WILLIAM JOSEPH ALLISON 

William Allison was born on 1 December 1915 to his parents William Earle and Mary Ruth Allison, living at 3781 Vendome Avenue, Montreal in Quebec. He was one of seven children, the only boy amongst six sisters. All of his schooling was undertaken locally in Montreal, and after he left school he studied at McGill University and graduated with a degree in Statistics. During that time his hobbies enabled him to become a proficient skier and also an expert amateur glider pilot. After leaving university he then worked from 1938 until 1941 for the General Exchange Insurance Corporation, before enlisting with the Royal Canadian Air Force. After his initial training he undertook an Air Bomber’s course for 5 months, until October 1942, and his report described him then as “a conscientious worker – an above average pupil”. He then embarked for England, sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia at the end of April 1944, arriving on 7 May. He was posted for further training to 22 OTU, which was located at the time at RAF Atherstone, some miles to the south of Stratford upon Avon. There he completed his training on the Vickers Wellington X bomber.