Willis, Charles A (Wing Commander)

Prisoner of War 1944-March-30

Wing Commander Charles A Willis RCAF

Birth Date: 1917-July-18

Born:

Parents:

Spouse:

Home: Ottawa, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Distinguished Flying Cross

Service

RCAF

Unit

404 Sqn- Squadron
Ready to Fight

Base

Rank

Wing Commander

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

C/836
PoW: 4258

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404 Sqn. Beaufighter TF*X lost attacking a large troopship off Norway, Squadron commanding officer W/C C A Willis PoW, Flight Lieutenant FA Kent RAF missing (404 SH). Paul Squires, Canadas Air War

Anti-Shipping Operations

from the RCAF Overseas, Volume 2 The Fifth Year

Another attack on shipping, this time against fierce opposition, owed its success to the resolute and skilful leadership of the squadron commander, Chuck Willis. On the 30th, nine R.C.A.F. Beaufighters armed with RP were out in formation with R.A.F. torpedo and cannon Beaus when a 14,000-ton ship, escorted by a destroyer, two other escort vessels and numerous aircraft, was observed off Haugesund. Seeing the strength of the enemy's air protection and realizing that an intense barrage of flak would also be encountered, Willis gave exact instructions to each of our aircraft as to the form of attack to be employed. As the Beaufighters approached the target at low altitude, the enemy air escort of approximately nine Me. 109s and FW. 190s, five Me. 110s, two Arados and a BV. 138 turned towards the shore. Following the winco's instructions our forces gained altitude and then, in the face of terrific flak which opened from all the ships as well as from the shore batteries, dived on the convoy. At this moment, the enemy aircraft returned at low altitude and climbed to attack the Beaufighters from behind. When last seen, Willis was well in the lead and going in on the large ship. F/Os A. R. Fair, J. E. M. Young and Pilot Officer O. Mallalieu also dived on this target, the two last-named obtaining probable under-water hits with their rockets. Keefe fired at the destroyer, scoring hits with RP and cannon, though his aircraft was seriously damaged by flak and machinegun bullets. Two other pilots, F/Os N. F. (Norm) Smith and Johnny Symons, also attacked the destroyer. After making RP and cannon strikes on the rearmost E/V Flying Officer J. L. F. Rancourt went for three Me. 110s, one of which he shot down in flames. He then turned on another 110 but was driven off by an FW. 190. The determined and effective work of our Beaufighters enabled the torpedo aircraft to get in their attack on the main target. The large ship was left smoking and the destroyer was enveloped in clouds of steam. Against these very satisfactory results, however, the squadron lost two crews, including their popular and very able C.O., Chuck Willis, and his navigator, Flight Lieutenant F. A. Kent. (R.A.F.), and Robinson and his navigator Flying Officer W. D. M. Devine. The winco was later reported to be a prisoner of war. Ken Gatward, who had been with the unit as a flight commander since June 1943, succeeded Willis as officer commanding.

Canada Source The RCAF Oversea Volume 2 The Fifth Year

Unit Desciption

404 Sqn Ready to Fight ("Buffalo")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Blenheim IV, Beaufighter IIF, XC, XIC, Mosquito PR Mk VIC)

The squadron formed as the RCAF’s second, and first coastal, squadron formed overseas in WWII. It was a Coastal Fighter unit, formed at Thorney Island, Hampshire, UK in April 1941 as part of No 16 Group of RAF Fighter Command. Shortly after its formation, it moved to Scotland, where it spent most of the war, as part of No 18 Group Coastal Command. Initially the squadron was equipped with Bristol Blenheim Mk IV aircraft (unit code was EE). Its function was to attack enemy shipping along the Dutch and Norwegian coasts, and also later to provide long-range fighter cover for Coastal Command aircraft operating over the Bay of Biscay. The squadron flew from Castletown and Skitten, in Caithness, Scotland between July and October 1941, before moving to Dyce, Aberdeenshire, until December. In October “B” Flight of the squadron was based at Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands, and the remainder of the squadron joined them in December 1941. They were there until March 1942, when they moved to Dyce until August, when they returned to Sumburgh for 6 weeks. Then it was back to Dyce again until January of 1943. In September 1942 the squadron had re-equipped with Bristol Beaufighter IIF aircraft. In January 1943 the squadron moved to Chivenor in Devon as part of No 18 Group, and flew from there until they moved back to Scotland in April 1943, this time briefly based in Tain, Ross-shire before settling at Wick, where they remained until May 1944. From March to December 1943 they flew Beaufighters Mk XIC and then from September 1943 they flew the Mk XC. In early May 1944 the squadron moved to Davidstow Moor, Cornwall to assist with the D-Day landings. On the afternoon of D-Day itself, the squadron was involved in an action against 3 German destroyers which sought to intrude in the invasion fleet. They were equipped with rocket-firing Beaufighters and were part of a strike force that sank all three of the enemy ships. At the end of June 1944 they moved to Strubby, Lincolnshire, as part of No 16 Group, before returning to Scotland. This time they had a short stay at Banff, before moving to Dallachy, Moray, where they remained until April 1945 as part of the Dallachy Wing. They returned to Banff and were re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito PR MK VIC aircraft, which flew as part of the Banff Wing . The squadron was disbanded there in May 1945.

In the course of hostilities, the squadron flew some 3144 sorties, for the loss of 35 aircraft and 79 aircrew, of whom 77 were killed or missing. They were credited with destroying 8 aircraft, with 6 probables and 10 damaged. They dropped 32 tons of bombs on ships, 319 18-inch torpedoes and 1602 25-pound rockets, and were credited with 4 vessels sunk, 4 damaged, and had a share in 37 ships sunk and 14 damaged. They also shared in damaging 3 U-boats. The squadron members were awarded 2 DSOs, 45 DFCs, 3 Bars to DFC, 3 DFMs, 1 GM and 19 MiDs. Battle Honours were: Atlantic 1941–45, English Channel and North Sea, 1941–45, Baltic 1944–45, Normandy 1944, Biscay 1943–44. Wikipedia, Kostenuk and Griffin

Maps for Movements of 404 Squadron 1941-45

MAP 1: 404 Squadron Movements 1941-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
MAP 2: 404 Squadron Movements in Scotland 1941-45: Detail of Map 1

404 Sqn History Summary 1941-45

404 Sqn History Summary 1941-45 Page 2

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Lancaster X, Neptune, Argus I & II, Aurora)

The squadron was re-formed as No. 404 (Maritime Reconnaissance) Squadron at Greenwood, Nova Scotia on 30 April 1951, flying Avro Lancaster Mk. X aircraft. It was re-designated No 404 (Maritime Patrol) on 17 July 1956. The squadron was the second of four formed in Maritime Air Command, and flew on East Coast maritime duty. The aircraft used were Lancaster X until 1955, then Lockheed Neptune until 1960, then Canadair CP-107 Argus. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces. Once the CP-140 Aurora aircraft became available, the squadron was designated 404 Maritime Patrol and Training Squadron. The current title is 404 Long Range Patrol and Training (LRP&T) Squadron, and it serves as the Operational Training Unit (OTU) for Aircrew and Maintenance personnel who work on the CP140 Aurora. It remains based at Greenwood, NS.

Unvetted Source Government of Canada RCAF Website