UNIFORM, MILITARY

Description: NAVY BLUE WOOL PILOT'S TUNIC WITH TWO CHEST GUSSET POCKETS, EACH WITH ONE BRASS BUTTON WITH A CROWN, EAGLE AND R.C.A.F. ON THE FRONT, AND TUNIC ALSO HAS 2 FRONT FLAP POCKETS. COAT FASTENS WITH 3 LARGER BRASS BUTTONS DOWN THE FRONT, EACH WITH THE SAME MARKINGS AS CHEST POCKETS. ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT FRONT STAMPED IN BLACK ON THE COTTON LINING OF THE POCKET IS "RUBIN BROS. (CLOTHIERS) LTD. MANUFACTURED 1943 MONTREAL QUEBEC", AND "SIZE NO. 18 6FT. 7 & 6 FT. 8 BREAST 39-40 - WAIST 39 1/2". TUNIC HAS 5 BADGES, 1 RCAF WINGS, AND ON EACH SHOULDER IS A BLACK SHOULDER FLASH MARKED "CANADA" WITH A STITCHED EAGLE BELOW, AND 3 NAVY CHEVRONS, MEANING THE PILOT WAS A SERGEANT. SECOND PIECE IS 105.5CM LONG AND 5.5CM WIDE NAVY BLUE BELT WITH BRASS BUCKLE. COAT IS MISSING ONE BUTTON ON FRONT BUT OTHERWISE IN GOOD CONDITION.

History: BELONGED TO RYERSON DUNNING CHRISTIE, THE YOUNGEST BROTHER OF BROCK CHRISTIE, THE DONOR. HE GRADUATED FROM FLIGHT SCHOOL IN CANADA IN 1943 AS A SERGEANT AND WAS SENT TO TRAIN IN ENGLAND WHERE HE WAS CAPTAIN OF A HALIFAX FLIGHT CREW THAT CRASHED INTO THE SEVREN RIVER ON OCTOBER 10/1943, ON THE LAST FLIGHT OF CONVERSION UNIT BEFORE BEING ASSIGNED TO A SQUADRON. 5 CREW MEMBERS WERE KILLED AND RYERSON BROKE HIS BACK. NEVER BEING ABLE TO FULLY RECOVER HE WAS SENT HOME IN 1945. UPON HIS RETURN HE WAS GIVEN A NEW TUNIC BEFORE BEING DISCHARGED. AT THAT TIME THE FAMILY HOME WAS IN CARDSTON. RYERSON CHRISTIE DROWNED ON OCTOBER 4 1946 IN ROSS LAKE WHILE ON A HUNTING TRIP. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PHOTO OF RYERSON SR. PINNING WINGS ON TO HIS SON RYERSON JR. AT HIS WINGS PARADE ON OCTOBER 13, 1943. ARRIVED IN EUROPE ON NOV. 10/43. RYERSON SR. HAD WRITTEN THE AIRFORCE TO ASK PERMISSION TO PIN THE WINGS ON HIS YOUNGEST SON, THE THIRD OF HIS SONS TO RECIEVE THEIR WINGS. SERVICE DRESS JACKET OF ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE SERGEANT RYERSON CHRISTIE, WHO TRAINED AT THE NUMBER 15 ELEMENTARY FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL IN CLARESHOLM. RYERSON CAPTAINED A HALIFAX BOMBER WHICH WAS DOWNED IN OCTOBER, 1943. HE RECEIVED THE JACKET UPON DISCHARGE AFTER HIS WOUNDS WERE DETERMINED TO BE TOO SEVERE FOR ACTIVE SERVICE.