R.C.A.F. Headstones - Limavady

[PPS]

In my home town, Drumachose Parish Church has a number of WW2 headstones, five of them being Canadian.

This one is for Kenneth Allan Norris, although I think he may have been an American

[PPS]

Frederick Dick Butland from Hamilton, Ontario

[PPS]

William Benjamin Fry, another American I think from San Antonio, Texas.

[PPS]

Stanley David Gaudin from Toronto, Ontario

[PPS]

Ronald Hepburn Matthews from Preston, Ontario: remember

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by PPS
In my home town, Drumachose Parish Church has a number of WW2 headstones, five of them being Canadian.

This one is for Kenneth Allan Norris, although I think he may have been an American

see: -

Commonwealth War Graves Commission, located here

Veterans Affairs Canada - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial, located here

Commemorated on Page 199 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance, located here

[PPS]

Mark,

Many thanks for that. I have contacted the Department to see if I can send them the photographs. I will wait to see what their reply will be.

I have also discovered that there are CWGC headstones in the Londonderry area that are connected with the Canadian Navy.

Paul.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by PPS
Frederick Dick Butland from Hamilton, Ontario

Hi Paul;

see: -

Commonwealth War Graves Commission, located here

Veterans Affairs Canada - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial, located here

Commemorated on Page 142 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance, located here

[PPS]

Mark,

I received a reply from the CVWM administrator which has resulted in my uploading all of the photographs I had of the headstones to the site.

The example one I sent with my initial message has been put on to the page for Kenneth Allan Norris.

Paul.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by PPS
The example one I sent with my initial message has been put on to the page for Kenneth Allan Norris.

Hi Paul;

which can be found here

[JDCAVE]

7 OTU (operational training unit) of bomber command was based in Limavady. Training for Bomber Command was a dangerous business. The aircraft available were often "clapped" out and elderly aircraft no longer considered suitable for operations. Crew were initially trained on Wellingtons (2 engine aircraft, bristol hercules powered). Following a successful training on these aircraft, the aircrew progressed to a Heavy Conversion Unit or HCU. These aircraft were early variants 4 engined Halifaxes 2's and 5's that had been phased out and replaced by the later Halifax 3's 6's and 7's. The 2's and 5's were hideously underpowered. Also the rudders, when exposed to violent evasive manoeuvres, had a tendency to lock up and resulting in inverted spins from which they pilot would have considerable difficulty recovering.

JDC