Sketch by Jack Chalker

Saviour of Ceylon

This story is not Public Domain. Permission must be obtained before any part of this story is copied or used.

Saviour of Ceylon

Leonard Birchall

Birchall-Leonard-03

Royal Canadian Air Force

413 Squadron

Leonard Joseph Birchall, was born 6th July 1915, St Catharines, Ontario, Canada, the only son of Joseph and Emma Elise Birchall. He had two sisters, Elizabeth and Ina. As a boy he was fascinated with aeroplanes and after he  graduating from school, where he obtained the nickname of ‘Birch’, he worked at a number of jobs to fulfil his dream of being a pilot, by taking flying lesson at the local club.

Birch joined the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, but quickly realised his dream of flying was not with them, so in 1933 he became ‘Gentleman Cadet No. 2364’ at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in  Kingston, Ontario. After four years he was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Air Force and his dream of flying became reality. After pilot training at Borden and Trenton, he was posted to 5 Squadron in Nova Scotia, which was a Bombing and Reconnaissance Squadron.

When Canada entered the war against Germany in 1939 he was flying in antisubmarine patrols.

      Combat Duty Combat Duty

      Existence as a PoW Existence as a PoW

      Post War Post War

      Appendix - The Crew Appendix - The Crew

My thanks to Arthena Trevitt for pointing me towards the ‘Saviour of Ceylon’ and his crew.

 

Sharing information with others is rewarding in itself, the pieces from the jigsaw begin to fit together and a picture begins to appear. Improve your knowledge and help make the Fepow Story an everlasting memorial to their memory.

Any material  to add to the Fepow Story please send to:

Ron.Taylor@fepow-community.org.uk

and their story will live on.

 

[Saviour of Ceylon] [Combat Duty] [Existence as a PoW] [Post War] [Appendix]

 

 

Visitor    Counter

Ron.Taylor@far-eastern-heroes.org.uk

 

Design by Ron Taylor

© Copyright RJT Internet Services 2003