My Great Uncle - D-Day Vet

[wolfslair44]

Friends,

I am trying to find out some information about my great uncle, Doug, a Canadian flying officer who flew for the RCAF/RAF. He successfully completed 41 bombing missions over France and Germany, including on June 6th for the Normandy invasion. Here he is:

http://images.oakville.halinet.on.ca/15754/data

Anyone have any suggestions for trying to track down more information for his missions, etc.?

Many thanks.
Scott

[skypilot]

Your best bet would be to post as much information as possible. Is there anything to give an indication of which squadron(s) he flew with? You mention he flew a mission on D-Day - do you have his log book?

[wolfslair44]

Thanks for your response. Here is his plaque from Juno Beach. Many thanks or any assistance.

[AB64]

Your in luck, I've been researching a Canadian Air Gunner in 158 squadron at around (and have reviosuly researched a Canadian pilot killed around then with them) that time so have the squadron ORBs - I checked the night of 6-7 June Sgt A D Hitchcox R179631 is there flying with pilot R E Johnson - 5 of the crew are Canadian but the pilot and flight engineer are British. Chateaudun was their target that night.

I also have the Squadron history but he doesnt get a mention, his pilot gets a few - the first relating to a raid just after D-Day when they were hit by flak and the rear gunner killed.

I'll dig through and see if I can get a full list of his missions for you

Alistair

[AB64]

I've had a look - I have the ORBs from January to July 1944 - your Great Uncle started flying Ops in May so I have the first 3 months of his flying but it goes on past my records so I can only give about half of the Operations he flew - I have

10-11 May Lens
11-12 May Colline Beaumont
12-13 May Hasselt
19-20 May Boulogne
5-6 June Maisy
6-7 June Chateaudun
7-8 June Versailles – flak damage in Paris area RG (Cowans) killed
24-25 June Le Grand Rosignol
27 June Mimoyecques
28 June Wizernes
30 June Villers Bocage
1 July Oisemont
4 July Domleger
6 July Mimoyecques
7 July Caen
14-15 July Les Landes
18 July Caen
20-21 July Aardouval
23-24 July Les Catelliers
24-25 July Stuttgart
25-26 July Wanne Eickel
28 July Foret de Nieppe
30 July Normandy battle area

His crew started as

pilot - R166157 R W Johnson RCAF
Nav - R179631 A D Hitchcox RCAF
Air Bomber – R86134 L E Cuthbert RCAF
W/op – R110960 W N Wright RCAF
MUG - R208164 H J Walker RCAF
R G – R202749 W Cowans RCAF
F/E - ? N A Moyse

So all but the Flight Engineer were RCAF - I believe Canada didnt have a training programme for F/E's (at least til late on) so they were basically provided from the RAF. As mentioned earlier the Rear Gunner was killed by flak so for later operations J Jackson came in - the rest of the crew were ever present - at least in the Ops I have.

It may be worth going to the RAFCOMMANDs forum and asking as someone on there will probably be able to provide the rest - I'd imagine he continues til September/October.

Cheers

Alistair

[AB64]

Slight correction, it should be Gowans not Cowans as the rear gunner who was killed - there is a photo of him, his grave and his funeral here

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collec...photos/2666857

I guess its his crew with the coffin

Alistair

[grndevil44]

probably did this already but did you try vetrans affairs canada? being a relative you would be able to get his service record, have to check the Villers Bocage attack on June 30th, not sure if this was the same attack that destroyed Michael Wittmans tank (he survived this), my book is not to hand right at the moment

[AB64]

This page has a bit about Gowans funeral http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/B...ns/topics/5175

Alistair

[wolfslair44]

probably did this already but did you try vetrans affairs canada? being a relative you would be able to get his service record, have to check the Villers Bocage attack on June 30th, not sure if this was the same attack that destroyed Michael Wittmans tank (he survived this), my book is not to hand right at the moment

Alistair - Many thanks, that is outstanding. Anything else you may come across, I would be grateful for any additional information.

Grndvl - If you do look at your records re: Villers Bocage and Wittman, that would be some fascinating information if his bombing raid was involved in a hit on Wittman's tank (or in his formation).

Thanks for all your assistance.
Scott

[grndevil44]

my mistake, June 30 raid was in support of Operation Epsom, I found this bit on Wikipedia

quote...

Bombing and liberation[edit]

Just over two weeks later, at 20:30 hours on 30 June, Villers-Bocage was bombed again by 266 bombers (151 Lancasters, 105 Halifaxes and 10 Mosquitos) from No. 3 Group RAF, No. 4 Group RAF and No. 8 Group RAF, in support of Operation Epsom. 1,100 tons of bombs fell for the loss of only two aircraft.[185][186][187] The town was a vital traffic centre for the German forces and it was hoped that German troops would be caught in the bombing, but only French civilians were present at the time.[185]
After being severely damaged by the fighting of 13 June and subsequent bombing raids, the town was finally liberated by a patrol of the 1st Battalion Dorset Regiment, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, on 4 August 1944.[188]


I would cross check the dates and raids on the net eg. date/city/bombing, I looked at the Caen raids there is some info, will look more, very interesting, my Mums Uncle was a Lancaster Tail gunner, I just cant imagine what they went through

the two Caen raids were in support of Operation Epsom and then Goodwood

[wolfslair44]

Alistair,

A sidenote to your research. I understand from my aunt that she and my uncle Doug visited with H.J. "Bill" Walker (noted in the logbooks as part of the crew) after the war. Walker lived in North Bay (northern Ontario) after the war and married. The Walkers had a son and named him Gowan in honour of the killed rear-gunner.

My uncle's son has a photocopy of the flight log from June 7th only which says "lost Gowie". I am having him send me a copy and will post.

[Military Antiques Toronto]

Wow, some outstanding research, this story is really coming together. The missions in Normandy are particularly intriguing to me, just looking at all of those infamous names that live on in Canadian history.

Dave.

[wolfslair44]

Flight Log - June '44

Here it is. I don't know if you guys can open this, but I can only save it as a PDF. It shows his Flight Log records in June '44, including D-Day, and in the early morning hours on June 7th when they lost their rear-gunner (as noted with 'Lost Gowie').

[peter monahan]

Fabulous story and research! Well done to everyone who chipped in - this is why forums like this one are worth visiting!

Peter

[wolfslair44]

Returned from the 70th Anniversary in Normandy. A very humbling experience. A salute to the brave veterans, on all sides, who heroically fell. RIP.