William Albert ARMSTRONG (1916-1992)

Name:	ARMSTRONG, William Albert, DFC
Nationality:	Canadian
Regiment/Service:	Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:	Flight Lieutenant
Service No.:	J/8128
Unit Text:	No.407 Squadron
Date of Birth:	16 September 1916 - Kinburn, Huron, ON
Date of Death:	24 December 1992 - Beloit, West Indies

ARMSTRONG, F/L William Albert (J8128) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.407 Squadron - Award effective 1 September 1943 as per London Gazette dated 10 September 1943 and AFRO 2138/43 dated 22 October 1943. Born at Kinburn, Ontario, 16 September 1916. Educated at Queens University (BA, 1937); taught school at Carp, Ontario; enlisted Ottawa 16 December 1940 when posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To No.1A Manning Depot, 8 January 1941. To Trenton, 27 January 1941. To No.1 ITS, 10 April 1941; graduated and promoted to LAC 12 May 1941; No.4 AOS; to No.4 BGS, 4 August 1941; graduated 13 September 1941 when posted to No.2 ANS; promoted to Sergeant, 15 September 1941, graduated and commissioned 13 October 1941). To No.31 OTU, 2 November 1941; to RAF overseas, 12 November 1941. Repatriated 14 November 1943. No.3 OTU, 29 December 1943. Retired 2 May 1945. DHist file 181.009 D.1636 (RG.24 Vol.20604) has application for Operational Wings submitted about February 1944. Claimed 500 hours total flying, 205 hours operational hours, 25 sorties on Hudsons (anti-shipping), 20 sorties on Wellingtons (anti-submarine). Instructing at No.6 OTU, Silloth, 21 August to November 1943 when repatriated to Canada. Joined No.3 OTU, Patricia Bay, 5 January 1944; invested there with DFC by A/V/M Heakes, 19 January 1945. Attended Queens University in postwar (B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, 1948) and then became an industrial engineer. Died 25 December 1992 at Beloit, West Indies.

This officer has been engaged almost continuously on operations since January 1942. He has participated in many low level attacks against enemy shipping and his crew has been responsible for sinking two merchant ships. Flight Lieutenant Armstrong has also been employed as navigator on anti-submarine patrols. As squadron bombing leader, his work has been largely responsible for the high efficiency of his own and other crews in the squadron.

SOURCE: Air Force Association of Canada website & Hugh Halliday (July 30, 2010).