Flight Lieutenant John ‘Jack’ Frederick Finan died February 8th, 2025 at the age of 105. A highly respected wartime RCAF Lancaster pilot and long-time member of 447 (Hamilton) Wing RCAFA, Jack passed away at Stoney Creek, Ontario, one year after receiving France’s highest military honour, the “Insignia of Knight in the National Order of the Legion of Honour” in a special ceremony hosted by the French Ambassador to Canada at the 447 Wing of the RCAFA. He was also recently awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour by the Royal Canadian Legion. This later award recognizes those who have carried out actions of great value, forged by their own merits.

A Hamilton native, Mr. Finan joined the RCAF, trained as a pilot in Calgary and rose to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He first learned to fly on the de Havilland Tiger Moth and the Avro Anson. Jack went on to fly 23 different aircraft, including flying combat operations in the Lancaster bomber over occupied Europe. Upon his return from Europe, Jack continued flying, sometimes piloting ice patrols in the Arctic. He finally retired from active duty in 1965.

Married for 71 years and raising six daughters, his wife, Eileen, passed away in August 2015, one month after Jack enjoyed his final Lancaster flight in the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster at the Canadian Warplane Museum based in Hamilton, Ontario.

These are various recent photos of Jack Finan. The scarf he is seen wearing in the above photos lists the aircraft types he had flown including the: Lancaster, Tiger Moth, North American Harvard, Avro Anson, Cessna Crane, Airspeed Oxford, Handley Page Hampden and Halifax, Vickers Wellington, Lockheed Lodestar and Neptune, Canadair Argus, Avro Shackleton and DHC Chipmunk. He served with 404, 405, 415, 424, and 427 (RCAF) Squadrons. – (Unknown photo credits via Facebook). See also: https://www.sheridancollege.ca/newsroom/arBcles/community/bOv-studentdoc-worthy-of-honourremembrance-day