Born 1916 in Dryden, Ontario; home in Montreal (Westmount); enlisted Montreal, 14 August 1940. Trained at 2 ITS (graduated 23 October 1940), No.13 EFTS (graduated 20 December 1940) and 8 SFTS (graduated 3 April 1941). Commissioned 1941.
To 1459 Flight, 28 December 1941; to 1422 Flight, 2 January 1942; to 538 Squadron, 2 October 1942; to 51 OTU, 9 February 1943; to 418 Squadron, 5 April 1943. Killed in flying accident, 20 September 1944 in foggy weather).
409 Nighthawk Squadron (Media Nox Meridies Noster). Mosquito NF XIII night fighter aircraft MM 286 crashed while flying in a search for a missing Mosquito lost the night before, W/C M.W. Beveridge DFC the Squadron Commanding Officer, the only person on board, was killed (6th Year). The missing aircrew, Warrant Officer LE Fitchett (RCAF) and FS AC Hardy bailed out of their Mosquito MM453 and survived.
W/C Beveridge was shot down on August 6-7, 1944 and Flight Lieutenant JW Peacock was killed. The aircraft crashed 10 miles east Bayeux, France. Beveridge made it back to England, went back on ops and was killed.
Addendum: - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.418 Squadron - Award effective 26 October 1943 as per London Gazette dated 9 November 1943 and AFRO 358/44 dated 18 February 1944. Award presented to next-of-kin, 27 June 1945. Portrait painted by Edwin Holgate, Cited with Sergeant Barnard Oswald Richard Bays (RAF) who received DFM. The citation reads "As pilot and observer respectively, Squadron Leader Beveridge and Sergeant Bays have undertaken many successful sorties against the enemy airfields. During a recent operation they shot down two enemy aircraft, one of them after a long pursuit. Their skill and tenacity were highly commendable. Squadron Leader Beveridge is a most efficient flight commander who has set a fine example of devotion to duty, while Sergeant Bays has proved himself to be a most valuable member of aircraft crew." Detail provided by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.
Beveridge, Massey Williamson (Wing Commander)
Killed in Flying Accident 1944-September-20
Birth Date: 1916-April-13
Born:
Parents: Son of James Brookes Beveridge and Nancy Beveridge, of Westmount, Province of Quebec, Canada.
Spouse:
Home: Westmount, Quebec
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
409 Sqn- Squadron
Media Nox Meridies Noster Midnight is Our Noon
Base
RAF B.48 Glisy, France
Rank
Wing Commander
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
J/15070
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Unit Desciption
409 Sqn Media Nox Meridies Noster ("Nighthawk" )
History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Defiant I, Beaufighter IIF, VIF, Mosquito NF XIII)
The squadron was formed at Digby, Licolnshire UK 
on June 17, 1941 as the RCAF’s 7th squadron formed overseas during WWII. It was designated as a night fighter unit and was originally equipped with Boulton Paul Defiant Mk. 1 aircraft. These were rapidly superseded in September 1941 by Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IIF night fighter aircraft. The squadron participated in the night air defence of Great Britain and its first victory was registered in November 1941 by the CO, Wing Commander Paul Davoud. From July 1941 to February 1943 the squadron was based at Coleby Grange, Lincolnshire. In June 1942 the squadron re-equipped with the Beaufighter VIF. In February 1943 t6he squadron moved to Acklington, Northumberland where it remained until February 1944. At that time, while remaining at Acklington, the squadron became part of No 147 (RAF) Wing of the Second Tactical Air Force. It re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito NF Mk XIII aircraft and after short stays at West Malling, Kent and Hunsdon, Hertfordshire, during which it covered the D-Day landings, it was the first night fighter squadron to cross to Normandy and operate from the Continent. Thereafter it followed the invading troops through France, Belgium, the Netherlands and finally Germany. From the period June 1944 to May 1945 it was the top-scoring RAF/RCAF night fighter unit. Its tally was 58½ aircraft and12 V-1 flying bombs. The squadron was disbanded at Twente, the Netherlands on July 1, 1945. The squadron had one ace, Flight Lieutenant R.I.E. Britten. Awards included 2 MBE, 1 DSO, 1 Bar to DFC, 13 DFCs, 2 AFCs, 2 BEMs, 7 MiD and 1 DFC (USA). Battle Honours are: Defence of Britain 1941-44, Fortress Europe 1942-44, France and Germany 1941-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine.Wikipedia, Kostenuk and Griffin
Maps for Movements of 409 Squadron 1941-45
MAP 1: 409 Squadron Movements 1941-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
409 Squadron History Summary 1941-45
408 Squadron History Summary 1941-45 Page 2
History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: CF-100, Voodoo, CF-18 Hornet)
The squadron was re-established at RCAF Station Comox, British Columbia on 1 November 1954 to provide air defence for Canada's west coast as part of NORAD. Initially equipped with the Canadian designed Avro CF-100 they converted to the CF-101 Voodoo in 1962. The squadron transferred to CFB Cold Lake in 1984 to convert to the CF-18 and then deployed to CFB Baden-Soellingen, Germany as part of Canada's NATO commitment. In October 1990, the squadron was deployed to the Persian Gulf, becoming the first Canadian squadron to see active service since WWII. Tasked with air defence of the allied fleet in the Persian Gulf, the squadron flew operational sorties immediately on arrival at Desert Home (Canada Dry 1 and 2) in Doha, Qatar. While on active duty, the squadron flew over 100 hours in the Middle East without any flight safety incidents. The squadron was then disbanded in 1991 with the withdrawal of Canadian Forces from Europe.
The squadron was briefly reformed back at Comox as a Combat Support Squadron (without aircraft) but was disbanded again.
409 Tactical Fighter Squadron was re-formed by the consolidation of 416 and 441 Tactical Fighter Squadrons on 6 July 2006 at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta . On 30 June 2015, personnel and equipment from 409 Tac F Sqn were reassigned to 401 Tac F Sqn, one of two Tac F Sqns within the Royal Canadian Air Force which were stood back up. The squadron complements the duties of 401 Tac F Sqn and, assisted by 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron, deploys tactical fighter forces to meet Canadian and allied defence needs. Under the umbrella of the NORAD mission, fighter crews are on stand-by 24/7, ready to respond to any aerospace threat. The squadron is now one of two operational CF-18 Squadrons at 4 Wing Cold Lake.