Bruce PollockWWII R.C.A.F. Pilot

Personal InformationName: Bruce Leroy Parkinson PollockBorn: July 9th, 1912Place of Birth: Thamesville, OntarioCitizenship: CanadianRelationship Status: SingleReligion: United Church

Physical AspectsEye Color: HazelHair Color: BrownWeight 144 lbsHeight: 5 feet 7 ½ inchesHealth: healthy, physically fit, active, no injuriesVision 20-15 (no glasses)

Appearance:

Traits:

Fashion/Dressed:• Flashy• Tasteful• Conservative• Poorly

dressed but neat & clean

• Smart

Physical:• Healthy• Rugged• Slender• Refined• Ordinary

Intelligence:• Quick• Deliberate• Rambling• Organized• Accurate

Personality:• Domteering• Confident• Submissive• Mature• Pleasant

Houses Address when Enlisted: 221 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario

Glebe Collegiate Institute

Bruce Pollock’s House

HousesPermanent Address: 43 St. Catherine street, St. Thomas, Ontario

FamilyFather: James Alexander Pollock

Worked as an auditor for C.N.R. Was born in Jarvin, Ontario Was a Canadian citizen

Mother: Martha Lavina Parkinson Was a Canadian Citizen Was born in Jarvin, Ontario

EducationPrimary Education: St. Thomas Private-School High School: St Thomas Collegiate Institute Universities:

• University of Toronto – Teachers course High School Assistance’s Certificate

• Guelph University – Ontario Agriculture College B.S.A Degree (Bachelor of Science in Agriculture)

• Long Island University – Coaching school Physical Culture Certificate Qualified Swimming, Football, and Basketball Coach

Jobs & Occupations Jobs:• P.T. instructor, science teacher, & basketball

and football coach for the Collegiate Board of Ottawa.

• Worked at Glebe Collegiate Institute.

Occupations:• Intense Rugby Player• Also played basketball, baseball, and golf.

Why did Bruce Pollock sign up for War?

Bruce Pollock stated under hobbies that he was very fit and had already passed his examinations for lieutenant infantry which indirectly assumes that Bruce may have already bean interested in the army before the war started. He also had a very good education and had been teaching for a number of years already, meaning joining the R.A.C.A.F may have been seen to him as a break or adventure from his everyday life. At that time most English Canadians also joined the army for patriotism to represent their country, it also paid reasonably well and seeing as Bruce was in great physical condition and had good vision being “highly recommended” by the R.C.A.F. to become a pilot probably seemed like a good offer to Bruce at the time.

What is the R.C.A.F?

The R.C.A.F. has been an Independent service since 1968 and developed originally from the Canadian Air Force which was started in 1920 it was then given the “Royal Sanction” in 1924.The R.C.A.F. is responsible for all aircraft operations with the Canadian Forces. It protects all of Canada’s air space as well as providing support to the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army.The R.C.A.F. is also partnered with the U.S. to form the North American Aerospace Defense Command (N.O.R.A.D.) to protect North American air space

R.C.A.F. Badge

Training (B.C.A.T.P.)In 1939 during WWII Canadians were air trained by the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (B.C.A.T.P.). Not only did this train Canadians but also other countries part of the alliance. Their were 74 schools in total and were all running and in action by September 1941. Within that year they opened 28 new schools. By the end of the war they were using approximately 230 different training schools.The total cost of B.C.A.T.P. was $2,231,129,039.26, Canada held all the schools and facilities along with paying $1,617,958,108.79.

Their Goals Were:

• To train both ground and air crews to defeat the Axis powers.

• To use Canadian facilities to bring out their plan (because Canada has lots of open land and is a safe distance from war).

• To be a training and meeting place for all those escaping Europe.

B.C.A.T.P. training (1942)

#3 Secondary Flight Training School in

Calgary.

B.C.A.T.P. Training Badge

Service Flying Training School

(Advanced Pilots)

R.C.A.F. Advertisement

Pilots During WWIIPilots during WWII were thought in most cases to be easier than being in the army or the navy because u could always be home however pilots in WWII did not have it easy at all.

WWII pilots had lots of responsibilities both pre and during flight. Before the flight they must study the rout as well as check the weather forecast, communicate with your navigator and sync your watch so it reads the same time as the navigators. During the flight they must keep a constant course and airspeed so the navigator will have the best approximation of where they are.

***The most important responsibility of the pilot was to communicate everything with the navigator***

Bruce’s TravelBruce made many training school flights before finally being posted in England:

Training• Ottawa June 21st – August 4th (1941)• Toronto August 5th – August 20th (1941)• Trenton August 21st - September 25th (1941) • Belleville September 26th – November 27th (1941)• St. Eugene November 23rd – January 31st (1941-42) • Uplands June 5th - June 26th (1941)• CharlottetownJune 27th - September 19th (1941)• Halifax September 20th - November 2nd (1941)

***DISEMBARKED TO THE U.K.***

Operations• Trains with A.F.U. #12 November 3rd (1942)• Trains with OTW #132 February 9th (1943)• Trains with OTW #2 March 23rd (1943)• Posted with OTW #2 March 29th (1943)• Posted with FTW #304 July 4th (1943)

Trains in Hilton, U.K. July 15th (1943) Departs from Portreath, U.K. to India July 28th (1943) Killed during air operation in Bahrein, Egypt June 17th (1943)

o In the U.K. Bruce trained and was posted with different units:

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Bruce Pollock died on June 17th 1943 during an air operation in Bahrein, Egypt after disembarking on their mission from their base in India.Bruce is remembered at the Basra War Cemetery in Iraque along with four other Canadians.

Basra War Cemetery

In Memory OfBRUCE LEROY PARKINSON

POLLOCK(1912 – 1943)

J12059, 304 (F.T.U.) Sqdn, Royal Canadian Air Force

Son of JAMES and MARTHA POLOCK

R.I.P.

Remembered and Honored by

TheBasra War Cemetery