Preparation Time

This is the cover of Dad's second log book.

This is the left hand page of his last entry from WWII. I hope to get better images but thought it would be good to post them asap.

And this is the right hand page of his last entry from WWII.

And so we get ready for our trip to England and Belgium. Here’s how I think I will keep a record of the trip. I hope to be able to post a daily journal with pictures as we go along. I’m taking the laptop, the iPhone, the Bell TurboStick, the camera, the converter, the chargers and the kitchen sink! I figure that should do it.

I would like, once again, to thank our good friend Allan Hillman of Truro, Cornwall, England for his great support and assistance in finding out all kinds of information that we never knew. He has sent us so many documents and places to find other documents that I’m hard pressed to remember them all. He has become a friend to our whole family and I am just sorry that he won’t be able to accompany Bill and me to As for that glass of cognac. He will certainly be there in spirit, I know. And I also know that my brothers and sister, my cousins David and John and my cousins Barbara and Janet will be there in spirit. I am really looking forward to meeting our other new friend in As, Karel. As you know Allan was responsible for putting us together – he’s quite the matchmaker!

In anticipation, I thought I should post Dad's record and a couple of documents that I have which people might find interesting.

Dad's Record
TRIPE, S/L Phillip Valentine King (42279) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.129 Squadron - awarded as per London Gazette dated 25 January 1944. Born in Ottawa, 24 July 1918; educated at Lisgar Collegiate.

“Award promulgated in the London Gazette dated 25th January, 1944.
“Distinguished Flying Cross

“Acting Squadron Leader Phillip [sic] Valentine King TRIPE (42279) Reserve of Air Force Officers, No. 129 Squadron. This officer has led his flight and squadron during an extended tour of operational duty and has proved himself an extremely capable leader. During his operational career, he has personally destroyed 2 enemy aircraft and shared in the destruction of a number of others. On 17th August, 1943, he was chiefly responsible for the destruction by his Wing of 5 enemy aircraft. His outstanding ability is reflected in the fighting efficiency of his squadron.”

- Pupil pilot, RAF, 1 May to 23 June 1939.
- Appointed Acting Pilot Officer on Probation, RAF, 24 June 1939;
- confirmed as Flying Officer, 16 December 1940;
- as Flight Lieutenant, 16 December 1941;
- as Squadron Leader in 1943;
- at No.10 FTS under training to 8 June 1940;
- to No.7 Bombing and Gunnery School, 8 June 1940 (Flight Commander of Whitley Flight);
- to No.56 OTU, 14 April 1942;
- to No.411 Squadron, June 1942;
- to No.65 Squadron, December 1942;
- to No.222 Squadron, February 1943;
- to No.129 Squadron, September 1943;
- to No.57 OTU (instructing), November 1943;
- to No.2 Tactical Exercise Unit (Hurricanes), February 1944;
- to No.130 Squadron, 6 June 1944. Commanding as of 11 September 1944 until 16 January 1945).
- Transferred to RCAF, 22 December 1944 (C89529). Remained in post war force (numbers 20466 and 431-171-024);

The following victories credited to him are in Combat Cards held by Directorate of History and Heritage, Canadian Forces Headquarters: 22 June 1943, one FW.190 damaged; 9 July 1943, one FW.190 probably destroyed; 17 August 1943, two Bf.109Gs destroyed north of Huls; 18 August 1943, ½ Bf.109 destroyed (shared with an RAF pilot); 31 August 1943, one FW.190 probably destroyed; 27 September 1943, one Bf.109 damaged; 22 October 1943, one Bf.109 damaged. AFRO 644/44 dated 24 March 1944 (report of his DFC described him as a Canadian in the RAF.
Died 31 December 1982 at Trout Lake, North Bay (drowned following iceboating accident). Air Ministry Bulletin 12703/AL.741 refers.

NOTE: His application for Operational Wing, dated 12 June 1945, stated that he had flown with Nos. 411, 65, 222 and 129 Squadrons, June 1942 to November 1943 (248 operational hours) but does not clearly indicate when he went from one unit to another.

However, leave records indicate he was with No.411 Squadron from at least 11 August 1942 until 26 December 1942; he took leave while with No.222 Squadron in May 1943, and while with No.129 Squadron in October 1943.

His second tour, June 1944 to January 1945, was with No.130 Squadron (96 hours). The document then lists his sorties by date, duty and time flown. The first sortie given is 17 August 1942 (Fighter Sweep, Bereke-sur-Mer and Wamport, one hour 15 minutes) and the last is 20 November 1943. The total number of sorties is 148 including four on 19 August 1942 ("Fighter Umbrella for Dieppe Raid: 1.45" - "Close Escort Two Bostons laying smoke screen Dieppe, 1.40" - "Fighter Sweep Protection, Boats returning from Dieppe, 1.30" and a repeat of the previous, 1.30).

There is a long break between 6 December 1942 and 5 April 1943 followed by intense operations including three trips on each of the following days: 24 June 1943, 4 July 1943, 22 August 1943, 6 September 1943, 8 September 1943, 9 September 1943, 18 October 1943. The second tour sorties run from 8 June 1944 to 16 January 1945 (56 sorties).

Form dated 15 January 1953 gives times as follows:
- Tiger Moth, 60
- Anson, 60
- Avro Cadet, 2
- Whitley, 390
- Magister, 10
- Blenheim, 10
- Lysander 16
- Defiant, 15
- Battle, 20
- Hurricane, 50
- Master, 4
- Spitfire, 608
- Harvard, 29
- C-45, 9.

Telegram from Dad to Mom in Chester about his DFC.

Dad's service with the RCAF. I sent for this when we lived in Inuvik so I could join the Royal Canadian Legion there. I did hear from Mom at some point that Dad was not a big fan but the Legion was the place to go in Inuvik for drinkies.