Canada Ping!
Posted on 05/13/2015 2:28:58 PM PDT by Squawk 8888
The Royal Canadian Air Force is saddened to learn of the death of Arthur Francis (“Art”) Sherwin, former honorary colonel of 426 Transport Training Squadron, which is located at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario.
“Arthur was a pleasant and caring gentleman, who embraced his role as honorary colonel of 426 Squadron,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Ryan Deming, 426 “Thunderbird” Squadron’s commanding officer. “He took every opportunity to engage and speak with squadron members, epitomizing the values and ethos of the RCAF.
“His life experience, particularly during the Second World War, was inspiring to the Thunderbird family. His presence will be missed.”
Honorary Colonel Sherwin, who was born on April 19, 1923, in Coventry, England, died in Tweed, Ontario, on Sunday, May 10, 2015. He immigrated to Canada in 1950 and worked for Ontario Hydro in Telecommunications and Protection and Control, retiring in Belleville, Ontario, after 33 years. He was appointed as honorary colonel of 426 Squadron in January 2008 – a post he held until January 2014.
A member of the Royal Air Force, Honorary Colonel Sherwin earned his pilot’s license at Fort William, Ontario, in 1941. He flew with the RAF’s 232 Squadron and, as his obituary records, he “fought bravely in the Second World War and was shot down on his 20th birthday, April 19th, 1943,” while flying a Spitfire in the skies over Tunisia.
He was imprisoned in Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp, near Sagan, Poland. There he became involved in preparations for “The Great Escape”, which occurred on the night of March 24-25, 1944. Honorary Colonel Sherwin was a “penguin”, one of the men who covertly spread the dirt that was excavated from the tunnels across the camp compound so that it would not be noticed by the guards.
At a change of command parade in July 2012, the outgoing commanding officer of 426 Squadron, Lieutenant-Colonel Christian Roy, also thanked Honorary Colonel Sherwin for his support and called him “a national treasure”. Funeral arrangements for Honorary Colonel Sherwin have not yet been finalized. His obituary notes that “if desired, donations to the National Airforce Museum of Canada Foundation would be appreciated.”
Canada Ping!
What a fine old man!
So that’s where they got the name for the tv show: Thunderbirds
Rest in Peace Colonel Arthur Sherwin.
“Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds -
and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of -
wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.
Hovering there I’ve chased the shouting wind along
and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.
“Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,
where never lark, or even eagle, flew;
and, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
the high untrespassed sanctity of space,
put out my hand and touched the face of God.”
Ed
Rest in peace Colonel Sherwin.
wonder how many WW2 vets are left?
RIP.
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