Donald Laubman

Born in Provost, Alberta in 1921, Don became captivated by aviation after seeing Wop May (CAHF, 1974) barnstorming in the 1920s. Officially “hooked” on flying, after his family moved to Edmonton Don used to head to the city’s airport to watch the aircraft. When world war broke out in 1939 it was perhaps inevitable that upon deciding to enlist that he chose to do so with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

As a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan trainee, Don attended No.2 Initial Training School in Regina, Saskatchewan and the No.5 Elementary Flying School in Lethbridge, Alberta, where he trained on Tiger Moths. Service Flight Training School No.3 followed from there, with time in Avro Ansons. Sergeant Don Laubman earned his wings in 1941 and was selected for duty as a flight instructor. Promotions to Flight Sergeant and Warrant Officer soon followed, as did a posting to the Central Flying School at Trenton, where he took flight instruction training in the Fleet Finch and Fawn and the Harvard MK II. Don Laubman, instructor, was posted to Elementary Flight Training School No.31 in DeWinton, Alberta, where he logged approximately 2000 hours, mostly on Tiger Moths and Stearmans.

In 1942 Don sought a transfer to 133 Squadron, flying Harvards and Hurricanes. The squadron was training airmen for overseas service, but it was slow going, with pilots only being sent to Europe every three weeks. The airmen were picked by drawing lots. Not keen on waiting, Don did his best to trade up the line: “I drew number twenty-six, which [was] a long, long, way off. I went to number twenty-five, and said ‘you know, three isn’t going to make much different to you, is it? Why don’t we trade.’ And I worked my way up to number two.”

Sent overseas in March 1943, Don was soon posted to 412 Squadron, RCAF. The unit, flying Spitfire Mk Vs, was primarily engaged in escort duties for United States Air Force bombers flying missions over the French coast. In 412 Sqdn, Don joined other Canadians, including Kenneth Robb, his flight commander, and Wing Commander ‘Buck’ McNair (CAHF, 1990). A year later, on 23 March 1944, Don claimed his first victory, a Junkers Ju.88.

Flying a patrol led by W/C McNair, Don reported how, having sighted the enemy and “on receiving permission … I dove down after him.” He and another airman both closed on the dive-bomber, the latter firing first. The enemy’s port engine caught on fire. Don then “closed and opened fire at 350 yards making a port attack of about 10°.” He was hit, but continued his assault, “noticing several strikes around the port engine and one on the starboard wing root.” The burning aircraft force landed in a field, resulting in Don’s first shared victory. More would follow.

Don’s squadron crossed the channel on D-Day, the beginning of a remarkable period in his RCAF career. Between 6 June and the end of his tour with 412 Squadron in November of that year, Don flew at least 102 missions, several of which involved multiple encounters with enemy aircraft.

His squadron’s post-D-Day service began with beach patrols over Normandy, followed by a period flying escort duty and the odd scramble. By Summer 1944 he was flying armed reconnaissance missions, patrols, and bombing runs. In July he claimed two Focke-Wulf FW 190s and in August 1½ Messerschmitt Bf 109s, dogfights in which Don demonstrated one of the traits that made him a successful fighter pilot: willingness to engage at close quarters – in the case of the second FW 190 he destroyed, a mere fifty yards while firing his machine guns.

Over a three-day period, 25-27 September, Don flew a series of hectic engagements around Nijmegen that accounted for nine aircraft destroyed and at least two more damaged. On the 25th, his second mission of the day, he spotted a Bf 109. Don dived in pursuit. His combat report describes how he “closed to 100 yards line astern” and fired his cannon and machine gun. Rounds struck “all over” and the enemy aircraft caught fire, dove vertically into the ground, and exploded.

The next day, flying a high patrol, Don spotted another Bf 109 above him. He gave chase, closing to approximately 300 yards, and fired a short cannon burst. Both guns stopped. Don then closed another fifty yards, firing his machine gun. Glycol poured from the enemy aircraft as it flew into the ground. A few hours later Don was airborne again, with more than two dozen FW 190s were heading northeast. Don dived at the rearmost aircraft, closing to 100 yards and firing cannon and machine gun; the aircraft “dove straight into the ground.” He continued to chase another ’190, coming in astern at about 200 yards; he fired several bursts and it “pranged into the ground and broke up.” Don then chased three more FW’s, closing to 75 yards, but ran out of ammo.

On 27 September, Don flew three more patrols. The first, a low, early morning flight, encountered two Bf 109s. Spotting one heading east, Don chased, firing at close range as the Messerschmitt tried to escape at ground level. Don fired a long burst, again at close range; the aircraft “flicked” into the ground and exploded. Turning, the young Canadian realized another Bf 109 was coming around from behind. Don himself pulled around hard, closing on his attacker’s tail. He fired. His pursuer caught fire, exploded, and dove into the ground. On his second, noontime, patrol, Don spotted more than twenty Bf 109s heading south.

Climbing head on towards them, he came around on their tails and fired on one – the pilot bailed out. Giving chase to and engaging another 109 that began to dive through the clouds, Don kept on him, but ran out of ammunition. During a third, mid-afternoon, patrol Don’s flight spotted four FW 190s above them in a gentle dive towards the Canadians. Don pulled in behind one, firing a short burst; white smoke began streaming from the plane, diving away damaged. Manoeuvring behind another, Don drove it down to 2,000 feet, where he fired again – the pilot bailed out and the aircraft crashed and exploded.

Don was posted back to Canada when his tour ended, but managed to arrange for another overseas posting, this time in command of 402 Squadron. During his wartime service he destroyed 15 enemy aircraft, all of but one between June and October 1944. For these and other flying exploits, Don Laubman was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Shortly after demobilization, Don re-enlisted in the RCAF. His postwar career included postings to 410, 416, and 418 Squadrons. In 1949, he led the RCAF’s first jet aerobatic team, the Blue Devils; the team performed some 45 airshows over a three-year period. Don also assumed increasing administrative responsibility. After attending the RCAF Staff College in 1957, he was promoted to Wing Commander, then to Group Captain, Air Commodore, Major General, and Lieutenant General. Between 1966 and 1969 Don played a key role in implementing the unification of Canada’s armed forces and, in 1970/71, he served as Commander of Canadian Forces Europe. Upon his return to Ottawa, Don ended his career as Chief of Personnel, Canadian Forces Head Quarters.

Having retired in 1972, Don began his civilian business career with Canadian Tire and contributed generously to his community. A proud Rotary Club member, he served also on several boards, including Crime Stoppers and the Red Deer Regional Hospital Foundation.

In recognition of his years of service to Canada and to his community, Don was chosen as Red Deer’s Citizen of the Year in 2004. He received the Alberta Centennial Award in 2005, and in 2007 he was awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence. Don passed away in June 2018.