He has been in the military since 1985 beginning in the ranks in the Reserves with 3 Field Engineer Squadron and served in several other units before joining the Regular RCAF in 1998.

Apart from enjoying playing sports, he has been a keen military aviation enthusiast since being a "Base Brat" in Lahr, Germany and continues to collect squadron patches, aircraft photos and prints, flying uniforms and Air Force history books. It is that interest, and his involvement as the Squadron Historian at 425 (Alouette) Squadron and a Museum volunteer at 3 Wing Bagotville in addition to becoming an Associate RCAF Historian that has encouraged him to get involved in aviation research projects to help preserve the heritage and traditions of RCAF personnel. He welcomes contact with anyone who shares that interest and is willing to contribute to the proud history of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

'Per Ardua Ad Astra'

Ok, now for my sources apart from several miscellaneous sources, here are some of the main books I have used so far (I suspect I will use others as I get into all the books I have been collecting because I really love books but I have certainly not looked through all of the ones I have bought so far!):

Nachtjagd War Diaries - Vols 1 and 2 by Red Kite;
RAF Bomber Command Losses - All Volumes by W.R. Chorley;
RAF Coastal Command Losses - Volume 1 by Ross McNeill;
RAF Fighter Command Losses - Volumes 1 to 3 - by Norman Franks;
RAF Fighter Command Victory Claims - All Volumes by John Foreman;
Fighter Command War Diaries - All Volumes by John Foreman;
Aces High by Christopher Shores and Clive Williams;
Aces High - Volume 2 by Christopher Shores;
Those Other Eagles by Christopher Shores;
They Shall Not Grow Old from the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum;
Canadians in the RAF by Les Allison;
RAF Aircraft Serials - All Volumes by Air Britain;
Fighters Over The Desert by Christopher Shores;
Hurricanes Over The Sands by Michel Lavigne and W/C J.E. "Stocky" Edwards;
Kittyhawks Over The Sands by Michel Lavigne and W/C J.E. "Stocky" Edwards;
RCAF Squadron History Series by Hanger Books
242 Squadron - The Canadian Years by Hugh Halliday;
RCAF Decorations and Awards compiled by Hugh Halliday;
2nd Tactical Air Force - Volumes 1 to 4 by Christopher Shores and Chris Thomas;
Canada's Air Force - Volumes 1 to 3 by Larry Milberry;
407 squadron History by captain Tom Proctor;
425 Squadron History "Je te Plumerai" by Richard Girouard and Marc-Andre Valiquette;
RCAF Officer's Lists from 1944 and 1945 - From the RCAF Archives;
Janet Lacroix (provided photos) from the Canadian Forces Joint Imagery Centre;
Radar Officers of the Royal Canadian Air Force by J.R. Robinson and F.B. Grahame;
Legion Magazine - several issues
Flypast Magazine - several issues
Britain at War - several issues
Canadian Military Aircraft by J.A. Griffin;
Aces, Warriors and Wingmen of the RCAF by Wayne Ralph;
Artillery Flyers at War by Darrell Knight;
War on Our Doorstep by Brendan Coyle;
The Forgotten War - All volumes by Stan Cohen;
The Aleutian Warriors by John Cloe;
441 (RCAF) Squadron by Phil Listemann;
Fighter Squadron - 441 by Larry Milberry;
We Band of Brothers by Lloyd Hunt;
For We Were Young and Had Wings by Harry McFee.

People who have been instrumental in helping me put all my information together include:
Allison Hetman;
MWO Brian O'Cain (RCAF Retired);
WO Ed Ball (RCAF Retired);
Richard Girouard;
Janet Lacroix;
Sgt Jules Plamondon (RCAF Retired);
Larry Milberry;
Brendan Coyle;
Brig. Gen Rob Williams;
Maj John Lalonde (RCAF Retired);
My lovely wife Lorena Paradie.
My parents MWO Rick Paradie (Canadian Army and later RCAF - Retired) and Jan Paradie;
My sister Caroline Paradie;
My Grandmother Patricia Daoust;
Brian Nelson of the 14 Wing Museum in Greenwood.
The entire staff of the 19 Wing Museum at RCAF Station Comox.
The staff of the RCAF History Department at 1 Canadian Air Division HQ.

Everything is dedicated to them and the countless others who help preserve our heritage. A special acknowledgement to my Grandfather - N Walter Edmund Northeast who served in the British Army throughout the Second World War and both my Grandfather and Uncle (LAC Hermann Paradis and Uncle LAC Terry Paradis - yes Paradis is how our name is supposed to be spelled but they made a mistake on my Father's Birth Certificate) who both died while serving in the RCAF after the Second World War. In fact, my Grandfather is buried by G/C Buck McNair (one of our most decorated fighter pilots) in the UK.