Month: November 2011

Logbooks tell all

Click here…

This is the author’s introduction,

From an early age in life I have been interested in aviation and military aviation in particular. Being born in the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and having a grandfather that fought with the Dutch Forces in WW2, this era has always been an important part in my life. For quite some years now, I have been collecting aviation memorabilia, with a main interest in the exploits of the Royal Air Force during World War II. They paid an immense price for our freedom and deserve our gratitude. Having moved to Lincolnshire, UK, several years ago, better known as “Bomber County”, it brought me closer to ‘where it all happened’. I live on the outskirts of the old RAF Waltham these days and have a few friends that have actually been there.

Log Books are the summum of my collection. To me, these are very personal documents which tell a tale of one particular person’s experiences. I therefor decided to build this website in order to share some of these ‘stories’. I hope you will enjoy them.

Searching and Finding Able Seaman Thomas De La Hunt Malone

John Hawley found him…

He sent me this e-mail…

For your information.

If you open the You Tube

Deep Wreck Mysteries – Fatal Decision part 2/4” you will see a photograph of Able Seaman Thomas De La Hunt Malone age 22.

For me there is more meaning and perspective when I can see a picture of the “brave young man” who lies in a loney grave in a
faraway land (Pounstock, Cornwall, UK.)

His photograph appears at approximately the 6 minutes – 16 seconds into the Part 2/4 You Tube video.

John

The whole documentary:

Click here for Part 1…

Click here for Part 2…

Click here for Part 3

Click here for Part 4 

Lest We Forget…

Able Seaman Thomas De La Hunt Malone

This is what I found on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial site.

In memory of
Able Seaman
THOMAS DE LA HUNT  MALONE
who died on August 8, 1944

Military Service:

Service Number: V/48090
Age: 22ith
Force: Navy
Unit: Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Division: H.M.C.S. Regina

Additional Information:

Son of Thomas De La Hunt Malone and Antoinette Saucier Malone, of Three Rivers. Province of Quebec, Canada.

John asked me to contact the site to post the picture of the grave of Able Seaman Malone.

I did just that.

With this info found on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial I was able to trace Thomas de La Hunt Malone’s parents in genealogy databanks.

His parents Thomas Malone and Antoinette Saucier got married on April 30, 1919 in Montreal.

Thomas Malone was the son of Thomas Malone and Mary-Clare Walsh.

Antoinette Saucier was the daughter of Jean-Ernest Saucier and Antoinette Lamontagne.

This is a start.

I will try to see if I can find any brothers or sisters of Thomas.

Finding relatives won’t be easy, but then yesterday I got this comment on my blog… about this sailor.

The son of Petty Officer William Cramp who died when the HMCS Regina sank, Bill Cramp, member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 143 in Ontario was our guest on November 10th, 2011.

His father died when he was only 12 years old.

The other son has written a book about his father.

You can contact Bill Cramp at the Legion.

Hope this help to find the descendants of the three soldiers on the grave markers.

I contacted John who will probably contact this person.

I know he will.

HMCS Regina revisited once more

These are the two other monuments John Hawley took pictures of on his trip to England.

I told John we could send them to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial site since they have almost nothing on those five sailors except this.

Some relatives must have sent those.

So we just have to fill in the form like those relatives did and hope for the best. 

It would be a way to reach out for relatives.

It’s worth a try…

As a footnote, life was not that easy on a Corvette during WWII.

You just have to read the article I posted on my other blog Remembering HMCS Regina.

I wrote an article with links about two other sailors so it’s easy to imagine how rough it was for those five sailors who gave their lives for their country.

When John Hawley asked me for my help, I felt I had to do something.

And the thing I do best is to write… and search like corvettes did during WWII.

Search for survivors and save them or search for U-Boats and destroy them.

War is hell.

Sailors from both camps had to kill each other in order to survive…

Some never came back.

Those who came back never forgot… and most never talked about it.

HMCS Regina revisited

I had written two articles in 2009 about that ship that I had never heard before just like I had never heard about HMCS Athabaskan before my wife’s uncle talked about it in the summer of 2009.

Click here.

Then click here…

That last article is the reason why John Hawley wrote a comment during my Rememberance Week 2011.

This is the picture he took in a cemetery… and that he sent me.


collection John Hawley

We see the monuments of three sailors who died when HMCS Regina K234 was torpedoed on August 8, 1944.

John’s father was a sailor on that ship as you can read in his e-mail.

Our father (still alive (age 86) and living in Port Hope Ontario served on HMCS Regina K234 and survived her sinking. He lost many friends and shipmates that night.

On a recent visit to the UK (September 2011) we had the honour and priviledge to visit the graves of five of these brave men in Cornwall, UK. We paid our respects and gratitude to AB Saulnier, Rathbone at St Merryn near Padstow and PO. Cramp, AB Dawson and AB Malone at St Winwaloe Churchyard. Poundstock. UK.

I am in the process of trying to find their descendants.

Have many photographs of their graves and the church areas. Willing to send to anyone interested.
Also remember there are 25 men from Regina who are still out there.

Sincerely, John Hawley, Cole Harbour, NS

This sentence in his message struck me…

I am in the process of trying to find their descendants.

This is exacty what I did back in 2009 with one sailor with a French-Canadian name. 

In memory of
Leading Stoker
CHARLES OMER  DENONCOURT
who died on August 8, 1944

Military Service:

Service Number: V/4525
Age: 21
Force: Navy
Unit: Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Division: H.M.C.S. Regina

Additional Information:

Son of Alfred Denoncourt, and of Elodie Denoncourt, of Montreal, Province of Quebec.

This sailor has no monument because he is part of the… 25 men from Regina who are still out there.

So John has come to the right place to get some help with this since genealogy is my forte.

I know a relative of one of HMCS Athabaskan’s sailors who knows what this blog can do…

We will try next time to find Able Seaman Malone’s relatives and help John in his search for relatives.

Of course the right thing to do was to start a new blog to know what I am talking about before paying homage to all those sailors who served on HMCS Regina.

Click on the image.

Rememberance Week: Remembering HMCS Athabaskan

November 11, 2011, 11:11

This blog all started in 2009 to pay homage to the sailors of HMCS Athabaskan, the Unlucky Lady.

Before my wife’s uncle said he was part of the crew on that faithful night of April 29, 1944, I did not know HMCS Athabaskan ever existed. I have always been interested in the history of WW II, but mostly about airplanes.

This is how I came about to write about the Athabaskan and that I decided to write this blog.

I did not find my wife’s uncle’s name in the book Unlucky Lady.

There is a list of the sailors who sailed that day.

 I also could not identify him in these two pictures that Herm Sulkers’ son sent me last year in an e-mail.

 

These are the sailors whose relatives wrote me since 2009 and sent me pictures to share with my readers.

Jim L’Esperance

Sydney A. Cottrell

Louis Ledoux

Louis Senecal

Stanley Dick

Douglas Laurie

Jack Forron

L. Murchison Gordon

Jack Edwards

John Cameron Adams

Russell Knight

Herman Sulkers

PO G. E. Cooper

John Clark Roberts

This blog is about sharing.

Nothing else.

No donation…

The veterans have given enough…

This week someone posted a comment on this blog.

It was about an article I wrote on sailors who were on HMCS Regina…

Click here to read it.

Our father (still alive (age 86) and living in Port Hope Ontario served on HMCS Regina K234 and survived her sinking. He lost many friends and shipmates that night.
On a recent visit to the UK (September 2011) we had the honour and priviledge to visit the graves of five of these brave men in Cornwall, UK. We paid our respects and gratitude to AB Saulnier, Rathbone at St Merryn near Padstow and PO. Cramp, AB Dawson and AB Malone at St Winwaloe Churchyard. Poundstock. UK.
I am in the process of trying to find their descendants.
Have many photographs of their graves and the church areas. Willing to send to anyone interested.
Also remember there are 25 men from Regina who are still out there.
Sincerley, John Hawly, Cole Harbour, NS

John wrote me again. He is not too savy about blogs and Facebook. Neither am I. On another note, Dorothy sent me this. She said I could share it…

Dear Pierre,

I have more information on the sinking of the Athabascan, my first cousin
Norman Barrie was on the Haida that pick up the survivors, John (Jack Edwards) my neighbour was one of the survivors.

They stayed friends until their deaths. This I learned this year, as I had been in contact with Norman’s wife Marg. John’s wife had moved to Victoria this year and Marg didn’t know about that.

I got in contact with John’s wife Doreen and had her contact Marg. The Edwards family attended the Anniversary of the Navy in Victoria in 2010.

Dorothy Orchuk Brodeur.
Edmonton, Alberta

Lest we forget…

Source: http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas2510-RCN.htm#date

29 April 1944

Athabaskan (RCN), ship loss (above – Photo
Ships)

ADAMS,
John C, Able Seaman, V 17001 (RCNVR), MPK

AGNEW,
John, Able Seaman, V 1383 (RCNVR), MPK

ALLISON,
Albert E, Able Seaman, V 8402 (RCNVR), MPK

AMIRO,
Irvin V, Telegraphist, V 26054 (RCNVR),
killed

ANNETT,
Robert I L, Sub Lieutenant (E), RCN, killed

ARMSTRONG,
George A, Able Seaman, V 12833 (RCNVR), killed

ASHTON,
Percy G, Able Seaman, V 31508 (RCNVR), MPK

BARRETT,
Arthur E, Able Seaman, V 12346 (RCNVR), killed

BELL,
Donald A, Stoker 1c, V 53224 (RCNVR), killed

BERKELEY,
Alfred G, Ordinary Seaman, V 54498 (RCNVR), MPK

BERTRAND,
Laurent J L, Chief Petty Officer, 2408 (RCN), killed

BIANCO,
Anthony D, Able Seaman, V 34263 (RCNVR), MPK

BIEBER,
Edgar E, Stoker Petty Officer, V 9844 (RCNVR), MPK

BLINCH,
Harry C, Able Seaman, 4265 (RCN), MPK

BRANDSON,
Thomas L, Paymaster Lieutenant, RCN, MPK

BRIGHTEN,
Victor H, Engine Room Artificer 2c, 21930 (RCN), MPK*

* information from a reader

Pierre

 In speaking to my dad this morning, two things emerged. The website shows Vic Brighten’s rank as ERA. He was in fact Chief ERA. He had just replaced Ernie Mills, and was therefore no supposed to be aboard, but the changeover took longer than expected so he stayed aboard for the extra 2 days.

Doug

BURROW,
William O, Leading Seaman, V 7988 (RCNVR), MPK

CHAMBERLAND, Paul H A, Able Seaman,
V 3677 (RCNVR), killed

COOKMAN,
Edgar A, Leading Seaman, 3210 (RCN), MPK

COONEY,
Stewart R, Steward, V 35579 (RCNVR), MPK

CORBIERE,
Vincent G, Able Seaman, V 34003 (RCNVR), MPK

CORKUM,
Gordon F, Able Seaman, A 1169 (RCNR), killed

COTTRELL,
Sydney A, Able Seaman, V 18362 (RCNVR), killed

CROFT,
Moyle H, Able Seaman, A 4958 (RCNR), MPK

CROSS,
Alfred T, Ordinary Telegraphist, V 25039 (RCNVR),
MPK

DEARMOND,
Gordon L, Leading Seaman, V 11568 (RCNVR), MPK

DILLEN,
Stewart C, Steward, V 34261 (RCNVR), MPK

DION,
Albert J G, Leading Stoker, V 3373 (RCNVR), MPK

EDHOUSE,
Donald W, Stoker 2c, V 58286 (RCNVR), MPK

FLEMING,
Harold L, Able Seaman, V 12849 (RCNVR), MPK

FORRON,
Jack E A, Stoker 1c, V 17506 (RCNVR), MPK

FRALICK,
Earl I, Able Seaman, V 31885 (RCNVR), MPK

FRITH,
William A, Leading Seaman, V 17806 (RCNVR), killed

FULLER,
Eugene M, Able Seaman, V 8808 (RCNVR), killed

GAETANO,
Valentino J, Able Seaman, V 35858 (RCNVR), MPK

GIBBONS,
Marshall L, Able Seaman, V 51109 (RCNVR), killed

GOLDSMITH,
Thomas H H, Chief Yeoman of Signals, 2980 (RCN),
killed

GORDON,
Lloyd M, Able Seaman, V 1267 (RCNVR), MPK

GOULET,
Robert J, Stoker 1c, V 42673 (RCNVR), MPK

GRAINGER, Roy J, Leading Supply Assistant, V 17877 (RCNVR), MPK

GUEST,
Earlton G, Able Seaman, V 17487 (RCNVR),
killed

HAYES,
Christopher, Ordinary Seaman, V 34625 (RCNVR), MPK

HEATHERINGTON, John T, Stoker 1c, V
31647 (RCNVR), MPK

HENRY,
Robert J, Able Seaman, V 16777 (RCNVR), killed

HEYMANN,
Hans P (also known as Hugh P Heaton), Writer, C/MX 678680, MPK

HOUISON,
George D, Leading Writer, V 23114 (RCNVR), MPK

HURLEY,
Michael P, Stoker 1c, V 36734 (RCNVR), MPK

IRVINE,
Leonard C, Able Seaman, V 11886 (RCNVR), killed

IZARD,
Theodore D, Lieutenant (E), RCN, MPK

JARVIS,
Edmund A, Leading Seaman, 3330 (RCN), MPK

JOHNSON,
Elswood S, Able Seaman, V 16839 (RCNVR),
MPK

JOHNSON,
Richard R, Leading Stoker, V 5801 (RCNVR), MPK

JOHNSTON,
Lawrence R, Able Seaman, V 51370 (RCNVR), killed

KELLY,
Lionel D, Steward, V 4445 (RCNVR), MPK

KOBES,
John R, Leading Seaman, 3074 (RCN), MPK

LAMOUREAUX, Andre, Leading Seaman,
V 4348 (RCNVR), MPK

LAWRENCE,
Ralph M, Lieutenant, RCN, MPK

LEA, Eric
E, Stoker 1c, V 47397 (RCNVR), MPK

LEDOUX,
Louis, Able Seaman, V 4433 (RCNVR), killed

LEWANDOWSKI, Stanley S, Stoker 2c,
V 61813 (RCNVR), MPK

LIND,
Mekkel G, Stoker Petty Officer, V 13918 (RCNVR),
MPK

LOVE,
Walter Mc, Engine Room Artificer 3c, V 8030 (RCNVR), MPK

LUCAS,
Donald O, Stoker 2c, V 60018 (RCNVR), MPK

MACAVOY,
Gerald W, Petty Officer Cook (O), 40500 (RCN), MPK

MACDONALD,
Ashley K, Able Seaman, 3625 (RCN), MPK

MACKENZIE,
Alexander, Able Seaman, V 19875 (RCNVR), MPK

MAGUIRE,
John W, Leading Stoker, 40911 (RCN), killed

MAHONEY,
John D, Lieutenant (Sp), RCN, killed

MANSON,
John L, Cook (O), V 23559 (RCNVR), killed

MATTHEWS,
George H, Able Seaman, V 2809 (RCNVR), MPK

MCBRIDE,
John L, Able Seaman, V 45461 (RCNVR), killed

MCCARROLL,
Thomas G, Stoker 1c, V 39522 (RCNVR), MPK

MCCRINDLE,
William D, Able Seaman, V 1854 (RCNVR), MPK

MCGREGOR,
William, Leading Stoker, V 30291 (RCNVR), killed

MCLEAN,
Daniel H, Able Seaman, V 14742 (RCNVR), MPK

MCNEIL,
John J, Stoker 2c, V 59518 (RCNVR), killed

MEADWELL,
Richard G, Able Seaman, V 49203 (RCNVR), MPK

MENGONI,
Eric J, Able Seaman, 3980 (RCN), MPK

METCALFE,
Donald I, Electrical Artificer 3c, V 11603 (RCNVR), MPK

MILLAR,
Victor, Able Seaman, V 27555 (RCNVR), MPK

MILLS,
Ernest G, Chief Engine Room Artificer, 21508 (RCN), MPK

MUMFORD,
Leonard K, Engine Room Artificer 4c, V 42353 (RCNVR), MPK

NASH,
Robert A, Sub Lieutenant, RCN, killed

NICHOLAS,
Joseph R, Leading Stoker, V 16615 (RCNVR), MPK

OUELLETTE,
Joseph E V, Able Seaman, V 50769 (RCNVR), MPK

PEART,
Hilbert J, Able Seaman, A 927 (RCNR), MPK

PHILLIPS,
John D, Able Seaman, V 19152 (RCNVR), killed

PIKE,
Brenton J, Able Seaman, V 36417 (RCNVR),
killed

POTHIER,
Charles L, Able Seaman, V 4752 (RCNVR), killed

RENNIE,
John E, Petty Officer, 3075 (RCN), MPK

RIENDEAU,
Joseph A L, Able Seaman, V 6869 (RCNVR), killed

ROBERTS,
John C, Engine Room Artificer 4c, V 41069 (RCNVR), MPK

ROBERTS,
Raymond L, Able Seaman, V 10880 (RCNVR), killed

ROBERTSHAW, Eric, Able Seaman, V
8634 (RCNVR), killed

ROBERTSON,
Ian A, Able Seaman, V 33909 (RCNVR), killed

ROBERTSON,
William, Stoker 1c, V 55418 (RCNVR), MPK

ROGER, Leo
A, Stoker 1c, V 38426 (RCNVR), killed

ROLLS,
Raymond B, Able Seaman, V 34863 (RCNVR), killed

RUTHERFORD, Norman W, Petty Officer
Radio Mech, P/MX 124283, MPK

RYAN,
Norman V, Able Seaman, V 52603 (RCNVR), MPK

SAMPSON,
Francis L, Able Seaman, V 174 (RCNVR), killed

SANDERSON,
Earl H, Able Seaman, V 34973 (RCNVR), MPK

SENECAL,
Jean G L, Able Seaman, V 15272 (RCNVR), killed

SHERLOCK,
Albert V, Steward, V 861 (RCNVR), MPK

SIGSTON,
George D, Gunner, RCN, MPK

SINGLETON,
John C, Able Seaman, V 17334 (RCNVR), MPK

SKYVINGTON, Francis G, Sick Berth
Attendant, V 46829 (RCNVR), MPK

SOMMERFIELD, Samuel W, Able Seaman,
V 32952 (RCNVR), MPK

SOUCISSE,
Paul E, Coder, V 836 (RCNVR), MPK

ST
LAURENT, Joseph L M, Able Seaman, V 37192 (RCNVR), MPK

STEVENSON,
Elmer H, Stoker 1c, V 53221 (RCNVR), MPK

STEWART,
John L, Able Seaman, V 1362 (RCNVR), MPK

STEWART,
William G, Signalman, V 8866 (RCNVR), MPK

STOCKMAN,
Ernest O, Lieutenant (E), RCN, MPK

STUBBS,
John H, Lieutenant Commander, RCN, killed

SUTHERLAND, John W, Able Seaman, V
12533 (RCNVR), MPK

SWEET,
Charles E, Chief Petty Officer, 2563 (RCN), killed

THOMPSON,
Harry, Stoker 1c, V 38485 (RCNVR), MPK

TUPPER,
Allister R, Ordnance Artificer 4c, V 40751 (RCNVR),
MPK

VAIR,
James A, Leading Steward, A 4980 (RCNR), MPK

VEINOTTE,
Joseph V W, Supply Petty Officer, V 25606 (RCNVR), MPK

WAITSON,
Maurice, Able Seaman, V 18646 (RCNVR), MPK

WALLACE,
Peter W, Able Seaman, V 11722 (RCNVR), MPK

WARD,
Leslie, Lieutenant (Sp), RCN, MPK

WATSON,
Reginald J, Telegraphist, V 35953 (RCNVR),
killed

WILLIAMS,
Kenneth W, Engine Room Artificer 4c, A 5402 (RCNR), killed

WOOD, John
A, Able Seaman, V 34862 (RCNVR), killed

YEADON,
Robert L, Able Seaman, V 272 (RCNVR), killed

Rememberance Week: Off to North Africa

This is a good account of the history of 425 Squadron.

Click here (broken link).

This is taken from the text.

The sea voyage of the ground party was interrupted by sporadic attacks by German bombers in the Bay of Biscay area, attacks which, except for livening up the trip somewhat, were inconsequential, there being no casualties.

The same could not be said for the aerial part of the transfer.

Twenty aircraft left Portreath on 4 June and nineteen reached Telergma, Tunisia, the same day. The lone exception encountered trouble over the same Biscay area, trouble in the form of the airborne enemy. Its crew and two groundcrew passengers were eventually obliged to hit the silk when over Portugal. All were interned in that country for the remainder of hostilities.

By mid-June most of the personnel and equipment had reached the new airfield-home at Kairouan.

Now started all over again the arduous process of establishing themselves in the
business of carrying bombs to enemy places. For this phase of operations the squadron formed part of No. 331 Wing, in No. 205 Group.

The Alouettes soon became aware of the physical and meteorological nature of their environment. There was eternal sand; there was eternal heat; there were periodical torrential rains that transformed the airfield into what looked more like a swamp minus the bulrushes; there were the sand-laden breezes of the sirocco, fresh from the desert, which seared the eyes, dust-draped everything in sight, and finally dried everything up, making it possible for the miserable cycle to start all over again.

The Alouettes had traded the mud, wind, and rain of Yorkshire for the mud, wind, and rain of Tunisia, with heat thrown into the bargain. Just when they were getting reasonably adjusted to this sort of thing, they were called upon to attack their first target in this theatre.

Michael’s dad was off to North Africa as these pictures will show you. I don’t think Corporal Roly Leblanc expected the kind of conditions described above…

So here are the 40 pictures taken by Corporal Roly Leblanc RCAF.

These are unique.

So enjoy the scene… before going to the airbase tomorrow…