Our concert today is also a tribute to Joseph Fernand Henley - WWII Veteran
 

Military Career of Joseph Fernand Henley, during World War 11

The entire Military Career of Joseph Fernand Henley was completed during World War 11, between the years 1941 and 1945. Born in the beautiful village of Marsoui in Gaspe Peninsula (Quebec) on December 08, 1922, he was educated  at Gaspe Seminary and at the Provincial Institute of Mining, Haileybury Ontario, in Mining Engineering. At the age of 18, he enlisted for active duty with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in Quebec City.  Subsequently, he completed his basic and Elementary Flying training within the greater Toronto area, graduating as a pilot with an Officer’s Commission at the RCAF  St-Hubert (Quebec)  Service Flying Training school, on August 28th 1942. Being fluently bilingual, French and English, he was selected for training as a flying Instructor at the RCAF  Central flying Training school of Trenton, Ontario. After graduating as a flying Instructor, he was returned to the RCAF  Service Flying Training school of St-Hubert, where he taught for one year. In early 1943, there were much enemy submarine activities not only over the North Atlantic but also not far from Canada’s eastern Coastline including the golf of St-Lawrence where many merchant ships were torpedoed as close as about 500 miles east of Quebec City.  During that year, Flt Lt Henley was recruited for further training in Air Navigation and Meteorology in preparation to active duty with a Reconnaissance squadron.  In the fall of 1943, he joined 161 Squadron, based in Halifax where he completed one tour of operations  on  antisubmarine warfare  flying  Consolidated PBY canso type of aircraft. That same year, enemy submarine activities became more evident in the Mid Atlantic areas, requiring a much longer range type of aircraft, as well as more advanced  equipment  for detecting  submarines at night while they remained on the surface for recharging their batteries. In 1944, Flt Lt Henley was trained on Liberator four engine B-24 J and posted to 10 BR (Bomber Reconnaissance) squadron, based at Gander Newfoundland. Most of the 10BR aircraft were equipped with ASV (Air Service Vessel), now called Radar, as well as a new type of radio Altimeter capable of giving accurate altitude of the aircraft over the ocean, during the long low level reconnaissance flights.  In addition, some of the B-24J of 10 BR were fitted with a 2,000,000 Candle Power search light called the Leigh Lite, which could be activated and the beam directed from the Navigator’s compartment  located in the nose of the aircraft.

During one night reconnaissance flight, Flt Lt Henley said that his  ASV operator reported a Blimp, or a return  signal, suggesting that a ship or a possible submarine was detected, although there were no convoys in that general area.  All hands went into action.  With cruising speed reduced, with Bomb Bays opened, a very gradual descent  was initiated to 200 feet over the ocean, directly towards the target. At the appropriate distance of about 800 yards, the Leigh Lite was turned on and the beam directed to the target showing, not a small submarine but a huge troop ship which turned out to be the Ile de France, cruising with no lights, no escort, in a Zigzag manner at about 25 Knots.  We narrowly missed the masts of that huge ship while turning sharply away with full engine power.   After settling down, we resumed our night search. On May 10th 1945, when flying  B-24 J no 3713, Flt Lt Henley’s crew was one of the relief  crew who over periods of 10 hours, escorted  U-Boat U190 to St-Johns Nfld,  a German submarine  which  had surrendered to the Canadian Navy some 700 N.M east of St-Johns. By mid-summer 1945, the war was over and shortly thereafter, no 10 BR ceased operations. On September 21, 1945, exactly 4 years and 2 days after his enrolment on Sept 19th 1941, Flt Lt  J.F. Henley  received an honorable discharged from the RCAF.

Epilogue.

After the end of World War 11 hostilities, Flt Lt J.F. Henley was awarded decoration number 401994, representing the following four medals and stars. -The Voluntary Service Medal with Silver Bar for overseas services during the 1939-1945 war.

-The War Service Medal to those who served in the armed forces during the 1939-1945 war. -The Atlantic Star, to airmen who served over the Atlantic against the enemy between 1939-1945 -The 1939-1945 Star, to RCAF flight personnel who served in an Operational Squadron before May 08, 1945. Beginning in October 1947, J.F. Henley began a very successful career in Civil Aviation, during which he flew a total of 14,762 hours as pilot-in-command on 31 different types of aircraft including  large commercial transatlantic airliners. In 1958, he amalgamated two small Bush type of operations under the name of Nordair, which became the fourth largest commercial airline in Canada, by the end of the year 1969. Mr Henley’s lifetime achievement, was recognized with the following  Civil awards: On May 02, 2000, he was awarded the Trans-Canada (McKee) Trophy, the oldest award in Civil Aviation. On October 21st, 2002, he was inducted in the Quebec Air and Space Hall of Fame, at a ceremony held in Montreal at the International Civil Aviation Organization headquarters. On August 05, 2003, Her Excelency, the Governor of Canada announced the list of appointments to the Order of Canada for Lifetime Achievement, in effect as of May 08, 2003.  J.F. Henley’s name was included in the list of appointees.  The Insignia was presented to him on February 20th 2004, by the Governor General of Canada at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

Cutting the Cake

Paying tribute to his father:
Bryan Michael Cassidy. WWII Veteran
member of the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943.
assigned to the 420 Snowy Owl Squadron based in Yorkshire.
(see performance July 2nd)