2. Personal Information
Name: Bruce Leroy Parkinson Pollock
Born: July 9th, 1912
Place of Birth: Thamesville, Ontario
Citizenship: Canadian
Relationship Status: Single
Religion: United Church
6. Family
Father: James Alexander Pollock
Worked as an auditor for C.N.R.
Was born in Jarvin, Ontario
Was a Canadian citizen
Mother: Martha Lavina Parkinson
Was a Canadian Citizen
Was born in Jarvin, Ontario
7. Education
Primary Education: St. Thomas Private-School
High School: St Thomas Collegiate Institute
Universities:
• University of Toronto – Teachers course
High School Assistance’s Certificate
• Guelph University – Ontario Agriculture College
B.S.A Degree (Bachelor of Science in Agriculture)
• Long Island University – Coaching school
Physical Culture Certificate
Qualified Swimming, Football, and Basketball Coach
8. Jobs & Occupations
Jobs:
• P.T. instructor, science teacher, & basketball and
football coach for the Collegiate Board of Ottawa.
• Worked at Glebe Collegiate Institute.
Occupations:
• Intense Rugby Player
• Also played basketball, baseball, and golf.
9. Why did Bruce Pollock sign up for War?
Bruce Pollock stated under hobbies that he was very fit and had
already passed his examinations for lieutenant infantry which indirectly
assumes that Bruce may have already bean interested in the army
before the war started. He also had a very good education and had
been teaching for a number of years already, meaning joining the
R.A.C.A.F may have been seen to him as a break or adventure from
his everyday life. At that time most English Canadians also joined the
army for patriotism to represent their country, it also paid reasonably
well and seeing as Bruce was in great physical condition and had
good vision being “highly recommended” by the R.C.A.F. to become a
pilot probably seemed like a good offer to Bruce at the time.
10. What is the R.C.A.F?
The R.C.A.F. has been an Independent
service since 1968 and developed
originally from the Canadian Air Force
which was started in 1920 it was then R.C.A.F.
given the “Royal Sanction” in 1924. Badge
The R.C.A.F. is responsible for all aircraft
operations with the Canadian Forces. It
protects all of Canada’s air space as well
as providing support to the Royal
Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army.
The R.C.A.F. is also partnered with the
U.S. to form the North American
Aerospace Defense Command
(N.O.R.A.D.) to protect North American
air space
11. Training (B.C.A.T.P.)
#3 Secondary Flight Were:
Their Goals
In 1939 during WWII Canadians were air trained by B.C.A.T.P. training
Training School in
the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (1942)
•
Calgary.To train both ground and air crews to defeat the Axis
(B.C.A.T.P.). Not only did this train Canadians but
powers.
also other countries part of the alliance. Their were
• To use Canadian and were all out their and
74 schools in totalfacilities to bring runningplan in action
by September 1941. Within open land and is aopened 28
(because Canada has lots of that year they safe
distance from war).
B.C.A.T.P. Training
new schools. By the end of the war they were using
Badge
approximately 230 differentplace for all those
• To be a training and meeting training schools.
escaping Europe.
The total cost of B.C.A.T.P. was $2,231,129,039.26,
Canada held all the schools and facilities along with Flying
R.C.A.F. Service
Advertisement $1,617,958,108.79.
paying Training School
(Advanced
Pilots)
12. Pilots During WWII
Pilots during WWII were thought in most cases to be easier
than being in the army or the navy because u could always be
home however pilots in WWII did not have it easy at all.
WWII pilots had lots of responsibilities both pre and during
flight. Before the flight they must study the rout as well as
check the weather forecast, communicate with your navigator
and sync your watch so it reads the same time as the
navigators. During the flight they must keep a constant course
and airspeed so the navigator will have the best
approximation of where they are.
***The most important responsibility of the pilot was to
13. Bruce’s Travel
Bruce made many training school flights before finally
o In the U.K. Bruce trained and was posted with
different units: England:
being posted in
Training
Operations
• Ottawa June 21st – August 4th (1941)
• • Trains with A.F.U. #12
Toronto August 5th – August 20th (1941)
November 3rd (1942)
• • Trains with OTW #132
Trenton August 21st - September 9th th (1941)
February 25(1943)
•
• Trains with OTW #2 September 26th – November 27thrd (1943)
Belleville March 23
• Posted with OTW #2
(1941) March 29th (1943)
• Posted with FTW #304 July 4th (1943)
rd – January 31st (1941-
• St. Eugene in Hilton, U.K.
November 23 July 15th (1943)
Trains
42)
Departs from Portreath, U.K. to India July 28th (1943)
• Uplands June 5th - Bahrein, (1941)
th
Killed during air operation inJune 26 Egypt June 17th (194
• Charlottetown June 27th - September 19th
(1941)
• Halifax September 20th - November 2nd (1941)
14. Bruce Pollock died on
June 17th 1943 during an
air operation in Bahrein,
Egypt after disembarking
on their mission from their
base in India.
Bruce is remembered at
the Basra War Cemetery
in Iraque along with four
other Canadians.
Basra War Cemetery
15. In Memory Of
BRUCE LEROY PARKINSON
POLLOCK
(1912 – 1943)
J12059, 304 (F.T.U.) Sqdn, Royal
Canadian Air Force
Son of JAMES and MARTHA
POLOCK
R.I.P.
Remembered and Honored by
The
Basra War Cemetery
