Squadron Leader Leonard Birchall aboard a Consolidated PBY Catalina in 1942
Born
(1915-07-06)6 July 1915 St. Catharines, Ontario
Died
10 September 2004(2004-09-10) (aged 89) Kingston, Ontario
Allegiance
Canada
Service/branch
Royal Canadian Air Force
Years of service
1933–1967
Rank
Air Commodore
Commands held
Royal Military College of Canada No. 413 Squadron RCAF
Battles/wars
Second World War
Awards
Member of the Order of Canada Officer of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross Order of Ontario Canadian Forces' Decoration Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States)
Air Commodore Leonard Joseph Birchall, CM, OBE, DFC, OOnt, CD (6 July 1915 – 10 September 2004), "The Saviour of Ceylon", was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) officer who warned of a Japanese attack on the island of Ceylon during the Second World War.[1]
^"Leonard Birchall." Canada Veterans Hall of Valour. Retrieved: 18 June 2010.
Air Commodore Leonard Joseph Birchall, CM, OBE, DFC, OOnt, CD (6 July 1915 – 10 September 2004), "The Saviour of Ceylon", was a Royal Canadian Air Force...
April, Catalina QL-A of 413 Squadron RCAF, piloted by Squadron Leader LeonardBirchall, took off from Koggala to patrol the southernmost patrol sector. Later...
Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) 413 Squadron flown by Squadron Leader LeonardBirchall spotted Nagumo's fleet 360 mi (310 nmi; 580 km) south-east of Ceylon...
Canadian historian Roger Graham and later the distinguished military man LeonardBirchall). McGirr was named a King's Counsel in 1933. McGirr joined a law firm...
Donald Perera VSV, USP, Sri Lanka Air Force. In 1950 Air Commodore LeonardBirchall (Royal Canadian Air Force) was made an officer of the Legion for his...
remains of those who dedicate their bodies to education and research. LeonardBirchall – Royal Canadian Air Force officer Thomas Burrowes – Artist and surveyor...
Izawa & Shores 2011. Brown 1990, pp. 60–125. Stuart, Robert (2006). "LeonardBirchall and the Japanese Raid on Colombo". Canadian Military Journal. Roscoe...
who won the Victoria Cross at Dieppe during the Second World War. LeonardBirchall, the "Saviour of Ceylon", discovered the approach of the Japanese fleet...
from Stalag Luft III, successfully made it to Sweden with Jens Müller LeonardBirchall – the "Saviour of Ceylon" Gregory "Pappy" Boyington – US Marine Corps...
beginning the Battle of Midway. A RCAF Canso flown by Squadron Leader L.J. Birchall foiled Japanese plans to destroy the Royal Navy's Indian Ocean fleet on...
National Defence of Canada. Retrieved 1 May 2022. Stuart, Rob (2006). "LeonardBirchall and the Japanese Raid on Colombo". Canadian Military Journal. 7 (4)...
fielder LeonardBirchall (1915–2004), Canadian air force officer Paul Birchall (aka Burchill) (born 1979), English wrestler Reginald Birchall (1866–1890)...
6099. "No. 36734". The London Gazette. 6 October 1944. p. 4592. "LeonardBirchall and the Japanese raid on Colombo". National Defence and the Canadian...
Ernest Kirkendall, American chemist and metallurgist (d. 2005) 1915 – LeonardBirchall, Royal Canadian Air Force pilot (d. 2004) 1916 – Harold Norse, American...
Bigault d'Aubreville – head of the nightwatch in Montreal Air Commodore LeonardBirchall CM OBE DFC OOnt CD DMSc (hc) LLD (hc) (1915–2004) – war hero Air Marshall...
However, the crew of a 5 Squadron Stranraer, flown by Flight Lieutenant LeonardBirchall, were responsible for the capture of an Italian merchant ship, the...
the college financially. Capital Campaigns have included the 2364 LeonardBirchall Pavilion (2007); Memorial Arch Restoration (2001) and the New Library...
August 27, 2022: Nazem Kadri, 2022 Stanley Cup champion June 27, 2010: LeonardBirchall and 351 Silverstar Air Cadet Squadron[citation needed] Bianca Andreescu...
in action. Juraj Beneš, 64, Slovak composer, teacher, and pianist. LeonardBirchall, 89, Canadian Air Force officer. Richard Karlan, 85, American actor...
1998) July 4 – Harold E. Johns, medical physicist (d.1998) July 6 – LeonardBirchall, World War II hero (d.2004) August 3 – Frank Arthur Calder, politician...
September 5 – Gerald Merrithew, politician (born 1931) September 10 – LeonardBirchall, World War II hero (born 1915) September 15 – Walter Stewart, writer...
publisher, media baron Dorothy Beam – advocate for the rights of the Deaf LeonardBirchall – decorated RCAF pilot (World War II) Violet Blackman – black rights...
Succeeded by Group Captain Wurtele Preceded by William Kirby Lye Commandant of the Royal Military College of Canada 1967-1970 Succeeded by LeonardBirchall...
at Bowden Hall, Upton St Leonards, Gloucestershire, the third, and youngest, son of Dearman and Emily Jowitt Birchall. Birchall attended school in Sunningdale...
to be included in their displays about important Canadians. Below is a list of known locations where these medals are displayed. LeonardBirchall [3]...
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