Commander Bill Atkinson
Canadian naval air ace who was known as ‘Wild Bill’ for his ferocity during dogfights over the Pacific
COMMANDER BILL ATKINSON, who has died aged 94, was the highest-scoring fighter ace of the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War.
Flying for the Royal Navy, in December 1944 Atkinson joined 1844 Naval Air Squadron in the carrier Indomitable, flying the Grumman Hellcat fighter. He cut his teeth on January 24 and 29 1945 when he flew fighter cover during Operation Meridian – air attacks by a British carrier squadron on the Japaneseheld oil refineries at Palembang and Pladjoe, on Sumatra, which produced most of Japan’s oil and aviation spirit.
Atkinson’s next action was in April, when he took part in Operation Iceberg, in support of the American assault on Okinawa, when the British Pacific Fleet was tasked to neutralise the Sakishima Gunto islands. During a raid on Miyako airfield, on April 6, Atkinson claimed a first victory over a twin-engined Betty bomber, watching it crash into the sea and explode, but he was only awarded a “share”.
He was more successful on April 12, when he damaged a Tony fighter and shot down in flames a Zero fighter. Next day he shot down another Betty bomber.
On May 21 Atkinson was again in combat when he shot down carrierbased Myrt reconnaissance aircraft. The same day his aircraft was badly damaged by flak but he successfully landed on Indomitable.
On another sortie, Atkinson’s aircraft was hit and covered by leaking oil, and, though ordered back by his flight commander, he commenced a dogfight with a Zero fighter. At the subsequent debrief he was told, “That was pretty wild, Bill”, and from then on he was known as “Wild Bill”.
In June Indomitable was withdrawn for a refit and Atkinson and his squadron were transferred to another fleet carrier, Formidable. There Atkinson achieved a rare distinction on the night of July 25, when four Hellcats were scrambled at night against an approaching raid by Japanese bombers.
Two Hellcats were forced to return with mechanical problems to the carrier, but Atkinson assumed the command of the remaining flight and was guided by radar to an interception, where he shot down two Grace torpedo-bombers and damaged a third; his wingman shot down a fourth.
These kills established Atkinson as only the second Canadian naval air ace of the war. He had already been mentioned in despatches when he was awarded the DSC “for determination and address in air attacks”.
William Henry Isaac Atkinson was born in Minnedosa, Manitoba, on April 22 1923. His father, Jack, had emigrated to Canada from Leeds, Yorkshire but had returned to fight in the First World War.
Young Atkinson grew up on a farm with his siblings and his favourite pony, Roxy. After his mother had paid $5 for his first short flight, aged 10, he was hooked, and every penny earned was saved towards flying lessons. As soon as he could in the Second World War, he followed his father’s footsteps, volunteered for the RCNVR aged 19 and earned his wings in the spring of 1944.
Atkinson undertook basic training as a Naval Airman 2nd Class at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, before returning to Canada for flying training. In early 1944, as a sub-lieutenant, he was posted to HMS Macaw near Bootle for advance flying training.
His first operational appointment was 761 NAS and then to the escort carrier Ravager for deck landing training in Seafires. Later he joined 1844 NAS which was being reequipped with Us-built Hellcat fighters at China Bay, Ceylon.
He regarded himself as lucky. He himself was the only surviving Canadian flyer in Indomitable, and one of two out of seven Canadian aviators to survive in Formidable.
He could never forget that in Formidable he had found his Canadian friend, Robert “Hammy” Gray, and that it was he who helped Gray strap into his Corsair divebomber on August 9 for the sortie in which Gray lost his life, and for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in leading an attack on a Japanese destroyer.
Postwar, Atkinson enjoyed a distinguished career in the Royal Canadian Navy over 30 years. In 1962-63 he commanded the destroyer Haida, steaming her through the locks of the St Lawrence Seaway to become a museum-ship in Bayfront Park, Hamilton.
His shore appointments included four years in naval intelligence in Washington, DC, before he retired in 1973. He flew 3,400 hours in more than 30 types of aircraft, and made 376 decklandings.
In 1946 Atkinson married Val Sigurdsson, and an inheritance from her family enabled them to buy a small acreage in Peachland, BC, where they built a house and subdivided the remaining land for sale.
Further financial success in real estate followed, including several awards. When their children had flown the nest, the Atkinsons took up travel, visiting Europe, Japan, Mexico, Hawaii and New Zealand. Winters were spent in California and Arizona.
In 1986 he retired again, and finally settled in White Rock, BC, in 2002.
Atkinson was a modest man, and it was not until publication of Wayne Ralph’s Aces, Warriors and Wingmen (2005) that his family understood the significance of his contribution to the war in the Pacific. News of his death only reached Britain recently.
His wife Val survives him with a son and two daughters. Another son predeceased him in 2010.
Commander Bill Atkinson, born April 22 1923, died July 18 2017