G'day
The following is just a very short glimpse of a very colorful character. 'Cowboy' was the son of former Edmonton, Alberta mayor Kenny Blatchford (Blatchford Field legacy). Someday I would like to greatly expand this by writing a book on this his wartime exploits.
Cheers...Chris
Cowboy Antics
When you're on the tail of an enemy aircraft in the heat of battle and you find the guns are out of ammunition, what do you do? That is the dilemma that faced Flight Lieutenant Howard Peter 'Cowboy' Blatchford of Edmonton, Alberta as he lined up his sights on an Italian Fiat CR.42 ‘Falco’ bi-plane of the Corpo Aero Italiano. Benito Mussolini had convinced Adolf Hitler that the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) could help with the final victory for fascism in Europe, despite the express misgivings of the Luftwaffe's Commander-in-Chief Hermann Goering.
On the 11th of November, 1940, as a retaliatory measure for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm’s attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto, the Regia Aeronautica set out to bomb the English port of Harwich. A small number of Luftwaffe Bf-109s accompanied the formation. They were intercepted by Hurricanes of No.s 17, 46 'Uganda' and 257 'China-British' (F) Squadrons. While 'Cowboy' Blatchford of No.257 'Burma' (F) Squadron was flying Hurricane s/n V6962, he discovered much to his shock that he was out of ammo. He instinctively rammed the CR.42 with his propeller. It subsequently chewed up the enemy's top wing, sending the fabric bi-plane tumbling earthwards.
For his daring escapades, 'Cowboy' was presented the Distinguished Flying Cross on the 6th of December 1940. Sadly, as with so many fine young men, Wing Commander H.P. 'Cowboy' Blatchford DFC MiD and only 31 years old, was killed in action. On the 3rd of May 1943, now the Coltishall Wing Leader, 'Cowboy' was taking part in a Ramrod 16 escorting Royal New Zealand Air Force Lockheed Ventura Mk. II bombers to Ijmuiden, Netherlands. He was engaged by Luftwaffe Fw-190's of JG 1 and was forced to ditch his aircraft in the North Sea. His body was never recovered. 'Cowboy's' record was six destroyed, three probables and two damaged.
Cowboy Antics
Moderators: lilfssister, North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, I WAS Birddog
Re: Cowboy Antics
Very interesting ..... thanks for posting. There are a lot of untold tales from the War that would make a good read.
Coincidently, last Friday at our local Legion in South Surrey, I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Ian McLelland who is now 93 years old. He is one of the last surviving Spitfire pilots from the Battle of Britain of WW II. He flew the Mark 2, Mark 3 and the Mark 9 Spits. One comment he related to me was that the Spitfire kept getting better and better with each new version, where as the Hurricane did not change at all.
I hope you write your book, I would like to read it!
Cheers .....
Coincidently, last Friday at our local Legion in South Surrey, I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Ian McLelland who is now 93 years old. He is one of the last surviving Spitfire pilots from the Battle of Britain of WW II. He flew the Mark 2, Mark 3 and the Mark 9 Spits. One comment he related to me was that the Spitfire kept getting better and better with each new version, where as the Hurricane did not change at all.
I hope you write your book, I would like to read it!
Cheers .....
Re: Cowboy Antics
Thanks Moose47
Nice piece on a little known Canadian.
Like to see the expanded version someday!
Tom
Nice piece on a little known Canadian.
Like to see the expanded version someday!
Tom
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Moose47
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Re: Cowboy Antics
G'day
The following is extracted from official RCAF documents.
Cheers...Chris
BLATCHFORD, F/L Howard Peter (37715) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.257 Squadron - awarded as per London Gazette 6 December 1940. Born in Edmonton, 25 February 1912; appointed Acting Pilot Officer on Probation in the RAF, 6 January 1937. With No.41 Squadron at outbreak of war; joined No.212 Squadron, 20 April 1940 and saw service in France; to Photo Development Unit, 20 June 1940; to No.17 Squadron, 30 September 1940; to No.257 Squadron, 4 October 1940 (Commanding Officer, 6 July 1941 to 8 September 1941); became Wing Commander Flying at Digby. Killed in action 3 May 1943. Specifically listed in AFRO 1292/41 dated 7 November 1941 as a Canadian in the RAF who had been decorated as of that date. AFRO 1187/43 dated 25 June 1943 (reporting him missing) and AFRO 2610/43 dated 17 December 1943 (confirming his death) described him as a Canadian in the RAF. Air Ministry Bulletin 2429 refers. Aerial victories as follows: 17 October 1939, one He.111 destroyed 20-30 miles east of Whitby (No.41 Squadron, shared with three others); 2 October 1940, one Do.17 destroyed off Harwich (No.17 Squadron, shared with one other pilot); 11 November 1940, one BR.20 destroyed singly, one BR.20 destroyed in company with another pilot, two CR.42s damaged, all of Harwich (No.257 Squadron, during Italian Air Force raids on Britain); 17 November 1940, one BF.109E destroyed southeast of Harwich (No.257 Squadron); 19 March 1941, one Ju.88 probably destroyed east of Southbold (No.257 Squadron); 11/12 May 1941, one He.111 destroyed northeast of Happisburgh (No.257 Squadron); 18 February 1942, one Do.217 damaged east of Withernsea (Digby Wing, shared with another pilot); 25 April 1942, one FW.190 destroyed northwest of Le Treport (Digby Wing); 18 March 1943, one FW.190 destroyed off Voorne, Holland (Coltishall Wing), 4 April 1943, two FW.190s damaged off Dutch coast (Coltishall Wing); 2 May 1943, one FW.190 destroyed off Dutch coast (Coltishall Wing).
In November 1940 this officer was the leader of a squadron which destroyed eight and damaged a further five enemy aircraft in one day. In the course of the combat he rammed and damaged a hostile fighter when his ammunition was expended, and the made two determined head-on feint attacks on enemy fighters which drove them off. He has shown magnificent leadership and outstanding courage.
The following is extracted from official RCAF documents.
Cheers...Chris
BLATCHFORD, F/L Howard Peter (37715) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.257 Squadron - awarded as per London Gazette 6 December 1940. Born in Edmonton, 25 February 1912; appointed Acting Pilot Officer on Probation in the RAF, 6 January 1937. With No.41 Squadron at outbreak of war; joined No.212 Squadron, 20 April 1940 and saw service in France; to Photo Development Unit, 20 June 1940; to No.17 Squadron, 30 September 1940; to No.257 Squadron, 4 October 1940 (Commanding Officer, 6 July 1941 to 8 September 1941); became Wing Commander Flying at Digby. Killed in action 3 May 1943. Specifically listed in AFRO 1292/41 dated 7 November 1941 as a Canadian in the RAF who had been decorated as of that date. AFRO 1187/43 dated 25 June 1943 (reporting him missing) and AFRO 2610/43 dated 17 December 1943 (confirming his death) described him as a Canadian in the RAF. Air Ministry Bulletin 2429 refers. Aerial victories as follows: 17 October 1939, one He.111 destroyed 20-30 miles east of Whitby (No.41 Squadron, shared with three others); 2 October 1940, one Do.17 destroyed off Harwich (No.17 Squadron, shared with one other pilot); 11 November 1940, one BR.20 destroyed singly, one BR.20 destroyed in company with another pilot, two CR.42s damaged, all of Harwich (No.257 Squadron, during Italian Air Force raids on Britain); 17 November 1940, one BF.109E destroyed southeast of Harwich (No.257 Squadron); 19 March 1941, one Ju.88 probably destroyed east of Southbold (No.257 Squadron); 11/12 May 1941, one He.111 destroyed northeast of Happisburgh (No.257 Squadron); 18 February 1942, one Do.217 damaged east of Withernsea (Digby Wing, shared with another pilot); 25 April 1942, one FW.190 destroyed northwest of Le Treport (Digby Wing); 18 March 1943, one FW.190 destroyed off Voorne, Holland (Coltishall Wing), 4 April 1943, two FW.190s damaged off Dutch coast (Coltishall Wing); 2 May 1943, one FW.190 destroyed off Dutch coast (Coltishall Wing).
In November 1940 this officer was the leader of a squadron which destroyed eight and damaged a further five enemy aircraft in one day. In the course of the combat he rammed and damaged a hostile fighter when his ammunition was expended, and the made two determined head-on feint attacks on enemy fighters which drove them off. He has shown magnificent leadership and outstanding courage.
Re: Cowboy Antics
There are many stories of heroics from that time. Have you seen this?
http://www.thememoryproject.com/
Not long before he passed, my grandfather was one of the interviewees for this project. He was a navigator on a Stirling in WW2. Interestingly, he never spoke of his time in the war to me. The most I know of his service I got from listening to his story on the memory project.
There are still some of these guys and gals around, but sadly, not for too much longer...
http://www.thememoryproject.com/
Not long before he passed, my grandfather was one of the interviewees for this project. He was a navigator on a Stirling in WW2. Interestingly, he never spoke of his time in the war to me. The most I know of his service I got from listening to his story on the memory project.
There are still some of these guys and gals around, but sadly, not for too much longer...
Re: Cowboy Antics
NopeIndanao wrote:That is why the call YXD Blatchford Field Airport.
Blatchford Field is named after Peter "Cowboy" Blatchford's father.
Ken Blatchford the Mayor of Edmonton who (with the help of WOP May and others) saw the potential of aviation, what it would do for Edmonton and the North, and pushed through the passing of the referendum needed to establish the original airport.
He then went on as a tireless promoter of the airport and after losing one airport improvement referendum continued to work with the aviators till it was approved in 1929.
Those improvements gave Edmonton a leg up that lead to it becoming the "Gateway to the North"
(coined by the Edmonton Journal in a political cartoon) in 1932/1933.
At that time Edmonton was hauling more air cargo and passengers (mostly into the North) than most of the rest of Canada combined.
A mayor and visionary his efforts gave Edmonton an airport that was the place to be till the 70s -80s.
