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Basil Hall served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Read and listen to his testimony below.
Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
![]({"id":"0c3fff62-7b1a-43e7-bc47-d1c25200fe03","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"1811_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":32455,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:22.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:22.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #1811","alt":"","caption":"Description of medals Basil Hall was awarded for his service from June 7th 1941 to 1st of October, 1945.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1811 - Veteran #2341","source":"","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1811_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1811_600.jpg","credit":"","pivot":{"mediable_id":"df40b5fd-a10c-4ad5-9878-ffac9e1c4497","media_id":"0c3fff62-7b1a-43e7-bc47-d1c25200fe03","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":1},"translations":[{"id":"54401511-0c06-44a6-98c9-510291e45738","media_id":"0c3fff62-7b1a-43e7-bc47-d1c25200fe03","title":"Memory Project Image #1811","alt":"","caption":"Description of medals Basil Hall was awarded for his service from June 7th 1941 to 1st of October, 1945.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1811 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"en","credit":""},{"id":"fe44b39e-2ad3-4711-94d6-2f1391b0a549","media_id":"0c3fff62-7b1a-43e7-bc47-d1c25200fe03","title":"Memory Project Image #1811","alt":"","caption":"Description des m\u00e9dailles d\u00e9cern\u00e9es \u00e0 Basil Hall suite \u00e0 son service militaire, du 7 juin 1941 au 1e octobre 1945.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1811 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"fr","credit":""}]} "Memory Project Image #1811"){kind=spacer}
![]({"id":"80572fb4-7335-400f-9b31-5236123c06f4","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"1810_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":30764,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:20.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:20.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #1810","alt":"","caption":"Basil Hall in Air Crew uniform. Photo taken in 1941, while in training for Air Crew in Winnipeg.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1810 - Veteran #2341","source":"","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1810_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1810_original.jpg","credit":"","pivot":{"mediable_id":"df40b5fd-a10c-4ad5-9878-ffac9e1c4497","media_id":"80572fb4-7335-400f-9b31-5236123c06f4","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":2},"translations":[{"id":"5e69a343-56dd-4d6f-8898-4fc854d333e4","media_id":"80572fb4-7335-400f-9b31-5236123c06f4","title":"Memory Project Image #1810","alt":"","caption":"Basil Hall in Air Crew uniform. Photo taken in 1941, while in training for Air Crew in Winnipeg.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1810 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"en","credit":""},{"id":"7a6a02a2-113c-409f-a3cb-95c8869a9787","media_id":"80572fb4-7335-400f-9b31-5236123c06f4","title":"Memory Project Image #1810","alt":"","caption":"Basil Hall dans son uniforme de personnel volant. Photo prise en 1941 lors de son entra\u00eenement \u00e0 Winnipeg.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1810 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"fr","credit":""}]} "Memory Project Image #1810"){kind=spacer}
![]({"id":"85783ed1-932a-4844-8fcc-c7080827bdca","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"1808_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":24982,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:17.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:17.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #1808","alt":"","caption":"Service card showing the different ranks Basil Hall achieved. He went from Air Craftsmen to Flying Officer. He became Flight Lieutenant June 18, 1944.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1808 - Veteran #2341","source":"","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1808_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1808_600.jpg","credit":"","pivot":{"mediable_id":"df40b5fd-a10c-4ad5-9878-ffac9e1c4497","media_id":"85783ed1-932a-4844-8fcc-c7080827bdca","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":3},"translations":[{"id":"0fc6bf29-d053-42ed-8196-c3da35a07039","media_id":"85783ed1-932a-4844-8fcc-c7080827bdca","title":"Memory Project Image #1808","alt":"","caption":"Service card showing the different ranks Basil Hall achieved. He went from Air Craftsmen to Flying Officer. He became Flight Lieutenant June 18, 1944.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1808 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"en","credit":""},{"id":"b11a361d-5232-4c80-a116-49a6370be7d1","media_id":"85783ed1-932a-4844-8fcc-c7080827bdca","title":"Memory Project Image #1808","alt":"","caption":"Carte de service indiquant les rangs obtenus par Basil Hall. Il est pass\u00e9 du rang de simple soldat de l\u2019aviation au rang d\u2019officier pilote. Il est devenu Capitaine de l\u2019arm\u00e9e de l\u2019air, le 18 juin 1944.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1808 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"fr","credit":""}]} "Memory Project Image #1808"){kind=spacer}
![]({"id":"be64b46c-4072-4ae0-b22b-63b479affd53","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"1809_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":33705,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:19.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:19.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #1809","alt":"","caption":"Basil Hall wearing his flying jacket in Lyneham, England while in the service.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1809 - Veteran #2341","source":"","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1809_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1809_original.jpg","credit":"","pivot":{"mediable_id":"df40b5fd-a10c-4ad5-9878-ffac9e1c4497","media_id":"be64b46c-4072-4ae0-b22b-63b479affd53","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":4},"translations":[{"id":"359cfcf2-bc4f-44cf-8a16-e078caf4af8d","media_id":"be64b46c-4072-4ae0-b22b-63b479affd53","title":"Memory Project Image #1809","alt":"","caption":"Basil Hall wearing his flying jacket in Lyneham, England while in the service.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1809 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"en","credit":""},{"id":"a244dacf-77d0-4f89-ae57-6e25cba16cf1","media_id":"be64b46c-4072-4ae0-b22b-63b479affd53","title":"Memory Project Image #1809","alt":"","caption":"Basil Hall portant sa veste d\u2019aviateur \u00e0 Lyneham en Angleterre. Il \u00e9tait en service actif.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1809 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"fr","credit":""}]} "Memory Project Image #1809"){kind=spacer}
![]({"id":"ecc106dc-1527-4c13-b5fa-ddf7d4cd86e1","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"1812_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":25773,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:23.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T19:18:23.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #1812","alt":"","caption":"Basil Hall's Air Force log book. Most often flew from England to Cairo for attack from south through Yugoslavia. Almost 1400 hrs in flight.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1812 - Veteran #2341","source":"","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1812_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/1812_600.jpg","credit":"","pivot":{"mediable_id":"df40b5fd-a10c-4ad5-9878-ffac9e1c4497","media_id":"ecc106dc-1527-4c13-b5fa-ddf7d4cd86e1","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":5},"translations":[{"id":"f7dd7c67-405e-4a03-9064-fed83a2fede4","media_id":"ecc106dc-1527-4c13-b5fa-ddf7d4cd86e1","title":"Memory Project Image #1812","alt":"","caption":"Basil Hall's Air Force log book. Most often flew from England to Cairo for attack from south through Yugoslavia. Almost 1400 hrs in flight.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1812 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"en","credit":""},{"id":"44ca9101-5827-47bf-a12d-25dd86df9055","media_id":"ecc106dc-1527-4c13-b5fa-ddf7d4cd86e1","title":"Memory Project Image #1812","alt":"","caption":"Carnet de vol de Basil Hall. Il emprunta le parcours Angleterre-Caire \u00e0 plusieurs reprises pour ensuite remonter vers le nord pour mener des assauts en passant par la Yougoslavie. Il compte pr\u00e8s de 1400 heures de vol.","creator":"Memory Project Image #1812 - Veteran #2341","source":"","locale":"fr","credit":""}]} "Memory Project Image #1812"){kind=spacer}
Transcript
This is Basil Hall. I’m an RCAF veteran from the RAF ferry command. I joined up in June 1941. I was posted to Brandon manning school….after a month there getting used to a rifle and all that, we posted up to the airport again in Brandon for one month’s guard duty. From there, act down duty at number three water school in Winnipeg where I took my radio school. I had an advantage over the other guys because before I joined up, I was taking a radio course in Winnipeg. So it was pretty easy for me. After that, I graduated in March 1942, and was posted to Dorval-Montreal on Ferry Command. After we got tuned up, the ferry commander and I flew one trip with the radio-operator on a twin-engine Ventura from Gander, Newfoundland to Scotland. The total number of hours: about eleven. Then I came back to Montreal after we delivered this aircraft, and we were getting crewed up with up a pilot to then fly the aircrafts ourselves and take them out from England to the Middle East where in 1943 the Army was handling the German people and pushing them back up through Hungary. We did a number of trips out there, maybe 50 or 60 trips over a period of about a year and a half. The Ferry Command was changed to Transport Command in 1945 or 1946 at Croydon-London. With 147 Squadron, we were flying in Dakotas after the Germans were pushed back and crossed into their part of the area. We were able to get into Paris and most places around there. Then we took in equipment and brought out wounded. We took in government officials because their country was liberated and they joined up. Like everybody else did. The Germans had to be stopped. And let’s hope it doesn’t happen again.
