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No. 405 (Vancouver) Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force
No 405 (Vancouver) Squadron was the first RCAF squadron formed overseas and the only RCAF Pathfinder squadron. It was formed at Driffield, Yorkshire on the 23rd April 1941, and flew Wellingtons until April 1942 when it converted to Halifaxes. It took part in the 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne.
In October 1942 No 405 flew with Coastal Command carrying out anti-submarine patrols over the Bay of Biscay during the North African convoy movements, and conducting anti-shipping sweeps against Germany's coastal shipping.
Returning to Bomber Command in early March 1943 in No 6 (RCAF) Group, No 405 was selected for No 8 Pathfinder Group. In late 1943 No 405 was the first unit operating a Canadian-built Avro Lancaster X.
Airfields
No. 405 Squadron
flew from:
- RAF Driffield, Yorkshire from 23rd April 1941 (formed, Bomber Command 4 Group. Wellington II)
- RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire from the 20th June 1941 (Halifax II)
- RAF Beaulieu, Hampshire from the 25th October 1942 (detached to Coastal Command)
- RAF Topcliffe, Yorkshire from the 1st March 1943 (returned to Bomber Command, 6 Group)
- RAF Leeming, Yorkshire from the 14th March 1943
- RAF Gransden Lodge, Bedfordshire from the 18th March 1943 (8 Group. Lancaster B.MkIII)
- RAF LInton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire from the 26th May 1945 (6 Group. Lancaster B.MK VI, B.MkX)
- to Canada on the 16th July 1945
23rd Apr 1941 405 Squadron formed No. 405 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force was formed at Driffield, Yorkshire, on the 23rd of April 1941, equipped with the Vickers Wellington.
23rd Apr 1941 405 Squadron formed
16th Jun 1941 Aircraft Lost
6th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost
14th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost
24th Jul 1941 Aircraft Lost
2nd Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
14th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
28th Aug 1941 Aircraft Lost
1st Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
7th September 1941 Aircraft Lost
8th Sep 1941 405 Squadron Wellington lost
18th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
19th Sep 1941 Aircraft Lost
22nd Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost
24th Oct 1941 Aircraft Lost
7th November 1941 Aircraft Lost
30th Nov 1941 Aircraft Lost
12th Jun 1941 405 Squadron operational
22nd Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost
28th Dec 1941 Aircraft Lost
6th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost
17th Jan 1942 Aircraft Lost
4th Jul 1943 405 Squadron Halifax lost
15th Jul 1943 Aircraft Lost
17th December 1943 Black Thursday
15th Jan 1944 405 Squadron Lancaster lost
31st Jan 1944 Bomber Command
9th May 1944 405 Squadron Lancaster lost
3rd Jun 1944 405 Squadron Lancaster lost
17th Aug 1944 405 Squadron Lancaster lost
21st Feb 1945 405 Squadron Lancaster lost
15th March 1945 Mid-air Collision
15th August 1945 Tiger Force
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Logbooks
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Those known to have served with No. 405 (Vancouver) Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Beattie Hugh Donald. FO. (d.14th May 1943)
- Blyth Colin John. P/O. (d.29th July 1944)
- Blyth Colin John. P/O. (d.29th July 1944)
- Brown Roy William. Sgt.
- Butterworth Robert Stuart. F/O. (d.19th Mar 1945)
- Carrott Derek. Sgt. (d.29th July 1944)
- Coules Edwin Charles Alfred. Sgt. (d.3rd September 1942)
- Cutting Edward John. Sgt. (d.3rd September 1942)
- Dennis John Edward. F/O
- Donnelly DFM Thomas Henry. F/O (Pilot) (d.2nd Jan 1944)
- Ewing Arthur Colin. F/Sgt. (d.3rd September 1942)
- Gowdey Alan William. Flt.Sgt. (d.16th Sep 1944)
- Hart Ralph Eric. Flt.Sgt. (d.14th May 1943)
- Hillier Lawrence David. Ft/Sgt. (d.3rd September 1942)
- Hiscott DFC & Bar. Roger Wilson. F/Lt.
- Johnson O. O.. WO1.
- Lane Eric Arthur. Sgt. (d.14th January 1944)
- Leslie Robert. F/Sgt.
- Long Stuart Hermon. P/O. (d.28th Sep 1943)
- McGrath Bernard Arthur. F/Sgt. (d.3rd September 1942)
- Mitchell Keneth Ederic Michael. P/O (d.3rd September 1942)
- Muir Alexander Douglas. Sgt. (d.3rd September 1942)
- Paul Jack Hastings. Sgt. (d.21st Jan 1944)
- Perry Keith Oliver. W/O. (d.23rd Aug 1943)
- Price DFC. William. WO1
- Quinn Gerald Edgar. P/O (d.17th Jun 1944)
- Roberts George William. F/Sgt. (d.3rd September 1942)
- Shaw Robert James Abadore. Flt.Sgt. (d.15th Dec 1942)
- Smedley Ivan Edward. Flt.Sgt. (d.31st Jan 1944)
- Stanley DFC. Henry Ernest. F/O.
- Swartz Reg.
- Swartz DFC. Reginald Arthur. F/Lt.
- Walsh Cecil Stephen. F/Sgt (d.30th June 1942)
- Wigley Harold. Sgt.
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of No. 405 (Vancouver) Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force from other sources.
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Want to know more about No. 405 (Vancouver) Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force? There are:2039 items tagged No. 405 (Vancouver) Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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W/O. Keith Oliver Perry 405 Squadron (d.23rd Aug 1943) Keith Oliver Perry was my Mom's cousin. I do not know much about him other than he was with the RCAF 405 Squadron in England during World War II. He was shot down and captured sometime around March-April 1943. On 27th of Apr-1943 his status was changed from missing to Prisoner of War in the Lethbridge Hearald. He died in Stalag Luft VI in Heydekrug, East Prussia (now Macikai, Klaipedos Apskritis, Lithuania). He is buried in the cemetery just northeasterly of the camp. In 2007, a stone to honor him was placed in the cemetery.
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F/O (Pilot) Thomas Henry Donnelly DFM No. 405 Squadron (Pathfinder) (d.2nd Jan 1944) Thomas Donnelly served with No. 405 Squadron (Pathfinder)
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Flt.Sgt. Robert James Abadore Shaw No. 405 Squadron (d.15th Dec 1942) Robert Shaw was my first cousin, once removed.
According to RCAF records, Robert was not too bright but was very willing and, although he would never be a pilot, he aspired to join the Air Force. He joined the Special Reserve in November 1940 and then took the oath on 16th July 1941.
After training in various places, he was given 17 days’ embarkation leave and then disembarked in the UK on 9th March 1942. He was posted to No. 405 Squadron on 23rd November 1942 and re-mustered on 5th December 1942 as an Air Gunner. Unfortunately, he was killed in action just 10 days later, on 15th December. He had a fiancee at home in Canada, Nina Morley, and a father and large family of siblings waiting on his return. His mum, my great-aunt, had died in 1939.
He was posthumously awarded the following medals: 39-45 Star; European Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; CVSM, award & clasp; Memorial Bar.
I cannot find any record of a burial site so I am assuming that he died over water or in enemy territory where no memorial is possible.
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Sgt. Harold Wigley 405 Squadron My father Harold Wigley was posted to 405 Squadron at RAF Pocklington around May 1941 and I think the squadron was formed to operate from there with Wellingtons and later Halifax Bombers. His logged raids start with a raid on Shwartz on May 12th, Cologne on June 2nd, Brest docks on June 4th, and the Big City on December 15th plus many others that year. He told me a story about a Wellington he was flying that overshot the runway on landing and closed the Hull York Road for a couple of days.
After that he went to Abingdon as an instructor and was then posted to 100 Group Special Duties.
We are only just finding out about that because he told me on a number of occasions that this was still on the secrets restrictions of 75 years, we know he was flying Mosquitos possibly with 169 Squadron at RAF Massingham in Norfolk. He met my mother there and it seems I was conceived somewhere there and later born in Kings Lynn
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F/Sgt Cecil Stephen Walsh 405 (Vancouver) Squadron (d.30th June 1942) Flight Sergeant Cecil Walsh served with the Royal Canadian Air Force in WW2 flying with 405 Squadron.
He was aboard Halifax MkII Serial # W7714 Code LQ-K operation name Bremen
The crew were:
- E.K. Brennan
- R.A.A. Gorieu
- T.G. Gunn
- C.P. Philip (recovered)
- L. Sidney
- C.S. Walsh
- G.A. White
Cecil died 30th of June 1942 and is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.
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F/O. Henry Ernest "Mick" Stanley DFC. 405 Squadron My Dad Henry Stanley served in 405 Squadron from July 1943 until 16th of October 1944 as a wireless operator. He completed 59 operational missions.
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Sgt. Jack Hastings Paul 405 Squadron (d.21st Jan 1944) Jack Hastings served as an Air Gunner, he was the son of John James Paul and Jennie Paul of Portswood, Southampton.
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Flt.Sgt. Ralph Eric Hart 405 (Vancouver) Squadron (d.14th May 1943) Flight Sergeant (Air Gunner) Ralph Hart was the son of Waddy and Gertrude Hart of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, Canada.
He was 22 when he died and is buried in the Avereest (Oud Avereest) General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherland.
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FO. Hugh Donald Beattie 405 (Vancouver) Squadron (d.14th May 1943) Flying Officer (Pilot) Hugh Beattie was the son of Hugh Duncan Beattie and Margaret Johnstone Beattie of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
He was 21 when he died and is buried in the Avereest (Oud Avereest) General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands.
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Sgt. Roy William Brown 405 Squadron My father Roy Brown, served with 505 Squadron at RAF Topcliffe. As his eldest and only surviving son, I have been trying to track down his wartime history.
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