Biographical data

Biographical Data
Fink, Francis Roger Photo Credit: Unknown

Biographical Data

Fink, Francis Roger

Photo Credit: Unknown

Title	Commander (P) (RCN)
Official Number	(nk)

Birth	(nk)	Death	12/02/2010
Place	Ponoka	Place	Red Deer
Area	AB	Area	AB
Country	Canada	Country	Canada

Titles
Honours	GM.
Awards
Qualifications

Biography
After his naval service he did nine years flying commercial helicopters in Northern Canada. Worked for eleven years as Legal Administrator for Red Deer Alberta law firm. Retired again 1987.

Military Service
He was appointed as a AC 2/c RCAF (With seniority dated 16/12/1941). He served in RCAF Construction Unit 1941. He was appointed as a Sergeant RCAF (With seniority dated 01/10/1942). He served in RCAF Regina for Initial Flight Training School. He served in RCAF Fort William for Elementary Flight Training School. He served in RCAF Yorkton for Service Flight Training School. (CFR). He served in RCAF Summerside as GR School Instructor and Staff Pilot, (Transferred to RNVR 01/10/1944). He served in H.M.S. Seaborn (Halifax) 04/04/1945. He served in H.M.S. Macaw. He served in H.M.S. Tealing. He served in 803 RN Squadron as Pilot. He served in RNAS Arbroath. He served in RNAS Nutts Corner (NI). (He was demobilized 01/02/1946). (Short Service Appointment 16/06/1949). He was appointed as a Lieutenant (P) (SSA) RCN (With seniority dated 16/06/1949). He served in RCAF Trenton for Flying Refresher Course 1949. He served in RNAS Lossiemouth for OUT 1950. He served in RNAS Eglinton for OUT 1950. He served in H.M.S. Illustrious for Deck Landing Qualification 1950. He served in HMCS Shearwater/HMCS Magnificent for 826 Squadron. He served in HMCS Shearwater/HMCS Magnificent for 881 Squadron. He served in USN/USMC for Helicopter Training 1952, (On Exchange With US Marine Corps 1953). He served in USMC El Toro for OUT 1953. He served in HMR 161 Troop Support Squadron (First US Marine Division) for Korean War Service at 38th Parallel 1953, (Selected for permanent commission). He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander (P) RCN (With seniority dated 04/08/1954). He served in HMCS Shearwater for HU-21 Squadron for Pilot Instruction 1954. He served in HMCS Labrador and HMCS Magnificent as Pilot for HU-21 Detachment 2 1955. He served in HMCS Stadacona for Junior Officer Technical and Leadership Course 1956. He served in HMCS Shearwater/ HMCS Bonaventure for HS-50 Squadron as Commanding Officer 1958. He served in NDHQ for Duty With Director Naval Air Requirements 1959. He was appointed as a Commander (P) RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1961). He served in NDHQ as Assistant Director of Naval Air Requirements 1961. He served in HMCS Shearwater as Training Officer at Aircrew and Technical Schools 1962. He served in HMCS Shearwater as Air Operations Officer 1963. He served in HMCS Stadacona for Rehabiliation. (He was retired 25/02/1966.)

Military Service

He was appointed as a AC 2/c RCAF (With seniority dated 16/12/1941). He served in RCAF Construction Unit 1941. He was appointed as a Sergeant RCAF (With seniority dated 01/10/1942). He served in RCAF Regina for Initial Flight Training School. He served in RCAF Fort William for Elementary Flight Training School. He served in RCAF Yorkton for Service Flight Training School. (CFR). He served in RCAF Summerside as GR School Instructor and Staff Pilot, (Transferred to RNVR 01/10/1944). He served in H.M.S. Seaborn (Halifax) 04/04/1945. He served in H.M.S. Macaw. He served in H.M.S. Tealing. He served in 803 RN Squadron as Pilot. He served in RNAS Arbroath. He served in RNAS Nutts Corner (NI). (He was demobilized 01/02/1946). (Short Service Appointment 16/06/1949). He was appointed as a Lieutenant (P) (SSA) RCN (With seniority dated 16/06/1949). He served in RCAF Trenton for Flying Refresher Course 1949. He served in RNAS Lossiemouth for OUT 1950. He served in RNAS Eglinton for OUT 1950. He served in H.M.S. Illustrious for Deck Landing Qualification 1950. He served in HMCS Shearwater/HMCS Magnificent for 826 Squadron. He served in HMCS Shearwater/HMCS Magnificent for 881 Squadron. He served in USN/USMC for Helicopter Training 1952, (On Exchange With US Marine Corps 1953). He served in USMC El Toro for OUT 1953. He served in HMR 161 Troop Support Squadron (First US Marine Division) for Korean War Service at 38th Parallel 1953, (Selected for permanent commission). He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander (P) RCN (With seniority dated 04/08/1954). He served in HMCS Shearwater for HU-21 Squadron for Pilot Instruction 1954. He served in HMCS Labrador and HMCS Magnificent as Pilot for HU-21 Detachment 2 1955. He served in HMCS Stadacona for Junior Officer Technical and Leadership Course 1956. He served in HMCS Shearwater/ HMCS Bonaventure for HS-50 Squadron as Commanding Officer 1958. He served in NDHQ for Duty With Director Naval Air Requirements 1959. He was appointed as a Commander (P) RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1961). He served in NDHQ as Assistant Director of Naval Air Requirements 1961. He served in HMCS Shearwater as Training Officer at Aircrew and Technical Schools 1962. He served in HMCS Shearwater as Air Operations Officer 1963. He served in HMCS Stadacona for Rehabiliation. (He was retired 25/02/1966.)

Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown	Total Deck Landings: 195 (including 12 night). Military Aircraft Flown: Tiger Moth, Cessna Crane, Anson I & II & V, Harvard, Seafire I & II & XV, Grumman TBM, CS2F, Beech C-45, Bell HTL, HRS, HO4S, HO5S, HSS-2, HUP-3. Civil Aircraft Flown: Taylorcraft, Aeronca, Cessna 172, Pratt-Reed Glider, Bell G 7 J & 206 Jetranger, Hughes 500.) (Survived midair Seafire collision 1945 and Avenger engine failure ocean ditching 1951.)
Named Features

Anecdotes
"On November 26, 1955 Lieutenant Commander J.H. BEEMAN, pilot; Lieutenant Commander F.R. FINK, co-pilot; and two seamen were jointly responsible for saving the 21 members of the crew of the Liberian Freighter S.S. 'KISMET II', which had run aground on the rocky coast of Cape Breton Island against a cliff which rose almost vertically from the sea to a height of some 400 feet and was being pounded to pieces by heavy seas. It was decided by the authorities concerned that the rescue could not be effected from shore while heavy seas and reefs made any attempts from sea impossible. At 0815 hours on November 26, 1955 LCdr. Beeman and LCdr. Fink, and the two seamen who had volunteered to be crew members, flew his helicopter towards the wreck. The wind had veered slightly and he found that along the cliff face, the turbulence was not so great and he was able to approach close to the 'KISMET II' and still maintain control of his helicopter. His co-pilot and crew, by hand signals, were able to make the crew of the ship understand that they wanted the after steering platform cleared away by the removal of ventilators, rails, etc., so that the helicopter could land. This operation was accomplished in short order and LCdr. Beeman succeeded in balancing his helicopter on the deck on three wheels; the fact that fairly heavy turbulence was still being encountered and that the cliff was only about 25 feet away, made any attempt at a rescue by hoist, with the helicopter hovering, impractical. He embarked four members of the ship's crew, and by watching his opportunity between gusts, was able to take off from his precarious position and land them ashore. Leaving his co-pilot and one seaman behind, LCdr. Beeman made a second trip to the 'KISMET II', this time removing 7 of the crew. LCdr. Beeman was considerably fatigued by this time, and the third and fourth trips in which the remaining 10 members of the ship's crew were removed, were made by the co-pilot Lieutenant Commander Fink."

Anecdotes

"On November 26, 1955 Lieutenant Commander J.H. BEEMAN, pilot; Lieutenant Commander F.R. FINK, co-pilot; and two seamen were jointly responsible for saving the 21 members of the crew of the Liberian Freighter S.S. 'KISMET II', which had run aground on the rocky coast of Cape Breton Island against a cliff which rose almost vertically from the sea to a height of some 400 feet and was being pounded to pieces by heavy seas. It was decided by the authorities concerned that the rescue could not be effected from shore while heavy seas and reefs made any attempts from sea impossible. At 0815 hours on November 26, 1955 LCdr. Beeman and LCdr. Fink, and the two seamen who had volunteered to be crew members, flew his helicopter towards the wreck. The wind had veered slightly and he found that along the cliff face, the turbulence was not so great and he was able to approach close to the 'KISMET II' and still maintain control of his helicopter. His co-pilot and crew, by hand signals, were able to make the crew of the ship understand that they wanted the after steering platform cleared away by the removal of ventilators, rails, etc., so that the helicopter could land. This operation was accomplished in short order and LCdr. Beeman succeeded in balancing his helicopter on the deck on three wheels; the fact that fairly heavy turbulence was still being encountered and that the cliff was only about 25 feet away, made any attempt at a rescue by hoist, with the helicopter hovering, impractical. He embarked four members of the ship's crew, and by watching his opportunity between gusts, was able to take off from his precarious position and land them ashore. Leaving his co-pilot and one seaman behind, LCdr. Beeman made a second trip to the 'KISMET II', this time removing 7 of the crew. LCdr. Beeman was considerably fatigued by this time, and the third and fourth trips in which the remaining 10 members of the ship's crew were removed, were made by the co-pilot Lieutenant Commander Fink."

References
Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON; Blatherwick, John (1992); MacFarlane, John and Robbie Hughes (1997); Starshell (NOAC Newsletter) Obituaries Spring 2010; http://www.blatherwick.net/documents/british%20orders%20to%20canadians/George%20Medal%20Citations%202014.pdf;
Last update
2011-02-08 00:00:00

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Biographical Data

Fink, Francis Roger