Name: |
ALLEN, Joseph Cletus |
Nationality: |
Canadian |
Regiment/Service: |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Rank/ Trade: |
Flying Officer/ Air Gunner |
Service No.: |
C/6555 |
Posting On Death: |
No.34 Operational Training Unit - Pennfield Ridge, NB |
Date of Birth: |
March 16, 1908 - Dours, Peterborough, ON |
Date of Death: |
August 10, 1943 - Crash of Ventura GRV FN973 into Bay of Fundy |
Memorial Reference: |
Ottawa Memorial (Panel 2, Column 3) - Ottawa, ON |
Name of Father: |
ALLEN, John James |
Name of Mother: |
LEAHY, Mary Agnes (m. April 8, 1902) |
Name of Wife: |
Ruby Maude (Prince Rupert, BC) |
Campobello,
August 16 - As the afternoon was drawing on towards 5 o'clock on Thursday,
August 12, and Ozra Newman and his son, Lawrence, of Wilson's Beach, were busily
engaged in pollock fishing on the ground near Head Harbour Island, they were
attracted by calls of help coming from an approaching Grand Manan fish-carrying
boat, which advised that they had been trying to get some plane wreckage from
the water to which was attached the body of a man, but were unable to do so.
Both boats started at once for the scene and about two hundreds yards north of
White Horse Island came upon the wreckage and together were able to get it from
the water.
The wreckage was that of a rubber life-raft, nearly filled
with water from a hole which had been torn in the side, but still contained
enough air to keep one corner of it above water. Tangled fast in the ropes
attached to the raft but deep under water was the body of a man. He was in the
uniform of an airman but had no coat on. One hand was badly bruised. He was of
perhaps more than average size, weighing about 170 pounds or thereabouts. The
body was taken to Black's Harbor when Pennfield officials identified it as being
the body of L.H. Ledingham, 24 years of age and married, whose home was in
Saskatchewan.
What happened in this particular case is only conjecture. A
plane from Pennfield was reported to have come down at sea with four occupants
near Grand Manan the day before and this was one of the unfortunate victims.
From their observation of all concerned the Newman's believe that the man got
away alive and disaster happened after.
Nothing is known to have been reported from any of the
others.
SOURCE: The Saint Croix Courier (St. Stephen, NB) - August 19, 1943).
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