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Bruce and Douglas Warren

One evening, we were invited to go into High River with Dusenbury and several other students. Of course, we ended up in a beer parlour (that was the accepted drill). We did not smoke or drink, and declined to have a beer, which was unusual as most of the young trainees enjoyed the opportunity to drink. We had never smoked because, if we had any money to spend, we would buy an aviation magazine.

On one of these occasions when we were in High River at a restaurant having snacks and milkshakes, Dusenbury confessed to us why he had asked for Duke to be given to another instructor. There was a very strict regulation that, before sending a student solo, he had to have been shown spins, and also be capable of recovering from a spin. It seems that after he had signed one of us out solo, he had a terrible thought! Did he show one of us spins twice and the other none at all! It worried him terribly until the twin who had just been sent solo landed safely. Dusenbury was never able to tell us apart all the time we were at High River.

While at High River (and all through our lives), we were always aware of where the other was, and what the other was doing. Because of this, there was an incident which took place at High River. We were both flying one afternoon and, when flying ceased, I went to check with Duke. But, I couldn't find him. I went to the Flight Commander to ask where they had landed. The Flight Commander checked the authorization sheet and said "The instructor has signed in. So, they landed here and your brother has probably gone to his quarters." I was not satisfied, as I knew this was wrong! 

I went out to the hangar, checked the letters on all the aircraft, and counted them. One was missing, and the hangar doors had been closed for the night. I returned to the flight office and reported my findings and, with obvious irritation, the Flight Commander went out into the hangar and confirmed my statement. At once, he sounded the alarm of a missing aircraft and preparations began to launch aircraft for a search. However, just at that time, the missing aircraft proceeded to land. They had done the exercise west of the aerodrome and had been blown far away by a strong wind that had become a strong headwind upon their return. An instructor had signed in for his friend, because he thought the one airborne had forgotten to do so. He was reprimanded for this.

About halfway through the course there was little ground school, but a good deal of flying. Checking our log books, I find that in the month of August 1941, at High River, my twin flew 55 times, for a total of 26 hours and 25 minutes dual , and 25 hours and 10 minutes solo. In my case, I flew 51 times for a total of 21 hours and 15 minutes dual and 26 hours and 40 minutes solo. When checking our log books at the time of writing this, I found on August 19,1941, I flew six times that day for a total of five hours and 40 minutes, and my twin flew five times for a total of four hours and 45 minutes. One year later, we were a section flying Spitfires over the Battle of Dieppe three times, for a total of four hours and 45 minutes. 

We were kept busy and it was an early-to-bed, early-to-rise existence to finish the course on time. Our major time off was on every second Saturday, when we had a pass from 5:30 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. I believe we also were granted two 48-hour passes during the time we were at High River, for I reported in one of my letters home to expect us that weekend.

The end of August saw the finish of our training at No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School, High River. It was a special point in our training, and we left High River with a total flying time of 60 hours and 5 minutes for my twin, and 57 hours and 45 minutes for me. That is what was recorded in my log book.

Our posting order read: Posted to No. 3 Service Flying Training School, Calgary. We then boarded a train in anticipation of the next step to become qualified pilots.