Arthur Deane Nesbitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur Deane Nesbitt
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|---|---|
| Born | 16 November 1910 Westmount, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | 22 February 1978 (aged 67) Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  Canada United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1939–1945 |
| Rank | Group captain |
| Commands held | No. 143 Wing RCAF |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross Croix de guerre |
Arthur Deane Nesbitt (born November 16, 1910 – died February 22, 1978) was a brave Canadian pilot and a successful businessman. He was a decorated fighter pilot and a leader in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. He also received several important awards for his service.
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Arthur Nesbitt's Early Life
Arthur Nesbitt was born in Westmount, Quebec. His father, Arthur James Nesbitt, was a very successful businessman. He helped start a company called Nesbitt, Thomson and Company.
Arthur first trained to be an electrical engineer. But his older brother, Aird, decided to manage the family's department store in Montreal. So, Arthur joined the family's business that dealt with money and investments.
When his father passed away in 1954, Arthur took over the family business. He became the head of Nesbitt Thomson. Under his leadership, the company grew a lot. It expanded across Canada, into the United States, and even into Europe. His company was the first Canadian firm in 30 years to join the New York Stock Exchange. This is a very important stock market.
Arthur loved flying. He earned his pilot's license and was a member of the Montreal Light Aeroplane Club. He was even named the club's best pilot twice!
Arthur Nesbitt's Wartime Service
Arthur Nesbitt had already flown 200 hours when he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on September 15, 1939. He trained to be a fighter pilot at Camp Borden.
As a Flying Officer, Nesbitt flew Hurricane planes with No. 1 Squadron RCAF. He was part of the famous Battle of Britain. On August 26, 1940, he shot down a German plane. He also shot down two more German planes on September 4 and September 15. He was wounded on September 15, but he recovered.
After he got better, he became the commander of No. 401 Squadron. In September 1941, he returned to Canada. There, he commanded No. 14 Squadron and later No. 111 Squadron.
In June 1942, he was promoted to wing commander. He was then put in charge of Station Annette Island. Later, in December 1943, Nesbitt became the commanding officer of No. 6 SFTS in Dunneville.
In March 1944, he went back to the UK. He commanded No. 144 Wing. He then joined No. 83 Group HQ as an Accidents Investigation Officer. On January 1, 1945, he was promoted to group captain. From January to August 1945, Nesbitt commanded No. 143 Wing, flying Hawker Typhoons. He returned to Canada in September 1945 and retired in November 1947.
Arthur and his brother Aird, who was in the Canadian Army, helped free the Netherlands. They were part of the liberation of Eindhoven.
For his brave service, Nesbitt received many military awards. These included the Distinguished Flying Cross. In 1946, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. In 1947, he received the Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords. The government of France also gave him the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star.
Arthur Nesbitt's Postwar Career
After the war, Arthur Nesbitt went back to his family's business. He was very successful in business. He helped organize the money for the TransCanada pipeline in the 1950s. This was the largest natural gas pipeline in the world at that time. It was a very important energy project for Canada.
Because of his long and successful business career, he was honored. He was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.
In 1978, at age 68, Nesbitt had a skiing accident. This accident left him almost completely paralyzed. He passed away in Montreal in 1978 and was buried in the Mount Royal Cemetery.
To honor him, the BMO Nesbitt Burns company created an award. It is called the A. Deane Nesbitt/Charles Burns Award. It recognizes people who perform exceptionally well in business.
See also
- List of Bishop's College School alumni
Sources
- Air Force Association of Canada decorations for A. Deane Nesbitt
- Government of Canada, "The Nesbitts" - Nation Builders collection
