Check It Out: Remembering a Canadian actor who served in WWII
By Joan Janzen
There’s an old joke that claims it was disappointing to discover a universal remote control didn’t control the entire universe. I’m old enough to remember when there was no remote, and the only two options available for television viewing were “on or off.”
When the television was on, CBC was the only choice available. As a result, I grew up watching The Beachcombers, a series filmed in Gibson, B.C., beginning in 1972. Does anyone remember Relic, the villain in the series?
The character was played by Robert Clothier. But unlike the greedy con man he portrayed, who hated everybody, Robert was a courageous war hero. As we celebrate Remembrance Day, I thought it was appropriate to share Robert’s history in WWII.
Robert remained humble in spite of receiving countless fan letters and having people lined up to meet ‘Relic.’ No one seemed to be aware of his time served in Bomber Command during WWII until after his death.
Robert passed away in 1999, but it was only after a memorial was built in 2005 at the war museum in Nanton, Alberta, that Canadians realized Robert was also famous as a war hero. He was identified in a photo of the 408 Goose Squadron.
His navigator said Robert was the best pilot in the entire Air Force and was the first pilot in his squadron to complete two tours of operation, equaling about 60 dangerous missions. He had a one-in-four chance of survival.
The life of Robert Clothier began in 1921 when he was born in Prince Rupert, B.C., later moving to Vancouver. He enlisted on his 19th birthday and joined the Air Force, where he learned to fly all manner of aircraft. The museum in Nanton, Alberta, displays many of the planes he flew.
He was said to be an excellent pilot and was admired by everyone. He was sent to Europe in August 1941, and during his first operation in Europe, three of his team’s eight aircraft were destroyed.
He was known for his bravery. After completing a night of bombing, he would voluntarily sweep the plane down low so the crew could attack the enemy with machine guns. On one mission, he was in danger of being spotted, so he stalled his plane and, in spite of having a full bomb load aboard, he did a complete upside-down flip to evade enemy fire.
He logged well over 1,000 hours as a pilot while stationed in England and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, given for an act of valour and devotion to duty. He was said to be an inspiration to all with his courage, coolness, and calmness.
The site of an RCAF training base remains in Vancouver, where he served as an instructor. On Dec. 23, 1944, he was assigned a training flight with three young men. Moments after takeoff, the plane lost power and slammed into a ditch. Robert was the only survivor and had his back broken in five places.
A few weeks after the crash, he was told his older brother had been killed by friendly fire in England. It was a challenging time for Robert, but he defied all odds, and after two years of rehab, he walked once again.
Besides being a famous actor and war hero, he had unparalleled artistic talents. His award-winning sculpture stands at the University of British Columbia.
Colonel David Redman was recently interviewed online. He said, “We have so many soldiers in the history of our country who died to defend our rights and freedoms. Isn’t it time, as individual citizens, we take their sacrifice more seriously? Canada is the way Canada is because of people who have gone before us.”
He emphasized the need for Canadians to rebuild self-responsibility. “Along with freedom comes responsibility. If you don’t defend your rights and freedoms, totalitarian dictatorship will ultimately take over,” he said. “Canadians need to determine what rights and freedoms they believe they want in our country, and how far they’re prepared to go to defend them.”
He quoted Red Skelton, a comedian from years ago, who said: “My freedom and my rights end when they impact and deny rights and freedoms for another citizen.” So we have to have that balance.
Colonel Redman said, “If you want rights and freedoms, you have to be responsible and do your part to defend them.”
The people we honour on Remembrance Day did their part; now we have to continue to do our part to ensure we continue to enjoy those freedoms.
We can take a lesson from Robert Clothier. Although he was well known for his role as Relic, the villain, his life as a courageous war hero remained unknown for many years. While his television fame provided entertainment years ago, his time as a WWII pilot has had a lifelong impact on Canadian history that we continue to remember.