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Croisiau, Georges Thomas Bon (Flight Sergeant)

Prisoner of War 1942-September-21

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date (age )

Home: Brussels, Belgium

Service
RCAF
Unit
70 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Usquam (Anywhere)
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
Rear Gunner
Service Numbers
R/82128
Flight Sergeant George Thomas Bon CROISIAU (R82128) - This man is described in the RCAF awards data base, having been Mentioned in Despatces, 2 June 1943. He is described as a Belgian national (born in Brussels), though he enlisted in the RCAF in Ottawa, 28 November 1940. I have learned some more about him, but also have new questions. He was serving in No.70 Squadron (rear gunner) when his aircraft (Wellington "T", Z8976), was hit by flak on 7/8 September 1942. The pilot force-landed in the desert and the crew set out to walk to British lines. I have acquired a copy of the account of their adventure, and a most interesting document it is. The report says, among other things, that Croisiau was a veteran of both the Spanish Civil War and the Finnish War (presumably the Russo-Finnish War of 1939-1940) and that he had been wounded in the former war. This alone might make him known to Belgian military historians. The crew of T/70 endured a 23-day trek to freedom, but on the 13th day they rashly tried to capture an Italian lorry and failed (the account of this is quite dramatic - night-time stalking, mutual surprises, gunfire in the darkness) and in the process FS Croisiau was captured. He became a POW, but presumaby escaped at the time of the Italian surrender, for he was back in Canada as of June 1944 and released in December 1944.

Vickers Wellington

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page
Vickers Wellington B. Mk. III (Serial No. X3763), coded KW-E, No. 425 'Alouette' (B) Squadron, RCAF, late summer of 1942

The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of the aircraft is its geodetic airframe fuselage structure, which was principally designed by Barnes Wallis. Development had been started in response to Air Ministry Specification B.9/32, issued in the middle of 1932, for a bomber for the Royal Air Force. This specification called for a twin-engined day bomber capable of delivering higher performance than any previous design.

The Wellington was used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, performing as one of the principal bombers used by Bomber Command. During 1943, it started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engined "heavies" such as the Avro Lancaster. The Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly as an anti-submarine aircraft.

It holds the distinction of having been the only British bomber that was produced for the duration of the war, and of having been produced in a greater quantity than any other British-built bomber. The Wellington remained as first-line equipment when the war ended, although it had been increasingly relegated to secondary roles. The Wellington was one of two bombers named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the other being the Vickers Wellesley.

In August 1936, an initial order for 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft, powered by a pair of 1,050 hp (780 kW) Bristol Pegasus radial engines, was received by Vickers; it had been placed so rapidly that the order occurred prior to the first meeting intended to decide the details of the production aircraft. In October 1937, another order for a further 100 Wellington Mk Is, produced by the Gloster Aircraft Company, was issued; it was followed by an order for 100 Wellington Mk II aircraft with Rolls-Royce Merlin X V12 engines. Yet another order was placed for 64 Wellingtons produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. With this flurry of order and production having been assured by the end of 1937, Vickers set about simplifying the manufacturing process of the aircraft and announced a target of building one Wellington per day.

A total of 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft were built; 150 for the RAF and 30 for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) (which were transferred to the RAF on the outbreak of war and used by 75 Squadron). In October 1938, the Mk I entered service with 9 Squadron. The Wellington was initially outnumbered by the Handley Page Hampden (also ordered by the Ministry to B.9/32) and the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (to B.34/3 for a 'night' bomber) but outlasted both rival aircraft in service. The Wellington went on to be built in 16 separate variants, in addition to two training conversions after the war. The number of Wellingtons built totalled 11,462 of all versions, a greater quantity produced than any other British bomber. On 13 October 1945, the last Wellington to be produced rolled out. Wikipedia

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Vickers Wellington

General RCAF - Vickers Wellington

YouTube YouTube Vickers Wellington documentary

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF 400 Squadron (1), Canadian Aircraft Losses (1217), Canadian Ferried (1)
last update: 2021-08-30 20:19:05

Wellington Mk. 1C Z8976


70 Sqn- Squadron (RAF) Usquam

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