His childhood sister thought Buddy meant Brother and so Buddy..and later Bud became his nicknames. But David Ernest Hornell didn't need nicknames to make it through life. Just an incredible desire to do what's right and to reach out to serve those in need when and if it came.
And boy did it ever!
It all started at the little island in Lake Ontario called Toronto Island, which houses one of the busiest airports in the entire country. (The buzzing must have gotten to Bud as you shall soon see.)
And boy did it ever!
It all started at the little island in Lake Ontario called Toronto Island, which houses one of the busiest airports in the entire country. (The buzzing must have gotten to Bud as you shall soon see.)
Many claim that Buddy was born in 1910 at a small community called Mimico...about where the first arrow at left and above is pointing. But he in fact was born on Toronto Island.. at far right. Traveling eastbound the center arrow points to Grenadier Pond, a great recreation area itself, and within what is called High Park, one of the largest in the city. Just beyond the tip and to the left is a small street of about 2 dozen homes. I grew up, or as some claim... just got older... living in one of these with my 3 sisters, one brother and parents.
When in my early teens my Mom asked me one day where I went riding my bike. I said There was a big garden on the side of the road and a sign that said ..ET..I..bok. She got a laugh as everybody else just called it Etobicoke. (E..tow..bi..co)
After his sister was born, Buddy's mother passed away. The two children were then sent to live at an Aunt's home whilst getting initial schooling in Mimico and then onto high school, probably first at Western Technical Commercial High School (which I also attended with 2 sisters) and then later returning to Mimico High School were he graduated with honours and a scholarship to pursue a university ed- ucation, based on his receiving nine first class honours and gifted athletic status to boot.
Buddy chose instead to accept a position in the research labs of the Goodyear Tire Company. After all, it was during the Depression years and he needed a steady income.
But things soon changed. He knew that because of the importance of the Goodyear work for the war efforts, he was not in fear of pressures to join up. But he then wanted to do his bit. Many of his relatives and friends had already done so. But age was becoming a problem. A new training program had a cut off of age 31. He was just weeks shy of this.
So he made, what he later called a "Rash Decision." He enlisted in the RCAF. Several courses has to be taken in PEI, northern Vancouver Island, Montreal, Quebec, Victoriaville Que, and Goderich Ont. By September he would be presented with his pilot's wings.
Duties would then have him working out of the Halifax Dartmouth area bases and patrolling along the eastern seaboard of Canada and out into the North Atlantic.
When in my early teens my Mom asked me one day where I went riding my bike. I said There was a big garden on the side of the road and a sign that said ..ET..I..bok. She got a laugh as everybody else just called it Etobicoke. (E..tow..bi..co)
After his sister was born, Buddy's mother passed away. The two children were then sent to live at an Aunt's home whilst getting initial schooling in Mimico and then onto high school, probably first at Western Technical Commercial High School (which I also attended with 2 sisters) and then later returning to Mimico High School were he graduated with honours and a scholarship to pursue a university ed- ucation, based on his receiving nine first class honours and gifted athletic status to boot.
Buddy chose instead to accept a position in the research labs of the Goodyear Tire Company. After all, it was during the Depression years and he needed a steady income.
But things soon changed. He knew that because of the importance of the Goodyear work for the war efforts, he was not in fear of pressures to join up. But he then wanted to do his bit. Many of his relatives and friends had already done so. But age was becoming a problem. A new training program had a cut off of age 31. He was just weeks shy of this.
So he made, what he later called a "Rash Decision." He enlisted in the RCAF. Several courses has to be taken in PEI, northern Vancouver Island, Montreal, Quebec, Victoriaville Que, and Goderich Ont. By September he would be presented with his pilot's wings.
Duties would then have him working out of the Halifax Dartmouth area bases and patrolling along the eastern seaboard of Canada and out into the North Atlantic.
It would be during the 60th patrol, and with some 600 hrs of patrol flight under his belt,that Buddy would find himself as the Captain of his twin engine Canso bomber on yet another run.
Shown above as a jnr. officer, he would on this day hold the rank of Ft Lt, He would be flying his warplane as part of the 162nd Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron RCAF out of Northern Scotland on another 12 hr patrol. It had been uneventful and about to end, but then took a drastic turn.
He and a crew of 7 others, all Canadians, were aboard the plane on 24 June,. 74 years ago today at about 6.30 p.m. and flying North of Scotland and probably a few hundred miles north of the Shetland Islands and between Iceland and Norway when they realized they were not alone.
Shown above as a jnr. officer, he would on this day hold the rank of Ft Lt, He would be flying his warplane as part of the 162nd Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron RCAF out of Northern Scotland on another 12 hr patrol. It had been uneventful and about to end, but then took a drastic turn.
He and a crew of 7 others, all Canadians, were aboard the plane on 24 June,. 74 years ago today at about 6.30 p.m. and flying North of Scotland and probably a few hundred miles north of the Shetland Islands and between Iceland and Norway when they realized they were not alone.
It was a German Submarine, and it was NOT submerged. Worse yet, it also saw Buddy's plane and instantly started firing surface to air fire with very good aim. Two large holes were shot through the wings. One engine was hit bursting into flame and trickling oil spills started while the plane became to shaky to control and had to be ditched atop a high wave.
But before that happened the gunners were able to bring fire from their cannons onto the sub but then one set got jammed. All this from about a 1200 yd range and closing fast. An engine falling off didn't do much to help the airmen.
But the Captain did manage to correctly position the plane to drop down and over the sub while dropping 4 charges that raised the entire sub out of the water and then she sank. Germans were soon struggling for their lives in the debris.
Since the plane's aerials were damaged they could not call for help. While equipped with two 4 man dinghies, only one worked and could not hold all the men. Two soon were lost to the frigged waters. The rest agreed to take turns in and out of the lone craft. Another plane many hours later saw the men and dropped an inflatable but the winds took it over 500 yards away from them and they did not have the strength to fetch it. The rest waited almost 21 hours till finally rescued. Buddy was going blind and after all of the exposure passed away while being escorted to aid.
But before that happened the gunners were able to bring fire from their cannons onto the sub but then one set got jammed. All this from about a 1200 yd range and closing fast. An engine falling off didn't do much to help the airmen.
But the Captain did manage to correctly position the plane to drop down and over the sub while dropping 4 charges that raised the entire sub out of the water and then she sank. Germans were soon struggling for their lives in the debris.
Since the plane's aerials were damaged they could not call for help. While equipped with two 4 man dinghies, only one worked and could not hold all the men. Two soon were lost to the frigged waters. The rest agreed to take turns in and out of the lone craft. Another plane many hours later saw the men and dropped an inflatable but the winds took it over 500 yards away from them and they did not have the strength to fetch it. The rest waited almost 21 hours till finally rescued. Buddy was going blind and after all of the exposure passed away while being escorted to aid.
This may be one of the last pictures of Flight Lt. Davis E Hornell, VC It appears that the award was not published in the London Gazette till the 28th of June, and of course was a posthumous award. Thus, curious that this picture seem to have him wearing the ribbon for the VC.
Hornell was only 34 years old when he was killed in action. His VC is said to be the first of only 3 for the RCAF in WW11.
Hornell was only 34 years old when he was killed in action. His VC is said to be the first of only 3 for the RCAF in WW11.
This painting tells the story of the air to sea battle on 24 June 1944.
Buddy lies at rest at the Lerwick Cemetery at the Shetland Islands.
The Royal Canadian Air Cadets have a squadron named in Buddy's name in the Toronto area. Their web site has many interesting pictures and some great videos of their drill teems hard at work. Google them.
The Government of Ontario has helped the community recognize and keep the Hornell story alive with this plaque outside the school it has named in this hero's name in Mimico, just outside of Toronto
At the Toronto inner harbour you can even take a ferry across to Toronto Island. The ferry is also named in honor of Buddy.
Even the Canadian Airplane Museum at Hamilton Ontario have done their bit to preserve this part of Canada's heritage. They have I believe an actual Canso plane painted in his colours and numbers.
see you next week,
Bart
At the Toronto inner harbour you can even take a ferry across to Toronto Island. The ferry is also named in honor of Buddy.
Even the Canadian Airplane Museum at Hamilton Ontario have done their bit to preserve this part of Canada's heritage. They have I believe an actual Canso plane painted in his colours and numbers.
see you next week,
Bart
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