Former PM was a pilot. Who is he?

[pelmet]

Shortly after his first solo, he crashed while landing in a Grahame-White trainer, writing it off and injuring himself enough to to be shipped to London to recuperate. While on a night outing from the hospital, he was hit by a double decker bus on Edgeware Road under blackout conditions during a raid which aggravated his injury enough to end his flying career.

https://www.google.com/search?q=grahame ... Ko7kis1hWM:

Who is he?

[7ECA]

Pearson.

Mind you, Diefenbaker was invalided home from England after apparently being hit by a shovel during pre-deployment training (rumour has it that this was some sort of psychosomatic injury that led to his being sent home).

[Inverted2]

By process of elimination: Wasn’t Turdeau 1 - He was a draft dodger. Definitely not Turdeau 2 - He’s often flying high but not in an aviation sense.

[av8ts]

By process of elimination: Wasn’t Turdeau 1 - He was a draft dodger. Definitely not Turdeau 2 - He’s often flying high but not in an aviation sense.

I’m pretty sure we Canada hasn’t had the draft in Trudeaus lifetime

[Rockie]

[quote=Inverted2 post_id=<a href="tel:1052966">1052966</a> time=<a href="tel:1537760007">1537760007</a> user_id=992]
By process of elimination: Wasn’t Turdeau 1 - He was a draft dodger. Definitely not Turdeau 2 - He’s often flying high but not in an aviation sense.

I’m pretty sure we Canada hasn’t had the draft in Trudeaus lifetime
[/quote]

Conscription has always been very contentious in Canada with the vast majority of our wartime military being voluntary, however there were a relatively small number of conscripts in both the first and Second World War. Trudeau1 was reluctantly conscripted in WWII but never served overseas.

Have you served Inverted2?

[pelmet]

Perhaps not all was known back at the time of WWI but I could see myself having no interest in going to the fields of France to support the King at the time when you just march into a hail of bullets to satisfy an general's ambition that is obviously not going to work.

WWII was a completely different story for the consequences of the world. The bad guys were coming our way if we didn't stop them. Hadn't heard about Trudeau and the conscription issue but he fits the background of where conscription was an issue.

[gwagen]

Perhaps not all was known back at the time of WWI but I could see myself having no interest in going to the fields of France to support the King at the time when you just march into a hail of bullets to satisfy an general's ambition that is obviously not going to work.

WWII was a completely different story for the consequences of the world. The bad guys were coming our way if we didn't stop them. Hadn't heard about Trudeau and the conscription issue but he fits the background of where conscription was an issue.

Good chance you may have felt differently had you been around during WWI.

I’d say on average people we much more connected to their homeland, primarily Britain.

My Great grandfather signed up for WWI they day after Canada joined the war.

He fought in the trenches, was gassed at Ypres. Survived, sent home and discharged from the service. Rejoined into the airforce and flew for the remainder.

When called upon many will join and do as they are asked.

We have the privilege of looking back and critiquing the methods and tactics. But at the time they were all just looking for a way to save their countries and go home.

[pelmet]

Perhaps not all was known back at the time of WWI but I could see myself having no interest in going to the fields of France to support the King at the time when you just march into a hail of bullets to satisfy an general's ambition that is obviously not going to work.

WWII was a completely different story for the consequences of the world. The bad guys were coming our way if we didn't stop them. Hadn't heard about Trudeau and the conscription issue but he fits the background of where conscription was an issue.

Good chance you may have felt differently had you been around during WWI.

Quite possible. And I think the recruiters made it sound way better than it was(I'm sure they always do). And no doubt, much less information was available in those days.

Many enlisted primarily for the 'adventure'. Then reality set in but it's too late.

And many refused to go and for good reason, it turned out. Because it just wasn't something worth dying for. WWII, different story.

Your Great-grandfather made a great sacrifice and I salute him for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuPx3G5v0hU

[stone69]

Lester Pearson

[Inverted2]

[quote=Inverted2 post_id=<a href="tel:1052966">1052966</a> time=<a href="tel:1537760007">1537760007</a> user_id=992]
By process of elimination: Wasn’t Turdeau 1 - He was a draft dodger. Definitely not Turdeau 2 - He’s often flying high but not in an aviation sense.

I’m pretty sure we Canada hasn’t had the draft in Trudeaus lifetime

Conscription has always been very contentious in Canada with the vast majority of our wartime military being voluntary, however there were a relatively small number of conscripts in both the first and Second World War. Trudeau1 was reluctantly conscripted in WWII but never served overseas.

Have you served Inverted2?
[/quote]

No I actually did apply to the CAF about 20 years ago when I finished college and got my CPL. I was turned down because I didn't have a university degree so I went towards the civilian/airline route. They called back a year later and asked if I was still interested and said if I was successful I would have to go the Royal Military College followed by an intensive French course so I declined as I was happy to be flying and not in a classroom. No regrets. My father and grandfather served in the military though.

[who me ?]

In 1917,Lester B. Pearson transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, since the Royal Canadian Air Force did not exist at that time, where he served as a flying officer until being sent home with injuries from two accidents. Pearson learned to fly at an air training school in Hendon, England. He survived an aeroplane crash during his first flight

[jakeandelwood]

Pearson.

Mind you, Diefenbaker was invalided home from England after apparently being hit by a shovel during pre-deployment training (rumour has it that this was some sort of psychosomatic injury that led to his being sent home).

Diefenbaker was a Pilot?!? I find that hard to believe, but then again they named an airport after him, and that I have a really hard time with.

[linecrew]

Diefenbaker was a Pilot?!? I find that hard to believe, but then again they named an airport after him, and that I have a really hard time with.

Agree 100%