Leading Aircraftman JAMES WILLIAM COTTIER 1685613,RAFVR Winnipeg (Brookside) Cemetery.Any help pleas

I have a chap who is remembered on Cockermouth War Memorial and am intrigued of how he was in Canada and also of how he died if anyone can assist please.

COTTIER, JAMES WILLIAM

Rank:Leading Aircraftman
Service No:1685613
Date of Death:01/06/1944
Age:21
Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference Mil. Sec. Lot 1975.
Cemetery WINNIPEG (BROOKSIDE) CEMETERY

Additional Information:

Son of James William and Florence Cottier, of Cockermouth, Cumberland, England.

Regards for any help Michael.

 

Michael

James William Cottier is listed as being on the strength of 18 SFTS (Service Flying Training School) on the GRO Index of Royal Air Force deaths 1935-1950.

RCAF Station Gimli - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nick

 

Cheers Nick for the link that tells me why he was in Canada.

Regards Michael.

 

I have found a chap that isn't remembered on my project of Cockermouth War Memorial or Cemetery and am intrigued of how he was in Canada and also of how he died if anyone can assist please.

Brookside Cemetery burial search

http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/cemetery_brookside_alpha.stm

http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/cemeteries/Brookside/BrooksideCO_CQ.html

Last Name: Cottier
First Name: L/ac James William
Burial Order #: 32814
Section-Lot-Grave: MLTY-1975-0
Date of Death: Thursday, June 1st 1944
Date of Burial: Monday, June 5th 1944

Brookside Cemetery - Northeast section of map
Ref: 'G' (CWGC Stone of Remembramce)
Ref: 'H' (Cross of Sacrifice)

http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/cemeteries/images/brooksidemap.pdf

http://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/Query.php

Bill

 

Nick wrote; James William Cottier is listed as being on the strength of 18 SFTS (Service Flying Training School) on the GRO Index of Royal Air Force deaths 1935-1950. RCAF Station Gimli.

I have a hunch that James Wm. Cottier may have been a patient at Deer Lodge Veterans Hospital Winnipeg.

Deer Lodge Centre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Map of Manitoba, Gimli is due north of the City of Winnipeg refer to Map 5 for the lower west side of Lake Winnipeg.

Official Highway Map | Infrastructure and Transportation | Province of Manitoba

Map of Canada
Provinces and territories of Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bill

 

Flight Magazine (Flight Global archives) September 21st, 1944

KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.—L.A/C. W. Aldcroft; Act. Fit. Lt. C. D. Beales; Sgt. A. Brown; Act. Fit. Lt. R. L. W. Cheek, D.S.O.; Sgt. R. Clark; L.A/C. J. W. Cottier; W/O H. W. Fletcher; Cpl. A. J . W. Hopkins; Sgt. P . W. D. Kevern; Cpl. G. Laker; Fit. Sgt. P Lane; P/O. I. D. MacKay; Sgt. D. H. Marshall: Set. R. Twaite; L.A/C. G. N. Weightroan; Fit Lt. A. T. Wickham, D.F.C.; Cpl. D. F. G. Wilder.

 

Looking for some more info but could only find that Flt Lt. A. T. Wickham, D.F.C is on the Lords (Cricket) Roll of Honour.

 

Searching for LAC Cottier by name provides a link to a copy of the Lethbridge Herald of 16 June 1944

Lethbridge Herald, Friday, June 16, 1944, Page 11


Killed on Active Service COTTIER James William LAC j Cottier Cockermouth Cumberland England TORRIE R W Sgt J Torrie father Essex

Sergeant Torrie died on the 2nd of June and is also buried in Canada (Calgary).


Robert William TORRIE, Sergeant (Pilot), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed in Canada - "Robert William TORRIE, Sergeant (Pilot), Royal Air Force ... Robert William Torrie was born in Cumberland in 1923, the elder son of James Torrie (1894-1961)"


It was a totally unrelated incident to the death of LAC Cottier but here we have two members of the RAF, serving in Canada, who die a day apart from each other and they both come from Cumberland

 

Thanks guys for searching and for all the information I am trully thank full.

Regards Michael.

 

Thanks guys for searching and for all the information I am trully thank full.

Hi Michael, I took the liberty to contact the Customer Service Advisor, City of Winnipeg Cemeteries here is their reply. ~~~

I took some time to look through our older records for you. Unfortunately our records do not show L/ac James William Cottier's date of birth. However his age at the time of his passing was 21 years of age. We are unable to release the cause of death due to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) which came into play a few years back. All of the other information you have provided is correct. Using the map of Brookside Cemetery, he would be interred in the Field of Honour section marked by the number red circle with the number 5. This area is situated just west of the bridge that crosses omands creek. Hope this was of some assistance. Have a good day. ~~~

Unfortunately our Canadian privacy laws prevent full disclosure on the cause of death. Suggest looking at his RAF war records in the UK. Most likely you will find a death certficate issued by the Manitoba government.

Bill

 

Thankyou very much Bill for doing that.

Regards Michael.

 

From the Canada, War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty), 1914-1948 database on Ancestry:

Instantly killed, when the aircraft he was flying on cross-country solo, crashed at 0130hrs, 1/JUN/44, near Woodlands, Manitoba.

Mark

 

With regards to Robert William Torrie, from the Canada, War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty), 1914-1948 database on Ancestry:

Died as a result of fracture of the skull and multiple injuries sustained in an aircraft incident on 2nd.June, 1944.

 

With regards to Robert William Torrie, from the Canada, War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty), 1914-1948 database on Ancestry:

Excellent Mark cheers very much for finding both of their historys of how they died.
Another great outcome thanks to all who contributed it is very much appreciated.

Regards Michael.

 

Hello
William James Cottier was my husbands uncle his brother George Cottier my father in law was in the army during the war and he came back to Cockermouth in 1948. Their parents lived in the little cottage at the bottom of Cocker Lane and then they moved to Skinner Street. James was in the RAF during the war and was killed in a flying exercise in Canada. We have a photograph of the grave in Winnipeg and his name is on the war memorial in Cockermouth he never married so the only direct descendants of him are his nephews one of which is my husband. Hope this is helpful.

 

Hi and welcome to the forum, Thank you for replying to this thread as it as made me correct my first post Yes he is on the memorial so why I said he wasn't I haven't a clue (been a numpty as usual !)

Did you find the information regarding William that my fellow forum members found out about the death of William interesting.

Are you from Cockermouth if so you may know my mam and dad Judith and Albert Deacon.

Regards Mike.

 

I know your mum and sister I worked with Carole at Cumberland House.