Biographical Data
Falls, Robert Hilborn Photo Credit: Unknown

 

Title	Admiral (CF)
Official Number	(nk)

 

Birth	29/04/1924	Death	06/11/2009
Place	Welland	Place	Ottawa
Area	ON	Area	ON
Country	Canada	Country	Canada

 

Titles
Honours	CMM. OStJ.
Awards
Qualifications	ndc.

 

Biography
After his naval service he served as Director of the Centre For Arms Control and Disarmament 1983 and as President in 1985. He ws a Director of the Canadian Sail Training Association 1986-89. He served as Chairman of the Shearwater Air Museum in 1987. (He was the first Canadian Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.)

 

Military Service

He was appointed as a Pilot Officer RCAF (With seniority dated 01/12/1942). (Mobilized 23/03/1943). He served in Manning Depot Toronto for Training 1943. He served in McGill University for Academic Upgrading 1943. He served in RCAF Toronto for #6 Initial Training School 1943. He served in RCAF Toronto for Pre-Flight Instruction 1943. He served in RCAF Windsor ON for #7 Elementary Flying School 1943. He served in RCAF Ottawa for #2 Service Flying School 1943. He was Awarded Wings 01/04/1944. He served at Maitland NS for Commando Training 1944. He served in RCAF Trenton ON for #1 Flying Instructor School 1944. He served in RCAF Camp Borden for #1 Service Flying Training School as Flying Instructor 1944, (Transferred to RNVR 04/04/1945). He was appointed as an A/Sub-Lieutenant (Temp.) RNVR 04/04/1945). He served in H.M.S. Seaborne (Dartmouth NS) 1945. He served in H.M.S. Macaw for Training 1945. He served in Tealing (Scotland) for Advanced Flying Course 1945. He served in H.M.S. Macaw for Night Vision Course 1945, (Transferred to RCNVR) 1945. He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant (Temp.) RCNVR. He served in H.M.S. Condor for 803 Squadron (Seafire) 1945. He served in RNAS Nutts Corner for 803 Squadron 1945, (Transferred to RCNR). He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant RCN(R). He was appointed as a Lieutenant (P) RCN(R) (With seniority dated 21/10/1945). He served in RNAS Lee-on-Solent for 803 Squadron 1946. He served in HMCS Warrior in 19th Carrier Air Group 1946, (Transferred to RCN) 1946. He served in HMCS Shearwater for 743 Squadron 1946. He served in RCAF Trenton for Instrument Rating Course 1947. He served in RCAF Centralia for Instrument Rating Course 1947. He served in HMCS Shearwater for Operational Flying School 1947. He served in RCAF Trenton for Central Flying School for Intructor Upgrade 1947. He served in HMCS Haida for Watchkeeping Certificate 1949, #1 Training Air Group for Refresher Flying Course 1949. He served in HMCS Magnificent for 19th Carrier Air Group for 803 Squadron 1949. He served in HMCS Magnificent for 18th Carrier Air Group for 883 Squadron 1951, 871 Squadron 1951. He served in #1 Training Air Group 1951. He served in HMCS Niagara for USNAS Pensacola for Carrier Qualification Unit 4 for USN Landing Signals Officer Course 1952. He served in HMCS Magnificent for 3oth Carrier Air Group for 870 Squadron 1952. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander (P) RCN (With seniority dated 21/10/1953). He served in NHQ as Staff Officer to Chief of Naval Personnel 1954. He served in USNAS Key West for USN Fleet All-weather Training Unit 1955. He served in HMCS Shearwater as Commanding Officer VF-870 Squadron (Banshees) 1955. He served in HMCS Bonaventure as Lieutenant-Commander (Flying) 1958. He was appointed as a Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1959). He served in NHQ as Deputy Director Naval Aircraft Requirements 1960. He served in HMCS Bonaventure as Commander (Air) 1961. He served in HMCS Chaudiere (II) (In command) 1963. He served in HMCS Stadacona as RCN Director Joint RCN-RCAF Maritime Warfare School and Officer-in-Charge Tactical Training 1964. He was appointed as a Captain RCN (With seniority dated 01/08/1965, CFB Halifax as Commandant Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare School 1965. He served in HMCS Bonaventure (In command) 1966. He was appointed as a Commodore (With seniority dated 01/06/1969). He served at NDHQ as Director General Postings and Careers 1969. He served as Commander Canadian Flotilla Atlantic (Flag in Protecteur) 1971. He was appointed as a Rear-Admiral (With seniority dated 01/09/1972). He served at NDHQ for DND as Associate Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) 1972. He served at NDHQ as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff 1973. He was appointed as a Vice-Admiral (With seniority dated 01/07/1974). He served in NDHQ as Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff. He was appointed as an Admiral (CF) (With seniority dated 01/07/1977). He served in NDHQ as Chief of the Defence Staff 1977. He served in NATO HQ (Brussels) as Chairman NATO Military Committee 1980. (He was retired 1983.)

 

Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown	Total Flying Hours: 3,350 hours. Total Fixed Wing Deck Landings: 288 (including 20 night.) Service Aircraft Flown: Tiger Moth, Cornell, Harvard, Cessna Crane, Seafire Mk 3 & 15, Expeditor, Anson, Firefly, Swordfish, Sea Hornet, Sea Vampire, Sea Fury, Hellcat, Bearcat, AD-3, TBM, Avenger, F3D, F2H3 Banshee, F3H2 Demon)
Named Features

 

Anecdotes

 

References
Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON; MacFarlane, John and Robbie Hughes (1997); MacFarlane, John M. (1994); http://www.noac.ottawa.on.ca/SoundS10.pdf; Starshell Obituaries Winter 2009-2010;
Last update
2011-01-31 00:00:00

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