John Scott Williams

Wing Commander John Scott Williams, M.C., A.F.C., was a Canadian military officer and aviator. In 1921, he organized the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Background
Williams was born at Goldenville, Nova Scotia, in 1893. He "was the grandson of two of the best known men in the early and prosperous days of the mining village of Goldenville. His paternal grandfather was John Williams. He was a prominent mine manager hailed from Marshy Hope and was a member of that large family connection still in that district. His maternal grandfather was Neil MacEachern, who was one of the best known and liked men in all St. Mary's district, a skilled mechanic and its best story-teller. He, too. was a native of Marshy Hope. So the outstanding airman was distinctly Nova Scotian."

Career
Williams enlisted in the army as a private in World War I, was commissioned in the field and then joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1916, serving with its successor, the Royal Air Force until 1919, winning his Military Cross and Air Force Cross in the interval. "It is said that Williams learned to fly in 27 minutes. In the R.F.C., Williams flew more than 1,000 miles over enemy lines as an observer and won the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry."

"After demobilization he returned to Canada where he started one of the first commercial air companies in the Dominion, inaugurating express and mail service between the Noranda goldfields and Haileybury, Ontario."

In 1921 he was given the task of organizing the R.C.A.F. and later the same year he handed over command to the late Air Marshall Lindsay Gordon and went to the United States as a test pilot.

Prior to World War II, he operated a gold mine in Nova Scotia, re-joining the R.C.A.F. in Montreal in 1940. After training in the administration course at Trenton, Ontario, he served at Calgary and Picton, Ontario. After an illness he was posted to the accident investigation branch at Ottawa before coming to No.5 Manning Depot at Lachine in 1942. He took temporary command at Lachine when Air Commodore Raymond went to Uplands as commanding officer and was posted to No.2 initial training school, Regina as commanding officer.

Death
Wing-Commander Williams, M.C., A.F.C., died in hospital in Montreal on Saturday night, 1 January 1944, age 51, after a lengthy illness.

Contributions
It was Williams who organized the "Gosport" system of flying instruction which was used throughout World War II. He also organized one of Canada's first commercial air companies.