Albert Earl Godfrey Air Vice - Marshal Albert Earl Godfrey MC ( 27 July 1890 – 1 January 1982 ) was a Canadian First World War flying ace , officially credited with 14 victories while flying for the Royal Flying Corps . He spent the remainder of his career in the Royal Canadian Air Force . Early life and service . " Steve " Godfrey was the son of Nellie and Christopher Godfrey . He was building his own airplane when World War I began . He jumped at the chance to volunteer for the Royal Flying Corps . He was told he would be accepted if he could pay for his own flight training . As he was unable to do this , he enlisted , originally in the 11th Mounted Rifles CEF in January 1915 , then in the 1st Pioneer Battalion CEF of the Canadian Expeditionary Force . He arrived in England in November 1915 . While there , he tried to take flying lessons , but his Commanding Officer would not allow him the time off from his duties . He shipped off to France , and served in the trenches until mid - 1916 . He finally arranged a transfer to the RFC as an aerial observer . Aerial service . Godfrey served as an observer / gunner in both 10 and 25 Squadrons , and tallied his first win by driving a Roland fighter down out of control on 16 October 1916 . He then finally got his chance at pilot ' s training . Once he received his wings , he was assigned to 40 Squadron to fly a Nieuport . On 28 May 1917 , he shared another " out of control " victory over an Albatros D . III while teaming with William Arthur Bond . Then , still using Nieuport 17 serial number B1684 , between 1 June and 14 August 1917 , he ran off a string of eleven wins — nine versus Albatros D . III fighters and two against two - seater reconnaissance machines . He then switched to Nieuport 24 serial number B3601 for his final win on 22 August 1917 . A summary of his victories shows he destroyed four enemy planes and drove down ten out of control . This sufficed for a MC . He was then withdrawn to Home Establishment to serve in 44 and 78 Squadrons until April 1918 . He then returned home to serve with the Canadian Training Brigade , which he did through war ' s end . In September 1926 , American aviator James Dalzell McKee and Squadron Leader Godfrey flew from Montreal to Vancouver over nine days , pioneering trans - Canada aviation . Text of citations . Military Cross . " Temp . 2nd Lt . Albert Earl Godfrey , Gen . List , and R . F . C . For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in constantly attacking hostile machines at close range , regardless of personal risk or of their being in superior numbers . " Later military career . Godfrey transferred from the Royal Flying Corps to the newly created Royal Canadian Air Force after World War I , and won an Air Force Cross . By the beginning of World War II , he was serving at the Imperial Defence College as a Group Captain . He attained the rank of Air Vice - Marshal during World War II before retiring in 1944 . Political career . Godfrey ran as the Co - operative Commonwealth Federation ' s candidate in the February 1945 Grey North by - election against General Andrew McNaughton who had been appointed Minister of Defence the previous November and was contesting the by - election for the Liberal Party of Canada . While Godfrey placed third , General McNaughton was upset in the by - election by the Progressive Conservative candidate with Godfrey , whose vote total was less than the difference between McNaughton and the Conservative candidate , acting as spoiler .