MUTCH, Charles Edward

NAME                     MUTCH           Charles Edward
RANK                     Flight Sergeant / Pilot                78682                                                                    
SQUADRON          RAF No. 249 Squadron
                               Gold Coast Squadron
                               “with fists and heels”
                               Ta-Kali Airfield on Malta.                                                                                                        Born                        February 14, 1919 - Clinton - Township of Goderich - County of Huron                          Residence              Clinton                                                                                                                                  Died                        October 31, 1942          23 years   8 months                                                                          Memorial                 Gibraltar Memorial - Gibraltar
Parents                   Mr. Frederick and Sarah Jane Mutch - Clinton                                                                Brothers                  John Mutch - Detroit - USA                                                                                                                                          Franlin and William lived in Clinton                                                                                            Sisters                     Mrs. Jean Jacob of Clinton

Charles was born in Clinton on February 14, 1919. As he grew up Charles enjoyed fastball, hockey, basketball, badminton, skiing, snowshoeing and tobogganing. He had the measles and chickenpox when he was young. Before he enlisted he was a clothing merchant. His hobbies were model airplanes and scouting. He and his family would have attended Clinton Presbyterian Church. He took his public schooling 1924-1933 and high schooling 1933-39. He served as a volunteer in the Militia with the Middlesex Huron Regiment 1933-39. He was employed as a clothing merchant with Mutch Brothers 1939-40.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Canada

Charles enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force during the month of November 13, 1940. At this time he stood 5' 6" tall and weighed 130 pounds. He had a fair complexion with gray eyes and fair hair. He received the rank of Aircraftsman 2. He was assigned to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto until December 10 when he was posted to No. 1 Air Navigation School - Picton.                                                                                                    Then on the last day of 1940 he was posted to RCAF No. 1 Coastal Air Command Squadron - St John - New Brunswick. Three months later on March 28, 1941 he is posted back to Ontario to No. 1 Initial Training School - Toronto. Here he placed 45 in a class of 64 and a 84% average. While here he received the rank of Leading Aircraftsman. His next posting is on May 5 to No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School in London and it is here where it is recommended he fly single engine aircraft. He places 10 in a class of 27 and has an average of 73%. He then is posted to No. 1 Service Flying Training School in Borden on July 4 and while here he places 32 out of a class of 59 with an average of 68%. He received his Pilot Flying Badge  He also obtained the rank of Sergeant/Pilot. He finished his training in Canada and is then posted to Halifax on September 15 to No. "Y" Depot. At the end of September he transfers to the RAF Training Pool.

Overseas

He embarked from Canada and went overseas to England on September 28, 1941 and disembarked in the United Kingdom on October 13 and the following day reported to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre in Bournemouth. His first posting overseas was to RAF No. 9 Service Flying Training School based at RAF Hullavington - Wiltshire. In the middle of December he is then posted to No. 61 Operational Training Unit - RAF Heston in Middlesex                                                                                                                                                    In the late winter of  1941/1942 on March 3 he is then posted to RAF No. 504 "County of Nottingham" Squadron at RAF Kirkistown - County Down - Northern Ireland. The Squadron was equipped with Spitfires Mk IIA / Mk IIB. Sergeant Mutch then embarked from the United Kingdom and his destination was Gibraltar. Once in Gibraltar he became part of Operation Salient. He boarded the British aircraft carrier HMS Eagle and 31 Spitfires were placed on her flight deck and these were flown off the carrier and landed in Malta on June 9, 1942. 

In the Field

Once in Malta he was part of RAF 249 Squadron based at RAF Takali. The squadron was part of RAF Middle East Operations.  Very early in July he received the rank of Flight Sergeant/Pilot. He received another promotion on September 13 to Warrant Officer. At the end of October 1942 he left Malta because his feet were infected from mosquito and sand fly bites. He left Malta for England on a Liberator bomber attached to RAF Transport Command and on the journey to Gibraltar they hugged the African coast to Algiers and then banked north for the run into Gibraltar. As they approached Gibraltar there was a raging thunderstorm taking place and on the approach the pilot missed the landing strip, realized this and gave full throttle to the four engines. The Liberator began to stall and it crashed into the sea off the east end of the Gibraltar runway. The crash occurred at 9:23 am in Liberator AP 516.
There were 40 passengers plus the crew and the majority lost their lives.
His body was recovered and he was buried at sea with full military honours and Christian rites.

Warrant Officer Mutch's mother received the Memorial Cross along with the medals awarded to him which were the 1939-45 Star, the Africa Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.

Charles is honoured and remembered on the Clinton Cenotaph and on the Memorial Plaque at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 140 as well as on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.