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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

The Ideals and Training of a Flying Officer


Moonraker

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This 104-page book prints the letters sent home by a trainee Canadian pilot, Roderick Ward Maclennan, a Toronto University student who enlisted in January 1916 and, after serving with the Canadian Medical Service in England, then applied for pilot training. The first part of this he undertook at Oxford; he transferred to RFC Netheravon and then to the Central Flying School at Upavon. He was posted to France in November 1917, made his first patrol over enemy lines on December 18 - and was killed in action on the 23rd.  

His letters are beautifully written, graphically conveying his love of flying and how he "spent five of the happiest months of my life at Upavon". My interest in the book was because of the substantial Wiltshire content but, though I'm not usually concerned with flying experiences, I found  the descriptions of his very eloquent.

Published in 2009 by Crecy Publishing Limited, ISBN 9 780859 791304. Price £7.99 or $12.95.

Moonraker

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Some of the photos I took - in his honour - are here:

Canadian Virtual Memorial

His family placed a memorial to him in Toronto. It is one of the first you see when you enter Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto from the Yonge St. entrance, and look to the left along the path. See above link for photos.

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This one will be uploaded to the above linked Memorial site soon, after I finish more retouching:

post-3697-1263852316.jpg

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