Oakville veteran dies days before Remembrance Day by Michael Gregory Oakville Beaver Staff 9 | Friday, November 7, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com An Oakville veteran, who served as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the Second World War and went on to become a transport pilot, died on Monday, Nov. 3 at the age of 99. Wesley McIntosh was a six-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve when war broke out in 1939 and he boldly requested, and was granted, a transfer into the Air Force to pursue his passion of flying. McIntosh had been living in Winnipeg at the time and was learning how to fly when he met his first wife Freda Bjornson. "When he married my mother he left (to go to war) in a Navy suit and came home in a pilot's uniform," said daughter Bonnie. Together, the couple had three children together, Bonnie, Dayle and Gerry, before Bjornson died at age 47 in 1964. "The man had the most amazing love of life and so positive," Bonnie said, talking about how her dad enjoyed going to the RBC Royal Bank, walks in the park and out to restaurants. "Dad just loved to get in the car and go," she said. "He'd fall asleep, but he still wanted to go." After the death of his first wife, McIntosh would re-marry to Joan Evans and have a son Miles together. During his time flying in Europe, McIntosh line in Italy, would transport the wounded. McIntosh also spent time in Gibraltar, where he contributed to military intelligence by continuing to offload mail for Canadian soldiers in Italy, even though they were already in England preparing for the Normandy invasion. The German ambassador in neutral Spain was known to often spy on McIntosh's airfield from his villa across the border, so flying was done as a decoy. McIntosh was flying over the Atlantic when the Germans surrendered to the Western Allies in 1945. The Oakville resident, after the war, became a transport pilot and spent two years working in South America. He returned home to become chief pilot for Hollinger Ungava Transport in Mont-Joli, Que. -- the company was charged with transporting supplies up to northern Cana- da where the DEW line was being set up. Bonnie said some of her fondest memories were as a six-year-old living in the airport in the barracks in 1948. "My favourite times are the flying that we did together," Bonnie said. "I remember the very first time we flew from Mont-Joli to New York City, and flew in at night." When he retired in 1990, McIntosh had logged 24,700 hours of flying during his 55-year career. It was several years later when he met local author and historian Tom Douglas and the two decided to pen McIntosh's memoirs Permission Granted. "We worked like mad trying to get it done," Douglas told the Oakville Beaver in 2007 interview about the book. "We'd both be drained by see Pilots on p.10 Wesley McIntosh was initially tasked with training fighter, bomber and transport pilots. He eventually moved on to transporting VIPs, including the Prince and Princess of the Netherlands after they fled the Nazi occupation of their country. He was later posted to the 168 Heavy Transport Squadron to deliver mail to Canadian soldiers, and on occasion, during trips into the front Every quote comes with a handshake. Real local people. Real local service. With State Farm® every policy comes with your own personal agent. We pride ourselves on being part of the local community so we can truly understand and best serve the needs of our customers. Get to a better State.® Get State Farm.® CONTACT A STATE FARM AGENT TODAY. Want a thick green and healthy Lawn? What you do now will give you the results next spring. Kensington Lawns We are very different - all natural with tailor-made treatments for your lawn. 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