Edward Lester "Ed" Gimbel

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ONLY FOUR BIG U.S. BOMBERS LOST IN GREAT DAY ASSAULT
Tremendous Bomb Loads Fall on Hitler's Important War Industries
SEVEN HUNS LOST

London, Oct. 10, 1942 — (CP) — More than 100 American Flying Fortresses and Liberator bombers with an escort of 500 allied fighter planes including two Canadian squadrons, home from the greatest allied daylight attack yet launched against Hitler's war foundry, again have amazed British air experts, who know from grim experience the hazards of daylight operations.

All Doubts Erased
Return of all but four of the United States bombers which stormed over occupied France yesterday and unloaded tons of bombs on factories and railroad yards, apparently erased any doubts experts may have had concerning the Fortresses. All of the fighters returned safely.
British air correspondents said the weight of the attack far exceeded the daylight efforts of the Germans during the "blitz" of September, 1940. Fifty German bombers and 200 fighters over Britain in daylight then constituted a "big raid."
On the last day of the Battle of Britain, September 15, 1940, the Germans sent over 500 planes in two groups of 250 each and lost at least 185 of them.
The allied fighters reported shooting down at least five German fighters yesterday and the score of the bombers has not been tallied officially.

Carry Great Loads
Two R.C.A.F. fighter pilots — F/L George Murray, D.F.C., of Halifax, and Sgt/P E. L. Gimbel, Chicago — shared in the destruction of one German Focke-Wulf 190. Murray and Gimbel are members of the Spitfire squadron commanded by S/L Keith Hodson, D.F.C., of London, Ont.
None of the German planes used against Britain could carry the loads which the four-motored bombers transported to Lille yesterday. The Fortresses can carry three tons of bombs, the Liberators four.
The Liberator crews claimed the destruction of seven Nazi fighters for the loss of one of their own planes.
Fighter pilots called the American bombers the "best bait" ever put up for the German air force because the Germans send up all available planes to stop them. They then get a chance at the German fighters.

Refuse to Battle
In recent months the R.A.F. has tried everything in sweeps to entice the German fighters into combat, but the only serious challenge was during the Dieppe raid.
The German radio broadcast a threat of "reprisals" for the raid last night, but there was no elaboration. The German high command earlier had issued a communique claiming the destruction of 16 allied aircraft, "some" of them Fortresses.
It was the first time the Nazis mentioned Flying Fortresses, although this was their 14th raid over western Europe. It appeared that the Germans have been withholding from their people news that American air forces are participating in European activities.

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Normandy Railway Targets Struck at Monday By R.C.A.F. Units

London, Dec. 15, 1942 — (CP) — Royal Canadian Air Force fighters attacked railway targets in Normandy, damaging a locomotive, and made more sweeps over northern France Monday afternoon in which they met no enemy aircraft, an R.C.A.F. communique said today.
The Canadian squadrons did not lose a single ship in these operations, the communique added.
The locomotive was damaged by P/O Ed Gimbel, Chicago, and Sgt. Pilot J. A. Chapin, of Brantford, Ont.
Chapin delivered a broadside attack and saw his shots spattering across the ground into the engine. Gimbel attacked head-on as the train entered a cut, and both pilots reported seeing clouds of steam arising from the locomotive which stopped soon after the attack.
On the way home Chapin machine-gunned a coast gun post.
The Germans attacked several areas on the northeast English coast last night, with bombs from one raider causing a number of casualties. Some raiders dropped bombs earlier, but there were no reports of casualties then. Ground defences put up heavy gunfire.
Flying Fortress crews, who participated in the raid on Rouen, France, Saturday, said today that the Germans attempted a new trick with the apparent purpose of luring the B-17's into a trap, but the trick did not work.
The Nazi artifice was exposed by Lieut. W. M. Lewis, of Kenosha; Wis., and Sgt. Donald Bevan, of Springfield, Mass., who said that at one point they noted that several German fighter planes engaged themselves in a mock air fight. Apparently the Nazis hoped the Fortresses and some of their escort of 300 fighter planes would mix in the fight and be caught unawares.

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GIMBEL, P/O Edward Lester (J15890) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.403 Squadron
Award effective 9 March 1943 as per London Gazette dated 23 March 1943 and
AFRO 757/43 dated 30 April 1943.

This officer has taken part in a very large number of sorties over enemy territory including a number as escort to heavy bombers. Pilot Officer Gimbel, who is an excellent section leader, has destroyed two enemy aircraft. He has at all times displayed great keenness and devotion to duty.

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Decorate RCAF Fliers For Effective Attacks

Ottawa, March 22, 1943 - (CP) - The RCAF today announced the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to six Canadians and two Americans in the R.C.A.F., a Bar to the D.F.C. already held by a Saskatchewan squadron leader, and the Distinguished Flying Medal to an American in the R.C.A.F. The award winners:

D.F.C.
F/O Irving Clark Cowan, son of Mrs. Hannah Cowan, Lower Montague, P.E.I.
F/O Warren Waugh Sutton, son of Harry Henry Sutton, Gibsland, La.
F/O Richard Emmett Cline, son of William Edward Cline, Vancouver.
F/O Anthony Wreford Gubb, husband of Mrs. Jean L. Gubb, Westmount, Que,
F/O Paul Albert Hartman, Toronto, brother of Mrs. Scott Clough, Readfield, Me.
P/O John Aldrige Reynolds, son of Mrs. Agnes Ethel Reynolds, Winnipeg.
F/O Malcolm Graham Mackenzie, son of Mrs. Kathleen Mackenzie, Kenora, Ont.
P/O Edward Lester Gimbel, son of Ralph Edward Gimbel, Chicago.

BAR TO D.F.C.
Acting Sqdn. Ldr. Charles Stewart Dowie, D.F.C., son of Joseph A. Dowie, Leader, Sask.

DFM
F/S Ralph Edgar Taylor, son of William Hansel Taylor, Boonville, Ind.

Hartman's citation said:
"One night in October, 1942, Hartman sighted a large enemy merchant vessel escorted by two destroyers. Despite intense anti-aircraft fire and a dense smoke screen, he made five runs over the target before he was satisfied his torpedo could be successfully aimed. Later reports revealed the vessel was destroyed.
“On many other occasions this offices participated in shipping strikes, exhibiting great initiative, courage and determination, which have at all times been an inspiration to his fellow pilots and great assistance to his squadron commander.”

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Canadians Down 7 Nazi Craft, Score Probable, Smash 4 More

With the R.C.A.F. Somewhere in England, Dec. 20, 1943 - (CP) - Canadian fighters, supporting widespread Allied bomber activity over France and Belgium, today destroyed seven German planes, probably got another and damaged four more for their biggest victory since Nov. 3, when R.C.A.F. fighters shot down 11 Germans.
F/O Andy MacKenzie, a 32-year-old former flying instructor from Montreal, was the leading scorer with a pair of enemy planes to his credit and another probably destroyed.
The Canadians' bag included five fighters, destroyed by the Red Indian squadron flying under the new commander, S/L Jimmie Lambert of Winnipeg, in support of medium bombers attacking military objectives in Northern France. Lambert himself was one of the successful Red Indian pilots along with Mackenzie, F/L Ed Gimble of Chicago and F/O Tommy De Courcey of Windsor, Ont.
Two German bombers, a Junkers 88 and a Dornier 217, were destroyed earlier in the day over Brussels in sweeps supporting the United States heavy bomber raid on Bremen. An R.C.A.F. communiqué gave no indication what the German bombers were doing in the air at the time.
Four Canadian fighters were lost during the day.
F/L Cam Cameron destroyed the Junkers while F/O D. Givens of Montreal and F/O L. A. Dunne of Toronto shared in the destruction of the Dornier.
MacKenzie, who was engaging the enemy for the second time in 35 sweeps, shot down a Focke-Wulf 190, scored a "probable" against a Messerschmitt 109 and then got another Focke-Wulf. He shot down the second Focke-Wulf after shaking a couple of Nazis off his tail and coming out of a turn to find himself on the tail of two German planes chasing Gimble.

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GIMBEL, F/O Edward Lester, DFC (J15890) - Mention in Dispatches - No.403 Sq.
Award effective 14 January 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 874/44 dated 21 April 1944.

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Victories as follows

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American Aces