Who is he?
By E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC ‘03)
- He was born at Provo, Utah, 25 November 1911.
- He was educated at Mont Clair (New Jersey). He enlisted at Camp Borden, 24 June 1929.
- He was a graduate of Royal Military College with a Sword of Honour. He graduated from Queen’s University and made his home in Kingston, Ont.
- He qualified for Pilot’s Badge at Trenton, 19 Aug 1931. He joined the Royal Air Force, 1932-35.
- He returned to Canada to fly bush operations with Canadian Airways and Hudson Bay Company.
- He rejoined in Winnipeg on 5 June 1940. He was assistant to CFI, Central Flying School, until May 1941 when he ferried a bomber to Britain and joined No.409 Squadron.
- He served as a commander of 409, a night-fighter squadron in Britain during World War II. Wing-Cmdr.
- He led a squadron which is the successor to the famous “Dawn Patrol” Squadron commanded in the First Great War by Air Marshal W. A. (Billy) Bishop.
- He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on Jan. 30, 1943. The citation for the D.S.O. said: “This officer has been engaged on night-flying operations for more than a year. He is a skilful pilot whose fine example and inspiring leadership have been worthy of high praise.” Since he joined the “Dawn Patrol” Squadron, he had accounted for eight German aircraft certainly destroyed, all during night operations over Britain.
- He was taken off operations in early 1943 but then posted to No.418 Squadron and later to No.143 Wing.
- He was honoured by other countries with the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (France); Croix de Guerre avec Palm (France) and Commander, Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords (Holland)
- He was released in July 1945 and went back to commercial flying.
- He was president of the Royal Military College Club of Canada in 1956.
- He was elected to the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame (1985). He died at Wolfe Island (Kingston) on 19 March 1987.
a) 1780 Air Commodore Martin M Costello (RMC 1924)
b) 2034 Wing-Cmdr (Ret’d) Paul Yettvart Davoud (RMC 1928)
c) 2043 Wing Cmdr Judd A Kennedy (RMC 1928)
d) 2061 Air Cmdr (Ret’d) Gordon G. Truscott (RMC 1928)
Answer: b) 2034 Wing-Cmdr (Ret’d) Paul Yettvart Davoud DSO, OBE, DFC, MiDx2 Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (France) Croix de Guerre avec Palm (France) Commander, Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords (Holland) (RMC 1928-31)
http://www.acesofww2.com/Canada/aces/davoud.htm