Another tiny clue in my serach for RCAF Flight Sgt, Air Gunner Gordon Phillip Charlebois has turned up... the cematary he is buried in, (Harrogate Stonefall) in Yorkshire, "nearly all of the Canadians buried here belonged to No.6 Bomber group." (Commonwealth War Graves Commision). So anyone out there have any information at all about that Group, (headquarters were at Allerton Park) or know where I can find it??
There is a very good history of 6 Group. It is entitled 'Reap The Whirlwind - The Untold Story Of 6 Group, Canada's Bomber Force Of World War II' . Written by Spencer Dunmore and William Carter, it was published in Canada by McClelland & Stewart in 1991 and in England by Crecy in 1992.
hi pwwbear, I am unable to find anything on this man. His squadron is not mentioned on the CWGC site and according to Chorley he wasn't killed on a operational mission. CWGC only mentions units when operational, so he could have been with a OTU or HCU or something at the time (ie. still in training) but here also Chroley draws a blank. No losses for 20 APril 1945...... Have you tried getting his military service records from the government???
Am working on that. The date he was died was what is on the Memorial site and on his gravestone so I don't know... curious. What is CWGC?
From the Commonwelth War Graves Commision site: CHARLEBOIS, GORDON PHILLIP Initials: G P Nationality: Canadian Rank: Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force Age: 29 Date of Death: 20/04/1945 Service No: R/274376 Additional information: Son of John Olivier and Clemend Charlebois; husband of Angele Charlebois, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. H. Row K. Grave 1. Cemetery: HARROGATE (STONEFALL) CEMETERY
UPDATE: Someone caught my query on an RCAF history board. A brief message: Hi R274376 Flight Sergeant Gordon Philip Charlebois was killed in an Avro Lancaster B. Mk. I crash while training at No. 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit at R.A.F. Station Swinderby, Lincolnshire. Am awaiting more details and to where on earth he found that info so quickly.
Then it's possibly Lancaster B.1 HK598, which crashed and burned out on that date at Claypole, Nottinghamshire due to engine failure on a training flight. [ 01. June 2005, 02:52 AM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]
