Family takes to Hamilton skies in plane their father flew during the Second World War

Brian Jones was making his volunteer rounds at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum a couple of years ago when a particular plane caught his eye. It was a Douglas C-47 Dakota.

Donated to the museum in 2014, it had been restored to the paint scheme it would have worn at the end of the Second World War, when it was flown by members of the 437 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), according to museum spokesperson Al Mickleoff.

Gazing at the aircraft, Jones noticed a familiar serial number scrawled onto the side.

FZ692.

He knew that number. Not from the history books. Rather, from reading his father's own RCAF log book over and over and over.

I was struck dumb when I first realized it was the plane he had flown," Jones said. It was unbelievable."

His father, Gordon Jones, joined the air force when he was just 20 and served until the end of the war. He was initially trained as a bomber pilot, but once he arrived in England, his assigned to join the transport command.

Gordon flew operations in support of the D-Day invasion, the crossing of the Rhine, Operation Market-Garden, the invasion of Sicily and the evacuation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

He helped repatriate prisoners of war, evacuate survivors of concentration camps as well as deliver ammunition, blankets, blood donations and most importantly, letters from home to those fighting on the front lines.

Many of those missions were completed in the very aircraft that now sits on display at the Mount Hope museum.

On Sunday morning, several members of the Jones family got to take to the skies over the region, sitting inside the fuselage that their father would have climbed through countless times.

Members of the family travelled from as far away as Montreal to take part in the emotional flight that had long been delayed by inclement weather, mechanical issues and the pandemic. But on Sunday, the clan was greeted with a slight breeze, the glowing warmth of the autumn sun and mostly blue skies above the tarmac.

I've been looking forward to this for a long time," said Lynn Jones, who is the fourth child of five children in the family. I still can't believe Brian was able to determine it was the same plane."

Gordon eventually ended his aviation career as a Boeing 747 Captain with Air Canada after nearly four decades of service.

He died nearly seven years ago, three years after the passing of his dear wife Reggie. The pair were pre-war sweethearts and married once he returned to Canada.

Brian said the flight was a way for the four remaining siblings - their youngest brother Kenny also took part - to commemorate" their parents. Their late sister, Judy, was represented by her son, James Burton, and his partner, Fern Opatowski.

We're with our parents today," said brother Glenn, speaking on the significance of the flight. It's a way to feel a connection to our mother and father."

Lynn said despite their parents having been gone for several years, she knew they would both be thrilled" for their children to experience flying in the same aircraft to which their father was so connected.

Brian, who's a retired pilot himself, said he only wishes his father could have been around to see the plane just one more time.

We were always so proud of our father," said Lynn, holding back tears. It's very emotional."

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com