Bedard, Joseph Donat Marcel (Leading Aircraftman)
Killed in Flying Accident 1945-April-16
Birth Date: 1923
Born:
Parents: Emile & Gabrielle Bedard
Spouse:
Home: Lac aux Sables, Portneuf County, Quebec (parents)
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
RAF East Moor
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Position
Service Numbers
R/177118
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Crew or Other Personnel
Halifax NP805
Mission
Halifax B.Mk.VII NP805
Operational 1945-April-16 to 1945-April-16
(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor
Halifax aircraft NP 805 crashed on take-off killing the pilot and two members of the ground crew. The survivors were Flying Officer L. Jorgenson of Morris, Manitoba, FSs. J. Gray of Winnipeg, Manitoba, S. Reid, T. Cohen, from Nova Scotia, K. Davidson from Ontario, and Pilot Officer J. Burns of Westmount, Quebec.
Len Jorgenson provided the following account "The Halifax was taking off from RCAF Station, Eastmoor, at noon, for a cross-country flight prior to operations that night and had a full gas load of 1400 gallons but no bombs. At the end of the runway there was a low semi-flat roofed building (a Picket Post) where LACs R.F. Charbonneau and J.D. Beddard were sun bathing in the spring sunshine and watching the take-offs The aircraft was barely airborne when the pilot yelled that the rudders and controls were locked and to prepare for a crash. The under carriage hit the building killing the two LACs, the Halifax crashed through the trees and burst into flame. Flying Officer Porritt was killed but the rest of got out safely except for Davidson who spent two years in hospital.
p> I think a few of us have nightmares over that one. I also wonder why the controls were frozen. Most controls on the a/c had V shaped pieces of wood with red flags inserted to prevent the control surfaces from flapping in the wind. Did we forget to take out these inserts, or were the red flags taken off by someone? We know this happened before for some reason, some thought it was sabotage - or someone didn't like the aircrew." FS Davidson, the flight engineer, was thrown to the front of the aircraft in the crash. Thru the flames he saw the pilot was buckled up and either unconscious or dead. Davidson tried to pull him out but he was stuck and the flames were burning him severely.Unit Desciption
432 (B) Sqn Saeviter Ad Lucem ("Leaside")
History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington X, Lancaster II, Halifax III, VII)
The Squadron was the twelfth RCAF bomber squadron to be formed overseas in WWII. It was formed on May 1, 1943 at Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, UK 
as a unit of No 6 (RCAF) Group of RAF Bomber Command: indeed, it was the first bomber squadron to be formed directly into No 6 Group. Using the squadron identification letters QO it flew Vickers Wellington Mk X medium bombers until it moved to East Moor, Yorkshire on 19th September 1943, when it re-equipped with Avro Lancaster Mk II aircraft. East Moor was part of No 62 (RCAF) Base. The squadron re-equipped with Handley Page Halifax Mk III aircraft in February 1944, and with Halifax Mk VII in July of that year, and continued with them until the squadron was disbanded at East Moor on May 15, 1945.
In the course of operations the squadron flew 246 missions, involving 3130 individual sorties, for the loss of 73 aircraft. 8980 tons of bombs were dropped. Awards to squadron members included 2 DSOs, 119 DFCs,1 Bar to DFC, 1 CGM, 20 DFMs and 1 Croix de Guerre (France). Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1944, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1943.Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin
Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)
Maps for Movements of 432 Squadron 1943-45
MAP 1: 432 Squadron Bases 1943-45 (marked in green). Right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab
432 Squadron History Summary 1943-45
History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Canuck)
The squadron was re-formed at Bagotville, Quebec as an All-Weather Fighter unit on 1 October 1954. The squadron flew Avro CF-100 Canuck aircraft on North American Air Defence until it was disbanded on 15 October 1961.
Halifax NP805 B.Mk.VII - Operational - 1945-04-16 to 1945-04-16
Squadron: (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1945-04-16
Completion Date: 1945-04-16
Mission: Operational
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific:
Base: East Moor
Take Off Time: 12.00
Squadron Code: QO J
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
Halifax aircraft NP 805 crashed on take-off killing the pilot and two members of the ground crew. The survivors were Flying Officer L. Jorgenson of Morris, Manitoba, FSs. J. Gray of Winnipeg, Manitoba, S. Reid, T. Cohen, from Nova Scotia, K. Davidson from Ontario, and Pilot Officer J. Burns of Westmount, Quebec.
Len Jorgenson provided the following account "The Halifax was taking off from RCAF Station, Eastmoor, at noon, for a cross-country flight prior to operations that night and had a full gas load of 1400 gallons but no bombs. At the end of the runway there was a low semi-flat roofed building (a Picket Post) where LACs R.F. Charbonneau and J.D. Beddard were sun bathing in the spring sunshine and watching the take-offs The aircraft was barely airborne when the pilot yelled that the rudders and controls were locked and to prepare for a crash. The under carriage hit the building killing the two LACs, the Halifax crashed through the trees and burst into flame. Flying Officer Porritt was killed but the rest of got out safely except for Davidson who spent two years in hospital.
p> I think a few of us have nightmares over that one. I also wonder why the controls were frozen. Most controls on the a/c had V shaped pieces of wood with red flags inserted to prevent the control surfaces from flapping in the wind. Did we forget to take out these inserts, or were the red flags taken off by someone? We know this happened before for some reason, some thought it was sabotage - or someone didn't like the aircrew." FS Davidson, the flight engineer, was thrown to the front of the aircraft in the crash. Thru the flames he saw the pilot was buckled up and either unconscious or dead. Davidson tried to pull him out but he was stuck and the flames were burning him severely.