John Victor Ching

1939 – 1945 Star, Atlantic Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM) and Clasp, 1939-45 War Medal

Royal Canadian Air Force

15 April 1922 – 05 December 1986

John Victor “Vic” Ching grew up on a small farm SW of Morden. His parents John Wesley and Alice (Neil) Ching raised him and his younger brother Gordon on their mixed farm. He worked hard and loved farm life.

Vic was a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner on 407 “Demon” Squadron of Coastal Command. The squadron was initially designated as a Coastal Strike (CS) squadron, responsible for attacks against enemy shipping and when assigned the Wellington aircraft in 1943, they were designated as a General Reconnaissance (GR) Squadron and their role changed to anti-submarine duty to keep Allied shipping safe.

Vic enlisted in Portage la Prairie 06 November 1941 and was stationed at MacDonald, MB for wireless and flying training and Paulson, MB for wireless and gunnery training. During training he flew in the Avro Anson, and the Bolingbroke (a reconnaissance trainer for maritime patrol). It is at this time that he would have been awarded his AG Wings (Air Gunner).

When he went overseas, he was stationed in south-west England out of Chivenor, although they flew in and out of many bases. He flew in Lockheed Hudson from February 1942 – April 1943. While continuing to train for flying and radio instruction, he briefly flew in the Blackburn Botha.

From 27 October 1943 – 12 June 1945, he flew in Wellingtons, patrolling the waters surrounding England. He flew close to 200 flights over the North Sea, the English Channel, the Norwegian Coast, the Bay of Biscay, south of Ireland, and the Western Approaches. They often flew so low that wave spray would at times wash over their windscreen. His squadron was one of the best at sub hunting – hence the name “Demons”. As the war was nearing its end, 407 Squadron was searching out the enemy and shifting to protecting Allied ships.

During its war time existence, 08 May 1941 – 04 June 1945, 407 Squadron flew 11,926 operational hours and suffered 24 squadron members killed and a further 151 presumed dead. Training had its risks and a further 38 were killed and 20 presumed dead during 3759 nonoperational flying hours. Undoubtedly, during his time with the squadron Vic would have known many of them.

Vic was awarded Royal Canadian Air Force Operational Wings for completing his tour.

Vic was offered a desk job after the war but his desire was to go home to the Shadeland District. He was demobilized 28 September 1945 and he returned and farmed with his father and brother. He had corresponded with Norma Spangelo during the war and on 29 June 1946, they were married. They settled on SE 23-2-7 and started a family. They had 2 children, John Lloyd, and Norma Gail. It was a mixed farm, Vic milked cows, raised chickens, a few pigs, and farmed 3 quarters of crop land until 1977 when a stroke slowed him down. Vic served as a councillor for the RM of Pembina and started the morning fires for heat in the one room school that he had attended before the war-the same school where his children would go. Vic was a highly active member of Morden Legion Branch 11 for 40 years. He did not talk about the war or his time there, he put it behind him and lived on his farm until his death, 05 December 1986.

Information provided by the Ching family and the National Museum of Man book on RCAF Squadron Histories and Aircraft.