Bell, James Bond (Pilot Officer)
Killed in Action 1944-April-19
Birth Date: 1921-August-23
Born: Clifford, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
Parents: Son of David and Edith Gertrude (nee Holtom) Bell of Drew, Ontario
Spouse: Husband of Olwen Gwyneth Bell, of Coleman, Alberta
Home: Coleman, Alberta
Enlistment: Galt, Ontario
Enlistment Date: 1940-August-28
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
RAF East Moor
Rank
Pilot Officer
Position
Navigator
Service Numbers
J/19147
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Crew or Other Personnel
Halifax LW643
Mission
Halifax B/A.Mk.III LW643
Bombing Noisy-le-Sec France 1944-April-18 to 1944-April-19
432 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF East Moor
432 Leaside Squadron (Saevitir Ad Lucem) RAF East Moor. Halifax III aircraft LW 643 QO-E was lost during a night operation against the rail marshalling yards at Noisy-le-Sec, France
The aircraft may have collided with another Halifax over the target and crashed just after the bomb load was dropped
Pilot Officer AM McGregor (RCAF), Flying Officer ACG Mercer (RCAF), Pilot Officer JB Bell (RCAF), Pilot Officer WH Kent (RAFVR), Sergeant A McCluskie (RAFVR), and Flying Officer AH Redman (RAFVR) were all killed in action
Sergeant SD Pett (RAF) survived and was taken as Prisoner of War
Sergeant GJ Shaughnessy (RCAF) survived and became an Evader
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 LW643 B/A.Mk.III - Bombing Noisy-le-Sec France - 1944-04-18 to 1944-04-19
Squadron: 432 (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1944-04-18
Completion Date: 1944-04-19
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Noisy-le-Sec France
Target Specific:
Base: RAF East Moor
Take Off Time: 20:58
Squadron Code: QO E
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: France
Crash Specifics: in the area of Noisy-le-Sec
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: midair
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group April 18/19, 1944
25 Lancasters from 408 and 426 squadrons were joined by 112 Halifaxes from 420, 424, 425, 427, 429, 431, 432, and 433 Squadrons on an attack of the rail yards at Noisy Le Sec. The crews were over the target at between 14,000 and 16,000 feet, releasing 1,450,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports there was severe damage to the rail yards, but the bombing also spilled into the town causing civilian casualties.
While part of the group went to Noisy Le Sec, 42 Halifaxes from 419,428, and 434 Squadrons were ordered on a mining operation to Rostock, Fakse Bay, and Kiel Bay. The crews were over the garden at 15,000 feet, sowing 86@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
432 Leaside Squadron (Saevitir Ad Lucem) RAF East Moor. Halifax III aircraft LW 643 QO-E was lost during a night operation against the rail marshalling yards at Noisy-le-Sec, France
The aircraft may have collided with another Halifax over the target and crashed just after the bomb load was dropped
Pilot Officer AM McGregor (RCAF), Flying Officer ACG Mercer (RCAF), Pilot Officer JB Bell (RCAF), Pilot Officer WH Kent (RAFVR), Sergeant A McCluskie (RAFVR), and Flying Officer AH Redman (RAFVR) were all killed in action
Sergeant SD Pett (RAF) survived and was taken as Prisoner of War
Sergeant GJ Shaughnessy (RCAF) survived and became an Evader
Research of France-Crashes 39-45