Flight Sergeant Douglas Seaman Cameron—Accidentally Killed January 3, 1943

 Douglas Seaman Cameron was born at Aspen, Guysborough County, on June 18, 1917, the oldest of George Leibert and Alma (McKeen) Cameron’s five children. Douglas was a direct descendant of Dougal Alistair Cameron, born at Kilmallie, Argyllshire, Scotland, on June 18, 1786. Dougal immigrated to Nova Scotia between 1825 and 1835, and was head of one of Cameron Settlement’s founding families.

Flight Sergeant Douglas Seaman Cameron

Among Dougal’s children was a son, John Dougal “Short John,” born at Fort William, Lochaber, Scotland, in 1827 or 1828. John Dougal accompanied his father to Nova Scotia. At the time of the 1871 Canadian census, he was residing at Caledonia, Guysborough County. Later records identify his place of residence at Forks of St. Marys. John Dougal passed away at Aspen in 1892, and was laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetery.

John Dougal’s son, Dougal/Dougald Archibald “Archie,” was born at Caledonia or Aspen on October 15, 1864. Archie married Margaret Isabelle “Maggie” McDonald, daughter of Hugh and Catherine McDonald, Lochaber, on June 11, 1894. Archie and Maggie’s oldest child, George Leibert, was born at Aspen, Guysborough County, the following year.

On October 27, 1916, Leibert married Alma Margaret McKeen, daughter of Samuel and Eliza McKeen, Aspen. While Alma’s family also traces its roots to the British Isles, her ancestors followed a much longer and different route before arriving in Nova Scotia. The family’s North American pioneer, John McKeen, was born at Londonderry, Ireland, in December 1700 and immigrated to the American colonies with his family, arriving at Boston Massachusetts, on August 4, 1718.

Around 1741, John married Martha Cargill at East Darby, New Hampshire. The couple eventually settled close to the mouth of the Connecticut River—across Long Island Sound from Long Island, New York—where four of the couple’s five children were born. John established a shipping and supply company that operated routes to Boston, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and St. John, New Brunswick.

In 1760, the family relocated to Truro, where they were among the community’s earliest settlers. John and two of his sons—William and John Jr.—were also “grantees” of the township established there, receiving adjoining lots. At the time, the community consisted of 60 families. John Sr. and his wife Martha both passed away at Truro on the same day—December 30, 1767—and were laid to rest in the old Presbyterian Cemetery.

Following his father’s passing, John Jr. assumed operation of his supply vessel. He married twice—first to Rachel Johnson, a marriage that resulted in the birth of three sons and two daughters, and then to Rachel (Duncan) Archibald, a union that produced one son. John Jr. made frequent trips to St. Marys, NS, where four of his sons—John, Samuel, Adam and William—eventually settled, along with his brother David and sister Margaret.

After his second wife’s passing, John Jr. moved to St. Marys, where he resided with his youngest son William until his passing.  Born at Truro on September 13, 1857, William married Catherine Kirk, daughter of William and Catherine (McDonald) Kirk, Pictou, and established residence on “McKeen Hill,” Aspen, where the couple raised a family of 15 children.

One of William and Catherine’s children was a son, Samuel G. McKeen, born on May 26, 1825. Samuel G. married Margaret Taylor McKeen, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Glencross) McKeen, in 1852. Samuel G. and Margaret’s son, Samuel Thomas, was born at Melrose around 1865. Samuel Thomas married Elizabeth “Eliza Bessie” Carthew and raised a family of three children—two sons, Clarence and William, and a daughter, Margaret “Alma.”

Alma McKeen married George Leibert Cameron in a ceremony held at East River St. Marys on October 27, 1916. The couple’s first child, Douglas Seaman, was born at Aspen the following year. A daughter, Olive Mildred, joined the household on February 14, 1919. At the time of the 1921 Canadian census, the family of four was living at Aspen, with Leibert’s occupation listed as “farmer.” His parents, Dougal and Margaret Cameron, resided next door.

Sometime shortly after 1921, the Cameron family relocated to Iroquois Falls, ON, where Leibert went to work for Abitibi Power and Paper Company. Established in 1914, its Iroquois Falls plant quickly became a major supplier of newsprint to the Canadian market. Three more children were born after the couple’s move to Iroquois Falls—sons George Bruce (YOB 1924) and John Leibert “Jack” (DOB May 31,1932) and a daughter Margaret (YOB 1933).

Douglas Seaman Cameron attended Iroquois Public School from 1924 to 1934 and went on to complete two years of studies at Iroquois Falls High School. Upon leaving school in 1936, he commenced employment at Abitibi Power and Paper, but left in 1938 because the “paper mill began running short time.”

Douglas then secured a job as a “diamond driller” [miner] with Pamour Gold Mines, Iroquois Falls, but left the position after 18 months because the “paper mill began to run full time.” During his employment underground with Pamour, Douglas was “hit on [the] left temple with [a] wrench.” The employment record in his service file provided further details:

“Knocked over but not unconscious. No headache or nausea following this. X-ray negative for fracture. Off work (underground) for four weeks but not confined to bed or house at all.”

In mid-1939, Douglas returned to work at Abitibi Power and Paper. In late September 1940, he submitted an application to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), requesting a “flying duties” assignment. At the time, Douglas made reference to participating in a school cadets program, particularly pins that he earned “for shooting.”

On October 19, Douglas completed an interview at an RCAF Recruitment Centre at North Bay. The interviewer provided a brief assessment of his suitability for service: “Bright… seems very willing, should be o.k. after some training for air gunner.” Douglas returned to Iroquois Falls for several months before attesting with the RCAF at Hamilton, ON, on January 29, 1941, with an initial rank of Aircraftman Class II. Two days later, he departed for Brandon, MB, for basic training.

Douglas returned to Toronto, ON, in early March and remained there until April 20, when he was assigned to No. 5 Equipment Depot, Moncton, NB. He spent three months at the depot, awaiting orders to resume his courses.

On July 20, Douglas commenced wireless operator training at No. 1 Wireless School, Montreal, QC. After successfully completed the course, he was promoted to the rank of Leading Aircraftman on August 21. Douglas remained in Montreal throughout the autumn months, logging flying time and completing additional ground training courses. During that time, he placed 44th in a class of 139 recruits, with an overall grade of 81 %, and received authorization to wear a Wireless Operator’s badge.

On December 7, Douglas was “taken on strength” at No. 1 Bomber & Gunnery School, Jarvis, ON, for the final Canadian phase of his training. Over the next four weeks, he completed ground training courses, placing 32nd in a class of 50 cadets. Douglas also logged approximately 10 hours’ flying time, earning a grade of 77.7 % and placing 21st in his air training assessment. His performance warranted an “above average” rating. One instructor commented that he was “[a] hard worker, attentive at all times. Eager to make good.” Another described Douglas as “[a] popular man, reliable and trustworthy.”

Douglas earned his Air Gunner’s badge on January 3, 1942, and was promoted to the rank of Temporary Sergeant with pay. Three days later, he received two weeks’ embarkation leave and likely returned home for a visit. In mid-January, Douglas was attached to No. 3 Y Depot, Debert, NS, where he awaited orders to depart for overseas. He left Halifax on January 24, 1942, and arrived in the United Kingdom two weeks later.

On February 10, Douglas reported to No. 3 Personnel Centre, Bournemouth, UK. One month later, he “remustered” as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Class 2, and was assigned to No. 1 Signals School for further training on March 17, 1942. He then proceeded to No. 3 (O) Air Observers School on May 11, and commenced the final phase of his overseas training at No. 3 Radio School on June 10.

Having successfully completed the requirements for active duty, Douglas was promoted to the rank of Temporary Flight Sergeant on July 5. Following a 12-day leave at mid-month, he departed for No. 5 (C) Operational Training Unit (OTU), Turnberry, Scotland, on July 28.

OTUs provided RCAF personnel with their first opportunity to train aboard the aircraft in which they would serve. Air crews were also assembled at this stage, allowing the men to form a cohesive team during training before entering active service. Douglas’s crew mates were all Canadians—Pilot Sgt. Gilmar Innis Morrison, Vancouver, BC; Navigator Pilot Officer Thomas Harold O’Neil, Hamilton, ON;  and Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Sgt. George Ernest Walker, Outremont, QC.

On September 22, 1942, the crew was assigned to a Torpedo Training Unit located at Abbotsinch, UK. One month later, the four men proceeded to 201 Group for active service. Formed in September 1939 from the Royal Air Force’s Middle East General Reconnaissance Group, the unit was responsible for coastal surveillance and provided vital information to strategic and tactical Allied units during the 1942 North African campaign.

On January 1, 1943, Douglas and his crew mates were attached to No. 39 Squadron, an active operating unit, for torpedo training. A regular bombing squadron at the time of the war’s outbreak, No. 39 Squadron was posted to the Mediterranean theatre in the spring of 1940 and transitioned to a maritime reconnaissance and anti-shipping role.

Following Italy’s entry into the war, No. 39’s aircraft conducted several bombing raids in Italian East Eritrea, after which its crews converted to operating Bristol Beaufort torpedo-bombers in August 1941. The Squadron’s personnel participated in anti-shipping operations for the remainder of the year and conducted their first torpedo attack on enemy shipping in late January 1942.

While No. 39 took part in a mid-June 1942 attack on the Italian battle fleet, its primary duties were mine-laying sorties and torpedo attacks on enemy shipping. Later that year, the Squadron provided support for Operation Torch—the allied invasion of North Africa. Briefly located in Egypt during the autumn and winter of 1942-43, the Squadron mainly operated out of the island of Malta until February 1943.

Two days after joining No. 39 Squadron—January 3, 1943—Douglas’s crew climbed aboard Beaufort DW 825 for a routine torpedo-training exercise in the Gulf of Suez, southwest of Cairo, Egypt, with HMS Arpha—a British naval vessel—playing the role of “target ship.” Documents in Douglas’s service file provide details on the subsequent events. A “Report on Flying Accident or Forced Landing Not Attributable to Enemy Action” states:

“This was the pilot’s first trip since completing a short torpedo course at Abbotsinch. He was detailed to complete two circuits and bumps prior to re-accustoming himself to flying low over the seas in the Low Flying Area. He was briefed not to fly dangerously low, not to attack the target or other shipping, and not to carry out any steep turns over the water.”

At approximately, 10:50 am, “a muffled explosion was heard and a Beaufort was observed about two miles from the ship flying close to the sea, and apparently in difficulties.” The aircraft plunged into the sea, prompting HMS Alpha and a nearby RAF launch to immediately proceed to the crash site. One crew member—Pilot Sgt. G I. Morrison—“was picked up alive, but badly injured. [Navigator] P/O O’Neil was picked up dead. The remaining two crew members [wireless operators/air gunners] were not located.” Sgt. Morrison was rushed to 13th General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.

The Report, dated the same day as the incident, proceeded to assess possible reasons why the aircraft struck the water:

“This may have been caused (1) by engine or other failure[,] but as the aircraft completed a satisfactory sortie prior to this sortie and was a most dependable aircraft, this is thought unlikely. (2) An error of judgement by the Pilot in that he completely misjudged his height or flew dangerously low, or (3) He failed to screw his throttles up and they slipped back[,] causing the aircraft to sink and hit the water.”

Wing Commander A. M. Taylor, who compiled the report, stated that he considered number two “the most likely reason” for the accident. Station Commander G. M. Knocker agreed, commenting:

“The pilot Sgt. Morrison came out to M. E. [The Mediterranean Expeditionary Force] by Sea and West Coast air route. Instructions have been given that in future pilots reporting straight to 5 METS [Meteorological Squadron] who have not flown aircraft out are to do at least two hours local flying before recommencing low flying [training] over the sea.”

Pilot Sgt. Morrison and Navigator Pilot Officer O’Neil were laid to rest in Suez War Memorial Cemetery, Suez, Egypt. The remains of the other two crew members—Wireless Operators/Air Gunners Sgt. George Ernest Walker and Douglas Seaman Cameron—were never recovered.

On October 29, 1943, Leibert Cameron received an official RCAF casualty notification telegram, informing him that his son Douglas, “previously reported ‘missing’ believed killed 3-Jan-43 as a result of a flying accident (overseas) (operations over the Gulf of Suez, Egypt) [is] now ‘presumed dead’ 3-Jan-43 for official purposes.” A subsequent letter from RCAF Records Officer T. K. McDougall, dated October 18, 1944, informed Leibert that Douglas has been posthumously promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant, effective July 5, 1942.

Flight Sergeant Douglas Seaman Cameron’s name is engraved on the Alamein Memorial, located at the entrance to Alamein War Cemetery, Alamein, Egypt. The Land Forces panel contains the names of 8,500 military personnel who died in the Mediterranean theatre and have no known graves. The Air Forces panel displays the names of more than 3,000 Commonwealth airmen who died during Mediterranean operations and have no known final resting place.

Photograph of Flight Sergeant Douglas Seaman Cameron courtesy of Brenda (Cameron) & Pat Britton, Iroquois Falls, ON. Genealogical information on the McKeens of Aspen courtesy of Gerry & Melodie (McKeen) Madigan, Shubenacadie East, NS. Genealogical information on Douglas's Cameron ancestors courtesy of David Brown, Lochaber, NS.

Private Edward James McIntosh—Died of Illness December 24, 1942

Edward James “Ted” McIntosh was born at Stillwater, Guysborough County, on November 29, 1898, the fifth of William and Olive (Hingley) McIntosh’s eight children and the third oldest of their six sons. As was common at the time, Ted left school at age 10 to work on the family farm and in the local woods.

Pte. Edward "Ted" McIntosh's 193rd Battalion Portrait

 Following the outbreak of the First World War, military recruiters initially focused their recruitment efforts on Nova Scotia’s larger communities. In the spring of 1916, however, efforts to raise a Nova Scotia Highland Brigade consisting of four battalions—85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders), 185th (Cape Breton Highlanders), 193rd and 219th—significantly impacted rural areas of the province. For the first time since the war’s outbreak, military recruiters visited such Guysborough County locations as Sherbrooke, Canso and Guysborough town, in search of volunteers.

Many of the province’s young men were enticed into enlisting with the Highland Brigade, and young Ted McIntosh was no exception. On July 7, 1916, Ted attested for overseas service with the 193rd Battalion at Camp Aldershot, NS. He was almost five months shy of his eighteenth birthday at the time, and listed his occupation as “lumberman.”

Ted departed for overseas with the 193rd aboard SS Olympic on October 12, 1916. Also on board the vessel were the three other Nova Scotia Highland Brigade battalions. Shortly after arriving in the United Kingdom, two of the Brigade’s units—the 193rd and the 219th Battalions—were dissolved and their members dispersed to other units or branches of military service.

Four days prior to departing Halifax, a medical examination revealed that Ted had “flat feet.” This diagnosis, perhaps combined with his young age and pre-service occupation, resulted in a decision to transfer him to the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC). On January 17, 1917, Ted was “taken on strength” at CFC Base Depot, Sunningdale, where he remained for almost four months before being assigned to duty at CFC Headquarters. On December 1, 1917, Ted was posted to No. 53 District CFC’s “Tech. Warehouse” at Egham, where he served for two and a half months.

With a new fighting season fast approaching and Allied commanders anticipating a major German offensive, military authorities combed the ranks of non-combat units, in search of infantry reinforcements. In mid-February 1918, Ted was transferred to the 17th (Nova Scotia) Reserve Battalion. Stationed at Camp Bramshott, UK, the unit provided infantry reinforcements for the 25th (Nova Scotia Rifles) and 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders) Battalions serving at the front.

On April 7, 1918, Ted was assigned to the 85th Battalion and immediately proceeded to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Centre (CCRC) in France. Five weeks later, he left CCRC for the forward area on May 14 and joined his new unit in the field the following day. Ted remained at the front with the 85th throughout the final months of the war, as its soldiers participated in the “100 Days” campaign that brought fighting to an end.

The Allied offensive commenced with the Battle of Amiens (August 8 - 11) and continued for three months. In early September, the 85th was involved in the “Scarpe Operation” near Arras, during which Allied forces broke through the famous German Hindenburg defensive line and advanced toward the strategic city of Cambrai. Ted’s unit saw particularly intense action at Bourlon Wood and Canal du Nord in late September, and was among the Canadian units that pursued retreating German forces into Belgium in early November.

Ted remained with the 85th throughout these events, an experience that exposed the 19-year-old to some of the war’s most fierce fighting. Following the November 11, 1918 Armistice, the 85th remained in Belgium until early May 1919, when the unit returned to the United Kingdom. At month’s end, its soldiers boarded HMT Adriatic for the journey home and arrived in Halifax on June 7. Eight days later, Ted was formally discharged from military service and returned to the Sherbrooke area.

One of Ted’s older brothers, Donald Murdock McIntosh, also served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Canada. Drafted under the Military Service Act (1917) at Halifax on March 25, 1918, Donald was “struck off strength” at Camp Aldershot, NS, on September 17, 1918. He remained in the Halifax area, where he married Margaret Winnifred Kelly, daughter of George and Laura (Fulton) Kelly, Caledonia, in a ceremony held at 317 Barrington St., on December 5, 1919.

In June 1922, Donald emigrated to the United States and Margaret followed shortly afterward. They initially resided in Waltham, MA, where Donald’s half-brother, John William McIntosh—a child from William McIntosh’s 1879 marriage to Catherine Leslie—resided. One year later, the couple relocated to Everett, MA, where Donald was hired as shipping foreman at a newly-opened Beacon Oil Company distillation plant. The site contained 20 still houses for processing crude oil and 10 storage tanks that held 400,000 gallons of gasoline and inflammable by-products.

On February 10, 1928, a low-pressure vaporizer located in one of the still houses exploded, triggering a series of smaller explosions. Donald was working at the time of the incident, only minutes from the end of his shift. A contemporary news item in the Boston Herald describes his actions in the immediate aftermath of the blast:

“[McIntosh was] in charge of the valves which fed the scores of huge tanks which covered the 100-acre lot of the company. As the first half dozen stills and tanks blew up, McIntosh, terribly burned and suffering intensely, turned his back on the single opening where he might crawl for safety and be rescued[,]… deliberately crawled on his hands and knees through a wall of solid flame and shut off each of the valves of the other tens of huge tanks. Had these valves not been shut off[,] the entire city of Everett, Mass., would have been blown to bits, [an] explosive expert…states…. The State Fire Mashal, Neal, told The Herald’s correspondent the result of the explosion, had not McIntosh shut off the score of valves, would have been the greatest catastrophe in the history of New England.”

One of Donald’s co-workers, John J. Thompson, survived the explosion and recalled his last glimpse of his “old pal”:

“We watched him, begging, pleading and crying for him to come back…. You see, he realized, he knew what he was doing and he didn’t stop to think…. As we shrieked like crazy men, he just turned with the faintest of smiles on his face and waved his hand. Then he went through that wall of flame, hellish searing fire of burning oil and we never saw him alive again.”

Later that evening, Donald’s remains were discovered in the ruins and identified by a ruby ring he always wore. At least 13 other co-workers were reported killed in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, with several others still missing. Donald was survived by his wife, Margaret, and a four-year-old daughter, Dorothy.

After returning to civilian life in Sherbrooke, Ted quickly established a reputation as an experienced outdoorsman. An unpublished local history compiled by the Sherbrooke Women’s Institute states that Ted, a “popular guide,” set a record for a daily catch on April 16, 1942—the first day of the year’s angling season—landing “five salmon weighing from 16 to 23 pounds each.” The following year, a record catch of 1,005 salmon was landed along the river.

Ted with trapped wild cat pelts

The abundant stock created a valuable seasonal source of employment for local guides. Visiting anglers made their way by train to Antigonish, where they arranged for ground transportation to Melrose, Waternish or Sherbrooke. Employment information in his Second World War service file states that Ted worked for 30 years as a guide along the St. Mary’s River.

At that time, commercially-produced salmon fishing accessories were virtually non-existent. As a result, local fishers and guides were constantly on the lookout for materials that could be used to make salmon flies. Jack Anderson, a long-time Sherbrooke merchant, recalled that the tobacco cans common in the area during the pre-war years came with a pull-tab top, “very much like a sardine can. The top was very, very thin. I remember Ted McIntosh picking’ up… tobacco-can covers he’d find around the country and takin’ scissors and slicing’ that off in little thin strips to get tinfoil for salmon-fly bodies.” Deer hair strands from white, grey, brown and black buck-tails were used to create the final product, attached to a manufactured hook. Ted’s brother Dan is credited with developing and perfecting the popular “MacIntosh salmon fly.”

Ted MacIntosh fishing the St. Marys River

Jack Anderson also recalled that the five McIntosh brothers—Arch, Alex, Clarence, Dan and Ted—“all did some guiding. Perhaps the most famous of the five was Dan. They spent all their time on the river and were very accomplished salmon fishermen… from the late 1920s up… until the late 1970s.” During that time, the river’s abundant fish stock attracted recreational fishers from near and far. Jack described one such party that consisted of “an American doctor who was born near here [and]… a friend of his by the name of… Charlie Am. They were great Yankee ball fans, and this particular year, they brought Babe Ruth up with them on a fishing trip.”

Jack described an incident that occurred while the trio were fishing on the river:

“[O]ne day they were fishing… at the Flat Rock Pool. The river was very high early in the spring, Dan [McIntosh] was there, and Babe Ruth was sitting in the center of the punt, fishing away. Babe, I think, leaned too far over to one side and over he went, plunk-o, into the river. Now Babe Ruth was a very big man at that time. I would say he weighed two hundred and thirty or forty pounds, maybe. Dan, he was a kind of small little fellow who could curl up on the back seat of the punt and haul his legs underneath him. He got a hold of Babe by the scruff of the neck when Babe was going’ by him in the current. Well, Babe wasn’t able to crawl in over the side of the punt because the side boards on them were only about nine inches. And Dan wasn’t able to haul him over it at that stage, wet clothes and all. So the situation ended up that Dan had to hold onto Babe with one hand, pull up the anchor rope, and pole the boat ashore with [the other] hand. Eventually he made it and after he rolled him around in the rocks there a little bit, he made it up to the car. He had quite a stay here that time, and he went back to New York with a dozen or so cans of Pictou Twist [a popular local chewing tobacco brand to which Babe took a liking] and a dozen big salmon. But the salmon, I don’t think he ever caught one himself.”

The interest in the outdoors appears to have run in the family. Like his five sons, William McIntosh was an accomplished salmon fisher. While census records consistently listed his occupation as “farmer,” William’s September 26, 1922 death certificate gives his last source of employment as “guide” and identifies his former occupation as “guide and fishing.”

Ted also turned his hand to several other trades. He was a skilled welder, and his Second World War enlistment papers identify his occupation at the time as “pipe fitter.” He also expressed an interest in pursuing training as an “electrician.” The wide range of Ted’s skills is impressive, particularly considering his lack of formal training.

Ted remained a bachelor well into his 30s. On August 18, 1936, he married Anna Beulah Jack, daughter of William F. and Nora (Coles) Jack, Sonora. Over the ensuing years, five children joined the MacIntosh household—James Calvin, Dorothy Ann, Margaret, Clara Bonita and Helen Viola.

The outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 no doubt stirred memories in the minds of First World War veterans like Ted. While recruiters told the “old soldiers” that their age made overseas service impossible, many were determined to serve their country in some capacity. Their persistence eventually persuaded the Canadian government to put their military experience to use.

In May 1940, the federal government established the Veterans’ Home Guard, later renamed the Veterans’ Guard of Canada (VGC). Modelled on the British Home Guard, the organization was initially created as a defensive force against a possible German—and later Japanese—attack on Canadian soil.

The VGC was organized into numbered Companies of 250 men, and included both active and reserve units. Active Companies served full-time at various locations across the country, while Reserve Companies fulfilled roles similar to militia units, training in the area where their personnel resided. At its peak in June 1943, a total of 451 Officers and 9,806 other ranks were on active service with the VGC.

One of the primary duties assigned to VGC active units was guard duty at prisoner of war and internment camps established across the country during the war. Other units protected military property on Canadian soil. The vast majority remained in Canada, although several companies were dispatched to British colonies for specific duties and one was attached to Canadian Military Headquarters, London, UK.

By late 1942, Ted was head of a household consisting of a wife and five young children. Despite these family obligations, he felt compelled to serve his country in its time of need. On December 7, 1942, Ted travelled to New Glasgow NS, and enlisted for active duty with the VGC, No. 6 District Depot, Canadian Army. A medical examination conducted after his enlistment reported only one minor issue—an “injury to left ankle in 1934. Ankle weak after walking long distance.” Otherwise, Ted displayed no significant health issues at the time.

Ted spent the next two weeks settling into the VGC routine. On December 23, he was granted five days’ Christmas leave and returned home to Sherbrooke. His service file makes no reference to any health concerns prior to his departure. The day after his leave commenced—December 24, 1942—Ted passed away suddenly at home.

Available documents suggest some confusion as to the cause of death. A casualty notification in his service file states: “Cause not known. Investigation under way.” Subsequent documents provide different assessments as to the reason for Ted’s passing. A “circumstances of casualty” form identifies “acute bronchitis and laryngitis” as the cause, while a “Report on Death of a Soldier” gives “myocarditis” (inflammation of the heart muscle) as the reason. An obituary published in a local newspaper informed readers that the “well-known guide of St. Mary’s River… died of pneumonia.” The official province of Nova Scotia death certificate combined factors mentioned above, attributing the main cause of death to myocarditis, while listing acute bronchitis and laryngitis as contributing factors. Ted’s younger brother, Archibald “Archie”, was the informant.

Pte. Edward James McIntosh was laid to rest “with full military honours” in Waternish Cemetery. Ted was survived by his wife Beulah and his five young children, brothers Archie (Sherbrooke), Alex (Ecum Secum), Dan (Sherbrooke) and Clarence (Dartmouth), and sisters Sarah C. Lowe (Dartmouth) and Laura MacInnis (Dartmouth). On August 7, 1943—almost eight months after Ted’s passing— Beulah gave birth to a sixth child, a son Edward Roy “Eddie” McIntosh.

Ted’s nephew, Burns—a son of his older brother Archibald Henry “Arch”—also enlisted for service during the Second World War. After training at New Glasgow, Camp Borden and Aldershot, Burns proceeded to the United Kingdom. He served with the Canadian Army in Italy, where he was wounded twice. Transferred to the Carleton & York Regiment following his recovery, Burns saw action in France, Belgium and Holland before returning home to Canada, having risen to the rank of Sergeant. After his discharge, Burns found employment with the Canadian Veneer Co., Saint John, NB. He later retired to New Glasgow, NS, where he spent his final years.

NOTE: Ted’s family surname was consistently spelled “McIntosh” in all available Canadian census documents (up to 1921) and throughout his First and Second World War military service records. Most family descendants adopted the spelling “MacIntosh” during subsequent years.

Special thanks to Mae MacIntosh, Sherbrooke, NS, and Michelle Wilmott, Calgary, AB, who provided information on the McIntosh family, particularly the lives of Ted’s brothers Donald and Dan, and the family’s connections to the recreational salmon fishery. Thanks as well to Sherbrooke Village for providing a salmon fishing photograph of Ted from the John Cameron Collection.

Merchant Seaman Roderick James Gillis—Perished at Sea November 7, 1942

 Roderick James “Rod” Gillis was born at Mulgrave, Guysborough County, on August 7, 1913, the sixth of Neil McLean and Mary Elizabeth “Eliza” (Hayes) Gillis’s 10 children. Neil, the son of Roderick and Catherine (McLean) Gillis, was born at McPherson’s Ferry, Richmond County, on December 5, 1873. The small community was the Cape Breton terminus for one of three ferries crossing the Strait of Canso by mid-19th century, with its mainland terminus located at Steep Creek, near Mulgrave. Each operation consisted of a small barge capable of transporting a horse and wagon across the Strait.

Brothers Rod (left) and Alec Gillis

 

Rod’s mother, Eliza Hayes, was born at Lower River Inhabitants, Richmond County, on September 24, 1883, the daughter of John William and Catherine Anne (Cloake) Hayes. Neil and Eliza were married at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Port Hawkesbury, on October 27, 1901.

The couple’s four oldest children were born in Richmond County. Around 1911, the family relocated to Mulgrave, where Neil initially worked as a deck hand on the SS Scotia, the first steam-powered train ferry to cross the Strait and the mainstay of the operation during the last century’s early years.  

By 1921, Neil had advanced to the position of CNR ferry operations manager at Mulgrave. According to that year’s Canadian census, the Gillis household consisted of five girls—Annie, Ida, Tena, Stella and Margaret—and two boys—Rod and his younger brother, William Alexander “Alec,” known to friends as “Sam.” Three years later, the couple's sixth daughter, Nora Bernadette, joined the family. Sadly, two of Neil and Eliza’s children—a son, Harold George, and a daughter, Hilda Catherine—had passed away in infancy in 1919 and 1920 respectively.

Rod attended school in the local community and according to a later news item was active in the local sports scene. Family sources recall that he initially worked on the railway, a major employer in the local community. However, born and raised in a small port with strong connections to the ocean, Rod eventually settled on a career at sea.

Mulgrave Hockey Club—Alec (far left) and Rod (goalie)

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Rod enlisted with the Canadian merchant marine. A report at the time of his passing claimed that he “had sailed on a number of ships[,]… visited many distant parts of the world and had been torpedoed a number of times” during his first three years at sea aboard merchant vessels. Unfortunately, no documentation is available to support these statements.

The war overseas also had an impact on Rod’s younger brother Alec, who enlisted with the Royal Canadian Artillery and served at Halifax for a period of time. By late 1942, Alec had relocated to the United Kingdom, where he continued to train in preparation for an eventual Allied invasion of the European continent.

By the autumn of 1942, Rod was serving as a “fireman and trimmer” aboard SS Roxby, a 4,252-ton steam merchant vessel built at Stockton-on-Tees, UK, in 1923. Around that time, an undated article from an unidentified Nova Scotian newspaper reported “the safe arrival at a Scottish port after an uneventful voyage of Rod Gillis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Gillis, Mulgrave….” The item went on to note that Rod’s brother Alec was also “in the old country, and Rod hopes to meet up with him, when and if opportunity offers.” In fact, the two brothers did meet and posed for a photograph before Rod set out on the perilous voyage back to Canada.

The Roxby departed the British Isles as part of Convoy ON-142 (outward, northbound) in early November 1942. As convoys proceeded across the North Atlantic, it was not uncommon for older, slower vessels to lag behind the main group. These “stragglers” were prime targets for German U-boats. In the case of Convoy ON-142, two vessels—SS Glenlea and SS Roxby—were unable to keep pace with their counterparts as the convoy proceeded westward.

At 14.46 hours November 7, 1942, the German U-boat U566 surfaced and struck the Glenlea with a torpedo north of the Azores. The vessel sank and its crew abandoned ship. The U-boat surfaced, took its Master prisoner, and transported him to Brest, France, where he became a prisoner of war. While three crewmen and one gunner were rescued by a Norwegian merchant vessel three weeks later, 39 crew members and five gunners from the Glenlea perished during or after the vessel’s sinking.

The U-boat “wolf pack” continued to pursue the second straggler. At 15.40 hours November 7, 1942, U-613 surfaced and fired two torpedoes at the Roxby. One of the missiles struck the target, approximately 670 miles north of the Azores. Within 30 minutes, the vessel slipped beneath the water. Its Master, George Robison, 10 crew members and two gunners were rescued by the merchant vessel Irish Beach after two weeks at sea and safely transported to St. John’s, NL. The remaining members of the Roxby’s crew were not so fortunate. A total of 28 men and five gunners perished in the sinking, while the ship’s first radio officer died of exposure in a lifeboat and was buried at sea on November 11, 1942.

Roderick James Gillis was among the 28 crew members lost at sea. According to a family source, the ship’s Master later wrote to his parents, stating that Rod was asleep below deck when the torpedo struck. A contemporary news report indicated that the majority of fatalities occurred “when an explosion shook [the crew’s] quarters.” The article went on to state that Rod had perished on his 12th voyage across the Atlantic since joining the merchant marine.

Rod’s name is inscribed on the Halifax Memorial, Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, erected in memory of the 3,267 Canadian and Newfoundland sailors and soldiers who perished at sea during the First and Second World Wars and have no final resting place. Several years prior to the war, Rod had a son, Francis Jerome Gillis MacIsaac, the result of a non-marital relationship. Throughout his lifetime, locals referred to Francis as “Roxy,” an altered reference to the vessel on which his father had perished.

Rod’s brother Alec served as an artillery gunner with 1 Canadian Corps during the Italian campaign, from the initial invasion of Sicily in July 1943 to late February 1945. At that time, the Corps commenced “Operation Goldflake,” a clandestine operation that transferred all units to the Western Front for the final stages of the Netherlands liberation and Allied push into western Germany.

Alec's souvenir of the Netherlands liberation

After the conclusion of hostilities in Europe, Alec safely returned home to Mulgrave. He took up residence with his mother, as his father Neil had passed away from carcinoma of the bladder on April 13, 1943, five months after Rod’s tragic death. Alec worked as a stevedore on the local docks and never married. He passed away at 49 years of age, the result of pancreatic cancer, on August 20, 1965. The disease was a common affliction among the Gillis clan, also claiming the life of Neil and Eliza’s oldest child, Annie Bell Aikins, on December 10, 1964. Eliza outlived her husband, two sons and daughter, passing away at Mulgrave on April 20, 1966.

Special thanks to Neila (Carter) MacDonald, Mulgrave, and Iain Murray Brown, Fredericton, NB, for contributing photographs and information about Rod, Alec and the Gillis family.

Leading Aircraftman Marshall Douglas Fleming—Accidentally Killed November 3, 1942

 Marshall Douglas Fleming was born at Wine Harbour, Guysborough County, on September 24, 1920, to David Charles and Eva May (Langille) Fleming. Douglas’s father David was born at Wine Harbour January 16, 1898, the son of Archibald J. “Archie” and Phoebe (Rood) Fleming. According to her marriage license, Eva was born at Port Hilford, the daughter of Zeba and Mary (McKenzie) Langille. 

LAC Marshall Douglas Fleming's headstone

 

David and Eva married at Port Hilford on December 10, 1918. Their first child—a daughter, Mabel Florence—was born the following year. Douglas was their second child and oldest son. At the time of the 1921 Canadian census, the Flemings were residing at Port Hilford with Eva’s parents, Zeba and Mary Langille. David’s occupation was listed as “lumberman in woods.”

Sometime after the 1921 census, David and Eva welcome a third child, Russell Charles. Around 1925, the family relocated to St. Catharines, ON, where David eventually secured employment as a machine operator with General Motors Canada, a position he held for 32 years. Douglas attended Robertson Public School, completing his “high school entrance” in 1935-36. He then commenced a “machine shop” program at St. Catharines Collegiate, but left to enter the work force after one year.

From 1937 to 1939, Douglas drove a truck for Ivan D. Buchanan, who operated a fruit-growing operation in the St. Catharines area. He then landed a job as an “operator” at Specks Service Station, a position more in keeping with his interest in auto mechanics. In 1940, he returned to his previous occupation, working as a truck driver with Standard Ice & Coal Co.

On July 29, 1941, Douglas applied for admission to the Royal Canadian Air Force. He cited mechanics experience as a relevant skill and requested consideration for a “Ground Duties” position. He formally enlisted at Hamilton, ON, on August 18 and commenced service with the rank of Aircraftman 2nd Class.

The day following his enlistment, Douglas completed a “Driver (2) Std.” course. He then reported to No. 6 Standard Flying Training School (SFTS), Dunnville, ON, where he commenced training for ground crew duty. Located on the shores of the Grand River, a short distance inland from Port Maitland and Lake Erie, the community was also close to his home, only 50 kilometres from St. Catharines.

Promoted to the rank of Aircraftman 1st Class on November 18, 1941, Douglas completed his training  at Dunnville during the winter of 1941-42. He advanced to the rank of Leading Aircraftman (LAC) on February 18, 1942, and commenced regular grounds crew duty at the busy RCAF airfield.

No. 6 SFTS was one of 28 similar “standard flying” facilities established across Canada during the Second World War as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). The safe air space allowed personnel from Canada, New Zealand and Australia to develop the required skills before proceeding overseas for active service. The Dunnville facility was a “single engine” school that opened its doors on November 25, 1940, and operated for four years. A total of 2,436 British Commonwealth airmen trained at its airfield during that time.

As with most BCATP bases, Dunnville’s airfield and hangars were located in a rural area with a small population, close to rail and road services, with a small town nearby. Similar facilities were scattered across southern Ontario, providing ample opportunity for landing if a mechanical problem occurred or a novice pilot became lost. It also made for considerable air traffic at times.

A Standard Flying Training School represented an “intermediate” step in the training process, located between the Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) that provided basic instruction and an Operational Training Unit (OTU) overseas that focused on advanced training in the aircraft in which personnel would actually serve. Cadets at an SFTS received instruction in a variety of advanced techniques—formation and low altitude flight, bombing and gunnery, night-time and instrument flying, and radio work. Classroom sessions focused on aircraft operation and maintenance.

Initially, recruits spent nine weeks at an SFTS. By 1943, instruction time had expanded to 16 weeks. At its peak of operation in 1943, the Dunnville facility hosted approximately 1,500 cadets, instructors and ground crew. Its air fleet consisted of 64 Harvard Mk II, 36 Harvard Mk. IIB, and eight Mk. II Anson aircraft, with an additional six Harvards in storage. A total of 47 lives were lost during its operations—25 trainees, 18 instructors and four other personnel.

Douglas commenced regular ground crew duties at Dunnville in mid-February 1942. With the exception of leaves in mid-March, early June and September, and one week’s sick leave in mid-April, he remained on duty into the autumn of the year. On October 27, his superiors completed documentation for a promotion to the rank of Acting Corporal, an action that indicated considerable satisfaction with his performance.

On the evening of November 3, 1942, Douglas was on duty as a “runner” on Runway No. 3, under the direction of Pilot Officer (PO) Richard B. Klintworth. During that time, pilot trainees completed “night circuits,” taking off and landing after flying a short designated route. To guide pilots onto the runways at night-time, a flare path consisting of electric lights was installed along each side of the landing strip.

As the exercise continued, PO Klintworth instructed Douglas to assist him in repairing a light on the flare path. The pair walked along the side of the runway as aircraft continued to take off and land. At 2130 hours [7:30 pm], a Harvard Wasp operated by Flight Instructor Pilot Officer J. B. Nall and pupil LAC N. J. MacLean was preparing for take-off when the aircraft swerved to the left. Its wing struck Douglas and PO Klintworth in the head and neck area, “causing death to both.”

Neither of the pilots were injured in the incident, nor were they held responsible for the mishap. A Court of Inquiry held at No. 6 SFTS the following day identified the cause as the “failure of PO Klintworth to stop all aircraft traffic on [the] runway whilst repairs were being made to the flare path.” The report recommended that, while any future repairs were underway, “landing permission is to be cancelled by the Control Officer, unless he is sure that all obstructions or aircraft on the ground are at least 100 yards clear of the landing runway, or have been clearly marked and are not such as to constitute a hazard to landing aircraft.”

Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St. Catharines, ON (CWGC photo)

 

LAC Marshall Douglas Fleming’s remains were transported to St. Catharines, where he was laid to rest in Victoria Lawn Cemetery. His parents spent their remaining days in the Ontario community. David retired from General Motors in 1966 and passed away at Hotel Dieu Hospital, St. Catharines, on April 2, 1977, after a three-week illness. Eva outlived her two remaining children, passing away at Hotel Dieu Hospital on April 29, 1997, in her 96th year. Both parents were laid to rest in Victoria Lawn Cemetery, near their beloved son.

Photograph of LAC Marshall Douglas Fleming's headstone courtesy of Jo-Ann Johnston Wilson, Welland, ON.

Pilot Officer Franklyn Richard Pye—Killed in action near Köln, Germany, August 28, 1942

 Franklyn Richard Samuel “Frank” Pye was born at Ecum Secum Bridge, Halifax County, on December 5, 1916, to Archibald Alexander and Margaret Jane Florence (Jewers) Pye. Both of Frank’s parents were Ecum Secum natives. Archibald was the son of Samuel Pye and Emily Pace, while Margaret was the daughter of Isaac and Sarah Jewers.

Pilot Officer Franklyn Richard Pye

 

Archibald and Margaret married at Ecum Secum on November 11, 1914. Sadly, their first child—a son, Archibald Isaac—died shortly after birth in September 1915. Frank was their oldest surviving child and was joined in subsequent years by two sisters—Patricia Emily (October 8, 1918) and Dorthy Pearl (c. 1922)—and one brother, Percy George (January 1921).

Frank attended Ecum Secum Bridge Public School from 1923 to 1933. Upon completing his Grade XI year, he found work cutting pulpwood with Scotia Lumber Co., Sherbrooke. He moved on to identical positions with D. J. Turner, Moose River, and William Lowe, Sheet Harbour, before landing a job as an “edgerman and general mill work[er]” with the Sheet Harbour Lumber Co. in 1936. Two years later, Frank went to work for Anson Lively at his Sheet Harbour sawmill.

In May 1940, Frank relocated to Truro, where he continued to work as an “edgerman” in a sawmill owned and operated by William Taylor. In mid-August 1940, he submitted an application to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and continued to work at the mill until December, when he received word of his acceptance.

On December 16, 1940, Frank attested for service with the RCAF at Halifax, NS, and commenced his military training with the rank of Aircraftman Class 2. Two days later, he reported to No. 1 Military District, Toronto, ON. On January 8, 1941, he was temporarily assigned to CFB Picton, ON. At month’s end, Frank received a transfer to Camp Borden, where he completed basic training.

Frank’s aviation instruction commenced at No. 1 Initial Training School, Toronto, ON, on April 22. For a young man from a small, rural Nova Scotia community, he performed remarkably well in his classroom courses, achieving an overall grade of 88 % and placing first in a class of 10 observer trainees. Instructors quickly recognized his potential:

“Very quiet, cool, methodical airman who appears to be very mature and… steady… appears to be excellent observer type. Will apply himself and give his best at all times on any job. Steady, reliable airman who is very serious about his work.”

Upon completing the ITS program, Frank was promoted to the rank of Leading Aircraftman in the Aircrew Observer trade. Assigned to No. 1 Air Observers School, Malton, ON, he logged 70.05 hours aboard an Avro Anson aircraft. His performance continued to be impressive—Frank placed “1st out of 39 [trainees]. An excellent man in the air, keeps busy and rarely makes a mistake. Has almost perfect plotting technique and keeps a neat log.”

In his ground training, Frank continued to perform well, achieving an overall grade of 83.6 % and placing fifth in a class of 39 trainees. Instructors commented that he was a “very high calibre student, [the] result obtained being as much due to hard work as brilliance.” Described as “reliable and conscientious,” Frank achieved an “excellent” rating in both air observer and air navigator assessments.

On August 17, Frank reported to No. 1 Bombing & Gunnery School, Jarvis, ON, for the next phase of training. Over the next six weeks, he logged 35.15 hours air time in a Fairey Battle aircraft. His bomb aiming results were rated “above average,” while he received an “average” assessment for his air gunner performance. Frank achieved a grade of 77.8 % in his course work, placing 10th in a class of 40 trainees.

Instructors commented that, despite a limited educational background, “he has been near the top in all subjects. He is most reliable and may be counted upon to carry out an assignment to the letter.” Furthermore, for the first time since his enlistment, instructors noted Frank’s leadership potential: “Further association in the service will no doubt improve him as a leader[,] in which event he will become fine officer material.”

Having completed the requirements for Air Observer Special, Frank received his badge and was promoted to the rank of temporary Sergeant with pay on September 27. He then proceeded to No. 2 Air Navigation School, Pennfield Ridge, NB, for an “advanced observers’ training” course. Frank logged a total of 30.55 hours flying time as an air navigator and placed 11th in a class of 42 trainees in his course work. Described by his instructors as a “good man, neat and concise,” Frank received an “Above Average” rating as an air navigator. Other comments described him as a “keen[,] hard worker” with “above average ability.”

Frank finished his course work at Pennfield on October 27, placing 8th overall in his class, with a grade of 81 %. Promoted to the rank of Pilot Officer, he was recommended for a commissioned rank following completion of his combat service: “Good officer material, will be a good man in Aircrew.” Having completed his training, he received three weeks’ embarkation leave and likely returned home for a visit before returning to duty.

On November 21, Frank reported to No. 31 Operational Training Unit (OTU), Debert, NS. During his brief stay there, he completed an application for a commission with the RCAF. On December 8, Frank proceeded to No. 1 “Y” Depot, Halifax, and departed for the United Kingdom. Upon arriving overseas 10 days later, he report to No. 3 Personnel Recruitment Centre, Bournemouth, and awaited further orders.

Frank was initially assigned to No. 2 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit (AFU), Millom, Cumbria, Scotland, for additional training. He remained there for almost three months before receiving a transfer to No. 25 Operational Training Unit (OTU) on March 17, 1942. OTUs were the final stage in aircrew members’ preparation, providing them with the first opportunity to train in the actual aircraft in which they would serve active combat missions.

Established at Finningley, UK, in March 1941, No. 25 OTU initially trained night bomber crews aboard Handley Page Hampden aircraft. In April 1942, the unit transitioned to training aboard Vickers Wellington aircraft, a twin-engine, long-range medium bomber, and actually carried out several operational raids before year’s end. Frank spent five months with the unit before being assigned to No. 142 Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF), on August 21.

No. 142 Squadron traced its roots to the First World War. Formed at Ismailia, Egypt, in early 1918 as part of the Royal Flying Corps, its personnel operated a combination of reconnaissance and bomber aircraft. Following the formation of the Royal Air Force on April 1, 1918, the Squadron transitioned to RAF ranks, operating in Palestine and the Suez until it was disbanded on February 1, 1920.

Re-established at RAF Netheravon on June 1, 1934, the squadron initially operated Fairey Battle light bomber aircraft and was deployed to France following the outbreak of war on the continent in September 1939. During the German invasion of Belgium and France in May 1940, No. 142 provided support to the British Expeditionary Force, but suffered heavy losses.

Upon returning to Britain after the Dunkirk evacuation, the squadron was reorganized and began the process of converting to the Vickers Wellington heavy bomber in November 1940. Throughout the next two years, its personnel flew night bombing missions over Germany and occupied Western Europe from several locations in England. In early July 1942, the squadron relocated to Grimsby, where it remained throughout the summer and autumn months.

On August 20, No. 142 Squadron’s operational records book recorded the arrival of Pilot Officer Franklyn Richard Samuel Pye (Air Observer) from No. 25 OTU, in the company of his crew mates—Pilot Officer Alfred Henry Paget (pilot), Sgt. Eric Tupholme (Air Bomber), Sgt. James Bellinger (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner), and Sgt. F. C. Weighill (Air Gunner). At the time of the crew’s arrival, the squadron “was stood down from operations” for several days while its personnel participated in flying and gunnery training, along with “all types of training for new crews.” Simultaneously, ground crews “were busily engaged endeavouring to obtain 100 % serviceability” for the squadron’s aircraft.

Regular operations resumed on August 24, when 12 aircraft participated in a bombing attack on Frankfurt, Germany. One crew returned early “owing to technical trouble,” while the remaining 11 bombers successfully executed the mission and return safely to base. Over the following two days. the squadron “stood by for operations” that were cancelled for unspecified reasons, while normal flying training and local night flying took place.

On August 27, the squadron received orders to attack Kassel, Germany. A total of 15 aircraft participated in the operation, one of which returned early “owing to starboard engine trouble.” Among the 14 planes that continued to the target was Wellington Z-1338, logging its first mission with the squadron. Aboard the aircraft were Pilot A. H. Paget, bomber Eric Tupholme, wireless operator/air gunner James Bellinger, air observer Frank Pye and air gunner F. C. Weighill.

Records indicate that the night was clear, but there was a considerable amount of ground haze over the target. Air crew later reported “many scattered fires” as the area was “well blitzed.” One plane reported “being subjected to intense heavy flak,” while several suffered damage but managed to safely return home. A total of five bombers failed to return. Wellington Z-1338 was among the missing aircraft. The operations record book commented: “This was an unfortunate night, the Squadron losing more aircraft than ever before in one operation.”

On August 29, Wing Commander D. G. Simmons, RAF Station Grimsby, wrote to Frank’s mother Margaret:

“Please accept my deepest sympathies on the sad loss of your son on the night of 27th August. We heard no more news of him after he left this aerodrome, but the target which he was attacking makes it very probable that he is safe as a prisoner of war. If I hear any new[s] to this effect[,] I will of course communicate with you immediately. Your son is a great loss to the Squadron. His vigour and enthusiasm will be hard to replace.”

A subsequent letter to Margaret from Canadian military authorities, dated September 12, 1942, confirmed that “your son, Pilot Officer Franklyn Richard Pye, is missing as the result of air operations on the night of 27th/28th August, 1942. Your son was air-observer of a Wellington aircraft which set out to bomb a town in western Germany and was not heard from again.”

The Pye family received no further news on Frank’s fate for several months. Finally, on January 5, 1943, a telegram from military officials addressed to Mrs. Archibald Pye informed her that Pilot Officer Franklyn Richard Samuel Pye, “previously reported missing 27-8-42 after air operations (overseas), and subsequently reported missing believed killed, [is] now ‘presumed dead’ 28-8-42, for official purposes.” Six weeks later, authorities dispatched a Memorial Cross to Margaret, in memory of her deceased son.

In the months following the end of the war, RAF authorities meticulously pursued the fate of hundreds of air crew members lost over occupied Europe and Germany. Some were located among the prisoners of war held in German camps. One of Frank’s crew members, F. C. “Tiny” Weighill, a native of Davidson, SK, was released from captivity in the months following the war’s end. He had survived the crash that claimed the lives of his four crew mates near Cologne [Köln], Germany. Authorities later located their remains in South Cologne [Köln] Cemetery.

As the graves of RAF and Commonwealth airmen were spread across much of western Germany, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) decided to consolidate their remains into several final resting places. One of the locations chosen was Rheinberg, Germany, where the present-day Rheinberg War Cemetery contains the graves of 3,326 Commonwealth airmen who were initially interred in cemeteries spread over an area between Dortmund, Dusseldorf and Köln [Cologne].

In December 1947, Canadian military authorities informed Margaret that Frank’s grave had been located and his remains exhumed for final interment in Rheinberg War Cemetery. On January 6, 1948, Margaret responded to the news:

“It is with deep sorrow that I learned through your letter… about the exhumation of my son’s body and positive identification…. I always hoped that he may yet turn up alive and well, but alas, now I know that he is really gone, as so many of our boys have.”

Pilot Officer Franklyn Pye's headstone, Rheinberg War Cemetery

An April 22, 1948 CWGC Final Graves Report lists the four crew members of Wellington Z-1338 who were reinterred in adjacent graves at Rheinberg War Cemetery. Beside Pilot Officer Franklyn R. Pye’s final resting place are the graves of his three RAF crew mates—Pilot Officer A. H. Paget, Sergeant J. Bellinger and Sgt. E. Tupholme.

Franklyn’s younger brother, Percy George, was stationed at the Royal Canadian Air Force’s No. 8 Depot, Souris, MB, at the time of his death. Percy went on to serve with the RCAF in the United Kingdom. While overseas, he met Doris Wickren Renshaw, a native of North Shields, UK, on the doorstep of a local bakery. Doris had enlisted with the Royal Air Force and was a bomb trailer driver at a nearby RAF base, transporting munitions to bombers on the tarmac.

The couple were married in 1944 while overseas, and their first child, Franklyn Arthur, was born before war's end. Doris was pregnant with their second child—a son Allan—as she made her way to Canada by boat in 1946. Two daughters—Sylvia Belle Avis (1948) and Florence (1949)—joined the family after Percy and Doris settled in Ecum Secum.

After returning to civilian life, Percy initially worked in the woods. He was later employed at a Decca navigation site established in the community, part of an international communication system established after the Second World War. Percy passed away at Ecum Secum in 1986.

Flight Sergeant John Laurence Douglas Brophy—Accidentally Killed August 16, 1942

John Laurence Douglas “Doug” Brophy was born at Mulgrave, Guysborough County, on October 17, 1919, to John and Rose Ann (O’Neill) Brophy. Rose Ann was a native of Auld’s Cove, the daughter of James and Margaret (Diggins) O’Neill. Rose Ann’s grandfather, Henry O’Neill, was born at Lisnadill, County Armagh, Ireland, and arrived in Halifax, NS, in 1818. Henry eventually settled in the Strait of Canso area, where he married Roseann Donnelly and raised a family of 12 children.

Flight Sergeant John Laurence Douglas Brophy

Doug’s father John was the son of John Brophy Sr., Mulgrave, and Margaret Tate, Grosvenor. The couple married at Sand Point in 1860, and John Jr. was born at Mulgrave on February 9, 1864. He and Rose Ann were married at St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church, Mulgrave, on February 21, 1900. The couple established residence in Mulgrave, where they raised a family of nine children while John worked as lineman for Western Union.

Doug, the Brophy family’s youngest child, completed Grades Primary to 10 at Loggie School from 1925 to 1936. In July 1936, he went to work for Cook Construction Co., Mulgrave, as a time-keeper. Doug’s decision to leave school may have been connected to his father John’s passing at Mulgrave on May 30, 1933. In November 1936, however, he decided to return to school for his Grade 11 year. During his early years, Doug was actively involved in local sports. He played baseball and tennis “extensively” and also participated in track and field, hockey and bowling.

In December 1937, Doug obtained employment as a clerk at T. Eaton & Co., Halifax, but was laid off after the Christmas rush. He returned to Mulgrave, where he worked as a meter reader for the Mulgrave Power Commission from January to October 1939, at which time the “regular man returned” to the position. In December 1939, Doug landed a job as a fireman aboard the SS Scotia ferry, which provided transportation for people, automobiles and trains travelling to and from Cape Breton Island.

After a year of working aboard the Scotia, Doug began to consider military enlistment. In February 1941, he submitted an application to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). In the meantime, perhaps to bolster his chances of acceptance, he enrolled with the Canadian Army Reserve under the National Resources Mobilization Act and trained at New Glasgow from April 17 to May 7, 1941.

Five days later, Doug attested with the RCAF at its Halifax Recruiting Centre and commenced service with the rank of Aircraftman Class 2 (Pilot or Observer). At the time, he stated that he was his mother’s “sole support” and there were “no other brothers or sisters who can help.” Prior to his enlistment, Doug had provided Rose Ann with $50.00 a month, “which includes board money.”

While understandably nervous and tentative at first, Doug did “fairly well on [his initial] tests after settling down.” On May 13, he was assigned to No. 1 Military District, Toronto, and travelled by rail to Ontario. Two weeks later, he was transferred to RCAF Base Trenton, where he completed his basic training.

On July 15, Doug arrived at No.1 Initial Training School (ITS), Toronto, where he commenced the first stage of his flight training. A note written on his Medical Board form two weeks later provided an overall assessment: “He is keen… and has good potentialities. Will probably learn to relax. Good co-ordination when relaxed.”

Doug’s overall performance demonstrated he was suitable for the “pilot” stream. He achieved an overall grade of 86 % in his course work, placing 77th in a class of 182 trainees. He also settled into his new circumstances: “An enthusiastic and conscientious airman. Determined to progress with studies and confident of success…. [He] is calm and cool. Willing and co-operative.”

On August 24, Doug was assigned to No. 9 Elementary Flight Training School (EFTS), St. Catharines, for the first stage of his flight training. Promoted to Leading Aircraftman (Pilot) after completing his ITS courses, he was about to receive his first flight experience. Over the next six weeks, Doug logged 31:40 hours of dual flight time and 29:30 hours of solo flight time in a two-wing Fleet Finch Mark II plane, along with 10:00 hours in a Link Trainer flight simulator.

Doug’s instructors recommended that he continue training on “S.E.” [single engine] aircraft, and described him as a “keen and intelligent pupil. Smooth on controls; needs practice on aerobatics.” Having achieved an overall grade of 67.9 % in his courses and placed 28th in a class of 35 trainees, Doug proceeded to No. 1 Service Flying School (SFS), Camp Borden, ON, on October 7, 1941.

No. 1 SFS offered trainees the first opportunity to train in Harvard and Yale single-engine, single-wing aircraft. Over a period of three and a half months, Doug logged 41:30 dual hours and 22:40 solo hours of flying time in daylight conditions, and a total of 12:00 hours of night-time training. Instructors  recommended Doug for fighter squadron duty in single engine aircraft, a written comment providing this overall assessment of his performance: “A high average pupil who is a willing worker and tries very hard.”

During his time at Camp Borden, Doug wrote to his sister Emily, wife of Leonard “Len” Webb, Mulgrave, who was proprietor of the local Sweet Shoppe. The correspondence, postmarked January 8, 1942, and written on RCAF stationery, provided Emily with an update on Doug’s training:

“Everything is in a hell of a rush right now. We expect to graduate before the 20th. I had quite a cross country trip the other day. There were 15 aircraft left that morning on X country [sic] and only three got through. I was one of the lucky three. We ran into a snow storm shortly after leaving Borden. Nine of our aircraft were forced down and three turned back to Borden. I got off track about a doz. [dozen] times but managed to complete the trip (400 miles). I flew most of the way at about 50 feet above the ground (lots of fun). Before News Years’ leave I got lost on a X country and had to land when my gas ran out. Was down to Montreal for a few days at New Years. Had a swell time. Montreal is quite a place… Remember me to Len, Sheila, baby [Tom] and thanks… for the swell Xmas gift. Be seeing you soon.”

On January 22, 1942, Doug was promoted to the rank of Temporary Sergeant (Special) and received his Pilot’s Flying Badge. Assigned to No. 1 “Y” Depot, Halifax, the following day, he received two weeks’ embarkation leave before being transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Trainees’ Pool on February 8. The following day, he departed for overseas, where he reported to No. 3 Reception Centre, Bournemouth, UK, on February 20 and awaited further instructions.

Doug was assigned to No. 61 Operational Training Unit (OTU) on March 16. OTUs offered recruits the first opportunity to train in the aircraft in which they would perform combat missions. No. 61 OTU was established at RAF Heston in June 1941 for the purpose of training single-seat fighter pilots in Miles Master and Spitfire aircraft. The Miles Master provided the inexperienced recruits with the opportunity to train in a fast, aerobatic dual-seat aircraft before advancing to the single-seat, high performance Spitfire or Hurricane.

Doug logged three and a half months with No. 61 OTU before receiving a transfer to No. 57 OTU on June 30. Formed at RAF Hawarden, Wales, approximately 15 kilometres west of Chester, UK, in November 1940, NO. 57 OTU also specialized in training single-engine fighter pilots. After three weeks at Hawarden, he was promoted to the rank of Temporary Flight Sergeant with pay, a sign that he was nearing the end of his training.

As with other OTUs, personnel trained in groups, completing simulation drills identical to the actual work carried out by operational squadrons. One important aspect involved flying in formation, in close proximity to other aircraft. While all air operations involved risk, tight formation flight was perhaps the most hazardous, as the slightest error could result in tragedy.

On August 16, 1942, Doug was participating in a training session at Green Road, Higher Kinnerton, Wales. While performing an exercise, his plane “collided with another Spitfire aircraft (in mid-air) and crashed at Green Farm, Kinnerton.” Doug was extracted from the wreck and transported to Hawarden RAF Base hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon admission, the result of “multiple injuries.”

Six days later, RCAF officials sent a telegram to Rose Ann, informing her that [Flight] Sergeant (Pilot) John Laurence Douglas Brophy was “killed 16-8-42 as a result of a flying accident” in the United Kingdom. Doug was laid to rest with full military honours in Hawarden Cemetery, Flintshire, Wales. Rose Ann remained at Mulgrave until the late 1950s, at which time she relocated to Guysborough, where her daughter, Estella Leet, resided. She passed away there on January 19, 1967, and was laid to rest in St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Cemetery, Mulgrave, NS.

Photograph of Flight Sergeant John Laurence Douglas Brophy courtesy of Rosalie McAulay, Guysborough, NS. Text of Doug's letter to his sister Emily (Brophy) Webb courtesy of his nephew Douglas Webb, Cochrane, AB.

Lance Corporal Roland Elwood Richardson—Accidentally Killed June 18, 1942

 Roland Elwood “Rollie” Richardson was born at Goldboro, Guysborough County, on February 21, 1921, the son of Howard Edwin and Clara (Cottie) Richardson. Howard Edwin was a native of Isaac’s Harbour on November 4, 1890, the son of Howard Ephraim Richardson and Clarinda—sometimes recorded as Clorinda, Corlinda or Carlinda—Giffin.

Lance Corporal Roland Elwood Richardson

A prospector by occupation, Howard Ephraim was a native of Sydney, NS. His grandfather, Rev. George Richardson, established parishes across the province and built the first Baptist Church at Isaac’s Harbour around 1840. While Rev. Richardson’s extended family settled at Sydney, his grandson eventually relocated to Guysborough County, where he did extensive prospecting.

In 1862, Howard Ephraim located quartz veins in the Isaac’s Harbour anticline. Thirty years later, he began mining gold in an argillite belt, located at Upper Seal Harbour, that still bears his name. Howard Ephraim operated the Richardson Gold Mining Company until his untimely death at age 60 on October 18, 1903. The mine continued to operate as the Boston - Richardson Mining Company until 1908, and was later taken over by the New England Mining Company. Activity continued at the site in some capacity well into the late 1930s.

Howard Ephriam Richardson

Clarinda Giffin was the daughter of George Giffin, Louis Head, Shelburne County, and Matlida J. Langley, an Antigonish County native. The 1871 Canadian census lists George and Matilda living at Isaac’s Harbour, where 18-year-old “Corlinda” was the oldest of their nine children. Howard Ephraim and Clarinda were married at St Mary’s Baptist Church, Melrose, on October 27, 1871, and established residence at Isaac’s Harbour.

Howard Edwin Richardson was the youngest of Howard Ephriam and Clarinda’s six children. He married Clara Cottie, daughter of Joseph Cottie [sometimes recorded as Coady or Cody] and Margaret Walsh, at Goldboro on August 12, 1920. Clara was living there at the time of the marriage, and the newlyweds established residence in the community, where they raised a family of nine children.

Roland Elwood “Rollie” was Howard Edwin and Clara’s eldest child. According to his military service file, Rollie left public school at age 14. He was employed as a truck driver at Seal Harbour Gold Mines from 1936 until April 1939, at which time he left Goldboro. Before year’s end, he arrived in Timmins, Ontario, where his father was working as a “steel sharpener” at Delnite Gold Mines. Available records indicate that Clara remained at Isaac’s Harbour with the rest of the Richardson children, suggesting that lack of local employment opportunities drew both father and eldest son to the Ontario hard rock mines.

On July 26, 1940, Rollie enlisted with the 1st Battalion Algonquin Regiment’s “D” Company at Timmins. While he stated his occupation as “truck driver,” he was “not working” at the time, which may have been the motivation for his enlistment. Rollie listed his mother Clara as his next of kin and gave her address as Isaac’s Harbour.

The Algonquin Regiment had officially mobilized four days prior to Rollie’s enlistment. Its 1st Battalion  recruited its personnel from the areas north of Toronto, Ontario—North Bay, Muskoka, Huntsville, Haileybury, Cobalt, New Liskeard, Kirkland Lake and Timmins. Recruits initially trained in the Timmins area for several weeks, departing for Camp Borden on September 6 and arriving at their destination the following morning.

"D" Company, Algonquin Regiment, Timmins, ON

That same day, Rollie was admitted to Camp Military Hospital, Camp Borden, suffering from appendicitis. Within 24 hours, he was transferred to Christie St. Hospital, Toronto, where he presumably underwent surgery. Discharged from hospital on September 14, Rollie returned to Camp Borden, where he made a full recovery.

Crowded conditions at the camp prompted military authorities to relocate the Algonquin Regiment to Port Arthur, ON, on October 9. A new camp was nearing completion at nearby Current River and personnel occupied the barracks upon arrival. The remaining construction was completed before year’s end and the unit settled in for the winter.

The battalion spent eight months training at Current River. On January 11 1941, Rollie was admitted to Port Arthur Isolated Hospital with a case of the measles, a common affliction in crowded military barracks. Discharged one week later, he returned to duty. Rollie received two week’s leave in mid-April, although there is no indication as to where he spent this time.The Algonquin Regiment remained in the Port Arthur area until June 4, when personnel travelled by train to Camp Shilo, Manitoba.

The prairie circumstances were not particularly attractive to men used to the wooded environment of Northern Ontario, but the camp’s proximity to Winnipeg offered some consolation while on leave. The summer heat made for uncomfortable days and nights. Nevertheless, the unit’s officers put the soldiers through their paces, moving into advanced training by August. The following month, the battalion participated in a series of combat schemes, including night exercises and dawn attacks.

On November 19, personnel bid adieu to Camp Shilo and travelled by train to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, where the Algonquin Regiment was tasked with guarding the strategically important Welland and Niagara canals. By this time, the unit had been assigned to the 14th Infantry Brigade, where it served alongside two other Ontario units—the Kent Regiment (Chatham, ON) and the Midland Regiment (Cobourg, ON). The area around the canals was divided into three sections, with each unit assuming responsibility for patrolling one area.

The Algonquins remained at Niagara-on-the-Lake for the duration of the year. The entrance of the United States into the conflict following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, Hawaii (December 7, 1941) changed the complexion of the war significantly and resulted in a re-organization of Canada’s North American defences.

Following the outbreak of war in Europe, the government of Canada agreed to assume responsibility for the defence of strategic assets in Newfoundland, which was a British colony at the time. As a result, Canadian infantry, artillery, air force and navy personnel were deployed at various locations across the island.

In January 1942, the Algonquin Regiment received notice of its transfer to Newfoundland. Later in the month, Rollie enjoyed one week’s “embarkation leave” as the regiment prepared to depart for the island. He was also promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal, an indication that he had impressed his superiors with his leadership potential.

On February 2, 1942, the first group of Algonquin personnel departed Niagara-on-the-Lake for Halifax, where they boarded the Lady Nelson and departed for St. John’s. The party arrived at their destination on February 7. One week later, a second contingent departed Halifax and made its way into St. John’s harbour the following day.

The soldiers were initially deployed at strategic locations in the St. John’s area, guarding a nearby airport and the harbour entrance. Within a month, however, the unit boarded the famous “Newfie Bullet” and travelled to Botwood for their primary assignment. The community is located on the western side of the Bay of Exploits, which stretches for 35 miles before reaching the ocean.

Located between Grand Falls - Windsor and Gander, Botwood possessed an airfield that hosted two squadrons of PBY Canso flying boats. Equipped with torpedoes and depth charges, the planes that patrolled the shipping lanes east of the island, in search of German U-boats lying in wait for Allied trans-Atlantic vessels. The nearby deep natural harbour also provided facilities for the export of ore for the production of base metals, as well as pulp and paper.

A new camp had recently been constructed to the west of the town, sufficient to house half of the battalion, while the remainder occupied an older camp on its eastern side. Specific tasks were assigned to each of the battalion’s four companies. One company provided infantry protection to the heavy gun crews located along the shore of Bay of Exploits and maintained a post at Leamington, to the northwest. A second outpost was established at Lewisporte to the northeast, while a small force was maintained at Notre Dame Junction and Bishop’s Falls.

A second company remained ready to move immediately as a counter-attack force, in the event of a German attack on the area. While U-boat activity highlighted the ever-present danger of an assault from the water, the unit had no direct contact with the enemy during its time on the island. On one occasion, however, an observant sentry spotted a U-boat resting on the surface of the bay. By the time he covered a distance of 12 miles on foot to alert his superiors and returned with reinforcements, the submarine had departed.

A third company underwent drill and training at Botwood, while the fourth acted as a “duty” company at battalion headquarters. The companies rotated through these four tasks every two weeks, ensuring that all personnel received a balanced exposure to each.
 
A document in Rollie’s service record describes a minor incident in which he injured his right knee during routine drill. In his own words, at 12:24 pm May 18, “while undergoing training near Canning Rock, at the sound of the instructor’s whistle, I dropped and in doing so struck my right knee on a stone. I then proceeded back to the Regimental Aid Post at camp myself, arriving there about 13.30 hours [1:30 pm].” The report indicates that Rollie was “sick in quarters” following the injury, but was not admitted to hospital.

Regular duty and training continued throughout the spring, with Rollie playing an active role assisting instructors. While most firing drills involved the use of “dummy” ammunition, it is relevant to note that all soldiers were issued two cartons of live ammunition, each containing 24 rounds. The men carried the cartons in an ammunition pouch that was a standard part of their daily equipment. Over time, the cartons broke apart, resulting in loose rounds sitting in the pouch. Occasionally, when a soldier lay on the ground during training, live ammunition fell out of the pouch and onto the ground.

On the morning of June 18, 1942, “D” Company’s Lieutenant W. T. Bater was supervising a squad of six men as they completed a “TOETs” (test of elementary training) in Bren Gun operation. On this occasion, Rollie assisted Lt. Bater, drawing the required supplies—four empty Bren Gun magazines and six clips of “dummy” ammunition—from “D” Company’s stores and proceeding to the Bayonet Course, north of the camp.

As another group of soldiers was “doing [a] Bayonet Fighting exercise,” Lt. Bater moved his charges “off the course to the West.” The tests then commenced, the men completing the first four of six stages on a rotating basis. Each soldier placed “dummy” rounds into a magazine, loaded the Bren Gun, set the sight, aimed and fired at an “aiming disc,” a device used to determine accuracy.

After prolonged firing, the Bren Gun was prone to jamming, requiring the operator to adjust its four-position regulator to feed more gas to the weapon’s piston. This increased the pressure, ensuring that the weapon would continue to fire. As a result, the fourth test involved having soldiers adjust the weapon’s gas regulator before firing a “dummy round” from each of two of the magazines.

For this stage of testing, Lt. Bater instructed Lance Corporal Richardson to use “a bayonet [as a target] in lieu of an aiming disc.” He later explained: “My reason for the use of the [bayonet] as an aiming disc [in this exercise] was because I found that men do not align on their original target on completion of [the] test and an aiming disc assists the instructor in correcting this fault.”

The first four men completed the fourth stage without incident. The last, Private G. A. Lacombe, later recalled what happened when he assumed operation of the gun:

“We were using six clips and 29 rounds of dummy ammunition with two magazines for the test. During my test[,] two rounds were ejected, one from each magazine[,] which I had changed on the gun. When I had finished my test[,] I left one magazine on the gun and the other was on the ground, I do not know if the first magazine had been refilled. I was not wearing my equipment at the time. Pte. [A. R.] Knott was the only man in the squad wearing equipment. He had fired his tests before me. I did not see any ball [i.e., live] ammunition around. I did not refill the magazines I used after the test.”

The fifth soldier, Pte. A. T. Ryan, then commenced his test. He later described what happened:

 “L/Cpl Richardson was lying facing me about five feet away holding a bayonet, the point of which was stuck in the ground and I was aiming at a small hole in the handle of the bayonet, as I had been instructed by Lt. Bater that morning. I cocked the gun and pulled the trigger on the command ‘Fire’—a dummy round was ejected. I then took off [the] magazine and immediately replaced it [with the second magazine] without examining it. I re-cocked the gun and pulled [the] trigger again. I heard the report of a round being fired and felt the shock of explosion in the gun. L/Cpl. Richardson rolled over and I saw blood on one of his wrists. I did not touch the gun after that—neither did anyone in the squad. I saw an empty cartridge lying near the gun but I did not pick it up.”

At the sound of gunfire, Lt. Bater observed Rollie immediately turn over and noticed blood on his cheeks. Rollie was conscious and lay still as Lt. Bater examined him. As the only visible wound was to his wrist, the officer assumed that he could walk to the Regimental Aid Post (RAP) with assistance and immediately dispatched him with an escort. Lt. Bater then went to the RAP, where he reported the accident to the Corporal in charge and the Officer Commanding (OC), “D” Company.

Rollie’s injuries were more serious than first appeared. At 11:20 am, he was admitted to Botwood Military Hospital, where Captain H. E. Fox, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, examined him. He first observed that Rollie was “suffering from GSW [gunshot wound] left hand, left shoulder and chest, and from shock.” The bullet had apparently passed through his wrist and struck his upper body. Captain Fox immediately administered “sedatives, intravenous fluids and supportive treatment to combat the shock.”

Dr. Fox soon realized that the bullet had penetrated Rollie’s chest cavity, causing “lacerations to the left lung and concealed haemorrhage. Blood transfusion was prepared but death occurred from haemorrhage at 1450 hours [2:50 pm] before the blood could be given. Death was due to haemorrhage and shock resulting from laceration of the lung.”

A Court of Inquiry, convened that same day, heard evidence from Lt. Bater, Private Knott, Private Adams, Private Lacombe and Captain Fox, as it attempted to determine what had transpired. During his testimony, Private Knott acknowledged that he “filled magazines with dummies before I was tested[,] but I do not know who filled them before Ryan. [Pte. Lacombe, who fired after Pte. Knott, stated that he did not fill either magazine after his test.]”

Pte. Knott continued:

“I was wearing battle order [dress] and had ball [i.e., live] ammunition in the pouches. I had five clips charged and the rest was loose. I had been issued with 48 rounds and do not think I had 48 rounds that morning as I had lost some during battle drill training about five weeks ago. Lt. Bater did not examine my ammunition before the test. After the accident, Lt. Bater examined my ball ammunition and I then knew that I had only 44 rounds. I cannot account for the four missing rounds. I did not notice any fall out of the pouches during the tests. I had not been warned not to carry ball ammunition on parade that morning.”

After hearing the testimony, the Officers conducting the inquiry concluded that “L/Cpl. Richardson died of a gun shot wound accidentally received while conducting the TOETs.” Major-General L. F. Page, General Officer Commanding, Canadian Troops Newfoundland, concurred, adding:

“In my opinion[,] this fatality would not have occurred had the Officer in charge of the test ensured that the safety procedures laid down were being followed. Private Knott should have been checked for live rounds and as dummy rounds were being used during Test No. 4 no aiming disc should have been used.”

Lance Corporal Roland Elwood Richardson was laid to rest in Botwood Protestant/United Church Cemetery, Botwood, NL. Military authorities initially attempted to contact his mother Clara at Isaac’s Harbour, but soon learned that she and her children had joined Howard in Timmins. After receiving notice of their son’s tragic death, both parents wrote several notes to military officials, inquiring about Rollie’s personal effects. A note from Howard, dated July 29, 1942, stated: “We know that he was banking money as his mother’s allowance was stopped in December 1941[,] as he planned on being married and wanted to save his money.”

Lance Corporal Richardson's Funeral

While Rollie’s parents continued to communicate with military officials throughout the remainder of the year and contacted them again in 1945 and 1946, no documents in his service file indicate that any savings were ever located. Howard and Clara did receive their son’s “Last Pay Certificate”—the sum of $64.71—and in July 1945 officials forwarded Rollie’s service gratuity, a total of $172.50.

Special thanks to Rollie's niece Julia Lockie, Sarnia, Ontario, who provided the portrait of Rollie and photograph of his funeral included in this blog post.