Canadian Awards Website

The Air Force Association of Canada website (or at least the honours and awards section), having been down for "reconstruction" for some weeks, is now back in business at http://airforce.ca/honours-awards/se...wards-database . It covers the following topis:

1. Awards to Canadians in flying services, First World War
2. Awards to RCAF personnel, Second World War
3. Second World War awards to Canadians enrolled in the RCAF
4. Awards to RAF, RAAF and RNZAF, Second World War, for services in Canada
5. Aerial awards to Canadian Forces personnel, 1947-1970.

Notwithstanding the above, it still does NOT include a data base respecting non-RCAF personnel decorated for Second World War services in RCAF units overseas (such as A.A. Harrington).

Hi Hugh,

many thanks for this great new.
It were very hard weeks as I was trying time to time search your great database for my research and always unsuccessfully.

Pavel

What a relief to have this outstanding resource back in operation, I also missed being able to access it.
Dave Wallace

That is good news. Thanks for the 'heads up', Hugh.

Jonny

On 17 February I reported the return of the awards data base to the Air Force Association of Canada website. Since then I have had sporadic complaints that the data base is not as "user friendly" as in the past. In at least four cases, attempts to find a name has turned up a "nil return", even though the people involved should be there and retrievable.

I take full responsibility for the contents of the data base, but have no control, direct or indirect, over the website itself. While I am interested in how the public is being served (or not served) by it, it might be advisable for people who have encountered difficulties to contact the Air Force Association of Canada itself (director@airforce.ca).

Someone has suggested that I start my own website to distribute the various data bases, but I have neither the technology nor the expertise at this time to embark on such a task. Observing the difficulties that Ross has in deflecting spammers from this site does not encourage me either !

Hugh,

you don't need a message forum type website, all you need is a simple text listing like the old AFA site was. Freewebs.com I believe is easy enough to use.

No need for anything fancy. No need to worry about spammers in that case.

My two cent.

Well done on the database information in anycase.

Hi Hugh,

I can agree with you that the former listing were better than the searchable database.
Do not worry - you can use the free space from several providers and if you will have only plain listing or some kind of structure as I have on my own there are no problems with spammers. And you will siply upload there your files through FTP client or directly through web.

But on the other hand - it takes some time and I also find now that it is impossible to do full research what I am doing and keep my website frequently updated but I have no idea how often you want/need to update your lists.

Good luck and if you need any further assistence please feel free to ask

Pavel

Hugh,

You are a veritable font of information ref honours and awards and I, for one, would certainly encourage you to create a dedicated site of your own. Whilst I know it is easy for me to say, I think it would be a superb resource and a fitting memorial.

In the meantime, I have to agree that the Association's is not as user friendly as the old.

Rgds

Jonny

The site is proving more troublesome than I had realized. I have this day sent a message to the Association, pointing out its problems and asking if I might help. In the meantime, may I refer readers to Service Publications (http://www.servicepub.com) which still offers for sale a CD covering the RCAF plus army and navy awards. It is still a good investment, especially given the website difficulties.

'Twas a very wise man who very recently told me that the best way to preserve information was to share it.

Regards,

Dave

A good recommenadation Hugh, just ordered mine. It alwys pays to have a backup and the awards from the other services are a bonus.
Regards
Dave Wallace

I am perhaps announcing this a tad on the early side, but I have been given a means to edit/revise/update/expand entries on the Canadian awards website. Unhappily it is a slow process. Access to revisions is also a rather cumbersome process - what I describe as a steam-powered mousetrap.

If you visit the main RCAF site (http://airforce.ca/honours-awards/military-honours-awards-1914-1945-files/rcaf-personnel-1939-1949/) you will find little has changed. However, if you go to the Air Force Association of Canada website (awards portion) you can access revisions thusly:

Click on SEARCH TOOLS

Enter a name you seek AND check off the appropriate group (at this tiime, RCAF awards)
and you will find the newer revisions.

I have, to date, revised only about two percent of the Second World War RCAF entries (I estimate about 300 hours to complete the task - i.e. several months) and so far the revisions have not run past the name "Ashlin". Some revisions are quite minor - but for an idea of what I hope to achieve, compare the old entry for William Franklin ASH (as found via http://airforce.ca/honours-awards/military-honours-awards-1914-1945-files/rcaf-personnel-1939-1949/ with the new entry (as found using SEARCH TOOLs). Another example (an early test in the project) would be a comparison of the old and new entries for Gordon DIAMOND.

Those who consult the RCAF awards data base (Second World War) using the "Search Tools" option can now view amendments up to the end of the "A" section and as far in "B" as "Baptiste".

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to the end of "BA" (BAYNE).

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to the end of "BEIRNES, Jack Rife".

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to the end of "BE" (BEZER).

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to the end of "BI" (BITZ).

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "BODNOFF". Persons comparing entries between this option and the (so-far unamended) main Air Force Association website may find that most changes have been relatively minor (perhaps no more than a few expanded details of postings within Canada) but some are quite extensive.

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "BONAR" (not exactly dramatic progress, I fear).

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "BOYNTON, Benjamin Douglas."

It is going to be a long job, isn't it? lol

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "BROOKS, Roy Lyons". This means that approximately ten percent of te data base has been publicly overhauled. Many other entries, further on, have been revised in my personal data base but have not yet been "published" via option noted above.

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "BROWNLEE, Donald Grant".

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "BURDES, John Robert".

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "BURRAGE, Robert Harcourt." Total overhaul of content now extends to about eleven percent of the entries.

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "BYTHELL, John Eric Wilson" and thus to the end of the "B" section.

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "CLUCAS, Clarence Melbourne" and represents a revision of some 16 percent of the names.

By way of a reminder, the rather cumbersome way to access these revisions is as follows:

Visit the main Air Force Association website (http://airforce.ca/honours-awards/military-honours-awards-1914-1945-files/rcaf-personnel-1939-1949/).

Click on SEARCH TOOLS

Enter a name you seek AND check off the appropriate group (at this tiime, RCAF awards).

You will then find the newer revisions.

We don't say this often enough Hugh - thank you for the tremendous effort you are putting into this.

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "COZENS, William Joseph" and represents a revision of some 19 percent of the names.

An example demonstrates the degree to which some (though not all) entries have been revised:

OLD VERSION:

COSMAN, F/O William Nathan (J23397) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.248 Squadron - Award effective 17 November 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 1/45 dated 5 January 1945. Home in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia; enlisted Halifax, 24 August 1940. Trained at No.4 ITS (graduated 3 July 1942), No.5 EFTS (graduated 9 October 1942) and No.3 SFTS (graduated 5 February 1943. Killed in action 7 December 1944 (Mosquito NR225); name on Runnymede Memorial. Award sent by registered mail to next-of-kin.

This officer, now on his second operational tour, has unfailingly pressed home his attacks with outstanding courage and determination. He has taken part in attacks on submarines, a destroyer and minesweepers. Flying Officer Cosman has displayed great skill and his devotion to duty has been of a high order.


NEW VERSION

COSMAN, F/O William Nathan (J23397) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.248 Squadron - Award effective 17 November 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 1/45 dated 5 January 1945. Born 25 January 1918 at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Home there. Road worker for one year, clerk in family store for two years, and then for two years a machine operator at La Tuque, Quebec (St. Lawrence Power Corporation). Enlisted Halifax, 24 August 1940, originally as an air gunner; posted to No.1 BGS, 30 September 1940 and then to No.4 (BR) Squadron, 28 October 1940; promoted Sergeant, 26 November 1940 and Flight Sergeant, 1 December 1941. Remustered for pilot training, 7 May 1942 at which point he reverted to Sergeant. To No.4 ITS, 7 May 1942; graduated 3 July 1942 but not posted to No.5 EFTS until 15 August 1942; graduated 9 October 1942 and posted next day to No.3 SFTS; graduated and commissioned 5 February 1943. Posted on 20 February 1943 to No.1 General Reconnaissance School; to “Y” Depot, Halifax, 9 May 1943. Embarked from Canada, 27 May 1943. Disembarked in Britain, 4 June 1943. To No.20 (P) AFU, 6 July 1943. Promoted Flying Officer, 5 August 1943. Attached to No.1519 Beam Approach Training Flight, 17-24 August 1943. Posted to No.547 Squadron, 21 September 1943. Posted to No.281 Squadron, 22 November 1943. Temporary Duty to Station Newcastle, 10-15 December 1943. Temporary Duty at Daindoter (?) Moor, 16 February to 14 March 1944. To No.9 OTU, 14 March 1944. To No.132 OTU, 17 May 1944. To No.248 Squadron, 4 June 1944. Killed in action 7 December 1944 (Mosquito NR225); name on Runnymede Memorial. Award sent by registered mail to next-of-kin.

This officer, now on his second operational tour, has unfailingly pressed home his attacks with outstanding courage and determination. He has taken part in attacks on submarines, a destroyer and minesweepers. Flying Officer Cosman has displayed great skill and his devotion to duty has been of a high order.

Circumstances of death: Mosquito NT225 “O” (F/O Cosman and 152972 F/O L.M. Freedman) and PZ346 “Z”(J23429 F/O K.C. Wing and Aus 428055 Flight Sergeant V.R. Shield) were in a formation detailed to attack shipping in Aelesund Harbour on the afternoon of 7 December 1944. The formation overshot the harbour and were turning over Gossen airfield to go back for an attack when 15 to 20 Bf.109s intercepted and attacked. There were no further details available.

The RCAF awards data base (Second World War) as viewed using the "Search Tools" option has now been amended to "CYR", and hence to the end of the letter "C". This represents a revision of some 20 percent of the names.

By way of a reminder, the rather cumbersome way to access these revisions is as follows:

Visit the main Air Force Association website (http://airforce.ca/honours-awards/military-honours-awards-1914-1945-files/rcaf-personnel-1939-1949/).

Click on SEARCH TOOLS

Enter a name you seek AND check off the appropriate group (at this tiime, RCAF awards).

You will then find the newer revisions.

The updates now run to Frederick Charles DAVIES (about 60 more added since last time).

Updates now run to DAYKIN (end of DA-series).

Updates now run to William Saundby DEACON.

By way of a reminder, the rather cumbersome way to access these revisions is as follows:

Visit the main Air Force Association website (http://airforce.ca/honours-awards/military-honours-awards-1914-1945-files/rcaf-personnel-1939-1949/).

Click on SEARCH TOOLS

Enter a name you seek AND check off the appropriate group (at this tiime, RCAF awards).

You will then find the newer revisions.

Comprehesive revisions have now been extended to DICKS, Walter Allan.

Comprehensive revisions have now gone to DRYNAN, W/C Norman Livingstone. This accounts for just under 25 percent of the data base.

Comprehensive revisions have now gone past the "D"s and as far as EARLY, F/L Allan Andrew.

Comprehensive revisions that can be found via SEARCH option (explained earlier) now run to William James ELLIOTT.

Comprehensive revisions that can be found via SEARCH option (explained earlier) now run to Henry Horatio FARMER.

Comprehensive revisions that can be found using the SEARCH TOOLS option (explained above) now go to FENTON, Harvey Wesley. This will be the last "dump" of data upgrades in 2010. In a little over one year some 25 percent of the data base has been reposted with extensive updates, corrections and expansions.

Thank you for the extraordinary effort you are putting into this Hugh.

Christian