--- title: Avoiding the moonlight description: Flight Lieutenant Joe Monteyne flew 35 missions over Nazi-occupied Europe — his objective? Avoid the moonlight. image: https://blog.aspiralife.ca/hubfs/Our%20Stories-2021/10282021-Veteran%20Story/Joe/RemembranceDay_JOE_BLOGPIX_Oct28_2021_CN.jpg --- CONTACT US **0800 920 2222** Search Sienna [CONTACT US](https://www.aspiralife.ca/contact-us/)     **[1-866-959-4848](tel:+18669594848)** [![Aspira-logo-lockup-RGB](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Aspira%20Logos/Aspira-logo-lockup-RGB.png?width=3368&height=1403&name=Aspira-logo-lockup-RGB.png "Aspira-logo-lockup-RGB")](https://www.aspiralife.ca/) - [Our Locations](https://www.aspiralife.ca/our-locations) - [Find your Local Community](https://www.aspiralife.ca/our-locations) - [Living Options](https://www.aspiralife.ca/living-options) - [Seniors Apartments](https://www.aspiralife.ca/living-options/seniors-apartments/) - [Independent Living](https://www.aspiralife.ca/living-options/independent-living/) - [Assisted Living](https://www.aspiralife.ca/living-options/assisted-living/) - [Respite Care](https://www.aspiralife.ca/living-options/respite-care/) - [Memory Care](https://www.aspiralife.ca/living-options/memory-care/) - [Plan Your Move](https://www.aspiralife.ca/plan-your-move) - [How to Get Started](https://www.aspiralife.ca/plan-your-move/how-to-get-started/) - [Feature Webinars](https://www.aspiralife.ca/Plan-Your-Move/Feature-Webinars) - [Affordable Options](https://www.aspiralife.ca/plan-your-move/affordable-options/) - [FAQs](https://www.aspiralife.ca/plan-your-move/faqs/) - [About Us](https://www.aspiralife.ca/about-us) - [Essence of Aspira](https://www.aspiralife.ca/about-us/essence-of-aspira) - [Our Blogs](https://www.aspiralife.ca/about-us/our-blogs/) - [Leadership Team](https://www.aspiralife.ca/About-Us/Leadership-Team) - [Quality](https://www.aspiralife.ca/About-Us/Quality) Search Sienna ![Aspira-Photo-Hand-Painting-04-LR (2)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/hubfs/Aspira-Photo-Hand-Painting-04-LR%20(2).jpg "Aspira-Photo-Hand-Painting-04-LR (2)") Joe Monteyne always knew he wanted to fly. He was born on the family homestead in Saint Rose, Manitoba in July 1921. - - - [Veteran Stories](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/tag/veteran-stories), [Orchard Valley Retirement Residence](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/tag/orchard-valley-retirement-residence), [British Columbia](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/tag/british-columbia), [Vernon, BC](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/tag/vernon-bc), [WWII](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/tag/wwii) ## Avoiding the moonlight November 8, 2021     ![112020_JOE_OrchardValley-Joe](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Our%20Stories-2021/10282021-Veteran%20Story/Joe/112020_JOE_OrchardValley-Joe.jpg?width=337&height=307&name=112020_JOE_OrchardValley-Joe.jpg)Joe Monteyne always knew he wanted to fly. He was born on the family homestead in Saint Rose, Manitoba in July 1921. His family had a quarter section of land and were not considered wealthy. Every year, they participated in the annual animal farm, bringing livestock with them. Every year, there was a pilot who would give people a ride around the fair for five dollars. “Well, not many people had five dollars for a plane ticket,” Joe said. However, the pilot would stand and speak with him for a few minutes. It was then that Joe became interested in flying. In 1939, war broke out in Europe. In 1942, at the age of 21, Joe joined the Royale Canadian Air Force. “I knew I didn’t want to be in the army or navy,” Joe said, recounting a story from when he was young. He and four friends had tipped a canoe while crossing a creek, and one boy had almost drowned. “It’s silly when I think about it, as we were flying in a heavy bomber, usually 15-thousand feet over the ocean.” Joe completed his initial training in Saskatoon. At the end, 15 officers came together to decide his fate in the military. “They took the control away from you,” Joe said. He’d hoped to be a pilot, but his high marks in math and navigation made him a navigator. After that, Joe was sent overseas and stationed in Yorkshire, England. It was the most Northern English base and was home to the French-Canadian squadron, which Joe joined. Joe said that while the dangers of the war were always known, it hit much harder once they’d landed in England and were all handed their gas masks. ![3897_001-1](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Our%20Stories-2021/10282021-Veteran%20Story/Joe/3897_001-1.jpg?width=400&name=3897_001-1.jpg) Joe and his crew flew 35 missions over Nazi-occupied Europe in a single year. Flights were usually 6-7 hours long. Most of them were flown at night, and over the River Valley in Germany. “We went through a lot of scrapes,” Joe said. Often they’d be in the midst of anti-aircraft fire for an hour before making it to safety. “We went at night and tried to avoid the moon. If we could see them, then they could see us too… It was scary in the sense that if you had any trouble you did not have much time to correct things.” After their 35th mission, Joe and his crew were grounded and granted leave. They had run the maximum number of allowable missions and were due for a long rest. Joe was shipped back to Canada in 1945. It took two weeks to return home. During the journey, the war was declared over. Joe returned home to his family and his girlfriend, Noellie, who was named for being born on Christmas Day. She was a registered nurse and received the Bedside Nursing Medal for her work during the war. They were married in 1947 and had five sons. Meanwhile, Joe went to work in a lumberyard as a lumberman. Five years later, he was transferred to Northern Alberta where he opened and ran one of the yard’s branches. The branch made a profit in its first year, which was unheard of for the company. After retiring, Joe spent his time volunteering. He worked with the cadets, as well as doing taxes for people with low income. For 15 years, he did their taxes for free. His favourite part was running into people later in the year and hearing how they were now getting better monetary supplements because of the work he’d done. ![Joe Monteyne](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Our%20Stories-2021/10282021-Veteran%20Story/Joe/Joe%20Monteyne.jpg?width=400&name=Joe%20Monteyne.jpg) Today, Joe continues to enjoy life at [Orchard Valley Retirement Residence](https://www.siennaliving.ca/retirement/british-columbia/orchard-valley-retirement-residence-sabra) in Vernon, BC. He is working on his memoirs and recently celebrated his 100th birthday at the residence. When asked about his life, he said: “I always worked hard, I think that had a lot to do with \[living to be 100\]. But the war had a big effect on me.”   [![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png)](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.aspiralife.ca%2Flestweforget%2Favoiding-the-moonlight%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.aspiralife.ca%2Flestweforget%2Favoiding-the-moonlight%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) ### Subscribe to Emails ### Popular Stories [Conscripted](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/conscripted) November 05, 2020 [A teenager’s fight for survival: How Aileen Frydrych endured the Holocaust](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/a-teenagers-fight-for-survival-how-aileen-frydrych-endured-the-holocaust) September 27, 2024 [Driving in the darkness to fuel the fight against the Nazis](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/driving-in-the-darkness-to-fuel-the-fight-against-the-nazis) November 03, 2023 [Paula Goldhar: How the youngest of 8 children survived the Holocaust](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/paula-goldhar-how-the-youngest-of-8-children-survived-the-holocaust) September 26, 2024 [A life of service: Remembering Mary, the wartime nurse](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/a-life-of-service-remembering-mary-the-wartime-nurse) September 30, 2024 ### Popular Tags - [Retirement (42)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/retirement) - [Retirement Living (42)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/retirement-living) - [Retirement Residence (26)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/retirement-residence) - [Inspirational Life (19)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/inspirational-life) - [Senior Living Options (18)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/senior-living-options) - [Independent Living (17)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/independent-living) - [Milestone Stories (12)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/milestone-stories) - [Ontario (11)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/ontario) - [Centenarians (10)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/centenarians) - [Awards & Achievements (7)](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/topic/awards-achievements) ### Subscribe to our Blog! ## Related Posts [Veteran Stories](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/tag/veteran-stories) - - - ## [Lest we forget: Honouring our heroes and survivors on Remembrance Day](https://blog.aspiralife.ca/lestweforget/lest-we-forget-honouring-our-heroes-and-survivors-on-remembrance-day) November 8, 2021 We honour the ordinary Canadians who stepped up, fought against tyranny and carried extraordinary burdens, and those who showed incredible resilience... 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