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. 119 Squadron RCAF
Originally formed as No. 19 (Bomber) Squadron (Auxiliary) in Hamilton, Ontario, on 15 May 1935, it only began active flying in May 1937. Renumbered No. 119 (Bomber) Squadron on 30 November 1937, with the start of WW2, it converted to voluntary full-time service on 3 September 1939. Soon leaving Hamilton, for RCAF Western Air Command, on 4 January 1940, it moved to Jericho Bay, B.C. for operations from 9 Jan. 1940 to 15 July 1940.