On December 1, 1941, at just 18 years old, Claude Gibson and four of his friends enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). That same night, at 11:15 p.m., Claude departed from Ottawa Union Station to begin his training. His first stop was Manning Pool in Toronto, followed by a posting to Hagersville, near Niagara Falls. He later returned to the base in Rockcliffe.
In January 1942, Claude was sent to Halifax and then embarked for Glasgow, Scotland. The voyage took 29 days, as his troop ship, the Handy, became separated from its convoy while being pursued by German submarines.
From Scotland, Claude was posted to the 420 “Snowy Owl” Squadron in England. In January 1943, he was deployed to Africa. By December of that year, he had returned to England and was transferred to the 126 Technical Advance Airfield in preparation for the Allied invasion of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Claude returned to Canada on February 20, 1946, and was honorably discharged.