Brigadier-General Bendt Oxholm, Royal Canadian Navy and Air Force pilot, died peacefully in the presence of his loving wife Sheila at the Yaletown House retirement home on the 19th of January, 2019, at the age of 88. Known to all as Ben, or Benny, his gift of humour and love of life resulted in his becoming a most beloved, respected and dynamic leader in the Canadian Armed Forces, and a cherished friend to all who knew him. Bendt was the second of six children born to Fred and Olga O’Neill Oxholm, who settled in Seven Sister Falls, Manitoba, after immigrating from Denmark. Bendt, born in 1930 a year after his brother Fred, was followed by brother Lawrence, sister Inge, and by twins Sandra and Hugh. Bendt finished high school at the age of sixteen. With his maturity thus unequivocally established, the father felt it was time to acquaint his two oldest sons with his plans for their future. “I have booked you into Normal School to become teachers,” he announced tersely, following which the boys spent six weeks learning their craft before emerging with their certificates. Upon graduation, Bendt learned that he was to take up his posting as the Headmaster of a school in The Pas, a tiny farm community on the Saskatchewan border. After hauling his 2 trunk off the train at a station closest to his destination, Bendt asked for directions to the school. He would always marvel at the simplicity of the instructions; “Follow these wires for fifteen miles, and you can’t miss it; and when you get there, ask a farmer to pick up your trunk.” The school was a single room house; an adjoining shack would serve as his home, while his students varied in age from five to something uncomfortably close to his own. After agreeing to pay a farmer’s wife fifteen dollars a month for food and laundry, Benny taught for a year. Though the opportunity to continue teaching was seasoned with a tempting raise, Ben declined the offer in favour of attending university in Winnipeg where a fishing companion turned out to be a Navy recruiter. Benny’s imagination soared, and he decided to become a Navy pilot. When he tried to enlist, he was told he’d be welcome to join, but unfortunately, no pilot positions were available. He hadn't walked far before hearing someone call his name; apparently, a more zealous search revealed that there was one pilot slot, after all. It turned out to be a providential find as it heralded the start of a stellar military career. Benny earned his wings in 1950 in Centralia from where he was sent to England to train as a fighter pilot with the Royal Navy. It would be a fortuitous match of temperament to equipment. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1952, he was appointed to fighter squadron VF 871 flying the fast and powerful single engine Sea Fury from the Aircraft Carrier HMCS Magnificent. That same year he married Joan Bayer of Dartmouth, NS, and the union produced two daughters, Susan and Kathryn. 3 In 1959 Ben was selected for a permanent Commission, and a year later received his promotion to Lieutenant Commander. For the next three years, Ben served in the Tribal Class Destroyer, HMCS Micmac, in which he obtained his Watch Keeping Certificate, followed by a stint in the Frigate HMCS Victoriaville as its Executive Officer. By his own account, Ben straightened out everything that was wrong with the seagoing Navy, and by everyone else's account he left the ships operationally more efficient and considerably happier than he found them. It was a pattern he would follow for the remainder of his career.

In 1962 Ben returned to operational flying when he joined VS 880 Squadron as its Operations Officer. This Squadron’s mission paralleled that of the NATO assigned role for the RCN which was anti-submarine warfare. To meet this aim, we flew twin-engine Trackers embarked in the Magnificent’s replacement, HMCS Bonaventure. Three young crew commanders will never forget the day of Benny’s arrival. “You, You and You, get your crews and follow me!” he ordered pointing to Bill Nash, Robin Thoms and one other pilot whose identity has been lost to time. It was a tail chase to remember; Benny led this threesome through manoeuvres never imagined by the manufacturer. There was no debriefing. It was simply a lesson to show the importance of following the leader, and to demonstrate that swashbuckling flying need not be limited to fighter aircraft. From 1964 until 1968 Ben served in Naval Headquarters in Ottawa as the Senior Staff Officer Operational Postings, and as the Director of Manpower Distribution with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Having sorted out the senior 4 management, he was ready for his final flying appointment. It was worth the wait. Benny was sent to Baden-Soellingen in Germany to command the Canadian Air Force 421 Strike and Attack Squadron which flew the nuclear-armed supersonic F104 Lockheed Starfighter where he remained until 1971. He loved flying this guided missile on low-level, tossbombing manoeuvres, and to everyone’s surprise, it was the first type of aircraft he had flown without causing it to suffer a dent, a scratch, or considerably worse.

When he left the base, it had a new golf course and a new attitude on how to deal with NDHQ’s claims for funds which Ben re-directed toward the benefit of base personnel. Promoted to Colonel, he served three years as the Director of the Canadian Staff College in Toronto, after which, in 1974 he moved to Shearwater as the Base Commander. During his tenure, Ben introduced the Air Command to a divisional system which had served the Navy for generations. This supportive organisation imbued junior military personnel with a feeling of self- worth which resulted in raising morale and vastly lowered the incidents of delinquency. Because Benny cared deeply for the men under his command, he earned their everlasting respect. Tragically, Ben’s wife Joan died in January 1977. Sometime later, through a mutual friend, he was introduced to Sheila Ann Oliver who was a registered nurse. It would be the transformative moment of the rest of his life. Following a year as the Chief of Staff to the Maritime Commander [Pacific], in 1978 he was promoted to BrigadierGeneral.

5 1979 was the anchor year of the last half of Benny’s allotted tenure on this globe. It began with his marriage to Sheila. The couple next moved to CFB Trenton where Ben spent two years in the position of Commander of Canadian Forces Training Systems. Ben could have extended his career by accepting a posting in Europe which would have included a promotion to Major General, however the prospect of having to put up with the political machinations associated with this appointment, something he was congenitally predisposed to detest, convinced him to retire. Accordingly, Ben ended his outstanding military career in 1981, and after receiving the Order of Military Merit, [CMM] the couple moved to Vancouver where Benny started a second career as a stockbroker. This profession proved to be a natural forum for his cock-eyed optimism, and he tackled it with his accustomed vigour. He soon collected a cluster of clients, many of whom were Navy and Air Force friends who flocked to him as much due to the attraction of his magnetic personality as by the promise of riches. Though optimism may not be the most desirable quality in one’s stockbroker, it works wonders in buoying hope, and there’s never been one like Benny to prop up the expectations and morale of his acolytes. Benny loved a party as much as he loved people. By his example, he made us all feel comfortable about not being quite grown up. Stabilised by Sheila’s loving presence, he spread his enthusiasm into everything he touched. A born storyteller, he could keep his audience spellbound by the sheer audacity of his imagination. 6 Benny was always eager to join any activity which included his erstwhile shipmates. He attended all but one of the twentyfive annual Naval Aviators’ Mess Dinners, and presided over three of them. Though Ben played squash at a respectable level in the Navy, his favourite sport was golf; when Bill Park became inspired to incorporate the Goat Hill Classic into an annual week-long event, Ben became its most ardent promoter.

It must be true that luck accompanies people who possess vibrant personalities. It indeed held for Ben and Sheila when they found each other and joined their lives together. Their mutual devotion never faltered. It started in good times and continued through the years when that merciless disease progressively ravaged Benny’s most treasured qualities; his wit, his bonhomie, and his beautiful mind. Benny spent the last two years of his life in Yaletown House on Cambie Street in Vancouver. Sheila continued to take care of his every need and never left his side. As Benny used to tell us, she was his greatest asset. May he rest in peace. We will not see the like of him in our lifetime. Ben is survived by his loving wife, Sheila, his sister Sandra, brother Hugh, daughter Kathryn and three granddaughters. Ben was predeceased by his brothers Fred and Lawrence, by his sister Inge and his daughter, Susan.