No. 428 Squadron RCAF
On 7 Nov 1942, he assumed command of No 428 (RCAF) Squadron, standing up the squadron in No. 4 Group. As the OC, it was noted that "Wing Commander Earle was a grand chap, one who can genuinely be called, 'One of Nature's Gentlemen'. He was well liked by the Canadians and sadly missed when he left on promotion to group captain in February 1943. He flew two operations from Dalton, occupying the astro-dome. He had previously been flying Fairey Gordons in the Middle East (Iraq), and found the Wellington difficult, partly due to his eyesight not liking the English skies, and partly as he was not a tall man." After only three months, he left 428 Bomber Squadron (RCAF) as an acting group captain on 7 Feb 1943, when he was assigned as the station commander of RAF Ridgewell and then RAF West Wickham, late in 1943, then as a temporary group captain. He ended the war as Air Officer Commanding No. 300 Group RAF (RAF Transport Command) in Australia.
No. 428 Squadron RCAF
The eight officers commanding (OCs) of 428 Squadron were: W/C A. Earle (7 November 1942 – 20 February 1943), W/C D. Smith (21 February 1943 – 14 September 1943, POW), W/C W. Suggitt (15 September 1943 – 30 October 1943), W/C D. French (31 October 1943 – 8 May 1944), W/C W. McLeish (9 May 1944 – 7 August 1944), W/C A. Hull (8 August 1944 – 1 January 1945), W/C M. Gall (2 January 1945 – 2 June 1945), and W/C C.M. Black (26 July – 5 September 1945). Gall was in charge of returning the squadron to Canada, while Black was tasked with preparing the squadron for employment against Japan.