Wartime Lancaster pilot receives France’s highest honour

Photos and story by Gord McNulty,
CAHS Vice President
posted March 2024
RCAF Lancaster pilot Jack Finan greeted by members of 447 Wing.
A tribute for wartime RCAF Lancaster pilot, Jack Finan, 104, was held on February 7 at 447 Wing RCAFA in Mount Hope, ON. In a special ceremony, Jack was presented with France’s highest decoration in honour of his valiant service during the Second World War.
Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor pays tribute to Jack Finan during the ceremony with members of Jack's family in attendance. Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath (centre), brought an official commendation on behalf of the city.
Michel Miraillet, Ambassador of France to Canada, presented Jack with the Insignia of Knight in the National Order of the Legion of Honour. Dignitaries in attendance also included Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor; Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath; and Ontario Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont.

A Hamilton native, Jack joined the RCAF in 1939, right after graduating from high school. He trained as a ground crew mechanic making nine dollars a week. An opportunity for pilot training came along when Jack was stationed in Calgary. He learned to fly in a Tiger Moth while, as he recalled, gaining experience in numerous postings.

Jack went on to fly 23 different aircraft and for a time trained other young men to fly over the Irish Sea. His service culminated in Lancaster operations over Nazi-occupied Europe.

He was generally reluctant to share memories of the war with his family. “I only think about the good times now. That’s easier than remembering all of the people who didn’t come back.”  

His air force service also took him to Scotland, where he would meet and marry Eileen, who was his wife for 71 years before she died. The couple had six daughters.

Jack recalled once moving POWs from Italy to France. The prisoners were brought to the aircraft in handcuffs.

“I told them to take (the handcuffs) off or nobody flies,” he recalled.

After the war, Jack worked briefly as a welder before rejoining the RCAF. He and his family moved around numerous bases in Canada and abroad. He logged more than 10,000 hours in the air, retiring as a Flight Lieutenant in the mid 1960s.
Time for a toast led by Ambassador Miraillet as Jack's relatives and all attendees join at the conclusion of the ceremony.
Jack worked for the provincial government and then at Mohawk College, organizing trades training programs before retiring in the ‘80s. When asked what he credits for his longevity, Jack smiled and replied, “common sense, a good sense of humour and a shot (or two) of Scotch every day.”

Jack’s youngest daughter, Michelle, spoke fondly of her father, a longtime 447 Wing member and Stoney Creek resident.  Relatives came from Vancouver for the event.
Michel Miraillet, France's Ambassador to Canada, speaks at the presentation of the insignia of Knight in the National Order of the Legion of Honour to Jack Finan.
Ambassador Miraillet noted this year will mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. He assured the audience that France has not forgotten the sacrifices of the Allied nations who made victory possible.

The various speakers reflected on the harrowing odds that were faced by about 50,000 Canadians who served with the RCAF and the RAF in Bomber Command combat operations.
Michael Cuffe, 447 Wing Chair, presents the Pathway to the Stars gift to Jack Finan.
Jack expressed heartfelt thanks for the honour from France and recognition from the City of Hamilton for his service. He received several gifts, including a copy of the book Pathway to the Stars, dedicated to the men and women of the RCAF who have served Canada at home and abroad for the past 100 years.
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