Bell-Irving, Roderick Keith Faulkner

Killed in Action 1944-05-08

Birth Date: 1919-December-07

Born:

Comdr. Henry Beattie Bell-Irving & Anne Hilda Bell-Irving

Home: Whonnock, British Columbia

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Decorations: MiD

Mentioned in Dispatches

Service

RAF

Unit

98 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Never Failing

Base

RAF Dunsfold

Rank

Wing Commander

Position

Wing Commander

Service Numbers

40201

Home
Google MapWhonnock, British Columbia
Target
Google MapBois Coquerel France
First Burial
Google MapCommunal Cemetery Extension, Abbeville, France
98 Squadron (Never Failing). The crew of Mitchell II aircraft FW 109 were engaged in a daylight low-level attack on a V1 launching site, at Bois Coquerel, France and took a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire. W/C RKF Bell-Irving MiD (RAF)(Can), Flying Officer CLM Forsyth DFC, DFM (RNZAF), Flying Officer VC Phipps (RAF), and FS KJ White (RAF) were killed. W/C Bell-Irving was the Commanding Officer of 98 Squadron and had been Mentioned in Dispatches. W/C Bell-Irving's family served Canada with distinction, he had four uncles who were all decorated pilots and survived WWI. His brother was a General in WWII and was the Lt Governor of British Columbia for four years.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Findagrave.com

Mitchell FW109

Wing Commander Bell-Irving, Roderick Keith Faulkner (RAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1944-May-08
Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, Abbeville, France

North American Mitchell B-25 B-25D B-25J

North American B-25J Mitchell Mk. III
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
North_American_B-25_Mitchell_251.jpg image not found

The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in every theater of World War II, and after the war ended, many remained in service, operating across four decades. Produced in numerous variants, nearly 10,000 B-25s were built.

The North American B-25 Mitchell was flown by the RCAF during and after the Second World War. The RCAF flew the B-25 Mitchell for training during the war and continued flying operations after the war, in Canada with most of 162 Mitchells received. The first B-25s had originally been diverted to Canada from RAF orders. These included one Mitchell Mk. I, 42 Mitchell Mk. IIs, and 19 Mitchell Mk. IIIs. No 13 (P) Squadron was formed unofficially at RCAF Station Rockcliffe in May 1944 and flew Mitchell Mk. IIs on high-altitude aerial photography sorties. No. 5 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at Boundary Bay, British Columbia and Abbotsford, British Columbia, operated the B-25D Mitchell in a training role together with B-24 Liberators for Heavy Conversion as part of the BCATP. The RCAF retained the Mitchell until October 1963.

No. 418 (Auxiliary) Squadron received its first Mitchell Mk. IIs in January 1947. It was followed by No. 406 (Auxiliary), which flew Mitchell Mk. IIs and Mk. IIIs from April 1947 to June 1958. No. 418 Operated a mix of Mk. IIs and Mk. IIIs until March 1958. No. 12 Squadron of Air Transport Command also flew Mitchell Mk. IIIs along with other types from September 1956 to November 1960. In 1951, the RCAF received an additional 75 B-25Js from USAF stocks to make up for attrition and to equip various second-line units..Wikipedia and Harold Skaarup web page

YouTube Mitchell Bomber

Wikipedia Wikipedia Mitchell Bomber

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page