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Name: |
HUTCHINSON, Edgar "Bruce" |
Nationality: |
Canadian |
Regiment/Service: |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Rank: |
Flying Officer |
Service No.: |
J/16831 |
Date of Birth: |
29 August 1921 - Anderdon, ON |
HUTCHINSON, F/O Edgar Bruce (J16831) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.425 Squadron - Award effective 01 September 1944 as per London Gazette dated 15 September 1944 and AFRO 2373/44 dated 03 November 1944. Born in Anderdon, Ontario, 29 August 1921; home in Amherstburg, Ontario. Educated at University of Toronto. Enlisted in Windsor, Ontario, 15 January 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To No.1A Manning Depot, 29 January 1941. To No.5 FTS (guard), 02 March 1941. To No.3 ITS, 03 May 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 08 June 1941 when posted to No.4 AOS; graduated 01 September 1941 when posted to No.1 BGS; graduated and prompted Sergeant, 11 October 1941 when posted to No.2 ANS; graduated 10 November 1941 and posted next day to “Y” Depot. To RAF overseas, 12 December 1941. Commissioned 04 January 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 04 July 1943. Repatriated 07 October 1944. Retired 16 November 1944. Flew two tours. No citation other than "completed... many successful operations during which [he has] displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty." DHist file 181.009.D.1730 (PAC RG.24 Vol.20607) has recommendation (May 1944).
This officer has completed a large number of sorties in an exemplary manner against nearly all the major targets in Germany. He completed his first tour last summer and is now well into his second tour. As a navigator, he has done an excellent job and has inspired his crew with great confidence. His cheerfulness, devotion to duty, and excellent work as navigator over a long period and against such heavily defended targets is a fine example for the rest of this squadron. |
NOTE: DHist file 181.009 D.5526 (RG.24 Vol.20667) has another recommendation for DFC dated 20 July 1944 when he was with No.431 Squadron and had completed 47 sorties (239 hours 30 minutes) in tours lasting 17 June 1942 to 25 May 1943 (29 sorties) and 6 March to 7 July 1944. The submission on that occasion was as follows:
FIRST TOUR
| 07 June 1942 | St. Nazaire-Cherbourg (6.35) | 13 September 1942 | Bremen (4.50) |
| 18 June 1942 | Scheermonikoog | 02 October 1942 | Krefeld (5.35) |
| 25 June 1942 | Bremen (4.25) | 06 October 1942 | Osnabruck (3.05) |
| 27 June 1942 | Bremen (5.00) | 21 January 1943 | Gardening off Juist Island (5.15) |
| 30 June 1942 | Bremen (5.10) | 23 January 1943 | Lorient (6.30) |
| 06 July 1942 | Lorient (5.50) | 29 January 1943 | Lorient (3.10, turned back) |
| 08 July 1942 | Wilhelmshaven (4.25) | 20 April 1943 | Stettin (8.05) |
| 09 July 1942 | Frisians (4.50) | 26 April 1943 | Duisburg (4.40) |
| 13 July 1942 | Duisburg (4.00) | 27 April 1943 | Gardening, Frisians (4.35) |
| 25 July 1942 | Duisburg (3.45) | 30 April 1943 | Essen (5.00) |
| 26 July 1942 | Hamburg (5.45) | 04 May 1943 | Dortmund (4.40) |
| 28 July 1942 | Hamburg (5.35) | 12 May 1943 | Duisburg (5.00) |
| 31 July 1942 | Dusseldorf (5.05) | 13 May 1943 | Bochum (5.35) |
| 06 August 1942 | Duisburg (3.00) | 23 May 1943 | Dortmund (4.50) |
| 09 August 1942 | Osnabruck (4.05, turned back) |
SECOND TOUR
| 06 March 1944 | Trappes (4.50) | 09 May 1944 | Calais (3.30) |
| 07 March 1944 | Le Mans (4.55) | 12 May 1944 | Louvain (4.55) |
| 15 March 1944 | Stuttgart (7.40) | 22 May 1944 | Le Mans (5.00) |
| 19 March 1944 | Frankfurt (5.20) | 31 May 1944 | Au Fevre (4.35) |
| 09 April 1944 | Villeneuve St. George (5.40) | 05 June 1944 | Houlgate (5.15) |
| 10 April 1944 | Ghent (4.05) | 09 June 1944 | Le Mans (6.00) |
| 18 April 1944 | Paris-Noisy-le-Sec (5.10) | 12 June 1944 | Arras (4.50) |
| 20 April 1944 | Lens (4.10) | 14 June 1944 | Cambrai (4.00) |
| 01 May 1944 | St. Ghislain (4.30) | 16 June 1944 | Sterkrade (4.50) |
| 08 May 1944 | Haine St. Pierre (4.00) | 04 July 1944 | Biennais (3.55) |
This officer, a navigator, has successfully carried out forty-seven operational sorties over enemy territory, including such heavily defended targets as Stuttgart, Hamburg, Bremen, Cologne and Essen. Through his outstanding ability and keenness he has accurately navigated his aircraft to some of the most distant targets, thus enabling his crew to successfully press home, to the utmost, each of their attacks. His unconquerable spirit of determination has assisted materially in the achievement of their objective. His devotion to duty and utter disregard of personal safety are exemplary and worthy of the highest praise. He is strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. |
SOURCE: Air Force Association of Canada website & Hugh Halliday (August 10, 2010).
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