Hi I`m Floyd Low in Ottawa Canada - general WW2 interests in NW Europe. Day job - Full time Reserve Army (ie: your TA) Night job - Army History concentrating on WW1 and actions of the 54th and 102nd Bn CEF --- see 54th Bn Canadian Infantry, World War One
Hi, Floyd: Here is some information (which you may already have). 44 Squadron RAF. Hampden Mark B. I. Serial Number: AD726. Squadron Code: KM-? Operation: Cologne. 31st August / 1st September 1941 Airborne at 20:40 31 Aug 41 from Waddington. Crashed in the North Sea 25 miles East of Harwich, Essex. Two bodies were washed ashore on the Belgian coast and both are buried in Oost-Duinkerke Communal Cemetery. Sgt Harvey and F/Sgt Phillips have no known graves and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt S.A. Harvey KIA Sgt H.A. Taylor (RCAF) KIA F/Sgt J.E. Phillips KIA Sgt R.K. Hayes KIA Are you related to Sgt Taylor? If so you should be able to access his RCAF records which may provide more details. The CWGC records seem to indicate that Sgt Taylor was later moved to Adegem Cemetery Name: TAYLOR, HAROLD ALVAN Initials: H A Nationality: Canadian Rank: Sergeant (Air Obs.) Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force Unit Text: 44 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Age: 29 Date of Death: 01/09/1941 Service No: R/55406 Additional information: Son of Arthur W. and Alice I. Lynn Taylor, of Richmond, Province of Quebec. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. F. 11. Cemetery: ADEGEM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Hope that helps
Hi, Floyd: Here is some information (which you may already have). 44 Squadron RAF. Hampden Mark B. I. Serial Number: AD726. Squadron Code: KM-? Operation: Cologne. 31st August / 1st September 1941 Airborne at 20:40 31 Aug 41 from Waddington. Crashed in the North Sea 25 miles East of Harwich, Essex. Two bodies were washed ashore on the Belgian coast and both are buried in Oost-Duinkerke Communal Cemetery. Sgt Harvey and F/Sgt Phillips have no known graves and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt S.A. Harvey KIA Sgt H.A. Taylor (RCAF) KIA F/Sgt J.E. Phillips KIA Sgt R.K. Hayes KIA Are you related to Sgt Taylor? If so you should be able to access his RCAF records which may provide more details. The CWGC records seem to indicate that Sgt Taylor was later moved to Adegem Cemetery Name: TAYLOR, HAROLD ALVAN Initials: H A Nationality: Canadian Rank: Sergeant (Air Obs.) Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force Unit Text: 44 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Age: 29 Date of Death: 01/09/1941 Service No: R/55406 Additional information: Son of Arthur W. and Alice I. Lynn Taylor, of Richmond, Province of Quebec. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. F. 11. Cemetery: ADEGEM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Hope that helps Hi again and thanks to all for your kind efforts. I`m not related - our family were farmers in WW2 but Gramps was a mechanic with the US Army Engrs in WW1 in Dijon France. This quest is for a distant relative of Sgt Taylor - he was a graduate of the McGill University (Montreal) Teacher`s College class of 1934. Curiously he`s reported as having been very tall - 6` 5". I will see his service record next week and post any interesting info. I found a link regarding the family of the pilot - F Sgt Phillips with info below E-mail: grahamtate@hotmail.co.uk Date: 7 Mar 2006 Time: 11:30 Comments Great site still looking for info/pictures of F/S J PHILLIPS of 44 Sqn. His last mission was in Hampden AD726 31/07/41. Brothers Grandson of J Phillips. Ref ********* http://www.rafweb.org/guestlog_2006.htm So - until our next mission - which will be stealthy and soon!
Welcome to the forum. Great website on the 54th Bn. Awful music though. Glad you liked the 54th site. For UK friends you may not realise that a huge wave of immigration from UK to Canada in 1912 was the source of an immense body of personnel for the Canadian Contingent of the British Army many who had seen former military service. Two of the first commanders of the unit were Brits and Col Kemball, a retired Gurhka Regimental Commander died facing Berlin at Vimy Ridge Mar 1 1917. His brother, Vero, was a MGEN and in charge of the Kut Relief force. The Australians claim him as the first combat air extraction. The guy that took over from Col Kemball got on top of Vimy Ridge in April 1917 but ran afoul of the Brigade Commander. He was a former Black Watch Officer before coming to Canada.
Hello Floyd and welcome to the forum from Northern Ontario, where the crocuses and snowdrops are blooming. We had some lads from the 119th and 227th go over to your Battalions of interest. Nice website and good links. cheers from the Men of the North phil
and an equal welcome Floyd from far off Agassiz in B.C.- where my magnificent 30 ' high Magnolia tree is in full bloom... Cheers
Floyd - astonishing fact that the abundance of recruits in WW1 with it's smaller population in the West appeared to be followed in WW2 with a similar recruitment from the Western areas. It's been a few years since I drove Highway three through Greenwood - Rock Creek - Nelson and Cranbrook but the people are still the same friendly bunch and Chilliwack still growing fast where we do our main shopping. The Vernon Army camp is still on the hill next to the hospital but with newer street names such as Ortona and Rimini...to commemorate the activities of 1st Infantry and 5th Armoured Divs. in Italy. Cheers
I saw Sgt Taylor`s file today - very extensive - I plan to snap it on Sunday and post next week. He went Gardening a few times and delivered explosive messages to the enemy. I also saw the Bomber Command War Diaries at our National War Museum Library today. That`s a very impressive work. I suppose the next step is hunt for the actual 44 Sqn War Diary listing to see what they said about this mission. Anyone have ideas where to write for further information? Best regards to all.
RAF Squadron Operational Record Books are free to down load from The National Archives during the current covid crisis. You need to register. Royal Air Force operations record books 1911-1963 - The National Archives
