The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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234382 Sgt. Harold William Curwain Royal Canadian Air Force 420 Squadron. from:Winnipeg, Manitoba libry2 Harold Curwain was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on 13th August 1919. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on 1st of November 1940. He trained as an armourer in Toronto, Trenton and Rivers Manitoba. He came to England arriving on 27th February 1942. No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre on the 10th of March 1942, and was taken on strength at 420 Squadron on 9th April 1942 as an armourer. Harold remained with this squadron until 4th December 1942 when he went on strength with 407 Squadron. Once here, he requested and was granted to re-muster to aircrew as an air gunner. He transferred to No. 14 ITW on 27th February 1943. He transferred to the Air Gunners School on 10th April 1943 and then to 2 Air Gunners School on 30th April 1943. He transferred to 22 Operational Training Unit on No. 45 course. He remained here until transferred to 311 Ferry Training Unit, based at Moreton-in-Marsh on 27th August 1943. He was promoted to Flight Sgt in April 1943 and was posted back to 420 Squadron as an air gunner in September 1943. Then on 23rd and 24th September 1943 he flew to Formia Tunisia via Sale and Kairouan with Sgt Foy in Wellington Bomber LN-513 as part of 420 Squadron. He remained in Tunisia until the squadron returned to England and reequipped with the Halifax bomber. During most of 1944 he was posted back to 62 Base (Beaver) at Linton-on-Ouse. He was posted to 1664 Communications Unit at Dishforth from 19th December 1943 till 28th January 1944. However, Harold returned to 420 Squadron in November 1944. He became a Warrant officer One in March 1943 and then Warrant Officer Two in September 1944. He was promoted to Pilot Officer in February 1945 and finally to Flight Officer in August 1945. He crashed on one occasion and was burned from the waist down. Harold was treated for burns at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead and became a member of the Guinea Pig Club. His missions included: 12 Dec 1944 flying with P/O. Reid (Halifax) NA169 (O) target Gaggle DCO. 24 Dec 1944 - Fl/Lt. Jones (Halifax) NA188 (E) Dusseldorf Airdrome 28 Dec 1944 - Fl/Lt. Jones (Halifax) NA188 (E) Diversion to Base (note Halifax NA188 was lost of operation to Magdeburg 16th January 1945 - 5 crew killed, 2 PoW) 29 Dec 1944 - F/O. McKeown (Halifax) NA178 (R) Spich 22 Jan1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NR117 (S) F/A A/A DCO (note: Halifax NR177 lost on operation whilst with 158 Squadron to Worms on 21st February 1945 - all 7 crew PoW. 13 Feb 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NR117 (S) Bohlen 14 Feb 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NR117 (S) Mendelsham to base 14 Feb 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NR117 (S) Chemnitz 17 Feb 1945 - P/O. Reid (Halifax) NA184 (W) Wesel 18 Feb 1945 - P/O. Reid (Halifax) NA184 (W) Diversion to base 20 Feb 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NA184 (W) Monheim (note: Halifax NA184 PT-W was lost on an operation to Chemnitz on the 05th March 1945 after crash landing near Dishforth, England - 4 crew killed, 3 injured.) 21 Feb 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NA178 (R) Worms 23 Feb 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NA178 (R) Essen 24 Feb 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NA178 (R) Kamen 10 Mar 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NA178 (R) F/A A/S Radar 11 Mar 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NA178 (R) Essen 13 Mar 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NA178 (R) Wuppertal 15 Mar 1945 - Fl/Lt. Buchanan (Halifax) NR117 (S) Castrop Rauxel 3 Apr 1945 - P/O. Cole (Halifax) NZ423 (B) A/S A/C bombing 4 Apr 1945 - P/O. Cole (Halifax) NZ423 (B) Harbourg 6 Apr 1945 - P/O. Cole (Halifax) NZ423 (B) A/S H/S Bombing 8 Apr 1945 - P/O. Cole (Halifax) NR951 (Y) Hamburg 9 Apr 1945 - P/O. Cole (Halifax) Diversion to Base 30 Apr 1945 - P/O. Cole (Halifax) X/C A/S Bombing 1 May 1945 - P/O. Cole (Lancaster) N.F.A Bomb. Enjoying a pepsi and a egg sandwich after a mission.   Air Gunners Graduating class Harold Curwain Add to this record.  Related Content: No. 420 (Snowy Owl) Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force No. 22 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force RAF Morton in Marsh RAF Linton on Ouse East Grinstead McEndoe Burns Unit RAF Dishforth No. 1 Air Gunnery School No. 2 Air Gunners Training School No. 2 Air Gunnery School, Royal Air Force Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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