RAF Ferry Command, Dorval, WWII (presentation) (text)

by Robert Toombs

This is the text of the presentation: RAF Ferry Command, Dorval, WWII

What was “Ferry Command Dorval” in WWII?

It was ....

Fortitude and bailing wire on a wing with a prayer

... along with some neighborly help.

Battle of Britain, Summer 1940

• The London “Blitz” was on .... Britain desperately needed aircraft then in production in American factories.

• Aircraft supply trans-Atlantic by sea to the UK was too slow for the urgent need and U-boats were sinking too many ships out of Halifax, Nova Scotia carrying crated aircraft.

The solution mooted was:

Fly the aircraft across the North Atlantic Ocean - Newfoundland to the UK.

- The RAF said that task would be too high in potential aircraft loss, especially winter

----- “too risky”, not practical or safe to do -----

PM Winston Churchill acted – he took a rib out of the Air Ministry (i.e. the RAF), and created the Ministry of Aircraft Production (M.A.P.).

(Canadian) Lord Beaverbrook (Max Aitken of New Brunswick) was Minister.

Lord Beaverbrook’s task: To have the USA factory produced airplanes FLOWN across the North Atlantic - winter and summer - to the UK.

from Vancouver, Canada

Aug. 23rd, 1940.

to Lord Beaverbrook

(a.k.a. Canadian Max Aitken of Moncton, NB)

at the

Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP), London

Lord Beaverbrook sought the help of Sir Edward Beatty, head of C.P. Rail in Montreal.

They set up their offices at the C.P.R.

C.P.R.’s Windsor Station, Dominion Square, Montreal

Postcard used in 1938.

Enhanced backstamp

The United States, Canada, Britain - and the Clayton Knight Committee (CKC) The American pilot Clayton Knight was a WWI pilot with the RAF.

Between later in 1940 and January 1942 the CKC rounded up 49,000 war-neutral Americans for

training as aircrew under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) in Canada, in which the RAF had a key role. The BCATP trained some 130,000 aircrew from many nations during WWII.

From the start, in late 1940, the CKC initially selected some 200 plus civilian bush pilots, from across North America and elsewhere, but mainly from the then war-neutral USA, as potential pilots, for the fledgling Ferry Command Dorval organization.

Second stage pilot screening in Montreal by a few BOAC pilots yielded a short-list of 44 bush pilots. They were trained in a few weeks to fly American factory fresh Hudson light bombers, across the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland (UK) in one hop - with extra internal fuel tanks installed and no trans ocean navigation skills.

They followed BOAC Captain (later RAF Air Vice Marshall) Don C.T. Bennett’s example in 4 successive flights of 7 aircraft each, across the North Atlantic Ocean in Winter – Mother Duck BOAC Navigator and the Bush Pilot Biplane Ducklings.

The Canadian Pacific Railway Air Services Dept. (C.P.R.A.S.) Phase 1 of “Ferry Command Dorval”

During Nov. and Dec. of 1940, 26 Hudson light bombers were successfully flown

from Gander, Newfoundland to Aldergrove, Northern Ireland

across the North Atlantic - in winter !

There were no trans-ocean flight losses. Of the 28 aircraft prepared, 2 had mechanical problems:

1 turned back shortly after take off and 1 did not leave he runway.

This was an astounding CIVILLIAN success. The military experts said it could not be done !

The Canadian Pacific Railway Air Services Dept. (C.P.R.A.S.) was a department of a civilian Canadian railway company, the 1st of the 4 Ferry Command Dorval WWII phases:

{Late 1940} C.P.R.A.S. >> ATFERO >> R.A.F.F.C. >> R.A.F.T.C. No. 45 Group {Feb. 6, 1946} Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Dorval Dorval Dorval Dorval under UK as No. 45 Group, RAFTC

The following narrative refers to the above 4 phases simply as “Ferry Command Dorval”.

• By War’s end, some 10,000 factory fresh aircraft to the British Account, were flown from Ferry Command Dorval - East to Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, India and ...... West to Australia and the Pacific.

September 1945 saw RAF Transport Command worldwide with 19 Groups, 24 wings, 7 airports, 103 stations, and 55 Squadrons. The selected, for this discussion, Five (5) international R.A.F.T.C. general hub areas were:

• Dorval (Canada) .... (the main arm) • Harrow (UK) ... (HQ and others) • Cairo (Middle East) • Delhi (India) and • Melbourne (Australia) .... (directed from Dorval)

This presentation focuses on Ferry Command Dorval, the main arm of the five (5) general RAF hub areas noted above.

All 5 RAF hub areas linked aircraft operations and internal postal considerations and they worked together in cooperation with US Air Transport Command (USATC) systems worldwide.

Ferry Command Dorval’s global aircraft delivery routes, were tied to any number of more than 100 Staging Posts in late 1945.

Routes and Staging Posts with hub centers are shown on these maps.

#83 Staging Post at Gander

The Melbourne Hub was directed from Dorval

Jun. 1942: North American Aviation’s Mitchell B-25 Heavy Bomber over the St. Lawrence River, out of Dorval, east-bound for Europe.

Ferry aircraft delivery overseas. Many types

were flown both East and West of Dorval

(label from the back of this Press photo)

1. In July 1940, Lord Beaverbrook set up the British Air Commission (B.A.C.), headed by Morris Wilson, President of RBC (the Royal Bank of Canada).

3. The B.A.C. monitored construction of British aircraft to British specifications on production lines in U.S. and Canadian factories.

2. Morris Wilson was unconnected with the aircraft industry, but had an intimate knowledge of U.S. industrial conditions and was on friendly terms with many leading figures in the U.S.

Aircraft Production: UK-US cooperation

Let’s explore where Ferry Command Dorval’s civilian R/O (Radio Officer) E.H. (Everett Harold) Oliver of Nova Scotia delivered his aircraft of various types globally.

A selected example of one air-crew member’s world-wide war time aircraft deliveries. *Recall the preceding maps of Ferry Command Dorval global air delivery routes.

This Index Card file is continued....

Mitchel B-25 Ref. prev. photo

... continued -

Looking at Radio F/O Oliver’s (LAC Ottawa) Index Cards with recorded deliveries, we see

• 41 counted deliveries Sep. 1941 to Feb. 1945:

to the UK, West Africa, the Middle East, India and Australia.

Ferry Command Dorval air-crew and admin. staff,

from the November 1940 first delivery flight until early 1942 were expected to use the public mail systems

wherever they flew.

There were no RAF Ferry Command Dorval special mail rates available to air-crew and staff prior until early 1942.

Time chart The earliest air-crew mail services - from the start, used throughout the war:

• Line 2 above – Illicit Hand Carried air-crew airmail and

• Line 3 above – Air-crew External (public) mails (air and surface)

External (public) surface mail Ferry Command Dorval pilot, F/Lt. L.L. Jones • Apr. 30,1942 - New Caledonia to Canada • Destination in Canada Jul.15,1942

(2-1/2 months in transit)

Trans Pacific : • Catalina Flying Boat, from Elizabeth City,

North Carolina to Sydney, Australia • B-25 Bomber(s) shuttled from Hawaii to

Brisbane

Ferry Command Dorval (R.A.F.T.C. period) in Elizabeth City, NC. External mail with pmk. Nov. 20, 1943 to Canada. • Location of a Catalina Flying Boat Factory, a

Ferry Command Dorval delivery start point.

External (public) mail.

April 7th, 1943 Ferry Command Dorval Mail

Bermuda to UK

Postage due @ 2x the overweight deficiency

6d. x3 +3d. =21d. 21d. x2 = 42d.

or 42d. x 10 = 420 postal centimes

( or 42d. x 2 = 84c. Cdn. ) (costly)

External (public) Surface Mail

February 9th, 1944 Ascension Island to

Canada arr. April 28th 1944

( 2-3/4 months in transit – slow )

Surface Rate: 1st oz. surface @ 4d. 2nd oz. surface @ 3d. Registration @ 3d.

Total @ 10 d.

The Americans built the

airstrip at Ascension

Island

External (U.S. military) air mail

RAF Transport Command air-crew mail, to Canada. They were on the South Atlantic Route.

Ferry Command Dorval Radio Officer (R/O) later was in India.

Posted at U.S. APO No. 604, Natal, Brazil, May 29th, 1944.

Upon a forced (weather?) landing en-route over Senegal in Vichy French West Africa, RCAF S/L Phillips and his Australian co-pilot were arrested. They were transported by paddle boat steamer up the Niger River en- route to Bamako, Vichy French Soudan (Mali today), where they were interned.

They were released from internment in Mali after Vichy French West Africa became Free French West Africa following the Alied North Africa landings. The letter above is from US APO No. 604 at Natal, Brazil (South Atlantic route) dated October 27, 1943, addressed to Mrs. G.H.R. Phillips in Canada. A

RCAF Squadron Leader G.H.R. Phillips of Ferry Command Dorval.

He assisted USATC deliveries (w.r.t. a temporary USATC air crew shortage) by flying an American Hudson Light Bomber for delivery from Miami: Miami - Ascension Island - Gold Coast - North Africa.

Illicit Hand Carried Airmails by Air-crew

• Speedy service • No censorship • Inexpensive

Not allowed, but it happened ... possibly frequently:

Free trans-ocean air, posted locally on arrival at the destination country’s external public (surface) rate .

Time chart The earliest air-crew mail services - from the start, used throughout the war:

• Line 2 above – Illicit Hand Carried air-crew airmail and

• Line 3 above – Air-crew External (public) mails (air and surface)

Illegal Hand Carried air mail by air-crew Canada to UK,

Feb. 1941 – C.P.R.A.S. period

Posted at a public London mail box by arriving air-crew member.

Illegal Hand Carried mail by Ferry Command Dorval air-crew

in Canada to UK (posted there).

November 1941 – R.A.F.F.C. period

Posted at a public Prestwick, Ayrshire mail box on Nov. 8, 1941 by arriving Liberator air-crew member.

By early 1942

Ferry Command Dorval’s air-crew / air staff illicit hand carried mail

could no longer be administratively ignored.

Internal illegal Hand Carried mail was outside of censorship. This mail problem demanded firm administrative attention, associated with air crews en-route through the more than 100 Staging Posts world-wide (previous maps refer).

Photograph, No. 103 Staging Post, Transport Command

Royal Air Force

@ Istres / Marignane France, on the

Mediterranean Coast

Illegal Hand Carried air-crew mails as managed at Dorval starting from Apr. 1942:

Canada & UK (along with Newfoundland and perhaps with Bermuda) found an internal solution to:

a) curb illegal hand carrying of airmails by air-crew,

b) reinstate postal control, and

c) apply formal internal censorship.

Other selected postal domains were incorporated into this private internal postal system later (e.g. Bahamas in August 1944, and Gilbert & Ellice Is. in December 1944).

Ferry Command Dorval Air-crew internal trans-ocean airmail handling procedures from Apr. 1942 to Feb. 1946 at Ferry Command Dorval

Example: from Library and Archives Canada - eastbound trans-Atlantic private Ferry Command Dorval air-crew mail to UK:

A. Personnel hand in their mail at the orderly room where it is carefully scrutinized to ensure that special internal air-crew airmail facilities are not being made available to the general public.

B. Internal Censorship of air-crew mail is carried out at this first stage.

C. The mail to forward is then taken to the airport post office where the postmaster cancels the stamps (with the “Montreal AMF” pmk) , then bags the letters.

continued following...

continued from above ...

D. The bag is then sealed, addressed and labelled by the Post Office at the airport Post Office (pmk Montreal AMF), so as to ensure its’ delivery to “Postal Censorship Glasgow”.

E. The sealed, addressed and labelled bag is then handed back to Ferry Command Dorval for free trans-Atlantic internal private air delivery to Prestwick.

F. The air-crew mail is next carried from Prestwick to Glasgow by postal motor transport where it is processed and then fed into the UK domestic mail system.

Reference: Canadian Postal Corps (CPC) files at Library and Archives Canada (LAC); RG24, Vol. 6673, file 4-4-16. Five (5) related letters.

. Two (20 Postal canceller types used – Time chart on Line 4 above

Four (4) internal Ferry Command Dorval air-crew air mail “unusual” rate structures.

Used from Apr. 1942 to Feb. 1946 substantially suppressed Dorval’s illicit hand-carried air mail.

These mail structures were:

Internal

External – Internal – External

External – Internal

Internal – External

Ferry Command Dorval: The early 1942 restricted access postally sanctioned unusual rate mails – by defined leg - typically for air-crew / air-staff and family only

• (Ext.) -External public mail; one leg to pay, origin to destination.

• (Int.) -Internal private Ferry Command trans-ocean air is free to aircrew: to, from, and between any number of F.C. Staging Posts worldwide.

• (Ext./Int./Ext.) - External surface to pay / Internal free Trans Ocean / External surface to pay. • (Ext./Int.) External surface to pay / Internal free Trans Ocean.

• (Int./Ext.) Internal free Trans Ocean / External surface to pay.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <<< Note postal interfaces (PI) at Ext./Int. and Int./Ext. mail junctions.

PI PI External

Leg External Leg

Int. Leg

Origin Destination

pay free pay

External Leg only

External Internal External

Time Chart for the 4 unusual NON-UPU Ferry Command

Dorval air-crew international air mail rate types in use from early 1942 to Feb. 6th, 1946.

These unusual mails interface with Public Mail Systems as set

up.

Int. mail (line 5)

Ext.- Int.- Ext. mail (line 6)

Ext.- Int. mail (line 7)

Int.- Ext. mail (Line 8)

Examples of the 1st of 4 unusual air-crew air mail rate structures

seen from Apr. 1942 to Feb. 1946 follow:

Internal

External – Internal – External

External – Internal

Internal - External

Internal (Int.) Ferry Command Mail

From: Group Captain E.G. Keeping, R.A.F.T.C. (per known handwriting)

To: Mrs. Keith Hutchison, Commandant, Canadian Red Cross

Free Internal trans-Atlantic air mail from the UK exiting the system at Dorval, then privately “by hand” to a known domestic address in Montreal.

a) 19th June, 1943 – R.A.F.C period b) 17th July, 1944 – RAFTC period

Internal (int.) Trans-Atlantic airmail

From: Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Bowhill, R.A.F.T.C. in Command (5 hubs worldwide), at Harrow, UK

To: Mrs. Keith Hutchison, Commandant, Canadian Red Cross, at home in Montreal.

Free Internal mail trans-Atlantic exiting from Dorval, then by internal courier or “by hand” to a known domestic address.

24th November, 1943 R.A.F.T.C. period.

Examples of the 2nd of 4 unusual air-crew air mail rate structures

seen from Apr. 1942 to Feb. 1946 follow:

Internal External – Internal – External

External – Internal Internal - External

Canton Island, Gilbert & Ellice Islands Cover Pmk Dec. 14th, 1944, franked 1d. ( = double the printed matter rate of ½ d. – pays for 2 postally separate legs).

From F/O W.W. Clark, Operations, HQ 45 (AT) Group (R.A.F.T.C. Dorval) at Canton I., Gilbert & Ellice Is. in the Pacific, to an R.A.F.T.C. F/Lt. and his wife in Bermuda in the Atlantic .

Leg 1- External - Handed in to the Canton I. postmaster, the 1d. stamp is cancelled, which pays the ½ d. Empire international printed matter rate - the first time of two times.

Leg 2- FC internal airmail is free: trans Pacific – Dorval – trans Atlantic – Bermuda.

Leg 3 – On arrival in Bermuda, the cover leaves the Staging Post and the Ferry Command Dorval bag, and enters into the Bermuda domestic post as external mail, with the remaining ½ d. covering the Empire international printed matter rate now paid a second time. .

The Bermuda postmaster applied a very faint “Warwick” postmark across a tucked-in back-flap (likely a Christmas card), then delivered the envelope to a domestic residence in Bermuda.

Internal – External – Internal Mail

Mar. 10, 1946 (late use) R.A.F.T.C. ) Cdn. postage used in Newfoundland

Leg 1 – At C.A.P.O. No. 10, the sender is U.S.A.T.C., not R.A.F.T.C., so 4 c. external surface mail. air Leg 2 – Free FC internal air Goose Bay to Dorval Leg 3 – Montreal AMF to Toronto, external at 4c. Two postally separate legs are paid

Nov.10. 1943 Canadian Postage used overseas Leg 1 – Presumably mailed from outside of the Nassau) Staging Post (not Bahamas) , so 4c. for external mail was assessed. Leg 2 – Free F.C. air to Dorval Leg 3 – at Dorval, the Montreal AMF pmk applied and then onward to Penticton, BC paid by the second 4c. Two postally separate legs are paid.

Examples of the 3rd of 4 unusual air-crew air mail rate structures

seen from Apr. 1942 to Feb. 1946 follow:

Internal External – Internal – External

External – Internal Internal - External

External – Internal Mail Mar. 24th, 1943 Cdn. postage, used in Canada

Leg 1 – 4 c. domestic external post from Campbellton NB to Montreal Airport (Ferry Command Dorval).

Leg 2 – Handstamp Type A, boxed “Personal Mail”, applied Mar.27th 1943 at Dorval.

Free internal FC air anywhere world-wide within the international Staging Post system. Ultimate destination was likely Dorval.

RAF / USATC Cooperation - Ferry command Dorval and USATC had a Joint Operations Committee composed of 3 American and 3 British members.

RAF Wing Commander Jeffs was 1 of the 3 British Committee members.

External – Internal Mail Jul. 24th, 1945

Leg 1 – 4c. domestic external post from Campbellton NB to No. 45 Group, RAF, Dorval (RAFTC)

Handstamp Type C, “Mail Department / No. 45 Group”, applied on Jul. 26th, 1943 at Dorval controls restricted access and allows transit forward.

Leg 2 – Free internal FC air anywhere world-wide within the international Staging Post system. Ultimate destination is Bermuda by FC internal air, per manuscript in red pencil (faint, top left).

External – Internal mail Oct. 21st, 1945

Leg 1 – USA 2c. External domestic post Trenton NJ to No. 45 Group, RAFTC, Dorval.

Handstamp Type C, “Mail Department / No. 45 Group RAF”, applied on Oct. 24th., 1945 at Dorval allows internal airmail transit.

Leg 2 – Free internal FC air to Bermuda per the manuscript “Berm.” (= Bermuda) in black pencil.

This Oct. 1945 U.S. civilian post card is addressed to Ferry Command Dorval Signals, by surface mail, then re-directed on free internal air to Ferry Command Dorval air-crew in Bermuda.

Leg 1: External (public) mail, October 29, 1945, from Essex, to R.A.F.T.C. HQ at Middlesex. Franked 2-1/2d.

Leg 2: Internal mail, sent free FC air trans-Atlantic UK to Dorval.

Type C Mail Department access control hand-stamp dated Nov. 1, 1945 applied at Dorval, thus mail is accepted for onward transmission.

“Berm” (= Bermuda) in red manuscript applied at Dorval, with reference to maintained Index Cards, by Ferry Command Dorval mail dept. staff. {Presumed, needs more research}

Leg 3: Internal mail, sent free FC air trans-Atlantic to Bermuda from Dorval.

“Mail Department Nov 1 1945

H.Q. 45 Group RAF”

PRESUMED ROUTING USING INDEX FILE CARDS

Examples of the 4th of 4 unusual air-crew air mail rate structures

seen from Apr. 1942 to Feb. 1946 follow:

Internal External – Internal – External

External – Internal Internal - External

Internal to External mail Pmk: Montreal AMF P.Q.

April 30, 1942 R.A.F.F.C. Period

Leg 1: Free RAFFC internal trans- Atlantic airmail, Dorval to Prestwick, then postal motor transport to Glasgow Post Office, where it entered the UK domestic mail system.

Leg 2: The 3c. pays external surface mail from Glasgow to West Hartlepool, UK.

Internal to External mail Pmk: Montreal AMF January 7th, 1943 R.A.F.F.C. Period

Leg 1: Free R.A.F.F.C. internal Trans-Atlantic airmail, Dorval to Prestwick, then postal motor transport to Glasgow Post Office.

Leg 2: The 3c. pays external surface mail from Glasgow to Darlington, Co. Durham, England.

A search engine identifies the sender, M.F. Ritchie (Miss) as a Section Officer with Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (Q.A.I.M.N.S.)

(Medical and hospital for Ferry Command Dorval, ... a potential research subject).

Internal to External mail Pmk: Wavy Lines

Dater hub removed Sometime after late January 1944

R.A.F.T.C. Period

Leg 1: Free RAFTC internal airmail, from Trinidad to Prestwick via

Dorval or Bermuda , then by postal motor transport to Glasgow.

Leg 2: The 4c. pays the domestic external surface mail from Glasgow

to Reading, Berkshire, in UK.

Internal to External mail Pmk: Wavy lines at Montreal AMF

September 25th, 1944 (dated letter) R.A.F.T.C. Period

Leg 1: Free RAFTC internal airmail, from a staff member at the Ferry Command Dorval HQ Mail Dept. to Prestwick, then by Motor transport to Glasgow.

Leg 2: The 4c. pays the domestic external surface mail rate from Glasgow to No. 20 Canadian Gen. Hospital at Leavesden, in the UK.

Excerpt: letter content from an RAFTC Mail Dept. clerk at RAF No. 45 Group, Dorval.

Internal to External mail Pmk: Victory Bells, dater hub present. May 6th (or 8th), 1945 (Victory Europe)

R.A.F.T.C. Period

Note: The Glasgow (UK) May 6th (or 8th ?) 1945 Victory Bell cancel on a Canadian 4c. stamp. Some subsequent Victory Bell cancels are seen on Air-crew airmail with and without the hub dater removed.

Leg 1: Free RAFTC internal air mail, origin unknown, to Prestwick, then postal motor transport to the civil post office at Glasgow.

Leg 2: The 4c. pays the external surface mail from Glasgow to Claygate, Esher, Surrey. The letter is subsequently readdressed, departing Esher on May 12th, 1945, also with a Victory Bells dated canceller on the reverse.

Sender is F/O G.W. Massey, No. 45 Group, R.A.F.T.C. Navigation Section, Dorval (known correspondence).

Looking back on the 4 unusual Dorval air-crew airmail rate structures:

• Such mail was for air-crew / air staff use (R.A.F.F.C. / R.A.F.T.C. ), with limited controlled public access for family, close friends, etc.

• Ferry Command air-crew / air staff personnel were “happy” with this private airmail service.

• Dorval air-crew airmail censorship was done internally by Ferry Command Dorval; United Kingdom Censorship officials were satisfied.

• The General Post Office (GPO) in London turned a blind eye on these unusual mail services (as did Canada Post).

• And .... Canada Post got it’s revenue. • Importantly, illicit Hand-Carried air-crew mails were suitably curtailed.

References: 1) Canadian Postal Corps (CPC) files at Library & Archives Canada (Ottawa); RG24, Vol. 6673, File 4-4-16. Five (5) related letters. 2) Toombs, Robert, The Unusual Postal Rates of Ferry Command Montreal, PHSC Journal, No. 171, March 2019.

Looking ahead to future research ...

• Ferry Command Dorval had other mail services – Bulk, Official, Diplomatic, and Armed Forces Air Letters .... Future presentation may follow.

• Dorval was 1 of 5 international Ferry Command hub groups (by 1945) as noted earlier. The 5 hubs and their Staging Posts were not of similar scope for usual and “unusual” mail services, yet they all interfaced postally. .... Future presentation may

• There is yet much to research. Findings are continuously evolving and the picture reformats, step by step.

Two United Nations Offices were Inaugurated in Montreal in 1945

• The UN’s International Civil Aviation Association - I.C.A.O.

• The UN’s International Air Traffic Association – I.A.T.A.

They are a legacy of the wartime co-operation between the Air Forces of several Allied Nations and

of many different air-crew Nationalities

Certainly some of the ICAO and IATA post war-staffers were RAF Ferry Command veterans

W.J.V. Branch appeared on an earlier slide as a Navigator with Ferry Command Dorval’s 1st stage Canadian Pacific Railway Air Services (C.P.R.A.S.), earlier in 1941.

• Later, into the 1950’s, W.J.V. Branch was Chief of the UN’s I.C.A.O. Technical Mission to Djakarta, Indonesia. Shown above, he was writing home to his wife in Montreal.

In 1940, William Hildred was Principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Aircraft Production (the M.A.P.) under Lord Beaverbrook (Cdn. Max Aitken of NB).

The M.A.P. directed Ferry Command Dorval’s Stage 2 – ATFERO – in 1941 (previous time line chart). Hildred remined involved with Ferry Command Dorval administratively throughout WWII.

In 1945, representatives of various international airlines met in Havana to revive the International Air Traffic Association (I.A.T.A.). Sir William Hildred was unanimously elected Director General. He served in this capacity in Montreal, at I.A.T.A.’s headquarters, from 1945 until his retirement in 1966.

1955 letter from France to Sir William Hildred, Director-General of the UN’s I.A.T.A., with HQ in Montreal.

Any and all questions are most welcome ....

We all build on the sharing of ideas...

Please freely ask on ....