I don’t know who was the most surprised King George V1 or I when we suddenly came face to face. It was November 13, 1941 when the King visited our Canadian Spitfire Squadron at Wellingore, Lincolnshire,England..
It was the only time I can remember that the full squadron was ever on parade. Hart Massey and I played hooky that day and skipped the parade. I don’t remember what his excuse was, but I did not have a gas mask which was mandatory equipment to be worn on parade. While the rest of the squadron lined up in full dress on the parade square, Hart and I escaped to the warmth of the dispersal hut where we curled up on cots snuggly covered with sheep-lined Erwin flying jackets.
On the parade square a keen eyed photographer caught a remarkable sight of a gaggle of white geese marching pompously past the assembled parade. The photo, captioned “Democratic Goosestep” appeared on the front page of next day’s London newspaper. HM was said to be much amused by the unexpected appearance of the Squadron’s Christmas dinner.
He was probably a lot more amused and startled when followed by his aids and squadron officers, he entered the dispersal hut where Hart and I were holed up. I quickly jumped to my feet and as inconspicuously as possible, slunk off into the background while Hart stepped forward.
Hart did not suffer the embarrassment I did as he was well known to HM, having met on several other occasions. Diminutive Hart, (a mere 4 ft.6” caused by pituitary gland problems as a child,) was the son of Vincent Massey, Canada’s High Commissioner to Great Britain during WW11. Following the war he became Canada’s first Canadian - born Governor General. Hart’s size made him a natural Cox -swain for the Oxford rowing team when they defeated their arch rivals Cambridge in 1939.
Despite his size, Hart was able to enlist in the RCAF where he became 412 squadron’s first Intelligence Officer holding the rank of Flight Lieutenant .During a German Luftwaffe air raid at an Allied airfield on New Year’s Day 1944, he received severe head injuries from which he recovered , returning to Canada where he pursued a distinguished career in architecture. Hart died in 1997, survived by his wife and children Caroline and Jonathon.
Years after the King’s visit I obtained a photo taken in the dispersal hut showing George V1 chatting with squadron officers and enjoying a cup of tea. Conspicuous in his hand was the ever-present cancer causing cigarette from which it was reported he died.
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