Vernon Crompton Woodward " Woody " Vernon Crompton Woodward DFC and Bar RAF ( 22 December 1916 – 26 May 2000 ) was a Canadian who flew for the RAF as a fighter pilot during WWII . With 18 and 4 shared destroyed , 2 unconfirmed destroyed , 3 probables , and 11 damaged , Woodward tied Henry Wallace McLeod as Canada ' s second highest scoring pilot of the war . Biography . Born in Victoria , British Columbia , Woodward was unable to join the RCAF as he did not have a degree . He sailed for the UK in 1938 and resided in Gloucestershire farming . After attending the Civil Flying School in Perth , Scotland by August 1938 he was accepted on a short service commission in the RAF as an Acting Pilot Officer . In September 1938 he attended 6 FTS at Little Rissington . Woodward was posted to No . 33 Squadron RAF in Egypt in May 1939 . He became a Flying Officer in September . Following Italy ' s entry into the war in June 1940 , he was to gain early successes over Libya during June – July 1940 . He gained more success during December , by which time the squadron had re - equipped with Hawker Hurricane s . Late in February 1941 the squadron moved to Greece . On 9 May he was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross . Late in April Woodward was ordered to Egypt to bring back a reinforcement Hurricane . He rejoined the Squadron , now in Crete , in May 1941 as a flight commander . The unit personnel retreated on foot across the island after the German invasion , and were evacuated on a Royal Navy destroyer later in the month . The squadron reformed in June and was back in action , supporting Operation Battleaxe , with a flight of experienced pilots from 33 Squadron led by Woodward attached to No . 274 Squadron . On 11 September his tour expired and he was sent to Rhodesia to become instructor at 20 SFTS , Cranbourne , Salisbury until June 1942 , when he was posted to the Training Group HQ in Salisbury on Air Staff duties . On 2 July 1942 Woodward was promoted to Squadron Leader , and in January 1943 he returned to Egypt to command No . 213 Squadron until August 1943 . A Bar to his DFC was awarded on 6 August 1943 . After he went to AHQ , Levant , before attending the Middle East Staff College , Haifa in September . In December he was posted to HQ , Middle East on staff duties , and promoted to Wing Commander in June 1944 . In February 1945 he took command of the Mediterranean Middle East Communications Squadron , flying various transport aircraft . In December 1946 he returned to the UK , going to the Visual Interservice Training and Research Establishment as Chief Ground Instructor . In 1947 he joined CFE as SASO , and in August commanded No . 19 Squadron until March 1950 . He then was posted to HQ , Fighter Command , in September 1950 . Various peace time posts followed , until following a difference of opinion with a superior , he was moved to command No . 69 ( PR ) Squadron on Canberras in 1958 . He remained with this unit until October 1959 , when he went to the Ministry of Aviation , Controller of Aircraft , as SAdO . He retired in January 1963 and settled in Australia , where he formed an air charter company . In August 1967 he returned to British Columbia in retirement as a member of the Corps of Commissionaires .