Robert John WHITE (1918-1944)

Name:	WHITE, Robert John
Nationality:	Canadian
Regiment/Service:	Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:	Flying Officer (Navigator)
Service No.:	R82447/ J17506
Unit Text:	427 Squadron
Date of Birth:	October 24, 1918
Date of Death:	March 31, 1944 (Halifax LV898)
Place of Burial:	Rheinberg War Cemetery - Germany
Name of Father:	WHITE, William H
Name of Mother:	HANNAFORD, Helen

WHITE, FS Robert John (R82447) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.78 Squadron - Award effective 13 May 1943 as per London Gazette dated 18 May 1943 and AFRO 1078/43 dated 11 June 1943. Home in Perth, Ontario; enlisted Ottawa, 4 January 1941. Trained at No.1 ITS (graduated 21 July 1941), No.1 BGS (graduated 22 November 1941), No.1 AOS (graduated 12 October 1941), and No.2 ANS (graduated 20 December 1941). Invested with award by King George VI, 30 November 1943. Commissioned; killed in action with No.427 Squadron, 31 March 1944 (Halifax LV898); buried Germany.

Flight Sergeant White, as navigator, has participated in attacks on some of the enemy's most heavily defended targets. His operational career has been marked by the exceptional coolness he has shown in times of danger and stress. This airman has always exhibited the greatest keenness to take part in operations.

Public Records Office Air 2/8951 has recommendation dated 21 March 1943 when he had flown 26 sorties (164 hours 26 minutes) and had been posted for instructional duties. Although the proposed citation is exceptionally terse, the sortie list is very detailed.

20 Nov 42	Turin (9.11)	Many fires seen in town.
26 Nov 42	GARDENING (4.00)
28 Nov 42	Turin (9.40)	Very large fires seen.
2 Dec 42	Frankfurt (8.15)	Small scattered fires seen.
14 Dec 42	GARDENING (3.44)
17 Dec 42	GARDENING (7.00)	Vegetables (mines) brought back
14 Jan 43	Lorient (5.25)
17 Jan 43	Berlin (8.32)	Large explosions seen.
27 Jan 43	Dusseldorf (5.15)	Incendiaries seen well alight.
29 Jan 43	Lorient (6.01)
2 Feb 43	Cologne (5.08)	Town lit by numerous fires
3 Feb 43	Hamburg (7.09)	Glow of fires seen through cloud.
7 Feb 43	Lorient (5.02)	Many fires seen; glow observed from English coast
11 Feb 43	Wilhelmshaven (5.09)	Very large explosion followed by large fires
13 Feb 43	Lorient (5.31)	Fires seen in docks
14 Feb 43	Cologne (5.05)	Glow of fires seen through cloud
16 Feb 43	Lorient (5.17)	A very wide area of fires; huge conflagration
18 Feb 43	Wilhelmshaven (5.17)	Bomb bursts observed
19 Feb 43	Wilhelmshaven (4.57)	Many fires observed
25 Feb 43	Nuremburg (8.37)	Incendiaries seen at beginning of attack
26 Feb 43	Cologne (6.06)	Whole town covered by fires
28 Feb 43	St. Nazaire (6.05)	Many bursts observed in target area
3 Mar 43	Hamburg (6.00)	Nine large fires counted in target area
5 Mar 43	Essen (5.58)	Two large explosions seen and many fires
8 Mar 43	Nuremburg (7.39)	Own bomb burst distinguished around marker flares
9 Mar 43	Munich (8.23)	Many fires seen starting in target area; terrific explosion

A hard worker who, though slow at first, has now become a really efficient navigator in whom his captain has the greatest faith. Flight Sergeant White has at all times displayed great coolness and is considered worthy of the Distinguished Flying Medal.