Cyril Lester Bolster was born on March 28, 1919 in Regina, Saskatchewan, residing in Cupar, Saskatchewan, as a farm labourer on his father's farm. [He did not have a definite idea of what he wanted to do after the war.] He was the son of Henry Groves [born in India] and Agnes Bolster [born in England], later of Royal Oak/Mr. Lehman, British Columbia, outside of Victoria. He also had one older brother [Arthur Henry O'Brien Bolster, 18th Battery, 2nd Anti-tank Reg. RCA, Cdn Army Overseas]and one older sister [Agnes Rose Bolster, of Regina, SK].
Bolster stood 5'8" tall and weighed 158 pounds. He had blue eyes and brown hair. He enjoyed softball, tennis, golf and swimming and listed hockey and shooting as sports he did occasionally. No hobbies.
Training:
No. 2 Manning Dept, December 21, 1940
No. 6 AOS, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan,January 27, 1941
No. 2 TC January 28, 1941 [Shy, but intelligent, pleasant, rather deliberate; has confidence, should respond to training.]
No. 6 AOS, March 14, 1941
No. 2 MD, Brandon, March 29, 1941
No. 2 ITS, Regina, March 30, 1941
No. 14 EFTS, Portage la Prairie, May 4, 1941
No. 11 SFTS, Yorkton, July 3, 1941 [A little slow in reactions, but a sound and steady pilot. In Ground Training: A very good student, quiet and steady. First in class of 62 and quite well liked. A very hard worker. Got his junior matric by correspondence on the farm. Knows how to apply himself to any type of work. Steady pilot conscientious and reliable. Will do better when he gains more confidence.]. He earned his wings on September 11, 1941.
No. 1 Y Depot, Halifax, September 14, 1941
No. 1 Squadron, RAF February 17, 1942
Missing, March 29, 1943, flying Typhoon R7876. "F/O Bolster took off from RAF Station, Lympne at 1005 hours....to patrol Beachy Head. He was vectored on to a 'Bogey' and last heard of 40 miles south of Beach Head vectoring 210" at 1115 hours. Since then, there has been no news of the officer and it is therefore assumed he is a casualty."
On page 22 of Typhoon and Tempest by Hugh Halliday, it states that two Typhoons had been sent out on a patrol, with one returning early with oil problems. F/O Cyril L. Bolster was heard reporting six enemy aircraft ahead, but he failed to return the day after his 24th birthday.
