Robert A Butts DFC RCAF and crew – 103 Squadron / 582 Squadron - 1944/45 – C.854
Butts came from Culverston, New Brunswick and enlisted in the RCAF in 1938 at Trenton, Ontario as provisional P/O. He was trained at Trenton and awarded his Wings 17 June 1939 and promoted to F/O on 1 October 1939.
He was eventually posted to 10 Squadron in June 1941 which was formed from 3 Squadron at Halifax Nova Scotia as a Bomber Reconnaissance unit tasked with anti submarine patrols. At that time the Squadron was equipped with Douglas Digby twin engined bombers purchased from the USA.
10 Squadron RCAF Douglas Digby
The Squadron moved to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where they undertook two or three long fruitless patrols daily dependent on the often inclement weather in that part of the world. During his time with 10 BR Squadron Butts was involved in three crashes. This was a blemish to his record and one case resulted in court martial proceedings.
Be that as it may Butts was posted to 1 Air Navigation School at Rivers, Manitoba I March 1942 and 16 Service Flying Training School at Hagersville Ontario on 31 August. As a result of these postings he had acquired a considerable amount of multi engine flying experience.
Butts was then selected as a bomber pilot and departed for the UK in October 1943 with the rank of F/L
After the usual training for bomber crews Butts and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds from 11 Base on the 1 October 1944
The crew consisted of
F/L R A Butts RCAF
Sgt A D Bermot
F/S B C McGregor RCAF
F/O C E Kramer RCAF
F/S D H Penny RCAF
F/S W D Stuckey RCAF
F/S J R Murphy RCAF
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Butts flew his first operation as Second Dickie / co-pilot with F/O A G Frish and crew to Duisburg on the 14 October 1944.
He then captained his own crew on the following operations :-
Note the first on the list is on the same day as his Second Dickie trip. The Squadron made two attacks on that day
14-Oct-44 – Duisburg - Operation Hurricane - Lancaster - JA857 - F/L RA Butts RCAF – Early return - Engine unserviceable.
15-Oct-44 – Wilhelmshaven - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB465 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
19-Oct-44 - Stuttgart - Point of Aim - Lancaster - JA857 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
28-Oct-44 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB637 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
30-Oct-44 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ME698 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
31-Oct-44 - Cologne - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB637 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
02-Nov-44 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - Lancaster - PB563 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
11-Nov-44 – Dortmund - Oil - Lancaster - PB465 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
16-Nov-44 – Duren - Army support - Lancaster - ED888 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
29-Nov-44 – Dortmund - Point of Aim - Lancaster - ED888 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
04-Dec-44 - Karlsruhe - Point of Aim - Lancaster - JA857 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
06-Dec-44 – Leuna - Oil - Lancaster - PB563 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
12-Dec-44 – Essen - Point of Aim - Lancaster - JA857 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
15-Dec-44 – Ludwigshafen/Oppau - Chemical - Lancaster - JA857 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
17-Dec-44 - Ulm - Point of Aim - Lancaster - JA857 - F/L RA Butts RCAF
24-Dec-44 – Cologne/Nippes - Railway yards - Lancaster - NG391 - F/L RA Butts RCAF - Bad weather at base. All aircraft diverted to Old Buckenham
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On the 27 December 1944 the Butts crew were posted to 582 Pathfinder Squadron at RAF Little Staughton. Here they finished WW2
What became of him post war is unknown.
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Butts was awarded a DFC which was presented by Governor General at Government House, 12 June 1953 having "completed…numerous operations against the enemy as a Pathfinder master bomber in which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty."
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Compiled by David Fell. Some of the background info came from an article in Flypast magazine June 2018
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