It was known as Edmonton’s squadron.
During World War II, the Royal Canadian Air Force 418 Squadron was the top-scoring Mosquito unit in Europe, before relocating in Edmonton in 1944.
It was also the only one with a mascot that had its own parachute. Leading Aircraftman “Butch” was a rescue dog, of unknown origin.
He was found one day in the mid-1950s outside the hangar that was then known as Blatchford Field on Kingsway Avenue.
Linus is the canine stand-in for the original Leading Aircraftman Butch, the dog. (Rick Bremness/CBC)
“Somebody had put the boots to him,” recalled Sergeant Al Colby, the man who found Butch.
“I brought him in here. Everybody in the squadron helped me raise that dog.”
Butch leads commanding officer to sleeping guard
Butch went on to have a long and happy history with the 418. But he did cause problems for Colby at least once.
“I was on guard duty, asleep,” Colby said. “The commanding officer came through the door. He [Butch] met the commanding officer and brought him right in.”
Butch flew everywhere with the 418, including all the way to Prince Edward Island and one trip to the Grey Cup in Hamilton.
“He loved it,” Colby said. “He looked forward to going. When we loaded the airplane, he wanted to go.”
But that meant the pup needed a parachute.
“If he was flying, he should have his own ‘chute,” said Colby.
Al Colby’s photograph of the original Butch. (Supplied)
While some pet owners experience nothing but frustration in trying to get their dog into a winter coat or Hallowe’en costume, Butch had no beef with getting suited up for a flight.
When the 418 transferred to CFB Namao, just north of Edmonton, in 1957, Butch had to find a new home.
“Namao would not let Butch on the grounds,” said Colby.
Butch ended up going home with one of the 418 members.
K-9 parachute on display
Now his custom-made canine parachute is on display at the Alberta Aviation Museum, in the former hangar that was Blatchford Field, along with other unique artifacts from the 418 Squadron.
The official re-opening of the 418 Squadron Gallery took place Tuesday.
Linus, a rescue dog owned by Laura Patterson, was the canine stand-in for Butch.
When Patterson got the call to bring in Linus, she didn’t hesitate.
“I said, ‘Absolutely. Linus would love to wear a parachute and be here today and be the Butch incarnate,’ ” she said.
Linus patiently allowed Patterson to kit him up with Butch’s original parachute and waited patiently for dog treats during the speeches from former members of the squad.
While the 418 would go on after the war to defend Canada’s north from the spectre of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and later run search and rescue missions, it remains unique because of Butch—the only squadron mascot that had its own parachute.