A Royal Canadian Air Force DFC Recipient's Officer's Cap

A Royal Canadian Air Force DFC Recipient's Officer's Cap - This fine quality peaked cap is fabricated from a grayish-blue wool-cotton blend, featuring the classic high peak. It has a 44 mm wide black band around its circumference, which supports the RCAF insignia at the front. The insignia is composed of a gilt metal eagle, the open-ended wreath and King's crown in silver and gold-coloured bullion wire, maroon felt accent in the crown, along with touches of red, green and blue embroidery in the crown's base, on a padded black wool base, the insignia measuring 57 mm x 64 mm. The stiff visor is also in grayish-blue, matching the rest of the cap and has a black patent leather strap with dual adjustable sliders that runs across the front between the black posts on either side. The underside of the cap is covered in a green synthetic material. The interior comes with a 48 mm wide, butterscotch-coloured leather sweatband, a label sewn to the leather sweatband at the left rear inscribed "Hadaway's LTD. KEITH HOUSE. 133 REGENT ST., W.1.", named in blue ink "BLEAKLEY R.M." (Roland MacKay Bleakley), dated "24/2/44" (February 24, 1944) with his service number, "J19669". The ends of the leather are joined together at the rear and are bow-tied in place with a brown ribbon, with two pieces of white tape on the underside in a T-formation, running along the seam and joining two bands. The dome is lined in a padded, black rayon with the manufacturer's label having been lost to time. The cap measures 260 mm x 273 mm x 95 mm in height, exhibiting scuffs on the underside of the visor and the expected light soiling on the sweatband from active use, with a clean exterior, better than very fine.     Footnote: Roland MacKay Bleakley was born in 1916 in Kindersley, Saskatchewan. He was a resident of Winnipeg, Manitoba when he enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force, on March 23, 1942 in Winnipeg. He was posted to No. 2 Manning Depot in Brandon, Manitoba on May 12th, followed by a posting eleven weeks later to No. 7 Bombing and Gunnery School in Paulson, Manitoba on July 27th. One month later, he was posted to No. 7 Initial Training School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on August 29th, where he graduated and was promoted to Leading Aircraftman on October 23, 1942. Two weeks after graduating from No. 7 ITS, Bleakley was posted to No.19 Elementary Flying Training School in Virden, Manitoba on November 7th and graduated on December 30th. Ten days after graduating from No. 19 EFTS, he was posted to No. 15 Service Flying Training School on January 9, 1943, where he graduated and was promoted to Sergeant on April 30th. Two weeks after graduating from No. 15 SFTS, he was posted to No. 1 "Y" Depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 14th, for overseas service. Bleakley arrived in England shortly thereafter and was posted to the Royal Air Force overseas on May 26th. He was commissioned on January 21, 1944 and promoted to Flying Officer on June 21, 1944. Flight Lieutenant Roland MacKay Bleakley (J19669) was with No. 578 Squadron when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the announcement appearing in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette 36793 of Friday, November, 10, 1944, on Tuesday, November 14, 1944, page 5209, in AFRO 239/45 of February 9, 1945 and in Flight Magazine of December 21, 1944, page 677, his recommendation reading: "Flight Lieutenant Bleakley has completed 37 operations totalling 160.21 hours including many sorties upon a wide range of targets which have included industrial, strategical and tactical objectives. Flight Lieutenant Bleakley possesses a forceful character with a keen understanding of his responsibilities as a captain; he has led his crew with brilliant success throughout a large number of sorties. In addition to his fine operational record he has acted in the capacity of Air Sea Rescue and Safety Officer, devoting a considerable amount of his own time, thought and energy towards ensuring that all his comrades in the squadron were fully equipped and trained. Thus he has contributed not only with his own crew, but through the medium of his work with other crews, a very considerable portion towards the successful completion of many operations. It is strongly recommended that Flight Lieutenant Bleakley's exceptional work should be recognized by the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross." Bleakley was repatriated on January 15, 1945 and retired from the RCAF on February 28, 1945. He was presented with his Distinguished Flying Cross in a ceremony on June 18, 1949. (C:4)