John Emilius Fauquier
| John Emilius "Johnny" Fauquier | |
|---|---|
John Fauquier c.1944
|
|
| Born |
March 19, 1909 Ottawa, Ontario |
| Died | April 3, 1981 (aged 72) Toronto, Ontario |
| Allegiance | Canada |
| Service/branch | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1939–46 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Commands held |
No. 617 Squadron RAF (1944–45) No. 405 Squadron RCAF (1942–44) |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Order & Two Bars Distinguished Flying Cross Mentioned in Despatches |
Air Commodore John Emilius "Johnny" Fauquier, DSO & Two Bars, DFC (March 19, 1909 – April 3, 1981) was a Canadian aviator and Second World War Bomber Command leader. He commanded No. 405 Squadron RCAF and later No. 617 Squadron RAF (the Dambusters) over the course of the war. A bush pilot, prior to the war, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as a flight instructor in 1939. He then joined 405 Squadron in 1941 and would fly operationally for the rest of the war, taking a drop in rank on one occasion to return to active command. During his three tours of operation he participated in Operation Hydra and dozens of other sorties over Europe.
John Emilius "Johnny" Fauquier was born at Ottawa, Ontario on March 19, 1909, educated at Ashbury College and then entered the investment business at Montreal, Quebec where he joined a flying club. After earning his commercial pilot's licence he formed Commercial Airways at Noranda, Quebec and prior to the Second World War had flown some 3,000 hours as pilot in command on bush operations.
He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1939 as a flight lieutenant, completed an advanced course and served until mid-1941 as instructor of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan instructors. After a short period in England at a glider and paratrooper training center, he was posted to No. 405 Squadron RCAF. On returning in difficult weather conditions after bombing Berlin with the squadron on the night of November 7, 1941, he was forced to land his aircraft on a non-operational airfield, and as a result was temporarily suspected of being a spy by the Home Guard.
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