Born: 07th March 1921-Grand Falls, Newfoundland. Died: 30th December 2000-Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Appointments: Military: Navigator with 83rd Squadron – Navigation Officer with the Pathfinder force 6 Group and Tiger Force Group – Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff – Staff Officer, Personnel Branch – Officer Commanding Primary School, Air Navigation School – Royal Canadian Air Force Staff College – Staff Officer – Organisation and Establishment 5 Air Division – Staff Officer in the Directorate of Organisation and Establishment – Air Planning Officer in the Joint Staff Headquarters – Student at NATO Defence College – Canadian National Military Representative to SHAPE – Directory Manpower Requirements and Establishments NDHQ – Chief of Staff/Base Commander Canadian Forces Base Europe
Civilian: Directory of Administration, Compliance and Audit, Anti-Inflation Board – Executive Director, Office of the Sergeant-at Arms.
History of Military Service: Date of Enlistment August 1940 Royal Air Force (First Air Crew Draft from Newfoundland)
Training Areas: August 1940 – 1 Manning Depot, Toronto Ontario – October 1940 Eastern Air Command, Dartmouth Nova Scotia – November 1940 No. 1 Initial Training School (formerly Eglington Hunt Club), Toronto Ontario – December 1940 No. 7 E. F. Training School, Windsor Ontario – Jan-Feb 1941 No. 5 Air Observer School, Winnipeg Manitoba – Apr-May 1941 No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal Ontario – June 1941 No. 1 Air Navigator School, Rivers Manitoba – August 1941 Posted Overseas.
Service Numbers: RAF were: Sergeant Observer 798537, F/O 120865 and Fl/Lt. 120856, transferred from RAF to RCAF service number as A/Sq/Ldr. C/94060, Post War (RCAF 20509) and finally 432 340 231.
Units Served in: 1941-1943 83rd Squadron, 5th Bomber Group and 8th Pathfinder Group RAF – 1943-46 6th Group RCAF, Tiger Force Group – 1955-1958 5th Air Division
Geographic Area of Service: Ontario, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, England, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, Ontario, France, Ontario, Germany, Ontario.
Outstanding Military Achievements: Completed 1 Tour with 83rd Squadron 5th Bomber Group – Completed 2nd Tour with 83rd Squadron 8th Pathfinder Group – Shot down and evaded the enemy for 88 days, March 11th, 1943 to June 6th, 1943 – Jailed in Spanish prison for illegal border crossing sent back to England.
Group Navigation Officer for 6th Group RCAF – Personal Staff Officer to Chief of the Air Staff (A/M Robert Leckie) – Personal Aid to A/M Harris during Montreal visit in 1947 – Officer Commanding Primary School, Air Navigation School – Canadian National Military Representative to SHAPE – Chief of Staff/Base Commander Canadian Forces Base Europe
Decorations/Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar – Order of the Officer of Military Merit – 1939/1945 Star – Air Crew Europe Star (France Germany clasp) – Defence Medal – Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp – War Medal 1939 – 1945 – Mention-in-Despatches – Canadian Centennial Medal – Canadian Forces Decoration with 2 Rosettes – Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star
Badges: Canadian Armed Forces Navigator Wings – Operational Wings and Bar – Pathfinder Badge – French Air Force Navigator Wings – French Naval Navigator Wings
Joe had his biography written up by a RCAF Public Relations officer and this was published in 1994 – details can be found by clicking onto his page as shown below.
He was one of the most decorated Newfoundlanders from WW2 (Newfoundland was a Dominion until 1947 when it joined the Confederation of Canada and became a Province.)
He leaves his wife, sister Ruby, his sons Steve, Robert and Donald, his daughters Claire and Jill, and seven grandchildren.
Information kindly supplied to Aircrew Remembered February 2016 from his son Steve Ogilvie who would like to hear from anyone with information on his father – contact us in the first instance. A further page describing the events on the 11th March 1943 with Lancaster ED313 OL-B is also placed on our website.