Robert Richard Courtney Rank: Sergeant Status: Killed in Action 1943-05-23

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"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
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Courtney, Robert Richard (Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1943-May-23

Male Head

Birth Date: 1904 (age 39)

Arthur W. Courtney & Ethel Louisa Courtney

Home: Dagenham, Essex, England (parents)

Service
RCAF

Unit
3 PRC- Personnel Reception Centre (RAF)

Base
RAF Bournemouth

Rank

Sergeant

Marshal
Air Chief Marshal	A/C/M
Air Marshal	A/M
Air Vice Marshal	A/V/M
Air Commodore	A/C
Group Captain	G/C
Wing Commander	W/C
Squadron Leader	S/L
Flight Lieutenant	F/L
Flying Officer	F/O
Pilot Officer	P/O
Warrant Officer 1st Class	WO1
Warrant Officer 2nd Class	WO2
Flight Sergeant	FS
Sergeant	SGT
Corporal	CPL
Senior Aircraftman	SAC
Leading Aircraftman	LAC
Aircraftman 1st Class	AC1
Aircraftman 2nd Class	AC2

Position
Air Gunner

Service Numbers
R/52252

Twenty-one airmen were killed at the Metropole Hotel, Bournemouth, England during an enemy air raid. Ten of the men were RCAF airmen.

Killed includes Courtney: Flight Sergeant William Geoffrey Abbott RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England grave Row C4. Grave 94. Flight Sergeant George Assaf RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire grave Row A. 4. Grave 99. Sergeant David Rainnie RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire grave Row D. 4. Grave 99. LAC Earl Oscar Milton Gilbert RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire grave Row J. 4. Grave 99. Sergeant Alexander Colin Matheson RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire grave Row B. 4. Grave 99. Sergeant Raymond Francis Pelrine RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire grave Row H. 4. Grave 99. Flight Sergeant Julian Louis Soos RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire grave Row A. 4. Grave 95. Cpl. William Godfrey Wood RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire grave Row B. 4. Grave 95. Sergeant Ross Clifton Woods RCAF KIA Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire grave Row E. 4. Grave 99.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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

Home

Dagenham, Essex, England (parents)

Burial
Google Map

Bournemouth North Cemetery
Row F4 Grave 99

Hotel MetropoleHotel

Flight Sergeant Abbott, William Geoffrey (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Flight Sergeant Assaf, George (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Sergeant Chalmers, David Rainnie (RCAF)

Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Male Head

Sergeant Courtney, Robert Richard (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Leading Aircraftman Gilbert, Earle Oscar Milton (RCAF)

Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Sergeant Matheson, Alexander Colin (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Sergeant Pelrine, Raymond Francis (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Flight Sergeant Soos, Julian Louis (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Corporal Wood, William Godfrey (RCAF)

Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

Male Head

Sergeant Woods, Ross Clifton (RCAF)
clerk
Killed in Action
1943-May-23
Bournemouth North Cemetery, Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

Canadian Crewed (1)

last update: 2021-08-23 13:26:39

Hotel MetropoleHotel

Bombing of the Metropole Hotel

Metropole Hotel 1943

3 Personnel Reception Centre (3 PRC) was the Metropole Hotel in Bournemouth UK. 3 PRC was were airmen arriving in Britain would await placement in active Squadrons, or be assigned to additional training. On May 23, 1943 a German bombing cause the loss of life of 131 people in Bournemouth including 10 RCAF staying at the hotel.

General Dorset History

General Images of the Metropole Hotel

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

Lancaster FM213

Andrew Mynarski, VC

Courtney, Robert Richard (Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1943-May-23

Hotel MetropoleHotel

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

Hotel MetropoleHotel

Bombing of the Metropole Hotel

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