6 Group Unavailable
401 City of Westmount Squadron (Mors Celerrima Hostibus) RAF B4, Beny-sur-Mer, France. Spitfire IX aircraft ML 135 YO-D, flown by Flight Lieutenant (then Flying Officer) GD "Jerry" Billing (RCAF) was hit by flak while on patrol and force landed, 7 miles South of Carentan, France. Billing survived, evading capture in swamp for several days before finding refuge in the town Brehal, France where the Le Bourgois family cared for his injuries and hid him from the Germans, not as Resistance members but ordinary French citizens who risked all to help him. Billing was liberated by advancing US Forces 1944-07-31 and returned to the UK where he was told that due to his evasion experience, he could no longer fly combat missions in order to protect those who had helped him
Flight Lieutenant Billing first flew with 19 Squadron RAF in Europe and in Malta with 185 Squadron RAF during which time, in addition to scoring multiple victories survived being shot down on two occasions. He returned to the UK and joined 401 Canadian Squadron, with whom he had his Evader experience. Billing flew over 250 sorties during his two tours of duty in World War II and was released from the RCAF in 1946. On return to Canada, he became the chief flying instructor at the Windsor Flying club
Not finished with the military, in 1948 Billing re-enlisted in the RCAF and was based in Trenton, Ontario where he trained instructor pilots and went on to fly North American B-25 Mitchell, Avro Lancaster, North American P-51 Mustang and De Havilland Vampire aircraft
In 1951 Billing joined the Canadian jet demo team the Blue Devils flying in the #2 position in a De Havilland Vampire for the teams last season. Later in 1951 he was sent to New Brunswick as an instructor for jet pilots, were he flew the Lockheed T33 and later North American F86 Sabre jets in 1952
In 1954 he was assigned back to the UK as a exchange officer in a fighter development squadron where he flew the Gloster Meteor, Hawker Hunter, Supermarine Swift, English Electric Canberra, and De Havilland Venom aircraft. Returning to Canada in 1956, and much to his dislike, he was behind a desk pushing paperwork for the Defense Command, but flew as much as he could, also getting checked out in the Avro Canada CF100
In 1958 he was posted to a Tactical squadron where he did air show displays in the Canadair CF 86 Sabre, as well as ferrying aircraft around Canada and Europe. During this time Billing also trained Canada's second jet aerobatic team "” the Golden Hawks
He left the RCAF in 1964 to become a test pilot for De Havilland and travelled the world displaying their aircraft for potential customers. During the Viet Nam war he delivered De Havilland Caribou aircraft there for the CIA
After leaving De Havilland, he trained pilot Don Plumb, a local Windsor businessman, who had bought a dual seat Spitfire (TE308). Billing worked with Plumb for many years displaying his warbird fleet at various air shows across North America
In the early 70's Jerry Billing was contacted to see if he would be interested in flying a Spitfire Mk IX (MK923) from California to Chicago to be restored. The aircraft belonged to American film actor Cliff Robertson and the two came to the agreement that Jerry would be responsible for flying the Spitfire at air shows and Mr. Robertson would keep it flying financially. For over 22 years, from the mid-70's to the mid-90's Billing flew MK923 at many air shows across North America, thrilling thousands of spectators with his skill and grace behind the controls of the Spitfire. In 1984 Jerry flew for Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip on their visit to Windsor Ontario (receiving a thank-you letter from the Queen). In 1992 Billing passed a unique milestone of 50 consecutive years flying Spitfires (again receiving congratulations from Her Majesty the Queen in a letter). In 1994 Billing retired from flying Spitfire MK923 and the aircraft was sold to Craig McGraw. It is now displayed at the Museum Of Flight, Seattle
During his remarkable career, Billing flew the Spitfire in war and many other aircraft types in peace into the jet age. He displayed Spitfires NH188, TE308, SL721 and MK923 for many different owners across North America and checked out many pilots to fly a Spitfire, an iconic aircraft designed a built by the Supermarine Aircraft Company, founded in part by Billing's Great Uncle, Noel Pemberton Billing
Jerry Billing passed away January 9, 2015 in Essex, Ontario at 93 years of age
RAF Evaders, The Comprehensive Story of Thousands of Escapers and Their Escape Lines, Wester Europe 1940-1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page351
Spitfire pilots and aircraft database - Flight Lieutenant Jerry Billing RCAF
Spitfire pilots and aircraft database - Spitfire ML135