gordon p. rolfe
DESCRIPTION
Gordon P. Rolfe . “Tail of a Tale Gunner”. Chapter 1: “Joining Up”. Joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in early September 1943 to contribute to war efforts Posted to Manning Depot for basic training Then Dispatched to Winnipeg for Air Gunner training - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
“ TA I L O F A TA L E G U N N E R”
GORDON P. ROLFE
CHAPTER 1: “JOINING UP”
• Joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in early September 1943 to contribute to war efforts
• Posted to Manning Depot for basic training
• Then Dispatched to Winnipeg for Air Gunner training
• After that he was directed to #3 Bombing and Gunnery School in Manitoba
MILITARY TRAINING
Morse Code Reading Aerial Warfare Tactics
Aircraft Recognition
Physical Training
Familiarization with .303 Browning
CHAPTER 2: “ACROSS THE POND”
• May 25th, 1944 Gordon began his trip over seas on the Empress of Scotland
• Arrived in Southampton, England on June 1st, 1944
• Early July, Gord was posted to #83 O.T.U (Operation Training Unit) there he met his crew of seven who would accompany him in the Lancaster on many future missions.
• Each member had his own responsibilities
“Mac” The Navigator
EricWireless Operator
“Blackie”Pilot
“Jock”Flight
Engineer
GordonRear
Gunner
GeorgeMid Upper Gunner
Grant Bomb Aimer
OPERATIONS
1. LUDWIGSHAVEN - a chemical works centre 2. ULM - manufactured heavy army vehicles and fighting equipment 3. BONN - railway centre and railway marshalling yards4. KOBLENZ - large railway marshalling yards 5. GELSENKIRCHEN-SCHOLVEN - made synthetic oil plants 6. OSTERFELD - railway marshalling yards 7. NUREMBURG - large city which enclosed a transportation and industrial centre. Industries including the production of tanks and Diesel engines8. HANNOVER - industrial city9. NEUSS - large city with large railway marshalling yards10. MERSEBURG - another city with synthetic oil plants 11. BRUX - located in Czechoslovakia only time Gordon bombed outside of Germany synthetic oil plants
OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)
12. STUTTGART - large plants producing jet and Heinkel planes13. MANNHEIM - large railway marshalling yards and troop concentrations 14. BOTTROP - coking plant for synthetic production of oil 15. KLEVE - Nazi supply depot16. DRESDEN - large transportation centre 17. DORTMOND - railway centre and railway marshalling yard 18. DUISBURG - transportation centre in the Ruhr 19. PFORZHEIM - communication centre and manufactured precision instruments20. MANNHEIM - another railway centre 21. COLOGNE - industrial city and railway centre, contained the famous cologne cathedral which was billeting German troops
OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)22. DESSAU - large airplane factory producing Junkers fighters and bombers 23. CASSEL - factories producing tanks, trains, and jet fighters24. HANNOVER - large railway centre 25. PADERBORN - transportation and rest centre for Nazi soldiers 26. NORDHAUSEN - Nazi troop concentration centre 27. LUTZKENDORF - synthetic oil plants 28. KIEL - shipbuilding yards and U-boat submarine pens (covered dock) purpose was to sink the German pocket battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER and it was a success 29. PLAUEN - many railway marshalling yards 30. POTSDAM - suburb of Berlin which was a transportation and barracks for Nazi troops
OPS WING
• The “Ops Wing” was awarded by the RCAF.• Given to a soldier once he completed his tour of
operations. • When Gordon completed his tour of operations it had
consisted of 30 operations.
AIRCRAFT ALLIES
USAF Mustang Thunderbolt RCAF Spitfire
GORDON’S LEGACY
• In 2004, Gordon published his short novel “Tale of a Tail Gunner”
• Tale of a tail gunner is an autobiography of his experiences during world war two through December 15th, 1944 - April 14, 1945
• Includes his log book of 30 operations and events. 36 photos and illustrations.
ACHIEVEMENTS
1939-45 Star Canadian Volunteer
Service Medal
France and Germany Star
War Medal 1939-45
PRESENT DAY
THE END