Joseph Andre Roger LABARGE (1922-

Name:	LABARGE, Joseph Andre Roger, POW, DFC
Nationality:	Canadian
Regiment/Service:	Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:	Flight Lieutenant
Service No.:	J/17674
Date of Birth:	April 1922 - Montreal, Quebec

LABARGE, P/O Joseph Andre Roger (J17674) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.432 Squadron - No.432 Squadron - Award effective 6 November 1943 as per London Gazette dated 16 November 1943 and AFRO 2610/43 dated 17 December 1943. Born in Montreal, April 1922; home there. Enlisted there 12 August 1941 and taken on strength of No.4A Manning Depot. To No.3 ITS, 13 September 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 19 October 1941; to No.10 AOS, 7 November 1941; to No.6 BGS, 13 February 1942; promoted Sergeant, 24 March 1942; to No.2 ANS, 28 March 1942. To “Y” Depot, 28 April 1942. To No.31 OTU, 12 May 1942. To Ferry Command, 30 June 1942; to RAF overseas, 20 July 1942 . Commissioned 24 April 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 24 October 1943. Shot down and taken prisoner with No.405 Squadron, 30 January 1944. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 24 April 1945. Repatriated 7 July 1945. To Lachine, 20 July 1945. Retired 19 September 1945.No citation in AFRO other than "...completed many successful operations against the enemy in which [he] displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty." DHist file 181.009 D.5557 (RG.24 Vol.20668) has recommendation dated 18 September 1943 when he had flown 30 sorties (151 hours five minutes), 29 January to 8 September 1943

This officer has shown a high degree of skill and initiative. His cheerful confidence has inspired a high standard of morale in his crew. Of his 30 operational sorties, 16 of them have been over heavily defended targets in Germany, such as Essen, Wuppertal, Krefeld, Mulheim, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Mannheim. For this fine record of achievement, his outstanding ability and strong sense of duty, this officer is strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The sortie list was as follows:
29 Jan 43	Lorient (3:10, unsuccessful)	24 June 43	Elberfeld (5:45)
11 Feb 43	Ameland (4:10)	28 June 43	Cologne (3:00, unsuccessful)
16 Feb 43	Lorient (7:30)	2 July 43	Gardening, Brest (4:55)
20 Feb 43	Ameland (3:45)	3 July 43	Cologne (5:50)
1 Mar 43	Ameland (4:35)	8 July 43	Gardening, Brest (6:10)
9 Mar 43	Gardening, Heligoland (5:15)	13 July 43	Aachen (5:10)
2 Apr 43	St. Nazaire (6:50)	29 July 43	Hamburg (5:50)
4 Apr 43	Kiel (3:00, unsuccessful)	2 Aug 43	Hamburg (4:15, unsuccessful)
10 Apr 43	Frankfurt (6:20)	3 Aug 43	Gardening, Lorient (6:30)
16 Apr 43	Mannheim (7:45)	6 Aug 43	Gardening, Zuider Zee (3:20)
27 May 43	Essen (5:10)	24 Aug 43	Gardening, Zuider Zee (3:20)
29 May 43	Wuppertal (5:50)	25 Aug 43	Gardening, St. Nazaire (6:30)
1 June 43	Gardening, Zuider Zee (3:30)	3 Sept 43	Raisnes Forest, ammunition dump (4:50)
21 June 43	Krefeld (4:30)	5 Sept 43	Gardening, Brest (6:05)
22 June 43	Mulheim (4:45)	8 Sept 43	Boulogne, special mission