Flying Officer R.J.W. Askwith

Flying Officer Richard John Watts Askwith was a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force who was shot down and killed on his first operational mission over Holland on 28 April 1942.

Richard John Watts Askwith was born 3 October 1919 in Ottawa, Ontario. He was the eldest of two boys born to John and Joan Askwith. His younger brother Gordon was born in 1921. Joan Askwith died in 1936 of appendicitis.

Richard attended Lisgar Collegiate from 1933 to 1937 and while there was active in sports as a member of the ski team. Other athletic pursuits included swimming, riding, tennis, football, hockey, cricket and sailing. Following junior matriculation, he was employed as a junior clerk at Canadian General Electric.

Prior to enlistment, he had been taking a flying course at the Ottawa Flying Club. He had 1 hour and 30 minutes of flying time logged as a student pilot flying a Taylor Cub.