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History
of
 Squadron
  
Chapter
VI
Winter in the Netherlands
November 1944 January
1945
Early in December three more pilots left No. 439 upon completion of their tours. S/L Ken Fiset had passed the 100 mark; F/O Ivan Smith had completed 95 sorties and F/O Johnny Stitt 88. Johnny had done 118 trips on his first sortie before coming to the squadron, the combined total of 206 giving him two complete tours. Ivan Smith,
the last of the original group, had had a rough time on his tour, marked by three quite
"shaky
does". Once his Typhoon had struck a bomb dropped by another aircraft on the runway; another time a flat tire had almost catapulted his kite on to its back; and on the third his Tiffie had made a
forced landing through a clump of trees. Ivan had a generous share of luck!
"Bing" Crosby stepped up to command of the squadron in succession to Ken Fiset, and Joe Cote took over "B" Flight. The squadron's ranks were replenished by the posting in of FS W.A. Wright (the first flight sergeant pilot in the unit's history), F/Os
J.L. Harrison, A.H. Fraser, D.G. Cleghorn, A.W, Saunders, and P/O D.E.
Johnson.
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The composition of No, 439 had changed so much during the past weeks that weekly parties in the Officers' Club at Aalst, a short distance from the airfield, were particularly helpful in promoting esprit de corps. Thanks to airfield, were part F/O Jack Roberts, the squadron "architect", and F/O Bert Walsh, the engineering officer, the wind battered pilots' tent had finally been replaced by a frame hut which the two officers secured on a scrounging trip around
Venlo.
While "Bing" Crosby and Bob Laurence were busy laying the foundations for the hut, Jack drew the plans for a fireplace. A frame
crew room was also erected for the airmen and embellished with games and other amusements. Mention has been made in the past of the laundry problem since the squadron moved to the continent; this was finally solved by the organization of a mobile laundry for the wing. This service was particularly welcome for those who were
able to get a 48 hour pass to Paris which, at last, had been placed "in
bounds".
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Even more welcome was the news that seven days' privilege leave in the United Kingdom would once again be in order
for the ground crew. That they fully merited this "reward" is shown by the unit' s consistently high serviceability record a tribute to good organization and hard work.
In Holland the children celebrate St. Nicholas' Day on 6 December. The Typhoon wing made this occasion a memorable one for their little friends by giving two parties in the airmen' s and officers' messes at which St. Nick and his attendant "Black Peter" were present with gifts for all.
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