Info on Percy Shaver RFC / RAF

[Dave_Kent]

Hello:

I am seeking information on Percy Shaver.

He was apparently a pilot with the RFC and/or RAF. Possibly with 60 or 85 Squadron.

I came across the name in: CHRONICLES OF A NERVOUS NAVIGATOR by John Iverach.

Iverach met Shaver in Jan. 1943 at Lancaster Military Hospital, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.

I include the following quote from page 180 with some trepidation. It does give the only 'facts' that I have and explains my sudden interest in learning more about Shaver.

"Percy, a WW 1 pilot, had once been Billy Bishop's wing man and had little good to say about that great hero. According to Percy, Bishop was known to his squadron mates as "Billy the Bitch"."

Without further information on Shaver I have no way to place this in context. Did Shaver fly with Bishop ? When ? and under what circumstances. Or is Shaver, in 1943, a forgotten veteran with too many years in hospital, saying something to gain the interest and attention of a younger man in a different war.

I have been interested in Bishop for many years and am aware of some of the controversies that exists around him. Shaver and the name he applies to Bishop are both new to me.

I really don't want to restart the argument between the Bishop lovers and haters. I would just like some info on Shaver, so that I can assess this quote.

Thank You

Dave

P.S. for those who also read WW 2 aviation, the book is worth reading.

[Michael]

This may be the man. Note that he initializes the first name, which indicates to me that he went by Percy.

http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gat2/093650a.gif

His service file in National Archives may or may not have his RAF service records.

Hugh, any thoughts on this?

Michael

[Dave_Kent]

Hello Michael:

Thank you, you're right, that's him.

I also received the information below from "an annonymous high placed Canadian Government official", which provides some detail on Shaver's RFC / RAF service.

From this it seens that Shaver's claim to have been Bishop's wing man is unlikely as they did
not serve in the same squadron.

This also means that the name Shaver applies to Bishop is either based on hear-say,
or is a total fabrication.

Shaver's comments, as reported by Iverach, should not be treated as fact.

Info follows:


Information shows that Lieutenant James Percy Shaver transferred
from the Canadian Expeditionary Force to the Royal Flying Corps on 21 June
1917, a date that must be in error, as it also shows him in training at
Reading on 18 August 1916. There are a series of other training sites --
Hendon, 35 Reserve Squadron, 17 Reserve Squadron -- but it records his
posting to 84 Squadron 14 July 1917. He is with No. 2 Aeroplane Supply
Depot from 4 August 1917. He is listed as wounded in November 1917. He is
returned to Canada to be part of the RAF Canada training scheme effective 20
July 1918. Given this service, it is difficult to make a link with Bishop.


Dave

[Michael]

Dave,

My thoughts on looking at the enlistment paper was that here was an older than average pilot, coming from the Service Corps (nothing against the C.A.S.C./R.C.A.S.C., mind, my grandfather served in it back in 1916). And in the 1940's probably sick and bitter.

Would our anonymous benefactor have the initials H.H.?

Michael