John Howard Turnbull

John Howard Turnbull received the Distinguished Flying Cross - No. 600 Squadron in 1943 as a Canadian WWII Ace Pilot with the #600 Squadron. As pilot and observer Flight Lieutenant Turnbull displayed outstanding skill in operations at night and destroyed ten enemy aircraft. He has displayed exceptional keenness and determination, setting an example of the highest order.

Born in St.Thomas, Ontario, 30 December 1915
- home there (bank teller, 1935-1940).
Enlisted in Toronto, 19 September 1940.
Trained at No.2 ITS (graduated 20 February 1941),
No.15 EFTS (graduated 24 April 1941) and
No.32 SFTS (graduated 15 July 1941).
Commissioned 16 July 1941. Posted overseas immediately.
Further trained at No.60 OTU, 10 Sept to 11 Nov 1941
Served in No.125 Squadron, 12 Nov 1941 to 2 March 1943
No.600 Squadron, 3 March 1943 to 14 February 1944
- (went with unit to Mediterranean).
His first sortie had been 15 December 1941;
First with No.600 Squadron was 15 March 1943.
By 2 June 1944 he had flown 1,060 hours
- (403 by night, 657 by day)
This included time on :
Tiger Moths (64 hours)
Harvards 80)
Magister (ten)
Master (ten)
Oxford (ten)
Blenheim (15)
Defiant (200)
Beaufighter (650) and
Mosquito (twelve)
He had flown 350 operational hours (125 sorties).

Returned to Britain, 5 March 1944;
Embarked for Canada, 18 April 1944.
Several OTU postings that summer;
Flew 250 instructional hours on Mosquitos.
Released 23 October 1945.
DFC and Bar presented at Buckingham Palace, 28 Feb 1944
Photo PL-28308 shows him just after investiture.
Postwar he worked at selling Mosquitos to Nationalist China
Postwar marketing and sales manager for Asahi Pentax;
Retired 1981 to devote himself to photography, horses and dogs
Died in South Muskoka, 26 August 1992
Extensive obituary in Toronto Star dated 31 August 1992
Cited with Sergeant Cyril F.J. Fowler (RAF, awarded DFM).