The Times Advocate, 2005-02-09, Page 66
Exeter Times -Advocate
Wednesday, February 9, 2005
Opinion Forum News
Seniors' perspective
Continued from page 5
he attended Exeter High School. The High School was
located 8 miles from home from his parent's farm. For
the round trip of 16 miles to school every school day
when he attended High School in the warm weather, he
traveled by horse and buggy and in the wintertime by
horse and sleigh. His sister Mildred and his brother
Stanley also attended High School at the same time and
they stabled their horse one block from the High School.
After Clifford graduated from grade thirteen he decid-
ed to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force on his 19th
birthday in May of 1941. His service # was 26912.
He was sent to Manning Depot in Toronto, Ontario,
where after his tests, being selected for an Air Crew and
his basic training completed, he was sent to
Summerside, PEI. He then completed his training and
graduation, and from this first phase of his flying train-
ing, received his pilot's wings and his Pilot Officers com-
mission.
Then Pilot Officer Clifford Waldron Hicks was posted
to Rockcliffe, Ontario where he was involved in
Operational Training While he was at Rockcliffe Air
Station he was Flight Commander of Flight "A" in the
City of Ottawa "Beaver Squadron", flying Hurricane
fighter bombers.
Then from Rockliffe, Ontario he was posted at Alaska
and spent one year with Squadron 111, flying
Kittyhawks. While he was stationed in Alaska, the fight-
er squadron flew in Japanese held outposts.
The Squadron returned to Canada in August 1943
and he was stationed at Patricia Bay, British Columbia
until January 1944. The Squadron was then stood down
and reformed as #440 Squadron "Flying Hawker
Typhoons." At this time in January 1944, the squadron
was posted overseas to England as an all Canadian
Fighter Squadron. Clifford had been in operations
based in England since March flying over Germany
and France and was mentioned in R.C.A.F dispatch-
es. His Squadron took a leading part in the "D" Day
operations. Three weeks after "D" Day, the
Squadron was moved to a base in Normandy.
A dispatch was released from an R.C.A.F. Airfield
in England, stating that Canadian Hawker Typhoon
Bomber Squadrons winding up a week of wide-
spread smashes at German supply columns, buzz
bomb bases and communication centers, dive-
bombed enemy strong points which were con-
fronting the Allied lines near Caen during the week-
end. The dispatch said that Flight Lieutenant
Clifford Waldron Hicks led the Squadron in an
attack with 500 lb. bombs on a tunnel at Lessard,
which was located near Mozldon. The Hawker
Typhoon Bombers attacked at a height of 50 feet
and the bombs were set with delayed action fuses
and hit around the mouth of the tunnel or skidded
inside the tunnel.
The Hawker Typhoon Fighter Bomber which
Clifford Waldron Hicks was flying, when he was
shot down was described as: Four Canadian
Squadrons flew the Hawker Typhoon from "D" Day
onward. No plane was more deadly. Yet in its early
days it was almost abandoned as a "rogue aircraft".
It was originally designed as a fighter interceptor
and it was rushed into action before it was clearly
cleared for service. The results were disastrous. Of
the first 142 planes delivered, 135 had accidents
due to engine or airframe failures. It proved inade-
quate as a high altitude fighter. The Hawker
Typhoon aircraft was saved by its load bearing
wings. Armed with a 2000 lb. bomb load or 60
rocket missiles, it became one of the hardest hitting
attack planes. It was a single seat fighter-bomber
with all metal stressed skin construction. Its maxi-
mum speed was 404 to 413 miles per hour depend-
ing on wind. It carried four 20 mm cannons, but the
armament varied.
Clifford was the Flight Commander of the City of
Ottawa "Beaver Squadron" and he was bombing
and staffing targets in Northern France in a
Typhoon Bomber Aircraft # 313, when he was hit
by enemy flak. The aircraft caught fire as it pulled
out of a dive and then crashed in flames near the
Village of Claire, Normandy on Tuesday August 8th
1944.
Lieutenant Clifford Waldron Hicks was buried in
the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery.
He was 22 years old.
Before Flight Lieutenant Clifford Waldron Hicks
left for overseas he was married to Agnes Forbes in
the Southminster United Church in Ottawa, Ontario
on November 3rd 1943. At the time of his death, his
wife was residing in her home at 482 Agnes Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba with her infant son.
Clifford Waldron Hicks was the son of Byron
Erastus and Lorreta Essery Hicks.
Besides his parents, his wife and his infant son,
he was survived by two sisters, Miss Dorothy Hicks
of London and Mildred, Mrs. Joseph Creech of St
Mary's and one brother Stanley at home on the
farm.
FREDERICK'S OF HOLLYWOOD
A husband walks into Frederick's of Hollywood to
purchase some sheer lingerie for his wife. He is
shown several garments that range from $250 to
$500 in price, the more sheer, the higher the price.
He opts for the most -sheer item, pays the $500 and
takes the lingerie home.
He presents it to his wife and asks her to go
upstairs, put it on and model it for him.
Upstairs, the wife thinks, "I have
an idea. It's so sheer that it might as
well be nothing. I won't put it on, do
the modeling naked, return it tomor-
row and keep the $500 refund for
myself.
So she appears naked on the bal-
cony and strikes a pose.
The husband says, "Good Lord! You'd think that
for $500, they'd at least iron it!"
He never heard the shot. Funeral services are
pending."
Chicken Launcher
The US Federal Aviation Administration has a
unique device for testing the strength of wind-
shields on airplanes. The device is a gun that
launches a dead chicken at a plane's windshield at
approximately the speed the plane flies.
The theory is that if the windshield doesn't crack
from the carcass impact, it'll survive a real collision
with a bird during flight.
It seems the British were very interested in this
and wanted to test a windshield on a brand new,
speedy locomotive they were developing.
They borrowed the FAA's chicken launcher,
loaded the chicken and fired.
The ballistic chicken shattered the windshield,
broke the engineer's chair and imbedded itself in
the back wall of the engine's cab.
The British were stunned and asked the FAA to
recheck the test to see if everything was done cor-
rectly.
The FAA reviewed the test thoroughly and had
one recommendation. USE A THAWED CHICK-
EN III
years training.
Needless to say that we are intensely proud of our
children and their children. Canada needs our children
and your children for generations to come and it can-
not happen by same-sex parents. To pass legislation to
legalize such law is irresponsible on the part of our
government. Recent polls of the public are showing
strong support against such action.
Therefore I urge your readers to write the prime
minister of Canada and your national member of
Parliament to stop such legislation.
CARFREY A. CANN, London, ON
Thanks for being
part of the team
Dear Editor:
Great community spirit was shown on January 22nd,
2005 when 42 eager walkers came out to participate in
the 10th annual Walk For Memories. The Exeter walk
raised $4400.00 to assist people living with Alzheimer
Disease. This amount is part of the County total of
$22,000.00. On behalf of the Alzheimer Society of
Huron County I extend my congratulations to each of
you for being willing to give your time and energy to
this event.
Many volunteers have given their time to make
Huron County a better place for people who are affect-
ed by Alzheimer Disease or other dementias. You are a
rare commodity and your selflessness and compassion
are very evident. Thank you for making a difference.
This walk would not be possible without the support
of local corporate sponsorship, local businesses and
those residents and businesses who reached into their
pockets and pledged walkers. Your generosity is very
much appreciated!
Thank you for being part of the team that is giving
HELP FOR TODAY, HOPE FOR TOMORROW."
Sincerely,
CATHY RITSEMA Executive Director
KARLA CROCKER Office Assistant
Alzheimer Society of Huron County
Write to the prime
minister
Dear Editor:
I support the letters `Same-sex Marriage' by Mark
Richardson and 'Let Canadians Decide' by Rory
Leishman. I am neither a philosopher or a writer but
these two writers have my full support. My wife and I
have been married for 64 years and both of us are in
our late 80s. If for whatever reason we were gay or
lesbian, we would have never raised our three chil-
dren, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchil-
dren. We would not have produced four school teach-
ers, a senior bank clerk, an industrial plant manager,
two registered nurses and one criminologist with four
Kudos to a fine lady
Dear Editor:
On Wednesday afternoons four ladies—heaven forbid
that I should say elderly ladies—meet together for a lit-
tle exercise and camaraderie in a warm pool. We are
greeted by tiny people in bathing suits and towels,
some full of energy, some ready for a nap, all ready
for a little good food supplied by their moms. They are
so happy and full of the joy of life. Were our children
and grandchildren ever that small?
The credit for all of this goes to our own Debbie Oke
(Lindenfield) for the sharing of her aquatic establish-
ment KICKS. Debbie opened her pool some 15 years
ago and it has not changed one iota. The facility is in
the same immaculate condition. The fee schedule has
seen only minor increases.
I remember taking all of my grandchildren to swim-
ming lessons. I watched them try and try again, flailing
their arms and legs, coming up with eyes full of water,
breathless, to have moved only a couple of feet. The
patience of Debbie, and perseverance of herself and
the little ones paid off. These young people grew and
continued with their lessons becoming confident and
proficient swimmers. The experience and skills gained
at KICKS have given self-esteem and leadership quali-
ties to thousands of young people who are out in the
world today.
Debbie not only serves the youth in our area but her
doors are always open as she welcomes the elderly, the
disabled and those requiring physiotherapy. Debbie's
warm and quiet countenance has been the mainstay of
the service she provides to Exeter and area residents.
It is with these thoughts in mind that I would like to
extend a warm thank you to this woman who has given
so much to this community. Thank you Debbie.
MOLLY BURKE, Exeter, ON
Panther Profile
EXETER — Exams are over and
school has started again!
It's a little odd starting classes half
way through the year, but one can
adjust. A special welcome to the
new students who have joined us
for second semester!
A reminder to students to return
any textbooks they still have from
first semester. You can drop them
off in the office and our wonderful
secretarial staff will see they get
returned to the proper teacher.
Also, if you have still not paid your
student fee, you might want to do so
soon, as your student fee covers your yearbook
order and the yearbook order is going in soon.
Also, heads up for the Valentine's Dance Feb.
17, and the Spring Concert put on by the music
department Feb. 23. Please note this concert is on
a Wednesday night instead of a Sunday afternoon.
The coming week's events!
Wed., Feb. 9
• Blood Donor Clinic, 12:30 - 8:30 p.m., small
gym. Students can sign up in the office for a time
slot.
• Boys basketball at St. Anne's
• Girls hockey at St. Anne's
Thurs., Feb. 10
• Reading Day
• Girls volleyball to Stratford Central
Fri., Feb. 11
• Boys basketball to Woodstock at 2:30 p.m.
• Boys hockey at South Huron
Sat., Feb. 12
• Senior girls volleyball tournament, Goderich
Mon., Feb.14
• Valentine's Day!
• Semester 1 final reports go home
• Boys basketball to St. Mary's
Tues., Feb. 15
• Grade 8 Tech Program — Transportation and
Electronics
• Student Health Clinic
• Huron Curling Championship in Wingham (Feb.
15 - 16)
AMANDA
ZEHR
PANTHER
PROFILE