87 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca CONGDON, Oscar Willis “Hap” WWII Hap was born in Miami, Manitoba in 1920. Following graduation from high school in Miami, Manitoba in 1939, Hap attended the University of Manitoba for one year. He then enlisted in the RCAF in Winnipeg in 1940, at the age of twenty. After basic training at Brandon Manning Depot, he was posted to one of the Initial Training Schools (I.T.S.) and took basic Aircrew Training as an Air Navigator or Observer. He trained at #9 Air Observer School (A.O.S.) in St. Jean, Quebec, for four months until September 1942, on twin engine Anson aircraft. From November 1942 to January 1943, he was at #3 (O) A.F.U. #48, taking an advanced Air Observers Navigation Course. He graduated this course with his commission, Pilot Officer (P/O). On February 26, 1942, Hap was posted overseas, travelling on the Queen Elizabeth. He flew and trained on twin engine Wellington aircraft in the United Kingdom at #22 OUT and #6 Bomber Command in Yorkshire, in preparation for air operations over enemy territory. He then was posted to the Air Base Lineham near Swinden, Wiltshire. Here he met Mary Joachim, an aircraft factory inspector, who was also in the British Auxiliary Fire Service. Hap and Mary were married at the end of May 1945, after receiving a special license from the Bishop. His advanced training continued on four-engine bombers - Halifax aircraft. Hap’s logbook indicates that on June 2, 1943, he was operating on Halifax aircraft in England, Egypt and Italy, having been attached to #148 RAF Squadron. He flew 26 ops over enemy territory, two out of England and 24 out of Egypt, with an all-Canadian crew. Hap ferried aircraft to North Africa. By November 1943, he was flying Liberators. He and his crew caught malaria. After recovering sufficiently to resume flying, he was crewed up with an RAF crew in #428 Squadron, flying supplies to the underground in Cairo, Italy and several other areas. One night he flew past the volcano Vesuvius, where his aircraft got covered with volcanic ash. Hap was the navigator. On one particular mission, their load was bullion gold. Due to weather conditions, the gold had to be jettisoned before arriving at their destination. The gold was recovered. Hap and his crew were flying out of Italy at this time, in December 1943. On another particular mission, Hap’s crew dropped an underground female in occupied territory. She was dropped three separate times and succeeded in returning to base safely each time. Her mission would have been collecting intelligence and/or sabotage. Hap’s last trip of his second tour involved dropping supplies to the Polish underground. Fuel ran short due to a heavy cargo and having to buck strong head winds. The pilot nosed the aircraft down between two mountain peaks, at an altitude of only 1, 000 feet. The supplies were dropped, and suddenly all four engines stopped; petrol tanks were empty! The crew scrambled to the escape hatch and baled out over enemy-occupied Poland. When Hap landed via parachute, his back was injured on impact; vertebrae were broken. He must have been in excruciating pain but somehow managed to manoeuvre a certain distance until apprehended by Germans and taken prisoner. Another crew member was also captured, but the rest of Hap’s crew managed to get in touch with the Polish underground, escaped into Russia, managing to return to England. All of this took place on April 4, 1944. Hap’s logbook gives this information: total ops time - 211 hours 10 min; total flying time - 273.25 (days), 317.1 (nights). His pilot was W. O. Storey. Hap remained a POW until May 1945, when he was liberated. Information concerning the thirteen months or so in POW camp(s) is scarce. He seldom talked about life as a prisoner of war. We do know that he was shipped to a POW camp by rail. When the second front opened after the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944, the POWs were moved closer to Germany. They were force-marched. While walking towards Germany, they were strafed by Allied planes, who mistook them for German troops. Some of the POWs also died from lack of food and were too weak to go any further. Following Hap’s liberation as a POW in May 1945, he was given leave and returned to England. Meanwhile he had been promoted to Flying Officer (F/O). Hap was repatriated back to Canada in August 1945 and discharged in Winnipeg. Mary was not able to join him until January 1946. They settled on a farm in Miami, Manitoba for a few years, and in 1950 they moved to Binscarth, where Hap worked for the Manitoba Pool Elevators in Chillon for five years. They moved to Oak River where Hap was the Secretary-Treasurer of the RM of Blanshard for several years. After Oak River, they moved to Minnedosa, where he was employed by the Rolling River School District as Secretary, and later as transportation officer. Hap’s final position was with the Townview Manor in Minnedosa, collecting rent and such for two years. By this time his health had begun to deteriorate. He suffered a stroke in 1978, at age 56, and died in October 1988. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. T. Delgaty in Minnedosa, with interment at Miami Cemetery. Hap and Mary raised their family of two children, Fay (Wayne) Bruce of Minnedosa and Bill (Margaret) of Brandon. Hap received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, Defence of Britain Medal, Italy Star, 1939-1945 Star and War Medal 1939-1945.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0NTk1OA==