LAC Lloyd Willigar and Midget, official mascot of RCAF No 2 Wireless School, Calgary

              Published in the November 2011 issue of the Amherst News, Amherst, Nova Scotia
​                and in two parts in the November and December 2015 issues of the Kerby News

A Pony Named Midget

In the 1930’s and 40’s, the Calgary Herald sponsored the Sunshine Club that helped families having a hard time at Christmas. Calgarians were encouraged to buy 25-cent tickets that would be entered in a draw for the annual prize, a purebred puppy donated by Calgary’s Carson Kennels. Tickets were sold by the Herald’s paperboys, at the Herald office and were also available in the lobby of the Palace Theatre on the evening of the draw. For the Club’s ninth Christmas draw in 1940, however, the pot was sweetened considerably by the generous donation of a Shetland pony as an additional prize. William Herron, president of Okalta Oils Ltd and a key developer of Alberta’s Turner Valley oil field, offered his family’s pet pony “Midget” as a bonus.

The Herald ran several stories leading up to the draw to encourage Calgary folk to support the work of the Sunshine Club and buy tickets. Midget’s sale price was quoted to be from $75 to $100, “and you couldn’t buy Sunshine IX, the Cocker puppy, for less than $15.” The stories explained that Christmas hampers provided by the Club were an important service but, in addition, more than $1,500 was spent annually on milk for under-nourished children. An article in the December 17 issue included a photograph of Midget being groomed by Calgary Stampede employees Jimmy Thynne and Hugh McDine at Victoria Park after being handed over by Mr. Herron. The pony’s mane and tail were braided with ribbons, her forelock trimmed, her thick coat brushed and “shiny as a giraffe’s heel,” and her hooves rounded and polished. “Midge will be the guest star on the usual Thursday night stage program at the Palace Theatre which features Sonny Fry and the Gentlemen of Music and Gail Egan as master of ceremonies, and although she’s not quite sure just what she’ll do, she has at least promised to appear in person,” wrote a Herald reporter.

Far away from Calgary, on the shore of the Bay of Fundy’s Minas Basin, Lloyd Willigar, the only son of Ethel Willigar of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. At an RCAF Initial Training School, it was determined that he should become a wireless air gunner. The particular skills he would learn would be the operation of radio sets installed on bombers and the operation of an aircraft’s defensive machine guns. He would attend specialized schools that had been established to teach these skills and would then be posted to England for operational service.

At the start of the war, Canada agreed to the establishment and operation of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). An agreement between Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada would eventually see the training and graduation of approximately 132,000 aircrew members in Canada, most of whom were young men such as Lloyd Willigar. Approximately120 schools for all aircrew trades and ground trades were established across the country.

For the first phase of his training, Willigar travelled across Canada by train to Calgary where he attended Number 2 Wireless School for instruction on radio operations. During his time in Calgary, instructional classes were held at the Institute of Technology (now the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) while flying exercises in Norseman and Fairchild aircraft took place at Currie Airport. Calgary held a prominent position in the training plan with Royal Air Force (RAF) No. 37 Service Flying Training School located at what is now the International Airport; RCAF No. 3 Service Flying Training School and No. 10 Repair Depot at Currie Field; RAF No. 31 Elementary Flying Training School just south of Calgary at the junction of the Highwood and Bow Rivers; RCAF No. 2 Wireless School; and, later on, the headquarters of RCAF No. 4 Training Command that included all of Alberta, British Columbia and part of Saskatchewan.

On a free evening early in his training, Willigar walked downtown to take in the variety show at the Palace Theatre. After paying for his admission, he had 25 cents left to his name and at least another week until the next pay parade. A pretty girl stopped him in the lobby and asked if he would like to buy a ticket on the Sunshine pony. Fingering the last of his money he said “Sure,” pocketed the ticket and sat down inside the theatre. Gail Egan was the master of ceremonies for the evening. He was the publicity director for Calgary’s CFAC radio and was well known for his on-air program “Sportscycle.” Sonny Fry and the Gentlemen of Music were entertaining the crowd with big band hits. Then Gail Egan called for the Sunshine pony to come on stage for the draw, along with William Herron and his young son. Backed by a musical flourish, Egan plunged his hand into the draw barrel and came out with a ticket belonging to a now financially destitute Air Force trainee, Lloyd Willigar. “I had to pinch myself when my name was called,” Willigar said. “I had come downtown just to see a show and before I knew where I was I had a pony!” The second draw saw the purebred puppy going to young Jack Cruickshank and his bother Stewart who had “gone halfers on the ticket.”

Shipping the pony home to his mother in Parrsboro was out of the question and the horse couldn’t stay with Willigar in the barracks. Fortunately, the school’s commanding officer, Wing Commander A H K Russell, suggested the horse become the school’s official mascot. Russell announced the next morning that equipment for the horse, a small stable and a custom-made blanket with the school’s insignia upon it would be provided.  A member of the radio instructional crew, Corporal George Bury, was initially selected to care for the horse and lead it in the school’s parades.

Midget settled in to life on a military camp becoming, as a Herald article on March 22, 1941 stated, “the pamperedest, pettedest, spoiledest animal in Calgary.” The horse had the run of the Technical school grounds including the messes of enlisted men, sergeants and officers. She was frequently to be found scrounging cookies and apples and used a constantly running water fountain in the enlisted men’s mess to slake her thirst. Life for Midget was good but she had formal duties to perform to earn her keep.

At the commanding officer’s weekly parade held on March 21, 1941, Midget and Corporal Bury found themselves for the first time in front of the school’s drum and trumpet band behind which followed hundreds of air force personnel marching smartly along. Midget was the first to pass in review and the last to leave the field at the end of the parade. From that day onward, the horse and her handler led nearly all parades and graduations at the school. When Prime Minister MacKenzie King visited Calgary in June, an enormous parade was organized representing all the military units in the Calgary district complete with drum and bugle bands, an assortment of floats and decorated cars, brass bands, veterans, Scout and Guide units and, amidst all of it, Midget in her official No. 2 Wireless School blanket accompanied by Corporal Bury.

At the end of his radio training, Lloyd Willigar was posted to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School at Fingal, Ontario. Upon completion of his training there he was posted overseas to No. 101 Squadron, Royal Air Force, as a wireless operator air gunner with the rank of flight sergeant. He would never see the Minas Basin again nor would he return to reclaim his Shetland pony. On a mission that launched April 18, 1942, Flight Sergeant Willigar was aboard Wellington bomber X3655 when it was shot down near Segeburg, Germany. He was the only Canadian on board, the remainder of the crew being members of the Royal Air Force. All perished. Flight Sergeant Lloyd Willigar is buried in the Ohisdorf Cemetery near Hamburg, Germany.

For the remainder of the war years, Midget carried on as official mascot of No. 2 Wireless School. A month after Willigar’s death, she gave birth to a stillborn colt. The daily diary of the school noted that much concern was felt for the pony’s condition but with the help of the medical section she was soon back to her old self. In July, the school was given the honour of leading the Calgary Stampede Parade. The commanding officer marched along first followed by the school’s cowboy entry, Midget and her handler, the school drum and trumpet band and a wing of airmen. Perhaps in appreciation, Monty Montana and his Troupers, the North American champion trick riders, made a special appearance at the school and gave a show for the benefit of personnel. Throughout these years, Willigar’s mother kept in contact with the school concerning the little pony her late son had won.

Midget was the subject of a lot of news coverage. In the March 29, 1944 issue of the Calgary Albertan, this headline appeared: “Airmen’s Pony Mascot Listed among Missing.” The school’s daily diary quoted the entire article. “It’s more than two years now since Sgt L E Willigar promised Midget, the No. 2 Wireless School Shetland pony mascot, that he would come back from overseas and return to Calgary to claim her. He was reported missing during operations over Germany on April 18, 1942 several months after he won Midge or Midget, the Herald Sunshine pony, in a raffle here and donated her to No. 2 Wireless School RCAF as official mascot. Midget was given her own little barracks block at the school. She had her own blanket, appropriately decorated with the RCAF insignia, and she led all the official parades at the school including the one in which her master received his wings before going overseas to join the 101st Bombing Squadron, Royal Air Force. Maybe Midget became tired of waiting for Sergeant Willigar, maybe she decided to look for him herself. At any rate, Midget left No. 2 Wireless School grounds Sunday night and hasn’t been seen since. The boys at the school are anxious for the return of the pony. They have asked police to assist in locating her and now they are asking that anyone seeing a little black pony answering to the name of Midget and looking as if she was keeping an eye peeled for a sergeant wireless gunner, notify the guard room at No. 2 Wireless School.”

And then this: “Flash! Midget returns. She was found gaily tripping on her way to the flying squadron at Shepard, 12 miles out of the city. Maybe she has flying blood in her. Maybe it was the good looking flying instructors or maybe it was pure mischievousness that prompted her into this thirst for travel.”

In the spring of 1945, with the war in Europe nearing an end and with a surfeit of highly trained aircrew on hand, most of the schools of the BCATP were in the process of winding down. The disbandment order for No. 2 Wireless School arrived on March 21 with instructions that classes 104 and 105 would graduate on March 29 with the school to be disbanded on April 14. During the first two weeks of April, entries in the daily diary reflected the coming of the end. All messes were merged into one; the final church parade was held; procedures were outlined by the commanding officer concerning the release of all civilian employees; the band was posted en masse to Gimli, Manitoba; the motor transport section at Shepard returned all vehicles to the Technical School; and “Midget the Shetland pony, Station mascot since 1941 when she was won in a raffle by the late LAC (later Flight Sergeant) Willigar, was shipped to his mother in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia.”

The Calgary Herald wrote a wonderful farewell to the little pony.

“Discharged Midget-But Honourably”

“Mascot Service Career to End in Nova Scotia Pasture”

“Calgary will say goodbye to a gallant pony when “Midget” the mascot of No. 2 Wireless School leaves this week for Nova Scotia. Stationed at No. 2 from December 1940 to August 1941, LAC Willigar of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia took a chance on a Sunshine Fund raffle and found himself the possessor of a Shetland pony. No establishment could be found for the pony. Prepared for any emergency, however, the RCAF found a place for Willigar’s win. Midget was installed as the official mascot of No. 2 Wireless School. She was stabled, groomed and fed by LAC Norrie (in later years) of the fire section. A blanket was even designed for her use on official occasions. She participated in the commanding officer’s weekly station parades. She led the Victory Loan and Stampede parades and she was scheduled to be in the forefront of Calgary’s Victory in Europe Day parade.

A year ago, Midge managed to sneak past the guard at the school and wandered two days undisturbed by Air Force blue. Found and returned to the school, a charge of being AWOL was dismissed for it was proved she had not had either annual leave or a 48 (hour leave) for more than two years. LAC Willigar, owner of the pony, meanwhile completed his course and had proceeded to the bombing and gunnery school at Fingal, Ontario, and thence overseas to active operations. On a flight over enemy territory, Flight Sergeant Willigar was killed. His mother, Mrs. E M Willigar of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, continued to take an active interest in Midget. Upon disbandment of the wireless school this week, the animal will receive her honourable discharge with the notation that her service conduct has been excellent.”

The story of Midget the Shetland pony, her owner Flight Sergeant Lloyd Willigar, and No. 2 Wireless School might have ended here. But having read the daily diary of this and all other flight crew schools in the BCATP, the writer decided to see if anything else could be learned concerning the fate of the pony. A call was placed to directory assistance for Parrsboro, Nova Scotia and a helpful operator provided telephone numbers for a couple of listings for “Willigar” in the area. The first person on the list had no knowledge of Lloyd Willigar or of a pony named Midget. The second didn’t either but suggested another name, that being Haley Harrington. A call was placed to Mr. Harrington and when he answered, the writer said he was seeking information about Lloyd Willigar and his pony. There was silence for a moment, and then Haley Harrington said, “Lloyd was my only cousin. I haven’t thought about him for many years.”

We had quite a wonderful conversation and I learned from Haley more of Midget’s history. She arrived in Parrsboro in fine shape, complete with her No. 2 Wireless School Blanket. “I think every child in Cumberland County had photographs taken with that horse.” Mrs Willigar kept Midget at her house in Parrsboro and also at a small acreage she owned just outside of town. When the horse became old and infirm, Haley said that someone was asked to put her down. “She’s buried on Aunt Ethel’s little farm,” Haley told me, “and I’m pretty sure she was wrapped in her wireless school blanket.” He then mentioned that he was getting old, had some photographs and didn’t know what to do with them. “I’m going to send them to you,” he said.

And that’s how the story of Midget the Shetland pony came to an end and how the two photographs in this story came into the hands of the writer. The first shows LAC Lloyd Willigar with Midget, his Sunshine Club prize, posing on the steps of Calgary’s Institute of Technology near the beginning of the war. The second shows Midget, accompanied by Pilot Officer Tom Brown, leading the Victory in Europe Parade down Main Street in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia.

Midget leads the "Victory in Europe" parade, escorted by Pilot Officer Tom Brown, in her new home town of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia

The writer wishes to acknowledge with thanks the unknown writers of the daily diaries of the schools of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan; journalists of the day at the Calgary Herald and the Calgary Albertan; and Mr Haley Harrington who provided the end of this Canadian story from far across the land in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. Deep gratitude is expressed for all those who served and who supported those who served during World War II. The National Archives of Canada provided microfilm copies of the daily diaries. Copies of Calgary newspaper stories of the day were provided by the Glenbow Museum archives.

Tim Johnston served for 30 years as an executive staff officer with the Alberta Teachers’ Association and, prior to that, taught in Lethbridge, Alberta. His interest in the history of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan stems from a long-ago visit to the abandoned BCATP airbase at Pearce, Alberta, the last landing ground of 20 Lancaster bombers that, at the time of his visit in 1958, awaited the cutter’s torch. Johnston can be reached at [email protected].

Two notes have come from readers of this story:

Name
Monica Davis

Email
[email protected]

Comment
I've enjoyed and shared your story about Lloyd and Midget many times. 
I actually grew up in Mrs. Willigar's house on 9 Spring St. in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia; which of course, is where I'm from. My parents bought it from Haley Harrington in 1988 I believe, could have been 1987. Midget's stall was still in the barn in the back yard. 
Thank you for putting that together, I've also enjoyed your photos :) 

Monica

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Name
Lou Harrington

Email
[email protected]

Comment
Hello,

You spoke with my Dad regarding Midget the pony’s airforce career. I’ve had different people contact me lately about my cousin Lloyd Willigar and Midget. I always refer them to your excellent article. 

Thanks,
Lou


Hello Lou

A pleasure reading your note and thanks for getting in touch. You are the second person with a connection to my story who has written, the other being Monica Davis. You may know her as she grew up in Mrs Willigar's house, which was sold to her parents by your father. 

I'll never forget the conversation I had with your Dad. When he answered and I told him what I was seeking, there was silence for a few moments. Then your father said, "I haven't thought of Lloyd for a long time." But he was clearly thinking of his lost cousin at that moment. Your father said that his own wartime experience was with the merchant marine, a wartime front of its own that didn't receive any sort of recognition for what the men in those ships accomplished and at such a steep price. If your Dad is still around, please say hello to him for me. The pictures he sent to me are safe and referenced on occasion.

Writing these stories for a local seniors' paper has been enjoyable and rewarding, especially when folk like you write to me about them. All of the stories are on my website at www.timothyallanjohnston.com including one out just this week.

Whenever I go to the Bomber Command Museum at Nanton, Alberta, I go and see Lloyd's name engraved along with all of his comrades lost in the air war. I'll remember you to him next time I go.

Best wishes, Lou, and thanks again for writing.

Tim Johnston


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