Notes for the Tavistock Historical Society 
May 16, 2016

Our father, Eric J.C. Hitzeroth was born on August 31 , 1919, in Tavistock. His parents were Conrad Hitzeroth, and Ida (Kaufmann).

Their family resided at 51 Wellington Street. Eric Hitzeroth was a member of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, from 1942 to 1945. He graduated in 1942 with a Commercial Radio Operator Certificate, from the Radio College of Canada, issued by the Federal Department of Communications.

Shortly before this, the B.C.A.T.P. had been formed. There was a desperate need for qualified Radio Operators. Eric was soon stationed at No.4 Air Observer School (A.O.S.), London, Ontario, operating under the B.C.A.T.P. The schools had a civilian manager with the status of Group Captain, in overall charge of the school. At the same time, a supervisory RCAF Officer was responsible for the quantity, and quality, of the service personnel graduates.

Eric was one of several Chief Operators in charge of a group of radio operators. He wrote: "Our purpose was to train air crew service personnel as wireless operators, observers, air gunners and navigators. This required in-flight navigational exercises in the skies, over south western Ontario. Our responsibility was to maintain radio contact with the aircraft throughout the flight. This required recording progress reports, and check points, and even emergencies in the air."

"Further, if an aircraft became lost, due to navigational error, or adverse weather conditions, we provided fixes, and bearings with our DiF station. The B.CAT.P. graduated tens of thousands of aircrew when the Allies desperately needed them."

As a post script: when the war ended, Eric was hired by Canadian Pacific Airlines, and subsequently was employed by the D.O.C. as a radio operator at Montreal's Dorval Airport. Eric then soon became an Air Traffic Controller at Dorval Centre. He subsequently was offered a position with CBC Radio, in Windsor, where he was Chief Radio Engineer.

Eric Hitzeroth died on June 21 , 2009, in Tavistock, Ontario. He gravestone is at the Trinity Lutheran Church, Tavistock.

Sincerely, Trudie A. Hitzeroth Julien and Connie J. Hitzeroth Ohlman