Richard Charles McCLELLAND (1919-

Name:	McCLELLAND, Richard Charles, DFC & Bar
Nationality:	Canadian
Regiment/Service:	Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:	Flight Lieutenant
Service No.:	R/75461 & J/16755
Date of Birth:	December 25, 1919

McCLELLAND, WO (now P/O) Richard Charles (R75461/J16755) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.106 Squadron - Award effective 3 June 1943 as per London Gazette dated 15 June 1943 and AFRO 1724/43 dated 27 August 1943. See War Service Records 1939-1945 (Canadian Bank of Commerce, 1947). Born 25 December 1919, Herbert, Saskatchewan. Home there; educated there; banker. Enlisted in Saskatoon, 16 December 1940 and posted to No.2 Manning Depot. To Patricia Bay, 15 January 1941. To No.2 ITS, 07 February 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 15 March 1941 when posted to No.4 AOS; to No.1 BGS, 09 June 1941; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 19 July 1941; to No.2 ANS on 20 July 1941; graduated 20 August 1941 when posted to Embarkation Depot; to RAF overseas, 14 September 1941. Posted for a time to No.97 Squadron, flew 31 sorties with No.106 Squadron and 71 sorties with No.109 Squadron. Also instructed at Upper Heyford. Commissioned 02 December 1942. Promoted Flying Officer, 2 June 1943. Repatriated 23 March 1945. To No.2 Air Command, 03 April 1945. To No.2 OTU, Debert, 06 May 1945 to instruct. To Release Centre, 01 August 1945. Released 07 August 1945. Invested with DFC at Buckingham Palace, 21 March 1944. Bar to DFC presented in Canada, 13 November 1948.

Throughout his operational tour Warrant Officer McClelland has displayed navigational ability of the highest order while his unfailing accuracy is greatly to be commended. He has navigated his aircraft with skill and determination over heavily defended territory to targets in widely scattered parts of Germany and occupied territory including Danzig, Bremen, Berlin, Lorient, the Ruhr and Italy and on the daylight attack on Milan. In addition he has been largely responsible for the success of long distance mine-laying sorties. This airman has set and maintained an exceptionally high standard of navigation and has on all occasions shown great courage, coolness and enthusiasm to participate in operations.

NOTE: Public Record Office Air 2/8955 has recommendation drafted 27 April 1943 when he had flown 29 sorties (198 hours 35 minutes). Sortie list and submission as follows:

24 August 194227 August 194201 September 194204 September 194206 September 194210 September 194213 September 194218 September 1942

25 June 1942	Bremen (4.45) - bombed D.R. from 8,000 feet	23 September 1942	Wismar (7.35), target found despite low cloud and mist
29 June 1942	Bremen (4.30) - bombed on T.R. fix , 14,000 feet	02 October 1942	Aachen (2.25), mission abandoned
19 July 1942	Vegasack (4.55) - target located despite thick cloud	12 October 1942	Wismar (8.15)
26 July 1942	Hamburg (5.30)	22 October 1942	Genoa (9.05)
31 July 1942	Dusseldorf (4.20)	24 October 1942	Milan (10.40), daylight
07 August 1942	Duisburg (3.30)	18 November 1942	Turin (9.35), photo two miles from aiming point
10 August 1942	Osnabruck (3.45) - successful attack, 5,000 feet	28 November 1942	Turin (8.35)
20 August 1942	GARDENING, Danzig Bay (9.10)	08 December 1942	Turin (2.55), mission abandoned, gunner ill
Frankfurt (4.50)	09 December 1942	Turin (8.45)
Warships, Gyndia (8.10), harbour located under difficult conditions	21 December 1942	Munich (8.20)
Saarbrucken (5.40)	13 January 1943	Essen (5.30), successful; marker flare atacked
Bremen (4.25)	16 January 1943	Berlin (8.25)
Duisburg (2.15), mission abandoned	27 January 1943	Dusseldorf (4.50), successful on marker bomb
Dusseldord (3.30), photograph 1 ½ miles from aiming point	13 February 1943	Lorient (5.40), photo of aiming point
Bremen (4.00)	14 February 1943	Milan (9.35), photo of aiming point
GARDENING, Baltic (10.00)	21 February 1943	Bremen (6.20)

Throughout his operatioanl tour, Warrant Officer McClelland has displayed a navigational ability of the highest order and his unfailing accuracy demands the greatest commendation.

He has navigated his aircraft with skill and determination over heavily defended territory, to targets in widely scattered parts of Germany and occupied territory including Danzig harbour, Bremen, Wismar, Berlin, Lorient and on numerous occasions to objectives in the Ruhr and Italy, including the daylight attack on Milan. His accuracy has been resposible also for the success of long minelaying sorties.

Warrant Officer McLaughlin has set and maintained a very high standard of navigation and has at all times displayed great courage, coolness and enthusiasm, for which he is strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

McCLELLAND, F/L Richard Charles, DFC (J16755) - Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross - No.109 Squadron - Award effective 5 February 1945 as per London Gazette dated 16 February 1945 and AFRO 563/45 dated 29 March 1945.

This officer has completed a second tour of operations since the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. He has participated in many operational sorties against some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany and enemy occupied territory. He has at all times shown himself to be an exceptionally skilful navigator and has always set a high example of courage, determination and devotion to duty which has been most commendable.