"Saviour of Celyon" passed away

"Saviour of Celyon" passed away (Full Version)

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dday -> "Saviour of Celyon" passed away (9/14/2004 3:22:00 PM)
OTTAWA -- Once described by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as the "Saviour of Ceylon," Canadian war hero Len Birchall was remembered yesterday by a handful of local vets. Ramsay Brown made the journey to Kingston to remember his friend and hero who passed away last week after losing a battle with lung cancer. Birchall was "Birch will never be forgotten," said Brown, a member of the Manotick Legion who, along with other veterans, hosts an annual Burma Star Association luncheon each year in honour of those who served in Southeast Asia during World War II. In April 1942, Birchall was piloting a Catalina amphibious aircraft patrolling the coastline when he and his eight-member crew spotted the Japanese fleet steaming towards Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. Before being shot down and spending the rest of the war as a POW, he alerted the Allies. "The most important single event of the war was that message getting through," said Brown, 80, who also flew Catalinas and was stationed in Ceylon. "The (Allies) repelled the attack and the Japs never returned to the Indian Ocean. If they had got through they would have met up with the Germans in North Africa and surrounded all of Russia." It wasn't until after the war in 1956 that Brown and Birchall first met. "I was a pilot at the Canadian HQ in London and he worked with NATO in Paris," said Brown. "I flew into Paris and he met us when we arrived." They remained friends and Brown last saw Birchall in Smiths Falls about three months ago during a luncheon. "He's a Canadian hero," said Brown.

Caranorn -> RE: "Saviour of Celyon" passed away (9/14/2004 3:35:10 PM)
Not wishing to diminish these people's war record, but that claim is a bit far fetched (most important single event of the war). Yep, like most participants in the war they did great things and are to respected for that. Their actions were also valuable in military terms. But they were not necessarily decisive. Marc aka Caran... P.S.: Though I do prefer low ranks getting credit for their actions rather then stuffed up HQ folks as isthe case most of the time:-).

Apollo11 -> RE: "Saviour of Celyon" passed away (9/14/2004 3:47:35 PM)
Hi all, quote: ORIGINAL: dday OTTAWA -- Once described by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as the "Saviour of Ceylon," Canadian war hero Len Birchall was remembered yesterday by a handful of local vets. Ramsay Brown made the journey to Kingston to remember his friend and hero who passed away last week after losing a battle with lung cancer. Birchall was "Birch will never be forgotten," said Brown, a member of the Manotick Legion who, along with other veterans, hosts an annual Burma Star Association luncheon each year in honour of those who served in Southeast Asia during World War II. In April 1942, Birchall was piloting a Catalina amphibious aircraft patrolling the coastline when he and his eight-member crew spotted the Japanese fleet steaming towards Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. Before being shot down and spending the rest of the war as a POW, he alerted the Allies. "The most important single event of the war was that message getting through," said Brown, 80, who also flew Catalinas and was stationed in Ceylon. "The (Allies) repelled the attack and the Japs never returned to the Indian Ocean. If they had got through they would have met up with the Germans in North Africa and surrounded all of Russia." It wasn't until after the war in 1956 that Brown and Birchall first met. "I was a pilot at the Canadian HQ in London and he worked with NATO in Paris," said Brown. "I flew into Paris and he met us when we arrived." They remained friends and Brown last saw Birchall in Smiths Falls about three months ago during a luncheon. "He's a Canadian hero," said Brown. I knew of this - I can't remember from where but I distinctively remember reading article about that event (i.e. Len Birchall spotting Japanese fleet in his Catalina)! The article was about one dinner (presumably late 1950's) where Sir Winston Churchill was attending. Guests there asked him what was the most dreadful even in the WWII he remembers. Many thought that he would mention something else but he specifically pointed out day when Len Birchall spotted Japanese fleet in his Catalina. As he was very eloquent he metaphorically said that sacrifice of that pilot (and crew) whose bones are now at the bottom of the sea saved the day. Interestingly one other guest knew of that even )I think he was Canadian Ambassador) and told Churchill that Len Birchall survived the war and that he is alive. BTW, even though British knew Japanese were approaching the air defense didn't do much good and luckily fears that Japanese were invading (while they were in fact only raiding) were exaggerated... Leo "Apollo11"

Apollo11 -> RE: "Saviour of Celyon" passed away (9/14/2004 3:55:07 PM)
Hi all, Two nice articles about that event: http://www.saved.com/t&t/archive/1998/t199801c.htm http://www.lankalibrary.com/geo/japan1.htm Leo "Apollo11"

Hartley -> RE: "Saviour of Celyon" passed away (9/14/2004 4:04:40 PM)
He was the master of the hyperbole. "History will bear me out, particularly as I shall write that history myself."

Brady -> RE: "Saviour of Celyon" passed away (9/14/2004 6:08:41 PM)
I certainly salute the man for his efforts and the fact that he was a POW for so long and Lived is truly remarkable and is a testatement to him personaly. But to have the dumbluck to actualy fly into the invashion fleat hardely warents such acolades as those listed above. From what I got out of Dull, the Japanese kicked but everywhear during this raid and that included in the air over all their targets, they left the area, it was a raid as mentioned above. The stuff in the first post sounds like something I would see on the history chanel.

dday -> RE: "Saviour of Celyon" passed away (9/14/2004 8:45:09 PM)
Death Notices (09/12/04) BIRCHALL, Leonard J. Air Commodore (Retired), CM, OBE, DFC, O Ont, CD, LL.D., D. Sc. M. On Friday, September 10, 2004, at St. Mary's of the Lake Hospital, Kingston, ON, in his 90th year. Born in St. Catharines, "Birch" graduated from RMC in 1937 and was commissioned in the RCAF. On April 4th, 1942, while on patrol southeast of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), he and his crew gave the warning that prevented the Japanese fleet from surprising the Allies as they had done at Pearl Harbour. For this action, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and became known as the "Saviour of Ceylon". Shot down, he spent the remainder of the war in prisoner-of-war camps in Japan. His gallantry and constant concern for the welfare of his fellow prisoners led to his being made a member of the Order of the British Empire. Following the war, he held many postings culminating in the positions of Chief of Air Operations, RCAF and Commandant, RMC. At the time of his death, he had completed seventy years of military service; he was the first member of the Canadian Forces to receive the fifth clasp to the Canadian Forces Decoration. In February, 2000, he was made a member of the Order of Canada, and in 2001, was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. A member of the United States Legion of Merit, he was made an "American Eagle", in 2003. Predeceased by his first wife Dorothy Logan Birchall, his second wife Betty Clapp Birchall and his sisters Elizabeth Sinnett and Ina Landale. "Birch" is survived and will be sorely missed by his wife Kathleen, by his daughters Sharon Logan Chandler (Downsview) and Judy Kadish (Vestal, NY) and sons-in-law John Chandler and Gerald Kadish, by his son Charles Birchall (Ottawa) and daughter-in-law Hilary Geller, by his stepson and daughter-in-law David Graham and Pamela Hodgson (St. John's), his stepdaughter and son-in-law Nancy and Leighton Reid (Toronto), by his grandsons David and Christopher Chandler and their wives Angela and Elizabeth, by his granddaughters Isabelle and Emma Birchall, and by his great-grandchildren Jonathan, Victoria, Alexandre and Olivia Chandler. Funeral Service will take place from Chalmers United Church, 212 Barrie Street (at Earl Street), Kingston, ON on Monday, September 13, 2004 at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Air Commodore Leonard and Kathleen Birchall Award/Scholarship Fund, Air Cadet League of Canada, Constitution Building, 313 Rideau Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 5Y4. Online Guest Book www.ReidFuneralHome.com "A Family Tradition for 103 years" The Ottawa Citizen, Area Code 613

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