MacDOUGALD, Walter Ormond Walter was born on July 6, 1925, in Fullarton, Ontario, middle son of three boys of Ormond and Margaret MacDougald. When he turned eighteen in 1943, he faced a choice, he said: “remain on the farm, contributing to the war effort through food production and home defence training,” or step forward into uniform. He chose to serve. On October 27, 1943, Walter enlisted in the Air Force (Regular Force) and reported to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto. Early in 1944, Walter moved through Bombing and Gunnery Schools at Mountain View, Ontario and Mont Joli, Quebec. It was at Mont Joli that his self-discipline and ability showed unmistakably—he placed second in marksmanship with an impressive 88 percent. On May 5, 1944, he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer. Later that month, he undertook commando training in Nova Scotia, followed by assignment to an Operational Training Unit in Boundary Bay, British Columbia, where he trained on B-24 Liberator bombers. A bout of appendicitis briefly interrupted his progress, but it did not alter his course. He had graduated in November 1944. His training intensified in December when he was posted to Pre-Aircrew Education at McGill University. There, he immersed himself in English, mathematics, aircraft recognition, Morse code, and weapons training. Walter left Canada on Christmas Day, arriving in the United Kingdom by year’s end. Within weeks, he was en route through Cairo and Bahrain to India. By February 1945, he was stationed at Jessore, India with the Royal Air Force 357 Squadron, a Special Duties unit supporting the operations in Burma of Force 136. These missions demanded precision and courage, flying men and supplies into dangerous conditions over The Hump. He was the tail gunner in the crew. In May, his squadron relocated to Trincomalee, Ceylon. There, now a Flying Officer, Walter completed his final, twenty-seventh operation on August 9, 1945. The VJ-Day soon followed, and in January 1946, he began his journey home. He was discharged on March 8 with 415 mission flying hours. Walter returned not to rest, but to build. He married Marion Sawyer in 1949, raised five children, and established a farm. For seventeen years, he served as Clerk Treasurer of Fullarton Township, continuing his commitment to community. He was a 75-year member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 128. Walter passed away on August 22, 2022. His life reflected a steady, enduring principle: Service—to country, to community, and to family—carried out with humility and resolve. We Will Remember Them Ontario Command 239 www.on.legion.ca
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