July 26, 1921 - November 2, 1978
James Kenneth Allison was a pilot with 181 Squadron, RAF, flying Typhoons.
Allison was born in Vankleek, Ontario on July 26, 1921. He was educated at Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute, a band employee before he enlisted with the RCAF on April 23, 1941. He liked to ski, skate and swim. He went to No. 4 EFTS then to No. 13 SFTS at St. Hubert, Quebec, Course 45 from December 20, 1941 to April 8, 1942.
He was commissioned a Pilot Officer with SN J/11084 on his wings parade and reported to 130 Sqn at RCAF Mont-Joli Quebec the very next day.
130 Sqn was moved to Bagotville to refit on Hurricanes but all personnel remained in 130. It took months to retire all their Kittyhawks and get Hurricanes but they had a large batch of Harvards and flew them regularly, flying all 3 types simultaneously for months.
Allison was involved in an air to air collision where Harvard 3036 had its tail cut off by Harvard 3294 on December 9, 1942. This made the newspaper. (See article above.)
He was noted dangerously ill in July 1944, according to the Ottawa Journal newspaper. On July 6, 1944, he was hit by flak in Typhoon MN821 (EL-H), crash landing at airfield B6 (Coulombs, France) and slammed into three parked, fueled and fully armed Typhoons of 247 Sqn (RAF). He was badly burned in the ensuing fire and became a member of the Guinea Pig Club.
Information for photo: 12/05/44 RAF TYPHOON SQN Flying Officer James Kenneth Allison, with RAF Typhoon Squadron in 2nd TAF. Second photo: Allison’s 13 SFTS wings graduation photo.
LINKS:
Thank you, Francois Dutil, for the extra information, as of April 2025.