Here is an assortment of photos of 422 Squadron members. In many cases, the persons in the photos are not
identified, if you happen to be able to identify any persons found in the photos, please contact me and I will have their
names listed appropriately.
Names - left to right, John Edwards, J.L. Kennedy,
Arnold Gleason ( Living in London, Ontario as of 2010 ), K. Braid, Dave
Patton, R.G. Stocks,
Gord Adams, R. Perks, Gerry Fellows. Oban.
Dave Patton and crew. Missing from photo is F.G. Fellows.
65th Anniversary of 422 Squadron in Winnipeg
JAMES O. "ROCKY" BURKE From Barrie, Ontario.
Pilot Officer Wireless Operator Air Gunner
James was killed on May 24, 1944 in an attack with U-921
Postcard sent from "Rocky" Burke to his brother. Rocky was stationed with 206 squadron at the time on Thorney
island.
Letter concering script for Rocky Burke.
Letter to family of Rocky Burke concerning his flight log.
Letter dated 1951 to the Burke family informing them of the official record change of Rocky's status, and
also declaring to them that he will be named on the Runnymede Memorial.
Clippings from the Barrie Examiner circa wartime, 1940's.
Medals and flashes from uniform belonging to James Burke
On the back of the above photo, here's what it says written by Rocky Burke:
" The first guy on the right is Freddie Hall. That's the guy I bugger around with. The next guy is Bradley.
The next is Fleming. The next is Kufsluski and the next one is a stupid bastard by the name of Burke. He lives in Barrie."
Percy George Stevens,
(nickname Budge or Red) is on the far left in both the above and below photos. He was also a football player for the
Hamilton
Tiger Cats roughly 1938-40.
Lloyd G. Hutchinson .He was from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Born 1919 and died 1991.
OTTAWA, ON. APRIL 1, 2010:
World War 2 veteran Frank Cauley vividly remembers some of his close calls
as a airman during the war, including attacking a German submarine that, in turn, badly damaged the airplane that he and the
crew patched with chewing gum in order to land safely. Photographed in his flying uniform - that has held up well over the
past 70 years - at his Ottawa home Thursday, April 1, 2010. (Julie Oliver/Ottawa Citizen)
( used with permission from the Ottawa Citizen )
Mr. Cauley was on an aircraft that attacked a German submarine. The aircraft was so badly damaged during
the attack that the crew had to patch holes with chewing gum!
Frank Cauley ( used with permission from the Ottawa Citizen
)
Frank Cauley, talks about his first mission flying submarine patrol over the Bay of Biscayne,
and the German submarine they attack. One of two parts to this story.
Frank Cauley, talks about his first mission flying submarine patrol over the Bay of Biscayne, and
the German submarine they attack. The Second of two parts to this story
Atlantic Bravery Saluted May 05, 2008
Vice
Admiral Drew Robertson stops to talk with veteran Harry Kerrison, 86, (third from right) of RCAF 422 Squadron as he inspects
the veteran contingent yesterday during the commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
They were gathered to mark the 65th anniversary of the turning point of the six-year battle.
The Battle of the Atlantic began in 1939, after a German submarine sank a passenger ship near Ireland. In
the years that followed, the Royal Canadian Navy lost more than 2,000 personnel and two dozen ships. The merchant navy lost
another 1,700 sailors and more than 70 ships. About 900 air force and army members also perished.
About 400 veterans, serving members of the Armed Forces, politicians and diplomats were joined by about 200
civilians in the ceremony.
422 Sqn Skipper FO John Wharton
Second Pilot Bill Rogers
LERWICK FLYING BOAT OF 422 SQUADRON
PICTURE IS OF THE CREW THAT CRASHED NEAR ENNISKILLEN IN FEBRUARY 1944.
Straddle , the 422 mascot. Straddle actually flew on ops , seen here beside the mid upper of a Sunderland.
Some groundcrew men from 422 Squadron
Cam Devine and crew.
Evan Campbell (Cam) Devine
Cam was killed on August 12, 1944, when the Flying Boat he was piloting crashed in Ireland.
From The Grand Valley Star and Vidette, August, 1944:
Another Grand Valley Boy Passes Overseas
News of the death of another Grand Valley boy overseas was received in town the latter part of last week. He was
Flight Lieut Campbell Devine, elder son of Dr. and Mrs. E. W. Devine of Orillia formerly of Grand Valley. Campbell was born
in Grand Valley and moved with his parents to Orillia some years ago. His death occurred in Ireland on Aug.12 and interment
took place in Ireland. He was a chum and pal of the late P.O. Bill Watson of Grand Valley. Brief references to his death were
made in the pulpits of Knox Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning and at the memorial service for the late P.O. Watson in
Trinity United Church on Sunday afternoon. Besides his parents and one brother, Donald, the deceased leaves a widow and one
child, all of Orillia. To the bereaved parents, brother, widow and child the sympathy of this community is extended
Full
particulars regarding his death had not been received at the time of going to press.
This memorial is on the crash site above Belleek of Sunderland
NJ 175 of 422 Squadron RCAF that crashed on 12th August 1944, you can see in the picture pieces of melted aluminium at
base of memorial that are still scattered around the site.
From Murray Wettlaufer(seated front row middle), he was Al Bishops second pilot when they sank U-489 - Murray
came back to do his captains course and to take on his own crew. This is his crew.
The 422 crew of Alan Tomlinson which crashed near Trory in February 1944, the tall gentlman centre
back row is W/O. Hebenson , he was one of the two men who died of their injuries , he is buried in Irvinestown .
The Sunderland was on a Fighter Affiliation Exercise with a Beaufighter when its starboard wing hit some
telegraph wires , the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field.
As "luck" would have it Air Vice marshall Sir Shalto Douglas was doing a tour of Coastal Command Bases in
Fermanagh on the day of the crash.
The Beaufighter Squadron was sent to St Angelo to provide cover for convoys off the West Coast which
had recently come under attack from HE177 and Do-217's armed with radio controlled glider bombs. ( Air to sea missiles) -
one Beaufighter piloted by a Belfast man shot down a Ju-290 - the only recorded enemy aircraft lost to an aircraft operating
from Co. Fermanagh.
Eldon "Red" Wimperis
Eldon "Red" Wimperis
Eldon married Marion Blake in August 1945 and they settled in Ottawa.
They built a house in 1949 under the DVA program that Marion still lives in today.
He joined General Electric in sales and worked in
electrical supply sales and sales management for the rest of his career with GE, Union Electric and in W&S Sales Associates,
an agency he incorporated around 1966.
Marion and Eldon had three children - Lynn born 1947, Blake 1949 and Kathy 1952, 9 grandchildren
and 2 great grand children. They celebrated their 50th Anniversary
in 1995 and 60th in 2005.
In his spare time Eldon became an accomplished curler and later took on roles in curling administration
as President of the Ottawa Valley Curling Association, President of the Ontario Curling Association and President of the Governor General's Curling
Club 1988. He was a Life Member of the Ottawa Curling Club and Honorary Life Member of the Ontario
Curling Association.
He also played golf, hunted deer and fished.
In his final years he suffered from Alzheimer's Disease. He passed away on February
7, 2007.
From the July 2009 Edition of the 422 Squadron Association Newsletter - page 1
"On Jan. 25 (1944) while returning from Alness (Highlands, Scotland), John Wharton and crew landed at Bowmore
(Islay, Scotland) with engine trouble. While there heavy winds required a gale crew on board. Unfortunately
the winds increased in strength, the aircraft broke from the mooring, suffering a hole in the hull. The Sunderland drifted toward shore and began
to sink. This occurred at night and the crew decided to board one of the rubber life rafts to get to the safety of the shore.
Three of the four man gale crew were in the raft, which broke free from the aircraft before the second pilot Wimperis could
reach it. He spent the rest of the night grasping the radar mast, while
partly immersed in the cold water of the bay. Next morning a rescue
was made, but Wimperis spent some time in hospital recovering from the ordeal."
Joe Goldthorpe Crew #1
Back Row Al Ropelski Air Gunner,Kenneth Brown Flight Engineer,Stuart Church Flight Engineer,Bill Hay Air
Crew,Oliver Dell
Air Gunner,Walter Kohute Air Crew
Front Row Al Wyneken Navigator, Paul Ellis pilot, Joe Goldthorpe FO pilot, Harry Lytle pilot,Bill Braun
WOP/AG
Joe Goldthorpe Crew #2
Back Row- Paul Ellis St Johns NB, Bill Hay Fort William Ont, Joe Goldthorpe North Bay Ont, Al Wynekin Chicago IL, Bill Braun Forest Ont, Harry
Lytle Vancouver BC,
Front Row- Kenneth Brown Whales Ont, Oliver Dell Saulte St Marie Ont,Stuart Church Vancouver BC,Walter Kohute Winnepeg Mb,Al Ropelski Montreal Qu
Joe Goldthorpe Crew #3
Top Row Oliver Dell Walter Kohute Stuart Church
Third Row Harry Lytle Paul Ellis
Second Row Bill Hay Joe Goldthorpe Al Wynekin
Front Row Kenneth Brown Bill Braun Al Ropelski
Kenneth J Brown Nissan Hut
Sargent Kenneth James Brown After promotion to F.E. Oct 15/43
Kenneth James Brown in PBY gun Turret
WING COMMANDERS OF 422 SQUADRON
LARRY SKEY, DFC
JLY/42-OCT/43
JOE FRIZZLE
OCT/43 - OCT/44
JACK SUMNER, DFC
OCT/44-SEP/45
FLIGHT COMMANDERS OF 422 SQUADRON
ROGER HUNTER DFC
JUN/42-APR/43
LEN LIMPERT
APR/43-MAY/43
BRIAN YOUNG
MAY 43-APR/44
JACK BELLIS
APR/44-AUG/44
BILL KENT
NOV/43-SEP/44 (TRG)
DON WEIR
AUG/44-DEC/44
GILES, Laurence Edgar
JACK LANGMUIR, DFC
DEC/44-AUG/45
BILL FRENCH, DFC
SEP/44-AUG/45 (TRG)
Sgt. JOHN LUKE
RCAF 422 Squadron
639582. FLIGHT ENGINEER
Killed at Oban, Scotland 19-Dec-42
Jack Logan
LTo R standing:
Jack Logan
Ernie Webster
Bill Wallace
John Humphries
ADJUTANTS OF 422 SQUADRON
T. L. BRAYSHAW
APR-AUG/42
W. J. BILL MURPHY
AUG/42-MAR/44
J. A. FERGUSON
MAR-SEP/44
C.R. WELFLEY
SEP/44-MAY/45
LLOYD DETWILLER
MAY-AUG/45
F/L George Francis Maier
Eugene (Hugh) Wilfred Gallaher
Wireless Air Gunner
Eugene (Hugh) Wilfred Gallaher
Wireless Air Gunner
Joe Frizzle
Agnes Smith-Agnes went into the RAF in 1942 and was attached to 422 Sqdrn as cook. She worked in the airmen's
mess until January, 1945.
