Arthur Hugh Turriff
First Sergeant
Royal Canadian Air Force
Precision Work
A steady hand and a fine attention to detail were qualities the quiet but unassuming Arthur Turriff developed working as a painter in Toronto. His great skill with the brush mixed with a tenacious work ethic established from years working as a farmhand and CPR laborer, making him an apt candidate for about any type of work. The young Canadian putting these qualities to the test when accepting a watchmaker’s apprenticeship, which he undertook for 3 years. He found he enjoyed the challenging technical work and jumped at the opportunity to attend a class regarding aircraft instruments in Dallas, Texas. Not only did he earn his diploma in the Lone Star State, he also met the love of his life, Catherine Chennault, who he married in January of 1939.
Texas abounded with opportunities and was a great place to begin his family, yet the 29-year-old remained a Canadian at heart, returning home as soon as news reached him of the outbreak of war. Arthur was among the first to enlist as his father had been during the Great War, the Torontonian volunteering in the RCAF on September 19th, 1939. He was healthy and skilled, hoping to secure a position in aircraft instruments, though he knew the reality of military assignments. His old man had been an CPR engineer by trade when joining the Canadian Engineers over two decades ago, yet he still faced the guns in France, suffering for years with insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Knowing this risk, Arthur took his chances anyways, believing in service above himself.
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Aircraft Instruments
Working on aircraft instruments for both fighter and bomber planes required a combination of all the traits which Arthur had developed over his prior career. The RCAF giving him the detail oriented tasks of painting, lacquering, and the application of luminous material, all of which ensured the instruments were readable to the pilots at anytime of day. In such a profession there was no room for error, these were the very devices airmen depended upon, Arthur ensuring they were of a high quality. During his postings in Ottawa, Vancouver, and Calgary, he took on the role of supervisor, managing quality control on the instruments and effectively leading a team despite his tendency towards being rather reserved.
With the war effort centered in Western Europe, Corporal Turriff shifted his duties from Canada to the United Kingdom in October 1944. Here he saw to instrument repair at the front, supporting the lads who flew mission daily to bomb Germany into submission. Once again, he proved extraordinarily effective in his role, traveling England and servicing the instruments of RCAF base squadrons including the 61st, 76th, and 63rd and working with the 1664th Heavy Bomber Conversion Unit. By the war’s end, he had made the rank of First Sergeant, hoping to open an interior decorating business in Toronto upon his discharge. However, his beloved wife Catherine, clearly longed to return to her home in Texas. The RCAF veteran compromising, moving them back to Dallas but taking up work as a spray painter which kept him entertained.
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