Jack Rife Beirnes
Jack Rife Beirnes (24 November 1914 – 1 June 1945) was a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron leader who flew Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Kittyhawk fighters on home defense in Canada and then commanded a Squadron (aviation), squadron of Hawker Typhoons over Europe during the Second World War. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom), Distinguished Flying Cross and medal bar, Bar for his successes while serving with 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, No. 438 Squadron RCAF. He lost his life in a flying accident at the end of his third combat tour. Early life Beirnes was born in Birtle, Manitoba, but grew up in Tofield, Alberta, where his father ran a drugstore. He was an Army Cadet in Tofield from 4 September 1927 to 22 November 1933 and liked to build model aircraft. Pre-war, he was employed as a pipefitter, farm labourer, and for 13 years was a clerk in the Rexall drug store (his father was a pharmacist). In 1934 he applied to the RCAF but was rejected. The asse ...
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Birtle, Manitoba
Birtle is an unincorporated urban community in the Prairie View Municipality within the Canadian province of Manitoba that held town status prior to 1 January 2015. It is located at the junction of Highways 83 and 42. History Originally incorporated in 1884, the community lies in the Birdtail River valley. It features a spacious community park developed in the early years of the community with additions through the years to bring it to the current time where the original golf course designed to take advantage of the valley contours now enjoys the modern amenities and the tennis courts still located in the original location now feature modern plexipave surfaces and are some of the best in western Manitoba. Another attraction is the Birdtail Country Museum, housed in an historic stone building on Main Street. The building was built in the early 1900s to be used as the Union Bank. Later it was purchased by the Royal Bank of Canada. The main floor was the bank premises. The ...
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