John Mitchner was posted to No 263 Squadron, which operated the Westland Whirlwind heavy fighter and served with this unit until June 1942, at which time he took up an instructing position before periods of service with other fighter squadrons.
22 Facts About John Mitchner
1.
2.
John Mitchner continued to serve in the RCAF in the postwar period, until 1960 when he retired for health reasons.
3.
John Davidson Mitchner was born in the Saskatchewan city of Saskatoon, in Canada, on 3 July 1914.
4.
At the time John Mitchner joined the squadron, it was regularly flying on offensive operations to Europe but over the winter months, it was engaged in convoy patrols.
5.
In June 1942, John Mitchner took up an instructing role at No 55 Operational Training Unit but was only there for a month before being transferred to Mo.
6.
John Mitchner returned to Fighter Command in November 1942 with a posting to No 402 Squadron, a RCAF unit that was based at Kenley and operating the Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX fighter.
7.
John Mitchner was commissioned as a pilot officer on 12 January 1943 and five days later achieved his first aerial victory, a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter that was damaged near Cabourg.
8.
On 24 September 1943, John Mitchner, now promoted to flight lieutenant, shared in the destruction of two Fw 190s, one confirmed and the other deemed a probable, both over the Beauvais region.
9.
John Mitchner was credited with a share in another Fw 190 probably destroyed three days afterwards.
10.
John Mitchner is a most determined and able leader, whose confidence in action has proved inspiring.
11.
In combat, Flight Lieutenant John Mitchner has destroyed 3 enemy aircraft.
12.
In February 1944, John Mitchner was rested and returned to Canada for a time.
13.
In November 1944, John Mitchner was appointed commander of No 416 Squadron, which by this time was engaged in armed reconnaissance sorties as the Allied ground forces advanced through Belgium and into Germany.
14.
John Mitchner has consistently displayed a high degree of skill and determination and has been responsible for the destruction of 10 enemy aircraft.
15.
One day in April, 1945, Squadron Leader John Mitchner led two armed reconnaissances, resulting in the destruction of 45 motor transport, whilst more than another 100 were damaged.
16.
John Mitchner ended the war credited with having shot down eleven aircraft, one of which was shared with another pilot.
17.
John Mitchner is credited with one and two shared respectively as probably destroyed, and with damaging three aircraft.
18.
John Mitchner relinquished command of No 416 Squadron in January 1946 and returned to Canada two months later.
19.
John Mitchner remained in the RCAF during the postwar period, becoming commander of No 417 Squadron for two years, beginning in 1947.
20.
John Mitchner attended the RCAF's Staff College in Toronto in 1951.
21.
John Mitchner's health began to decline and in November 1960 he was retired from the RCAF for medical reasons.
22.
John Mitchner died on 8 December 1964 in Penticton in British Columbia.