Ernest Walter GARRETT (1917-2000)

Name:	GARRETT, Ernest Walter, DFC and Bar
Nationality:	Canadian
Regiment/Service:	Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:	Squadron Leader
Service No.:	J/16299
Date of Birth:	13 July 1917 - Toronto, York, ON
Date of Death:	16 February 2000 - Winnipeg, AB

GARRETT, F/O Ernest Walter (J16299) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.109 Squadron - Award effective 7 July 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 2052/44 dated 22 September 1944. Born in Toronto, 13 July 1917 (birth date from obituary); home there. Educated at Earl Haig, Earle Beattie High School, and Eastern High School of Commerce. Enlisted 23 October 1940. To No.36 SFTS, 7 December 1940 for non-flying duties. To No.2 ITS, 9 February 1941; promoted LAC, 15 March 1941 and posted that day to No.4 AOS; to No.1 BGS, 9 June 1941. Graduated 19 July 1941 and promoted Sergeant. To No.2 ANS, 20 July 1941. Warned for embarkation, 20 August 1941. To RAF overseas, 17 September 1941. Commissioned 16 September 1942. Repatriated to Canada, 22 September 1944. Remained in postwar RCAF; Flight Lieutenant as of 1 October 1946; promoted Squadron Leader, (Navigation Officer), 1 January 1952. Federal public servant after retirement. Died in Winnipeg, 16 February 2000. Cited with F/L A.C. Carter (RAF pilot).

Flight Lieutenant Carter and Flying Officer Garrett were pilot and navigator respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Leverkusen one night in June 1944. When nearing the target the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire which damaged the port tail plane. Just afterwards both the port engines were affected when another shell burst underneath the aircraft. Nevertheless, Flight Lieutenant Carter maintained a steady run and the target was successfully attacked. Almost immediately the aircraft was again hit. The elevator and aileron controls were severed, measure of control was lost but Flight Lieutenant Carter succeeded in bringing the bomber level and a course was set for home. Soon after leaving the target one of the damaged engines caught fire and had to be put out of action. The aircraft gradually lost height but Flight Lieutenant Carter held resolutely to his course and finally reached an airfield. This officer displayed skill, gallantry and devotion to duty of a high order. Flying Officer Garrett also proved himself to be a valiant and devoted member of aircraft crew. In the face of most harassing circumstances he navigated his aircraft with unerring skill and also rendered other assistance to his pilot in his endeavours to reach this country.

Public Record Office Air 2/9157 has recommendation drafted by Commanding Officer, No.109 Squadron, 8 June 1944 when he had flown 68 sorties (272 operational hours). Sortie list and submission as follows:

13 March 1942	Nickelling, Paris	23 January 1944	Duren
23 March 1942	GARDENING, Isle de Groix	27 January 1944	bombing, 49 45' N, 00 56' E
25 March 1942	GARDENING, Isle de Groix	29 January 1944	bombing, 49 45' N, 00 56' E
29 March 1942	GARDENING, Terschelling	9 February 1944	Krefeld
2 April 1942	GARDENING, Quiberch	11 February 1944	Ruhrort
4 April 1942	GARDENING, Tershelling (day)	19 February 1944	Twente
6 April 1942	Cologen	22 February 1944	Ruhrort
8 April 1942	Hamburg	11 March 1944	bombing and marking, Gladbach
19 April 1942	GARDENING, Tershelling	13 March 1944	Obershausen
23 April 1942	Rostock	15 March 1944	Bochum
24 April 1942	Rostock	16 March 1944	bombing and marking, Cologne
25 April 1942	Rostock	18 March 1944	Juvencourt
4 May 1942	Stuttgart	24 March 1944	Juvencourt
30 May 1942	Cologone	26 March 1944	Essen
7 June 1942	Emden	29 March 1944	Cologne
19 June 1942	Emden	4 April 1944	bombing and marking, Cologne
26 June 1942	GARDENING, Lorient	7 April 1944	Rheinhausen
30 June 1942	sea sweep, North Sea (day)	9 April 1944	marking, Lille
8 July 1942	Wilhelmshaven	10 April 1944	Hamborn
26 July 1942	Duisburg	26 April 1944	Villeneuve
27 July 1942	Hamburg	30 April 1944	Abancourt (day)
29 July 1942	sea sweep, North Sea (day)	1 May 1944	marking, Chambly
6 October 1942	Osnabruck	3 May 1944	marking, Montdidier
31 October 1942	Emden	6 May 1944	Chateaudun
9 November 1942	GARDENING, Frisians	8 May 1944	Berneval
11 November 1942	GARDENING, Frisians	9 May 1944	Chateaudun
18 November 1942	Weather recce, NW Germany	11 May 1944	Boulogne
2 December 1943	Bochum	15 May 1944	Leverkusen
12 December 1943	Essen	19 May 1944	marking, Amiens
16 December 1943	Hamborn	20 May 1944	Rieshole
21 December 1943	Dusseldorf	22 May 1944	Dortmund
23 December 1943	Hamborn	23 May 1944	Dortmund
30 December 1943	Hamborn	26 May 1944	Aachen
2 January 1944	Ruhrort	30 May 1944	bombing and marking, Leverkusen
4 January 1944	Krefeld	1 June 1944	Ferme d’ Urville
5 January 1944	Krefeld	2 June 1944	bombing and marking, Leverkusen

This officer was navigator and special equipment operator to Flight Lieutenant Carter on the night of 2nd/3rd June 1944 in an attack on Leverkusen. Despite the fact that his aircraft had been twice hit by anti-aircraft fire and badly damaged, Flying Officer Garrett calmly continued with his duties to bring about the successful marking of the target before devoting his attention to assisting the pilot to fly the aircraft safely out of the target area and eventually back to England. From the target until very nearly the French coast Flying Officer Garrett went about his navigation duties without any aids to navigation, all of which had been rendered unserviceable by the damage to the aircraft, and his skill and coolness under the most trying circumstances were in a very large way responsible for the captain being able to bring the aircraft back to this country before it had to be abandoned.

By his commendable courage and devotion to duty Flying Officer Garrett has proved himself most highly deserving of the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

GARRETT, F/L Ernest Walter, DFC (J16299) - Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross - No.109 Squadron - Award effective 4 November 1944 as per London Gazette dated 14 November 1944 and AFRO 239/45 dated 9 February 1945.