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Cornier, Albert Alexander (Warrant Officer 2nd Class)

Evader 1944-May-09

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date (age )

Service
RCAF
Unit
425 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Je te plumerai (I shall pluck you)
Base
RAF Tholthorpe
Rank
Warrant Officer 2nd Class
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
Service Numbers
R/121517

Took off from Tholthorpe at 01:25 in Halifax Mark III (Sqn code: KW-A Bomber Command) tasked to bomb the railyards at Haine St Pierre, Belgium.

Shot down in flames from 7000 feet by a night-fighter and crashed at West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Killed: P/O John Walter Raymond Lefebvre RCAF J/88364 KIA Wevelgem Communal Cemetery Grave E. 459.

POWs: F/Sgt Joseph Arthur Adelard Aubry RCAF R/154231 POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Sgt Joseph Eustache Marcel Beluse RCAF R/194118 POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Sgt John Harry Chant RAF POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria. P/O John Ross McConnell RCAF J/87052 POW Stalag Luft L7 Bankau near Kreuzburg, Upper Silesia.

Evaders: Sgt R C Brown RCAF R/185580 Evader. WO2 A A Cornier RCAF R/121517 Evader.

425 (B) Sqn- Squadron Je te plumerai ("Alouette")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington III, X, Halifax III, Lancaster X)

425 Squadron was formed at Dishforth, Yorkshire, UK on June 25, 1942 as the RCAF's twenty-second squadron, and fifth bomber squadron, to be formed overseas in WWII. At the time it was part of No 4 Group, RAF Bomber Command. It was unique in being designated "French-Canadian" and every effort was made to find French Canadian airmen elsewhere in Bomber Command who could be transferred to the squadron. It became operational in October, 1942, flying Wellington Mk III aircraft with the squadron code letters KW. It transferred to No 6 (RCAF) Group, Bomber Command when that was formed on January 1, 1943, although remaining at Dishforth. In March, the squadron re-equipped with Wellington X's and from June to October operated from bases in Tunisia (Kairouan/Zina and Hani East airfields) in support of the Allied invasions of Sicily and Italy. In November 1943 the squadron returned briefly to Dishforth and re-equipped with Halifax III aircraft before moving to Tholthorpe, Yorkshire in December, as part of No 62 (RCAF) Base of 6 Group. It remained at Tholthorpe until the end of the war in Europe. In May and June of 1945 it re-equipped with Lancaster X aircraft, in preparation for joining the Tiger Force for attacks on Japan. The surrender of Japan caused the disbandment of the Squadron at Debert, Nova Scotia , on September 5, 1945.

Overall, the squadron flew 328 missions, involving 3694 sorties, in the course of which 9152 tons of bombs were dropped and 55 aircraft were lost. Squadron personnel gained 2 MBE's, 63 DFC's and 4 Bars to DFC, 2 GM's, 18 DFM's, 1 DFC(USA), and 4 MiD's. Battle Honours were:English Channel and North Sea 1943-45, Baltic 1944-45, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1943-44, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1944, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1943-44, Sicily 1943, Italy 1943, Salerno. Wikipedia, Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin

Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)

Maps for Movements of 425 Squadron 1942-45

MAP 1: 425 Squadron Movements 1942-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
MAP 2: 425 Squadron Movements 1942-45 (detail of Map 1)
MAP 3: 425 Squadron Movements in North Africa 1943
MAP 4: 6 Group Bomber Bases in Yorkshire and Durham, 1943-45

425 Squadron History Summary 1942-45

425 Squadron History Summary 1942-45 Page 2

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Canuck, Voodoo, Hornet)

The squadron was re-formed as an All-Weather (Fighter) unit at St Hubert (Montreal), Quebec on 1 October 1954. It flew CF-100 Canuck aircraft on North American air defence. Selected as one of five units to be re-equipped with CF-101 (Voodoo) aircraft, it was deactivated on 1 May 1961 pending delivery of the aircraft. Reactivated at Namao (Edmonton), Alberta on 15 October 1961, the squadron initially received the trainer version of the CF-101 and served as a training unit to convert the remaining four squadrons to this aircraft. It afterwards moved to Bagotville, Quebec, in July 1962, and was declared operational on 1 October when No. 3 All-Weather (Fighter) Operational Training Unit assumed responsibility for all future CF-101 training. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces. From 1982, the Canadian Forces started to acquire CF-18 Hornets; 425 Sqn received them in 1985. In 2005, 433 Squadron was merged into 425 Squadron. 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron is an integral part of NORAD and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In peacetime, the squadron's fighters provide continuous surveillance of the East Coast of Canada. In addition, it must be ready for rapid deployment anywhere in the world in support of NATO or contingency operations.Wikipedia, Kostenuk & Griffin, and www.canada.ca/en/air-force/corporate/squadrons/425-squadron.html

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