B-17 CC Additional Material by Robert M Stitt

Edward Leslie ‘Les’ Baxter
Les Baxter was born in Cheshire, England on August 31, 1909. By the mid-1920s he had become
captivated by the idea of becoming a pilot and, since Canada was seen as a vast country with many
aviation opportunities, he emigrated across the Atlantic at the age of just 17 to pursue his passion.
Baxter gained his license at the Toronto Flying Club in the early 1930s and in the years before the war
built up his flying time through instructing and general flying. By the time the British Commonwealth
Air Training Plan began operations in April 1940, Baxter was sufficiently qualified to be appointed
as Chief Flying Instructor at Toronto’s Malton Airport. However, teaching young ‘hopefuls’ to fly became
somewhat tame compared to the possibility of ferrying aircraft to far-flung points around the
world and in March of 1942 he joined RAF Ferry Command, initially as a first officer. He was promoted
to captain in mid-May following delivery of a Hudson as copilot and by the time Baxter left
Ferry Command in February of 1945 had had completed 38 delivery flights to as far afield as Karachi.
After the war Baxter returned to instructing at Toronto Island and Malton airports while at the same
time developing an aerial photography business that combined his expertise as both pilot and photographer.
He operated his own two-seat Fleet 80 Canuck, flying with the door removed on the pilot’s
side, and provided services to, among others, the Toronto Telegram newspaper, the Toronto Harbour
Commission and a variety real estate companies. Les Baxter retired in his 70s and passed away in 1993.
RAF Ferry Command
pilot Edward L ‘Les’ Baxter.
(Directorate of History and
Heritage)
Deliveries with RAF Ferry Command (main route waypoints indicated)
Departure Type Serial Route (Captain unless marked FO – First Officer)
22-4-42 Hudson III FH351 Montreal – Prestwick (FO)
23-5-42 Hudson III FH168 Montreal – Prestwick
19-6-42 Ventura I AE714 Montreal – Prestwick
10-7-42 Hudson VI FK406 Montreal – Prestwick
31-7-42 Fortress IIA FK211 Montreal – Prestwick (FO)
8-8-42 Fortress IIA FL449 Houlton – Prestwick (FO)
5-9-42 Catalina IB FP193 Montreal – Prestwick (FO)
12-10-42 Halifax B.II W7826 UK – Cairo (FO)
13-12-42 Baltimore IIIA FA252 Nashville – Accra via South Atlantic
11-1-43 Baltimore IIIA FA165 Nashville – Accra via South Atlantic
8-2-43 Baltimore IIIA FA333 Nashville – Accra via South Atlantic
4-3-43 Baltimore IIIA FA367 Nashville – Accra via South Atlantic
30-3-43 Dakota I FD800 Nassau – Accra via South Atlantic
2-5-43 Baltimore IV FA415 Nassau – Accra via South Atlantic
16-5-43 Baltimore IV FA586 Nassau – Accra via South Atlantic
5-6-43 Dakota III FD898 Nassau – Accra via South Atlantic
19-7-43 Liberator BZ819 Montreal – Prestwick (FO)
GR.V
17-8-43 Liberator BZ868 Montreal – Yumdum via Prestwick
GR.V
6-11-43 Liberator III BZ929 Montreal – Cairo via Prestwick
22-12-43 Liberator BZ988 Montreal – Karachi via Azores and Cairo
GR.VI
8-2-44 Dakota III KG365 Montreal – Prestwick
20-2-44 Liberator B.VI EV943 Montreal – Prestwick
12-3-44 Dakota III FZ691 Montreal – Prestwick
2-2-44 Liberator VI EV973 Montreal – Prestwick
11-4-44 Liberator VI EV970 Prestwick – Cairo
23-4-44 Liberator VI EV987 ‘J’ Prestwick – Nassau via Goose Bay
6-5-44 Liberator VI KG835 Montreal – Algiers via Azores
21-5-44 Liberator VI EW286 Montreal – Rabat via Azores
7-6-44 Lancaster B.X KB771 Montreal – Prestwick
29-6-44 Liberator VI KG939 Montreal – Algiers via Azores
31-7-44 Lancaster B.X KB793 Montreal – Prestwick
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