Joey Jacobson's War

by Peter J. Usher

  Jacobson, Joe, views on: air force training in Canada, 35–36, 37, 40, 51, 52–55, 57–59, 66, 76–77; American entry into war, 276, 280–81, 298–99; American neutrality and war preparation, 23–24, 66–67, 268–69; anti-Semitism, 21–22, 232; Bomber Command aircraft, compared with other national air forces, 65–66, 247–48; Bomber Command hierarchy and personnel, 243–44, 251–53; British, American, and German war capabilities, 142–43; British press, 145, 268; Canadian army, 24, 37, 95; Canada’s war preparedness, 23; commissions, 132, 251; conduct of bombing operations, 218, 238, 247–52; England and the English, 120, 141–44, 146–48, 151–52, 168–69, 239, 271–72, 281; enlistment, 15–16, 22–24, 26–27, 30–31; first sorties, 192–96; flying risks, 79–80, 165–66, 195, 197, 220, 250, 312; Germany’s war capabilities, 57–58, 142–43, 227, 248–49; his Canadian and Empire identity, 169, 272, 275; Jewish identity of, 231–32, 262, 276; Jewish obligation to enlist, 22, 27, 31, 38, 39–40, 230–32; Kostoris family, 153–54, 157; life on operations, 192, 194–97, 216–17, 247, 249–52, 254–55, 259–60, 287–90, 296–97; London, 110–12, 166–67, 233–34; marriage and relationships with women, 18, 44–45, 159, 169, 283, 288, 296; morale in Bomber Command, 247, 288; night bombing, 248; operational training in England, 125, 131, 134–37, 138–40, 165; qualities of and relations among Canadian, British, and other Dominion air forces and airmen, 65, 93, 119, 147–49, 195–96, 227, 252, 272, 298; pacifism, 125, 275; Percy’s expectations of him, 22, 92, 228; personal situation and prospects, 69, 125, 202–3, 219–20, 227, 228–29; 243, 263, 267, 269, 270, 276–77, 288–89; politics, 143, 144, 151–52, 252, 260, 268–75; Pony Club, 124–25; Preston, 19–20; prospects for tour completion, 219, 244, 259–61, 277; prospects for victory, 202, 268, 272; religion and faith, 230–31; sense of purpose, 70, 202, 239, 250, 260, 282, 309–10, 360; separation from RCAF, 113–14, 119, 122; war situation, ix, 23–24, 26–27, 135, 143–33, 147, 271, 280, 297; western Canada, 51, 53, 70–71

  Jacobson, May, xiv, 5, 6, 12, 87–88, 125, 332, 356; visits to Lichtenvoorde, 350–51, 351

  Jacobson, Percy, xiv, 11; as author and dramatist, 6; business activities, 6; communications with Canadian government following Joe’s death, 330–32, 336; death, 351, 356; diaries, x–xii, 293; as diarist, 3; early life, 5–6; fears for Joe, 87, 222, 246, 258; grieving for Joe, 329–32; visit to Lichtenvoorde, 350, 351

  Jacobson, Percy: views on: bombing in war, 222; Canadian war situation, 5, 22, 307; end of war, 355; England, 5; European war situation, 3, 25, 33, 258; inter-ethnic relations in Montreal, 292, 355; Jewish situation, 4, 72; Joe’s courage, 60, 93, 336–37; Joe’s diaries, 372–75; Joe’s embarkation, 85–88; Joe’s enlistment, 3–4, 5; Joe’s future, 10, 33, 72, 86–87, 293; Joe’s personal qualities, 93, 292–93; Joe’s political views, 307; Joe in Preston, 17, 20; Joe’s sense of purpose, 337; Joe’s state of mind, 140, 220, 246; Joe in training, 47, 71–72; May, 33, 72, 87, 88, 245–46, 324–25, 326, 331; Pony Club, 245; reaction to Joe reported missing, 323–35; reaction to Joe reported killed, 326–27; youth in war, 4, 32, 86, 88, 222

  Jacobson, Peter: 5, 8, 11, 87, 125, 330–34, 336

  Jacobson family: family life, 6, 85–87; takes in children from England, 32

  Japan: and Pacific War, 276, 280

  Jews: in air force, 42–43, in England, 156; situation of in Canada, 4, 10, 39–40; situation of in Montreal, 6, 9–10

  Johnson, Hewlitt (The Socialist Sixth of the World), 268, 274

  Jones, Toby, 133, 135–36

  Jupp, Les, 61, 68, 91n1, 282, 282n3, 358

  Kammhuber Line, 204, 206, 209, 211, 235, 257, 317, 345

  Kennedy, Ed, 166, 166n2, 197, 301

  Keswick, MacLaren, 51n1, 61, 83, 91n1, 97, 109, 225, 225n1, 301, 304, 357

  King, Mackenzie, 28–29, 114

  Knowles, Les, 135, 191

  Kostoris, Dan and Henriette, 153–58, 161, 162, 197–98, 232, 234–35, 262, 295, 305, 334n5, 358

  Kostoris, Liliane and Yvette, 32, 54, 155, 358

  Leemreize, Hendrik, 350–51, 352, 353–54, 353n9

  Lettice, Clara, 185–86, 187, 226, 235, 263, 288, 303, 303n6, 304, 306, 328, 334

  Lichtenvoorde (NL): funeral in, ix, xv, 346, 348–49, 347–48; General Cemetery, 336, 338, 352; Jacobsons’ visit to, 350, 352, 356; Memorial Day in, 354; putative events in, 351–52; resistance to occupation in, 351–54. See also aircraft, Royal Air Force: Hampden AT122, fate of

  Lincoln, Abraham, 321, 328

  Littlefield, Everett, 233–34, 233n1, 261

  London: arrival of Canadians in, 109–10; blitz in, 110–13; wartime conditions in, 109–13, 167, 197

  Lord Moran (Charles Wilson), 1, 265, 363

  Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce), 227, 227n3

  Lorenz (blind landing aid), 248

  Ludlow-Hewitt, Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar, 177

  Luftwaffe, 111, 144, 178, 345, 357; capabilities and tactics, 58, 81, 170, 183, 300. See also German air defences

  MacMillan, Jim, 166n2

  map reading, 52, 76, 129–30, 170, 192, 194, 216

  Matkin, Fred, 218, 218n5, 226

  McGill University, 4, 5, 51, 56, 76, 115, 197, 333, 336; football team, ix, 3, 7, 17, 18, 77n2, 78, 78n3, 115, 261n6, 328, 357; Joe at, 7–9; May Jacobson at, 5; Pony Club at, 9; RCAF at, 123

  McIntyre, Jack, 120, 121, 135, 136, 136n9, 188, 197, 199, 216, 218, 225–26, 225n2, 231, 260, 261, 301, 305

  McIver, Doug, 188, 218, 226, 236, 257, 257n2, 260–61

  McLean, G.P. (Jeep), 83, 91n1, 109, 197, 22n5, 138–39, 156–57, 160, 238, 357

  meteorology, 52, 54, 136, 170, 179, 187, 208, 257–58

  Michaels, Alfred, Denise, and Rebecca, 32, 154

  Michaels, Dorothy, 88, 88n1

  Michaels, John, 108, 108n8

  Miller, Hugh (Pop), 83, 97, 138, 138n13, 185, 218, 226, 259, 282, 301, 301n5

  mines and mine-laying, 203, 204, 253, 380n2 (ch. 26), 381n1, 382n10

  Mitchell, Robert George, 138, 138n12

  Monk, Arthur, 306, 306n10

  Montreal: attitudes in, 31, 98, 110; inter-ethnic relations in, 292; Jewish community in, 6, 7, 9; at outbreak of war, 3

  Montreal Gazette, 234n2, 339, 356

  Montreal Star, 61

  Moose Jaw (Sask.), 63, 64, 68, 70–71, 288

  Mossbank (Sask.), 63–64. See also British Commonwealth Air Training Plan: Bombing and Gunnery School

  National Resources Mobilization Act, 29

  navigation: aids to, 215, 248; errors of, 52, 180, 213–14; methods of, 52; Navigation Bulletin, 213, 215, 236, 253–54; pre-war status in RAF, 52, 178; procedures, 190; problems of, 179–80, 214–16, 253–54; training for, 52–54, 57–59, 75–78, 80. See also astro-navigation; observers

  Netherlands. See Holland

  Netherlands War Graves Committee, 350

  New York City, 9, 78, 98, 167, 281, 299, 358

  night bombing: necessity of, 178–81; problems of, 80, 178–81, 211, 213–16, 217, 236, 248; progress of, in 1940, 178–82. See also strategic bombing

  night fighters. See German air defences

  Norway, 25, 115, 143, 178, 257, 257n2, 260

  observers: British trained, 130, Canadian trained, in RAF, 130; Canadians in 106 squadron, 217–18; Canadian casualties, 238, 358; in 106 Squadron, 188, 226; personal background of, in Canada, 44; position in aircraft, 128–30, 132, 201; procedures on operations, 189–91; purpose and duties of, 42–43, 51–52, 128–30, 136; status in Bomber Command, 130, 285–86; training of, 52–54, 76–78, 80, 134–36

  operational training: problems of, 127–28, 170–71; purpose and organization, 117, 127–28; training in, 130–39

  Operational Training Units: No. 3, 377n2; No. 11, 376n10; No. 16, 121, 127, 367, 370, 375n5, 376n11, 376n12; No. 21, 377n2 (ch. 16), 378n1 (ch. 22); No. 25, 113, 118, 127, 134, 367, 376n9, 381n1. See Royal Air Force: Finningley; Royal Air Force: Upper Heyford

  Operations, Bomber Command: anti-shipping, 176; Berlin, 218–19, 225n1, 226, 257–60, 349n5; Bremen, 237–39, 314, 381;
Brest, 188, 216, 221, 225, 279n1, 286, 306n10, 316; cloud cover (sneakers), 287–88, 287n7, 288n8, 296–97; Cologne, 357; daylight, 177–78, 188, 192, 195, 249, 279n1, 286–87, 296, 316, Duisberg, 199–200; Dusseldorf, 193–94; Essen, 191, 235, 237, 257; Frankfurt, 191, 229; Hamburg, 138n12, 225, 225n2, 239–42, 259, 264, 287n7, 299–302, 314, 360; Hanover, 192–93, 208, 314; Huls, 216–17, 226, 236–37, 248–49, 290, 292, 314; Kiel, 185, 191, 194, 203–4, 217–18, 221, 238–40, 241, 248, 253; low-level, 235, 240, 249, 257, 287, 300–302, 306; Ludwigshaven, 189–90; Mannheim, 189–90, 199n1; mine-laying, 203–4; Münster, 314–18; Norway, 257, 257n2; Ostende, 284–85, 315; procedures on, 189–91; Rostock, 221, 226, Schiphol, 240–41; Wilhelmshaven, 178

  Orwell, George: The Lion and the Unicorn, 152

  Ottawa, 114, 219, 243

  Paine, Thomas, 271, Rights of Man purchased by Joe, 277, 303, 312; Joe’s copy found in aircraft wreck, ix, 343

  parachutes, 53, 56, 157, 165, 170, 319, 351; on sea-mines, 203–4, 290, 292

  Patrick, Alexander, 315, 315n

  Peirse, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard, 214, 258, 286

  Poland, Poles, 3, 19, 25, 111, 344

  Pony Club: 56, 236, 311; beginning of, 9; correspondence, 9–10, 107n7, 119n2; enlistment debate, 36–39; members, 276, 357; reunions, 67–68, 78, 85; 95–96; status of, 96, 124–25, 230, 242. See also Berger, Monty

  Popay, H.I., 240, 240n9, 309n1

  Portal, Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles, 214

  postal censorship, 107, 118, 145–46, 329; system of, 149

  Power, Charles, 1

  Preston (Ont.), 16; perception of Jews in, 17, 20–21; social life in, 18–19

  Preston Furniture Company, 16–17, 19

  Preston Riversides (hockey team), 18–19

  pigeons, 190

  radio direction finding (radar), 52, 122–24, 124n7, 130, 177, 190, 209–10, 215, 230, 345, 357

  radio navigation aids, 58, 81, 128, 170, 177–80, 214–15, 254, 261

  Red Cross, 3, 19, 180, 295, 325, 329–30

  Regina (Sask.), 49; social life in, 55–56, 68. See also British Commonwealth Air Training Plan: Air Observer School

  Rivers (Man.). See British Commonwealth Air Training Plan: No. 1 Air Navigation School

  Roberts, Gerry, 189–92, 194, 216, 218, 224, 253, 257, 264, 285, 300, 305, 317

  Roosevelt, Franklin, 66, 98, 99, 293

  Rosenstein (Ross), Herb, 9, 37–39, 85, 95, 96, 124–25, 242, 281, 298–99, 357

  Rousseau, Roger: application for commission, 305, 312, 357; on leave in London with Joe, 166, 197, 233; at Midfield with Joe, 158, 163; billeted in Woodhall Spa with Joe, 185, 186, 187, 329; missing on operations, 301–2, 313n2, 334; in operational training, 113, 121, 137, 139, 165; posted to 106 Squadron with Joe, 166; prisoner of war in Germany, 330, 357; returns to Canada, 335, 357; as observer in 106 Squadron, 188, 192, 199, 205, 217–18, 219–21, 225–27, 235–36, 239, 242, 255, 257, 257n2, 259–60, 262, 263, 267, 270, 279–80, 282, 290; in training in Canada, 83, 91n1

  Rousseau, Réal, 166, 311, 313n2, 335

  Royal Air Force: Canadians in, 113–15; Canadian squadrons in, 114; pay and conditions in, 114, 118–19; pre-war preparations, 175–77; social structure and hierarchy, 134, 188–89

  Royal Air Force Stations: Cardington, 304; Cranwell, 267; Uxbridge (No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre), 109

  – Coningsby: aircraft accident at, 286; billeting at, 186, 299; commissioning process at, 305; location, 206; operational directives to, 189, 299, 314; organization of, 187–88; return to and debriefing at, 191; visit of Berger and Kostoris to, 325; visit of RCAF officers to, 305. See also Bomber Command squadrons: 106 Squadron

  – Finningley: aircraft accidents at, 137, 165; Hampden at, 132; Joe’s arrival at, 113; life at, 131; operational training at, 118, 131–32, 165–66, 170, 226, 302; Rossington Hall, 118, 121; Spitfire at, 135

  – Upper Heyford: flying accidents at, 138n11, 166; Joe’s visit to, 121–22

  Royal Canadian Air Force: aircrew in Britain, xiii (see also Royal Air Force: Canadians in); as colonial air force, 28–29, 114–15; commissions in, 29–30, 79, 81, 95; embarkation depot (Debert), 91, 93–95, 97; in England, 114; French Canadians in, 44, 302, 313; Jews in, 42–43; London headquarters, 118, 149; No. 1 Manning Depot (Toronto), 35–37; organization, 77; pay and conditions in, 64, 118–19; recruitment, 28–30; relations with RAF, 114–15, 118–19, 358

  Royal Canadian Navy, enlistment in, 17, 24

  Ruhr, 183, 189, 205, 214, 216, 236, 244, 248, 257, 259, 267, 314, 343

  Russia (Soviet Union), x, 144, 151, 154, 200, 227, 255, 260, 268, 271, 274–75, 281, 297, 298–99, 307, 344, 357

  Samuel, Cecily, 45, 46, 83, 85, 91, 111, 158–59, 166, 169, 283, 358

  Sandwell, B.K., 166, 166n3, 233–34

  Saturday Night (magazine), 15, 17, 166n3, 268, 270

  Savard, Adjutor, 166, 166n2, 234, 303–4, 306, 320, 334

  Savard, Ernest, 166, 166n2

  Selfe, Robin, 284, 290, 291, 314, 315, 317–18, 329, 343, 349–50, 354

  Selfe, Winifred, 329

  Shapiro, Lionel, 234, 234n

  ships, German Navy: Gneisenau, 188, 216, 221, 297; Prinz Eugen, 216; Scharnhorst, 216, 221, 297

  ships, Royal Navy: Georgic, 102, 107; Hood, 106, 139; Laconia, 97, 101, 102, 104, 107; Montclare, 102, 107n6; Nerissa, 108; Rajputana, 102, 104n4, 107, 108; Royal Sovereign, 103, Thunderbolt, 104; Ulsterman, 106, Wolfe, 102, 105n5

  Silcox, Claris, 15

  Silver, Arthur, 89

  Silver, Harris, 328

  Silver, Leonard, 295

  Silver, Lionel (Ray), xiv, 37, 76, 86, 107, 317n6, 335, 357

  Slessor, Air Vice-Marshal John, 221, 257n1, 285–86

  Smart, H.W., 306

  Smith, Gerald, 9, 38, 85, 87, 95, 124, 230, 333–34, 335, 357

  Stevenson, Air Commodore L.F., 118, 149

  Stevenson, Stevie, 113, 303

  strategic air offensive against Germany, xii–xiii; controversy over, xiii, 359–60; hiatus in, 258–59, 267; initiation of, 183–84; problems with, 252; success of, 359; sustainability of, 184, 259. See also night bombing; strategic bombing

  strategic bombing: doctrines of, 175–76; effectiveness of, 180; effects on civilian morale, 176, 182–83, 252; pre-war preparation for, 176; public perceptions of, 175, 275, 359–60; tested in strategic air offensive against Germany

  Swingler, Stephen: Outline of Political Thought since the French Revolution, 273–74

  target finding, 165, 177, 179–80, 184, 207, 214–15, 254

  target marking, 250, 292, 300

  Target for Tonight (film), 167–68, 172, 258

  Timoshenko, Marshal Semyon, 232

  Trenchard, Air Marshal Lord Hugh, 173, 175, 183–84

  Twin Lakes (summer camp), 12

  Tyson, Stanley, 166, 166n2

  United Kingdom. See Britain

  United States, 38, 80, 98, 142, 144, 200, 268, 273, 298, 357, 358

  Usher, Moe, 41, 306, 306n11

  veterans’ memoirs, xiii–xiv

  war situation: May 1940, 25–26; May–July 1941, 111–13, 141–44

  weather, as flying hazard, 207–9, 245, 248

  Westermann, Albert, 348, 350

  Westmount High School, 7, 8

  Westmount (Que.), 7, 16, 85, 199

  Williams, John, 166, 166n2

  wind-finding, 179–80, 181, 215

  Yearsley, Ron, 287n7