A Canadian's Tale










Left, Private J. Benzie, Princess Patricia's Light Infantry;

Right,
P/O John Benzie, 42185

















John 'Jack' Benzie was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and graduated from St. John's Technical High School during the depression years. There was little hope of employment, so he joined the Permanent Army, enlisting in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and served with this regiment for three years.

His ambition was always to fly, and to this end in 1939 he made his way to England and enlisted in the Royal Air Force, gaining his 'wings' in July. After initial training, in October 1939 he was posted to RAF Montrose, Scotland, where trainees learned on the more advanced operational types such as the Hawker Fury and Hurricane fighters, the Audax/Hart series light bomber and the Miles Master. It was at Montrose he met and fell in love with a local lass, and it was not long before they were engaged. His training completed, Jack was posted south, first to No 12 Fighter Pool, and then 242 Squadron. It was with this unit that he saw action in the 'Battle of France', and we quote from his personal diary:

"May 23rd, 1940. Left Marston 1.45 p.m. with two Squadrons of Hurricanes escorting Blenheims well into German lines near Cambrai and Arras. We ran into a bunch of ME 109s escorting a convoy of Dorniers. The 109s attacked. I fired half my ammunition at two different 109s but saw no apparent damage. One fired at me and the cowling over the guns on my starboard wing was blown off. Speed and manoeuvrability was considerably cut down.

I made for the clouds to shake him off and noticed my extreme left wing tip shattered. I came out of the clouds and could not find any of our machines or the enemy. I cruised around just below the clouds and spotted three 109s flying in VIC. I dived down and got on the tail of the right hand machine and gave him the remainder of my ammunition. Long streams of petrol and smoke came from this aircraft and he made a steep turn and spiral to earth. I immediately headed for the clouds but the two other 109s were hot on my tail. I tried every manoeuvre I could but just before I reached the clouds a burst of incendiary bullets entered the cockpit and hit my left leg. I set course for home and came out of the cloud over Lens. The cockpit began to fill with smoke, I opened the hood and the smoke got worse.

My engine started to misfire and I decided to abandon the aircraft. I ripped off the safety straps and emergency panel, the engine stopped. I steered the plane away from the city, and at 800 feet I jumped out. I was machine gunned by French ground troops on the way down but fortunately not hit. I landed in a field outside of Harnes. French civilians came and began hitting me and kicking me thinking I was a German pilot. I was about all in and my leg was bleeding badly when a Frenchman who understood some English stopped them.

They immediately took me to a farm house and bandaged my leg, then took me to the city of Lens and a dressing station where I was put in an ambulance, and rode for about three hours to Wormhoot about 30 miles south of Dunkirk where I was put in the Casualty Clearing Station. On May 26 I left in convoy for Dunkirk, heavily bombed all day. Sailed at 0100 hours, heavy casualties on ship. Arrived at Newhaven 0800 hours."

Jack was in hospital until July when he returned to 242 Squadron, just at the start of the Battle of Britain, the squadron by then under command of Douglas Bader, at Biggin Hill. He operated in this Sector until September 7, 1940, when his Squadron came up against heavy fighter opposition over the English Channel, claiming 12 enemy aircraft destroyed. Jack never returned from this sortie, and he and his aircraft were never found. It is presumed he came down in the Channel. He was 25 years old.

The Canadian Committee on Geographical Names has for many years honoured servicemen who gave their lives in World War 2, and in May 1953 a lake was named in honour of Pilot Officer John Benzie. It is situated at latitude 56 11', longitude 101 15', in Northern Manitoba.

P/O Benzie and his 242 Sqdn Hurricane, 1940.
We are grateful to Miss W. English, Slough, Berks., for this information.

Back to Main Page