David Norman McIntosh DFC – Sid Seid’s navigator

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David Norman McIntosh DFC was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec (QC) and was raised at Stanstead QC, which is located about 40 miles south of Sherbrooke close to the border with Vermont, USA. In March 1942, he enlisted in the RCAF in Toronto, Ontario (ON).

After receiving air crew instruction, he graduated, on February 19, 1943, as a navigator from No. 1 Air Observer School at Toronto (Malton) ON. Soon afterwards he was overseas in the UK and after receiving additional training at an Operational Training Unit was posted to No. 418 Squadron, based at Holmsley South, flying Mosquito aircraft. This was Canada’s only night intruder squadron.

These night missions involved risky and dangerous ventures that included day and night strafing attacks on airfields, transports, trains, shipping and rocket sites. These assignments included occasional bomb raids that ranged across Germany, Czechoslovakia, Denmark and Norway.

In July 1944, McIntosh and his pilot joined the circuit over Argelsried airfield in Germany. On the way home they ended up in the middle of flak and searchlights over Wiebaden, which was the RAF Bomber Command target for the night. One engine caught fire, which McIntosh succeeded in extinguishing. However it was completely burned out and his pilot had to make the rest of the flight home with only one engine.

Over 9,900 Canadians in RAF and RCAF air crew, sacrificed their lives fighting for freedom and democracy. Some crashed into the sea or crashed in England. Some airmen survived the crashes, others were rescued at sea. A great many of those who died never had a chance to bail out. They perished when their aircraft loaded with 11 tons of explosives and high octane gas, either exploded in the air or on impact with the ground. Several others were killed when they plummeted 6 to 8 kilometers to the ground after their parachutes caught fire from their burning aircraft.

On June 13, 1944, the first V-1 flying bombs fell on England and McIntosh’s squadron was assigned patrols to prevent these V-1s from reaching London. McIntosh and his pilot, Sid Seid, destroyed six of them flying so close to them that one explosion blackened their aircraft.

After a series of moves at the end of July and the beginning of August 1944, the squadron settled in at Hundson, thirty miles north of London. McIntosh and his pilot’s major achievement occurred in October 1944 when they destroyed eight enemy aircraft on the ground.

After 41 missions, McIntosh completed his tour and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his skill and valour.

Postwar, McIntosh retired from the RCAF and joined Canadian Press and became a foreign, defense and political correspondent for 30 years. In 1972, he began writing and producing films for federal agencies. He authored two popular books: Terror In The Starboard Seat and High Blue Battle.