|
Bill was born on April the 4th 1922 at Sault
Ste.Marie,Ontario.
He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army(B138742) on January the 11th
1943 completing basic training as a Bren gunner in Newmarket,
Ontario.
Transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force on January 5th
1944
Trained at No 9 Bombing & Gunnery School, Mont Joli, Quebec as an
Air Gunner on Fairey Battles.
Commissioned on July 14th 1944 as Pilot Officer(J47017)
Shipped out to England aboard the Aquitania
Promoted to Flying Officer
Joined the Sumner Crew at No 20 OTU.
.
The crew consisted of:
|
Name |
Service |
Trade |
Hometown |
|
F/O “Bill” Sumner |
RCAF |
Pilot |
London, Ontario |
|
Sgt Jim “Jock” Oliver |
RAFVR |
Flight Engineer |
Edinburgh, Scotland |
|
F/O Jim O’Neil |
RCAF |
Navigator |
London, Ontario |
|
F/Sgt William Lloyd Fulford |
RCAF |
Bomb Aimer |
Clinton, Ontario |
|
F/Sgt T. "Yogi" Merchant |
RCAF |
W/Op/AG |
Toronto, Ontario |
|
W/O Harry Armstrong |
RAAF |
M/U Gunner |
Allendale, Australia |
|
F/O Bill Gordon |
RCAF |
Rear Gunner |
Sault Ste Marie, Ontario |
Bill
met his future wife while overseas with the RCAF, LACW Alcie Doreen
(Bayliss) (born on August 10th 1924 at Oldbury,
Worcestershire). Alcie had joined the WAAF on August 22nd
1941 (Service number 2062529) and she was a MT driver at RAF Elgin.
They married at Redditch on January the 9th 1945 with the
whole crew attending the wedding. Their daughter Gail was born
overseas in November 1945,and after Alcie came to Canada in April
1946,a daughter Linda was born in 1947 followed by son Jim in 1950.
 |
|
Bill and Alcie's wedding photo. |
The
Gordon’s have resided in Bill’s hometown of Sault Ste.Marie,
Ontario. Bill retired in 1982, from Inter City Truck lines after 25
years of driving transport trucks .The Gordon’s enjoyed over 60
years of marriage, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Sadly Alcie passed away in 2005 and
and Bill passed away in May
of 2010.
|
Air.Gunner,,%20of%20Sault%20St%20Marie,ontario.jpg)