205436 Sgt. Ernest Elroy "Roy" Boyle Royal Canadian Air Force 101 Sqd. from:Kimberley, Ontario, Canada (d.21st July 1944) Roy Boyle was my uncle, he was born and raised in Grey County in the province of Ontario, Canada. He signed up for military service in January, 1941, with the Queen’s Own Rifles then transferred to the RCAF. He was sent overseas and flew on bombing raids out of Ludford Magna Airfield in Lincolnshire, as part of RAF 101 Squadron.
On July 20th/21st, 1944, he was aboard a Lancaster Mk1 (LL862) which took part in a raid on Moers/Homberg, Germany. The aircraft was on ABC duty that night (a radio-jamming device), and a half-hour into the return trip, the pilot gave the order to bail out. The plane crashed near Cambrai, France, and there were only two survivors: the pilot P/O D.L.W. Meier, and the bomb aimer, F/S L.K. Gwilliam, both of the RCAF.
Those who lost their lives that night were: - Sgt. Ernest Elroy Boyle – Mid/Upper Gunner, age 26, from Kimberley, Ontario, Canada.
- Sgt. Glenn Thomas Douglas - Rear Gunner, age 19, from London, Ontario, Canada
- P/O Keith Gosling - Special Duties Operator, age 19, from Frizinghall, Bradford, Yorkshire, UK (RAF)
- Sgt. Dominic Ianuziello - Navigator, age 32, from St Thomas, Ontario, Canada
- W/O2 Jack Elwin McIntosh Nixon - Wireless Operator/Gunner, from Brampton, Ontario, Canada
- Sgt. Ian Henry Milne Reid - Flight Engineer, RAF(VR)
|