Remembering Air Commodore Len Birchall

By Holly Bridges

Squadron Leader Len Birchall - 1942.

Air Commodore Len Birchall had more impact on the outcome of the Second World War than almost any other Canadian, yet many Canadians have never even heard of him.

As a young Canadian Squadron Leader flying his first reconnaissance mission over the tiny island of Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka) on April 4, 1942, Birchall spotted a huge Japanese strike force headed for the British base. He managed to get a message through to the base alerting personnel of the impending attack. The attack went ahead despite Birchall’s signal, but because of him the British were prepared and inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese. These losses later had repercussions both in the battle of the Coral Sea and again in the battle of Midway.

Sir Winston Churchill later described the incident as the “most dangerous moment” of the entire Second World War.

Birchall and his fellow crewmembers were shot down and taken captive by the Japanese who interred them for the following four years.

As the senior Allied officer in four successive Japanese POW camps, the resistance he lead decreased the Allied death rate from an average of 30% to less then 2%. His diaries written during his captivity and buried, formed the basis of a number of Allied wartime trails at which Birchall testified.

Leonard Birchall was one of those rarities who got to prove himself not only as a military hero, completing a mission under the most dangerous circumstances, but then as a POW without any of the accoutrements of power, successfully challenged the Japanese military with a strength, born of a determination to prevent the suffering of others – a final spiritual victory.

The uniqueness of Leonard Birchall’s contribution is described best by Major General James R. Davis of the United States Marine Corps:

“In circumstances where only too many officers had failed to live up to their responsibilities, the tales of Birchall’s leadership carried… throughout the system of camps, brought renewed faith and strength to many hundreds of men. It is incredible how morale of disheartened men can rise behind the example of a courageous officer, Birchall came to be something of a symbol, to stand in the hearts of men as a true officer.”