Page 154: Bryson, Mike

October 1944 WAS FORMERLY COMMANDER OF LION SQUADRON, NOW HAS HIS OWN OWN OUTFIT
The following story which concerns two former well-known local boys, W.C. Mike Bryson and WO2 Stan Bryson, who formerly resided in Lindsay with their parents, who now live in Barrie where Mr. Bryson operates a retail shop, will be of interest to many of their local school chums.
  It took some time after Wing Commander Bryson arrived in Britain before he had finally settled down to business.
  When he was promoted to wing commander recently and appointed commanding officer of the famed Lion Squadron, he had logged 34 trips to enemy targets with four different squadrons. Now, with a Halifax squadron all his own, it appears that the gray-haired 27-year-old has settled down to a steady job.
  Mike joined the Lions after holding the post of flight commander with the Bisons, Leasides and Alouettes. Starting his operational tour with the well-known French-Canadian unit, he racked up 20 trips before transferring to the squadron adopted by the town of Leaside and did five with them before going to the Bisons. In his present capacity he succeeds Wing Commander George Cribb, DFC, a member of the RAF who has completed an operational tour.
  The new Lion Wing Co. put in a long period in Canada as an instructor before coming overseas. On graduating from No. 8 SFTS Moncton, he took a flying instructor’s course at Trenton and was posted to Claresholm Alta., and later to Vulcan and Pearce. Coming to Great Britain in September 1943, he whisked through the ordinarily long period of pre-operational training and got into action with the Alouettes in a minimum of time. It was there that he earned his promotion to squadron leader. Of the more than 30 trips in his log book, 15 are to what airmen call major targets – Madgeburg, Augsburg, Schweinfurt, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, included.
  Prior to his enlistment in 1940, W.C. Bryson was employed in his father’s store at Barrie. An older brother, WO2 Stan Bryson, is serving with the RAF in the Mediterranean theatre.