 415. At the time Bill was the youngest crew commander in the Group. He was only 19 and still held the rank of Sgt. In addition his crew had only flown a limited number of operations with 426 so it was decided to move them as 426’s contribution. As Bill recently recalled “there was no argument that I could muster, our crew was an easy target for the move”. So it was that Bill’s crew joined aircrew from twelve other Canadian bomber squadrons to reform 415 as a Bomber unit equipped with 22 Halifax IIIs.
Bill Lane #3 S.F.T.S Calgary Bill’s Crew
Bill’s crew flew their first 415 operation on August 9, 1944. Over the next five months they would fly 25 missions and would have their share of close calls caused by anti-aircraft fire, night fighters, weather and fatigue. For most of this period they flew aircraft LK766 “Q”. Working magic, the ground crew were essential to the success of each and every mission. Bill recounted how “they kept the planes running and allowed us to turn around and get back in the air quickly. We always had the same ground crew. They would be waiting for us when we came back from an operation – regardless of the time”. Bill and his navigator bought a car and when they were on duty they let their ground crew use it. “They (his ground crew) kept it well maintained and fuelled. I never asked them where they got the fuel from”.
During Bill’s time on Squadron one of the biggest issues junior leaders had to deal with was the frequent changes in senior leadership - three times in three months. On August 21, only weeks after the arrival of 415 Squadron at East Moor, its Commander, W/C McNeill, and 24 aircrew and ground crew were killed when there was an unfortunate mid-air collision between two Squadron aircraft. W/C Lecomte, who had already completed a tour as Commanding Officer of 425 Squadron, assumed interim command of 415 Squadron on August 23. It was an extremely difficult time for the Squadron. The crews were flying at a high tempo and had to deal with many negative base related issues and poor Squadron administration, both of which adversely effected morale. At the end of October, W/C Ball was assigned command of the Squadron. According to Bill, W/C Ball was “a great leader and a real nice guy who finally set the Squadron on pace”.
Perhaps the worst trip Bill’s crew ever flew was on October 23, 1944. Returning from a raid on Essen at 19,000 feet, Bill’s Halifax encountered severe icing conditions. Very quickly ice accumulated and in minutes control of the aircraft was lost. Unable to find warmer weather and with ice continuing to build he order his crew to abandon the aircraft; however, ice had frozen the escape hatches shut and escape was impossible. Soon the aircraft began to lose altitude and despite Bill’s herculean effort to gain control the aircraft entered into a dive. One of the crew moved to the cockpit and both men tied belts around the control column and pulled as hard as they could. The Halifax eventually reached a layer of warmer air and at 2500 feet the control platforms broke free of the ice and Bill was able to regain control. He recalls that “I could hear chunks of ice breaking loose and feel pieces of ice striking the elevator”. They made it back to East Moor however the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage and control surfaces.
Another near fatal incident occurred during a bombing mission to Soest on December 5, 1944. After being airborne around three and half hours his crew was subjected to heavy flax, as two searchlight cones illuminated their aircraft. With an uncontrollable port outer engine and a defective port inner, he was unable to reach the target. Returning to England he jettisoned the bomb load. Short of fuel and with no hydraulics he managed to land the aircraft at RAF Hardwick. The extent of the flax damage was so vast that the aircraft “Q” was a complete write-off.
On January 6, 1945 Bill’s crew flew their 31st operation and were fortunate to complete their tour of duty. Promoted to Flying Officer, he was just 20 years old when he returned to Canada. After a repatriation leave period he was sent to Abbotsford where he was to undergo special low level bombing training having volunteered for Pacific Duty. Expecting to join #5 Liberator Operational Training Unit, by April 1945 there was no need for additional aircrew in the Pacific and Bill was sent to Calgary and discharged. Unfortunately Bill had lost his logbook during his move from East Moor back to Canada. Interestingly in 1948 a package addressed to him from Ottawa arrived at his parent’s home in Edmonton. It was his log book and there was no information concerning its whereabouts over the years. It remains a complete mystery but Bill is happy that it was returned.
Bill decided to return to school but first worked at a smelter for summer employment. He became gravely ill and missed his fall courses. After he recuperated he apprenticed as a pharmacist and over two years completing his studies by attending night classes. From 1947 to 1953 he served with 418 Auxiliary Squadron, where he flew B-25 Mitchells. Upon graduation he was hired by the National Drug & Chemical Company and eventually was appointed Western Sales and Advertising Manager. Some years later Bill chose to move to the West Coast and became the Post Master of Canada Post’s Gabriola Island Office – a job he described as “the best he ever had”. He retired in 1993 and immediately volunteered at the Vancouver Island Military Museum (VIMM) located in Nanaimo, where he still works the Monday afternoon shift. Throughout his retirement Bill and his wife Helen have traveled extensively. They make at least two trips each year and have visited over 60 countries together. Through the years Bill stayed in touch with most of the members of his crew. Today he is the sole survivor.
Information for this story was acquired from an article written by Walter Cordery for the Harbour City Star, Nanaimo dated November 10, 2004 as well as an article written by Roger Bird and Pat Murphy in the Vancouver Island Military Museum Newsletter dated November 2013. Further details were obtained during discussions between Bill Lane and Chris Henneberry as well as reference to “The East Moor Experience” written by Brian Shields. The 415 Squadron Association wishes to express its deep appreciation to Bill for the service he rendered to his Squadron and Country.
Bill Lane at the VIMM