WARTIMES.ca

Hi All,

In doing an update (Errata) of They Shall Grow Not Old I ran across a reference to Rachael Birchall, nee Willison, WAAF on the www.findagraves.com site.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152 ... n-birchall

From the published article (Canadian, but date and source not given) on Ms. Birchall, announcing the birth of their son in Scotland after he had gone missing, appears to have been a Canadian, and perhaps the first Canadian to join the WAAF in England. It also discusses her brother, Lt. W.A. Willison, British Army, missing since Dunkirk.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find- ... -willison/

As mentioned her husband, F/L George Colquhoun Hamilton Birchall RAF (Can.) went missing October 31, as follows:

"31 220 Sqn. Hudson V AM618 NR-M failed to return from a patrol after transmitting an SOS, F/L G.C. Birchall RAF (Can.), P/O J.P. Croker RAF, Sgt A.M. Barr and Sgt G.L.D. Bailey RAF missing." (From a patrol from Wick off Norway, from R. McNeill).

Does anyone have any further information on (LAW?) R. Birchall WAAF, or her brother? Were they from Canada, and if so, where? She is not referenced at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial or the CWGC site.

All the Best,

Paul Squires
Wetaskiwin

Info on Rachael Adele Birchall (nee Willison). She was born in Toronto Canada

Info on William Archibald Willison

Hi Temujin,

Wow, your sources are excellent, and fast!

Answered nearly completely. Canadian and Section Officer. All that remains is confirmation that she was the first Canadian in the WAAF, but that is minor.

Many, Many Thanks.

Paul
Wetaskiwin.

BTW, I have suggested that a US researcher, David Hill, contact you about Ferry Command pilot Clde Erskine Gray. He travelled the world in Ferry Command and took kodachrome photos of his destinations, which Mr. Hill has obtained and is researching.

Paul Squires wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 18, 2025 11:14 pm

BTW, I have suggested that a US researcher, David Hill, contact you about Ferry Command pilot Clde Erskine Gray. He travelled the world in Ferry Command and took kodachrome photos of his destinations, which Mr. Hill has obtained and is researching.

I did a very Quick Look for info on Clyde Erskine Gray…….here’s what I’ve found (you could pass along to Mr Hill…..and if he would like me to look more, very happy to

And just saw this.

Will pass on to Mr. Hill.

Paul

Hello

This thread includes documents for Clyde Erskine Gray based on recent research by Temujin. The offer was made to dig further into the history of Mr Gray and I would like to take up that request please.

Mr Gray's employment card indicates he flew out of St Hubert as a test pilot from 8/1941 to 2/1942, transferring to Dorval from 2/1942 to 2/1945 with RAF ATC Group 45, but photographs he took show RCAF insignia on the wings of the B-24 Liberators and twin-engined transports that he flew, the latter flown either locally in eastern Canada or overseas, particularly North Africa.

Any assistance in trying to fill in the details would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards
David Hills.

mch570k wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 04, 2025 5:49 pm

Hello

This thread includes documents for Clyde Erskine Gray based on recent research by Temujin. The offer was made to dig further into the history of Mr Gray and I would like to take up that request please.

Mr Gray's employment card indicates he flew out of St Hubert as a test pilot from 8/1941 to 2/1942, transferring to Dorval from 2/1942 to 2/1945 with RAF ATC Group 45, but photographs he took show RCAF insignia on the wings of the B-24 Liberators and twin-engined transports that he flew, the latter flown either locally in eastern Canada or overseas, particularly North Africa.

Any assistance in trying to fill in the details would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards
David Hills.

I’ll see what else I can find David. I’m just travelling now (on the way back to Canada from Arizona) so it may be a few days before I can get at this, probably next week (I get home this Saturday).

Cheers