Blue. The Colourful Changes Of The RCAF Uniform. In Chronological Order, From The Earliest To The Present ; Canadian Pilots Wore The Colours : *Khaki, * Blue *Green, And * Blue Again. Everything Old Is New Again , CVMM Takes You On A Walk Down Memory Lane In This Nostalgic Look At RCAF Uniforms. FEATURED THEME - The Changes In Uniform Of Royal Canadian Air Force,(R.C.A.F.). IMAGE - Lieutenant-Colonel W. (Billy) G. Barker V. C. in his blue RAF uniform , a change from the khaki of the RFC. He is known as one of Canada’s most celebrated heroes of World War I. Brief Biography, With Barkers Transfers Between Services. William George Barker (b.1894) Dauphin,Man.Following basic military training he went overseas June 1915 with the First Canadian Mounted Rifles, selected to be a machine gunner at Shorncliffe Military Camp, and was sent to the Western Front in France. Like many other aces, Barker learned the best way out of the trenches was to join the Royal Flying Corps. A natural pilot on the Western Front, Barker won the Military Cross twice. In Italy he added many more victories to his record and had the distinction of commanding a squadron of two-seater fighters. On his last day of duty Barker fought a combat mission which has become legendary in the history of air warfare. High above the lines he shot down one enemy machine, but was set upon by formations of approximately 60 Fokkers. Repeatedly wounded in the arms and legs, Barker fought them off and destroyed several of his opponents before crash landing behind Allied lines. His heroic combat against such heavy odds won Barker the Victoria Cross as the culmination of a brilliant career. Only two other servicemen in the history of the Commonwealth or Empire have received as many British medals for gallantry. These were Mick Mannock and James McCudden and, like Barker, both were scout pilots in the First World War. Barker, Mannock and McCudden each received six British medals, including the Victoria Cross. McCudden was also awarded a French Croix de Guerre. But with his three foreign medals and three British Mentions in Despatches, Barker received a total of 12 awards for valour. Barker was appointed acting director of the RCAF in early 1924 and he graduated from RAF Staff College, Andover, in 1926. While waiting to start RAF Staff College Course No 4, Barker spent two weeks in Iraq with the RAF to learn more about the uses of air power. He formally reported on his findings to the Minister of National Defence, and informally to Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, of the US Air Service. One of his achievements in the RCAF was the introduction of parachutes. After leaving the RCAF he became the first president of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club. He died in 1930 when he lost control of his Fairchild KR-21 biplane trainer during a demonstration flight for the RCAF, at Air Station Rockcliffe, near Ottawa, Ontario
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 06:46:24 +0000
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