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Bamford, Richard Benner (Flight Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1944-April-09

Birth Date: 1918-March-21 (age 26)

Born: Toronto, Ontario

Son of Harry K. and Mabel Bamford, of Saint John, New Brunswick.

Home: St John, New Brunswick

Enlistment: Moncton, New Brunswick

Enlistment Date: 1939-10-14

Service
RCAF
Unit
162 (BR) Sqn- Squadron
Sectabimur Usque Per Ima We will hunt them even through the lowest deeps
Base
Reykjavik, Iceland
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Wireless Air Gunner
Service Numbers
R/50259
Canso A aircraft 9809, crashed off Reykjavik, Iceland. At the time of the crash there were 10 members on board the aircraft and the aircraft was conducting a local flight - Compass Swing. The crash was attributed to the pilot flying too low and misjudging his height.
The crew at the time of the crash were: 1.) 2nd Pilot - Flying Officer JRM Rankine (killed, body unrecovered), 2.) Pilot - Flying Officer CC Cunningham (seriously injured), 3.) Navigator - Flying Officer WD Coffyn (Seriously Injured), 4.) Wireless Air Gunner - Pilot Officer JFV Banning (killed, body unrecovered), 5.) Wireless Air Gunner - Warrant Officer 2nd Class J Sommerville (Slightly Injured), 6.) Wireless Air Gunner - Sergeant LA Dumbell (Slightly Injured), 7.) Wireless Air Gunner - Sergeant GL Gratton (Slightly Injured), 8.) Flight Engineer - Flight Sergeant RB Bamford (Died of Injuries - 1944-04-09), 9.) Passenger - 2nd Lieutenant RA Kappus (Slightly Injured), 10.) Passenger - CE Anklam (Slightly Injured).

Canada Primary Source Squadron Daily Diary Entry "“ 1944-04-06

Canada Primary Source Squadron Daily Diary Entry "“ 1944-04-08

Canada Primary Source Squadron Daily Diary Entry "“ Appendix A - Accident Summary

Canada Primary Source Squadron Operations Record - 1944-04-06

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Home
Google MapSt John, New Brunswick
Burial
Google MapReykjavik (Fossvogur) Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery
C 48 12

Canso 9809

Consolidated Canso Catalina PBY PB2B A-10 OA-10 Black Cat

RCAF Canso A (Serial No. 9754), No. 162 Squadron, F/L David Ernest Hornell aircraft.

The Consolidated Catalina and Canso were close cousins. The Canso was the true amphibious version of the design and therefore included a conventional undercarriage to allow for either water or land use. The Canso provided more than two decades of valuable service to the RCAF. The Catalina variant came first and was produced beginning in 1935 for the United States Navy. The amphibious version, designated PBY-5A, came in service early in 1941 and the RCAF began using the aircraft on anti-submarine patrols that same year. After the Second World War, the RCAF used Cansos for search and rescue, Arctic survey missions and various transport operations. RCAF

YouTube Canso PBY

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Canso PBY

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2022-03-15 19:52:22

Canso A 9809

With No. 162 (BR) Squadron in Iceland when it crashed into the sea and sank 5 miles north of Keflavik on 6 April 1944

1943-03-05 Taken on Strength Eastern Air Command 2019-08-20
1944-April-06 Accident: 162 Squadron Loc: Kepflavik Iceland Names: Anklam | Bamford | Banning | Coffyn | Cunningham | Dumbell | Gratton | Kappus | Rankine | Sommerville
1944-06-07 Struck off Strength Struck off after crashing, see comments. 2019-08-20

162 (BR) Sqn Sectabimur Usque Per Ima ()

The squadron was formed as a Bomber Reconnaissance unit at Yarmouth, NS on 19 May 1942, flying Consolidated Canso A aircraft. The squadron remained at Yarmouth until January 1944 in uneventful anti-submarine duty. In January 1944 it was lent to RAF Coastal Command and operated from Reykjavik, Iceland until 13 June 1945. One U-boat was destroyed by aircraft from Reykjavik. During part of 1944 the squadron operated from Wick, Scotland, and found success by destroying 4 German U-boats and sharing in the destruction of a fifth. During one of these engagements, with U-1225, Flight Lieutenant D.E. Hornell and crew sank the U-boat but their aircraft was forced to ditch as a result of anti-aircraft fire from the submarine. The crew spent 21 hours in a single dinghy. 2 of the crew died, and Hornell himself died shortly after his rescue. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his inspirational leadership and devotion to duty.

Details of the U-boat sinkings were as follows. On 17 April 1944 Flying Officer T.C. Cooke and crew in Canso 9767 β€œS” flying from Iceland sank U-342; on 3 June 1944 Flight Lieutenant R.E. McBride and crew in Canso 9816 β€œT” flying from Wick sank U-477 in the face of intense return gunfire; on 11 June, 1944 Flying Officer L. Sherman and crew in Canso 9842 β€œB” flying from Wick sank U-980; on 13 June 1944 Wing Commander C.G.W Chapman and crew in Canso 9816 β€œT” flying from Wick sank U-715 although their aircraft was shot down and the crew had to take to their life rafts with the loss of one of their number (Chapman was awarded the squadron’s first DSO); on 24 June 1944, Flight Lieutenant D.E. Hornell and crew in Canso 9754 β€œP” sank U-1225 (see above); on 30 June 1944 Flight Lieutenant R.E. McBride and crew in Canso 9841 β€œA” flying from Wick damaged U-478 which was later finished off by an RAF 86 Sqn Liberator; on 4 August 1944 Flying Officer W.O. Marshall and crew in Canso 9759 β€œW” flying from Wick damaged U-300.

In the course of WWII, the squadron flew 2100 sorties for 22, 600 operational hours. 6 aircraft were lost, and 34 aircrew, of whom 17 were killed and 17 missing. Squadron members were awarded 1 VC, 2 DSO's, 2 MBE's, 16 DFC's, 3 AFC's, 4 DFM's, 1 BEM and 21 Mid's. The squadron returned to Canada on 14 June 1945 and was disbanded at Sydney, NS on 7 August 1945.

Maps for Movements of 162 Squadron 1942-45
MAP 1: 162 Squadron Movements 1942-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
MAP 2: 162 Squadron Movements Eastern Canada 1942-44
MAP 3: Sinking of U-342
MAP 4: U-boat sinkings from Wick

General Sinking of U-342

General Sinking of U-477

General Sinking of U-980

General Sinking of U-715

General Sinking of U-1225

General Sinking of U-478

General Attack on U-300

162 Squadron History Summary 1942-45
162 Squadron History Summary 1942-45 Page 2

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