Tom Vance was born July 26, 1922 in Ottawa.  His father owned a general store at the crossroads in Woodlawn, and when he left school at age 16 Tom drove his father’s truck, doing all kinds of deliveries in the local area.  As the war approached, Tom saw many young men enlisting, and he decided to do the same, choosing the RCAF – Tom had always wanted to be a pilot.  His RCAF career began with Manning Depot, after which he began his odyssey through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan at ITS in Toronto.  He then went on to Goderich as he graduated from the Tiger Moth to the Harvard aircraft, earning his wings along the way.  England would be Tom’s next stop:  for a time he continued training – including a time towing drogues – and then he was assigned to 411 Squadron.  They were responsible for coastal patrols where they would look for the V-1 flying bombs, and they also flew tactical missions in support of the advancing Allied armies.  Tom’s war would end in Germany, where he was retained for a period of time as part of the occupation force.  By the fall of 1945 he was back in Canada, where he and Edna married and Tom went into the clothing business.  Together the two of them raised their family and found their way in postwar Canada.  Tom Vance was interviewed by Scott Masters at his home in Port Colborne, Ontario in April 2025.