Blenkinsop, Edward Weyman (Squadron Leader)

Prisoner of War Died 1944-April-28

Squadron Leader Edward Weyman Blenkinsop RCAF

Birth Date: 1920-October-08

Born: Victoria, Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada

Parents: Son of Hubert Weyman Blenkinsop and Winsome Hazel (nee Neroutsos) Blenkinsop, of Victoria, British Columbia.

Spouse:

Home: Victoria, British Columbia

Enlistment: Vancouver, British Columbia

Enlistment Date: 1940-June-03

Distinguished Flying Cross Croix de Guerre (Belgium)

Service

RCAF

Unit

405 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron
Ducimus We Lead

Base

RAF Gransden Lodge

Rank

Squadron Leader

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

J/3467

Home
Google MapVictoria, British Columbia
Target
Google MapMontzen Belgium
Memorial Location
Google MapRunnymede Memorial Surrey
Panel 278

Blenkinsop was the sole survivor from his crew and was picked up by the Belgian Underground. He was able to obtain papers which enabled him to pass as a Belgian national, however while in Meensel-Kiesegem, Belgium, a German round-up netted 70 members of local Resistance including Blenkinsop on August 11, 1944. Dressed in civilian clothing and with false identity papers, Blenkinsop was treated as a civilian Resistance member and after refusing to identify other Resistance members, he was sent to St Gilles Prison, Brussels. While detained, Blenkinsop transmitted his real identity to an American officer POW by tapping in Morse code over steam pipes. Blenkinsop was among the group of resistance fighters sent to Germany by train to the Concentration Camp at Neuengamme, Germany and later worked as forced labour in a factory in Hamburg, Germany

Blenkinsop died 23 January 1945 in Neuengamme of heart failure, possibly caused by lethal injection. (Another source: Died of Tuberculosis in Belsen end Jan/begin Feb 1945.)

Blenkinsop's body was cremated and has no known grave, but is commemorated on Runnymede War Memorial. A road in North Victoria, British Columbia has also been named after him

Blenkinsop had previously been awarded the DFC when he was attached to 425 Squadron flying Wellington aircraft and was posthumously awarded the Belgium Croix de Guerre for his work with the underground.

The citation reads - "This officer has completed many successful operations against the enemy in which he has displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty." BLENKINSOP, Squadron Leader Edward Weyman, DFC (J3467) - Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm (Belgium) - (deceased) - Awarded 17 July 1948 as per Canada Gazette of that date and AFRO 455/48 dated 23 July 1948.

Distinguished Flying Cross - No. 425 Squadron - Award effective 11 April 1944 as per London Gazette of 21 April 1944 and AFRO 1186/44 dated 2 June 1944. To North Africa, 10 July 1943 for service with 424 Squadron but transferred almost immediately to 425 Squadron, with whom he flew until 27 February 1944 when transferred to 405 Squadron. Detail provided by H Halliday, Orleans, Ontario

One Who Almost Made it Back, The Remarkable Story of One of World war two's Unsung Heroes, Sqn Ldr Edward "Teddy" Blenkinsop DFC CDGB (Belge) RCAF

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Commonwealth War Grave Commission International Bomber Command Centre

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Lancaster JA976

Flight Lieutenant Lawrence Arnold Allen RCAF

Flight Lieutenant Allen, Lawrence Arnold (RCAF)
Navigator
Killed in Action
1944-April-28
Webbekom Churchyard, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Squadron Leader Edward Weyman Blenkinsop RCAF

Squadron Leader Blenkinsop, Edward Weyman (RCAF)
Pilot
Prisoner of War Died
1944-April-28
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

Pilot Officer Robert Alexander Booth RCAF

Pilot Officer Booth, Robert Alexander (RCAF)
Flight Engineer
Killed in Action
1944-April-28
Webbekom Churchyard, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Flight Sergeant James Sydney Bradley RAFVR

Flight Sergeant Bradley, James Sydney (RAFVR)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1944-April-28
Webbekom Churchyard, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Pilot Officer Nicholas Hugh Clifford RCAF

Pilot Officer Clifford, Nicholas Hugh (RCAF)
Air Gunner (Rear)
Killed in Action
1944-April-28
Webbekom Churchyard, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Pilot Officer Leslie Arthur Foster RCAF

Pilot Officer Foster, Leslie Arthur (RCAF)
Air Gunner (Mid-Upper)
Killed in Action
1944-April-28
Webbekom Churchyard, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Flight Lieutenant David Ramsay RCAF

Flight Lieutenant Ramsay, David (RCAF)
Bomb Aimer
Killed in Action
1944-April-28
Webbekom Churchyard, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Flight Lieutenant George John Smith RCAF

Flight Lieutenant Smith, George John (RCAF)
Bomb Aimer
Killed in Action
1944-April-28
Webbekom Churchyard, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Mission

Lancaster Mk.III JA976

Bombing Montzen Belgium 1944-April-27 to 1944-April-28

405 (PFF) Sqn (RCAF) Gransden Lodge

Aircraft JA976 LQ-S was shot down by a German night fighter while on an operation to the Marshalling Yards at Montzen, Belgium

One Who Almost Made it Back, The Remarkable Story of one of World War Two's Unsung Heroes, Sqn Ldr Edward Teddy Blenkinsop, DFC CdeG (Belge), RCAF by Peter Celis

Unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

Unvetted Source Lancaster at Webbekom I Aviationhistory.be I History Aircraft...

Unvetted Source "Belgians Remember Them": Places of RAF aircraft's crashes: Webbecom

Lancaster serial: JA976

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.

The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia

YouTube Lancaster Bomber

Wikipedia Wikipedia

Unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Unit Desciption

405 (PFF) Sqn Ducimus ("Vancouver")

Group
Squadron
Base
County
Arrived
Comments
4
405
Driffield
Yorkshire
1941-April-23
Formed. Wellington II, 05/41.
4
405
Pocklington
Yorkshire
1941-June-20
Halifax II, 04/42.
4
405
Beaulieu
Hampshire
1942-October-25
4
405
Beaulieu
Yorkshire
1943-March-01
Detached Coastal Command.
6
405
Topcliffe
Yorkshire
1943-March-01
Rejoined from Coastal Command.
6
405
Leeming
Yorkshire
1943-March-14
To 8 Group, 18/04/43.
8
405
Gransden Lodge
Bedfordshire
1943-April-18
Ex-6 Group. Lancaster I, 08/43. Lancaster III, 08/43. Lancaster X, 05/45. To 6 Group, 26/05/45.
6
405
Linton-On-Ouse
Yorkshire
1945-May-26
Ex-8 Group. To Canada 16/06/45.

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

This was the first RCAF bomber squadron to be activated at Driffield, Yorkshire, England and flew its first mission on 12/13 June 1941. At that time it was a member of 4 Group of Bomber Command, and flew successively from Driffield, Pocklington and Topcliffe, Yorkshire, England. With Code Letters LQ It flew Wellington Mk II aircraft until converting to Halifax II in April 1942, in time for the first 1000-bomber raid on Cologne. In October 1942 it was transferred to Coastal Command No 18 Group, flying over the Bay of Biscay from Beaulieu, Hampshire. Returning to Bomber Command, the squadron joined No 6 (RCAF) Group and flew from Topcliffe and Leeming, Yorkshire in March and April 1943. It was then seconded to No. 8 (Pathfinder) Group and for the rest of the war flew from Grandsen Lodge, Bedfordshire, UK . Its first Pathfinder mission was on 26th April 1943, and its last on 25th April 1945. It was slated to become part of the "Tiger Force" to attack Japan, but the surrender of Japan precluded that, and the Squadron was disbanded at Greenwood, Nova Scotia on September 5th, 1945. One of the aircraft that flew briefly with the squadron was the first Canadian-built Lancaster Mk. X, KB700, christened the "Ruhr Express", which was subsequently transferred to 419 Sqn RCAF in December 1943. Overall, the squadron flew 4427 sorties, of which 349 were with Coastal Command and 41 were in Operation Exodus, the repatriation of POWs. Nearly 25000 operational hours were logged together with 12,000 non-operational, and 12,856 tons of bombs were dropped. In the course of operations, 167 aircraft were lost with 937 aircrew. In the course of its history, squadron members were awarded 9 DSO's, 161 DFC's and 24 Bars to DFC's, 38 DFM's, 2 CGM's 2 BEM's and 11 MiD's. Battle Honours were: Fortress Europe 1941-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1941-45, Ruhr 1941-45, Berlin 1941; 1943-44, German Ports 1941-45, Normandy 1944, Walcheren, Rhine; Biscay 1942-43.Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin

Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)

Maps for Movements of 405 Squadron 1941-45

MAP 1: 405 Squadron Movements in Yorkshire 1941-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)
MAP 2: 405 Squadron Movements in England 1941-45

405 Sqn History Summary 1941-45

405 Sqn History Summary 1941-45 Page 2

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Lancaster X, Neptune, Argus I & II, Aurora)

The squadron was re-formed as No 405 (Maritime Reconnaissance) Squadron at Greenwood, Nova Scotia on 31 March 1950, and redesignated No 405 (Maritime Patrol) Sqn on 17 July 1956. The squadron was the first of four formed in Maritime Air Command. It flew modified Lancaster Mk. X aircraft until mid-1955, when they were replaced by P2V7 Lockheed Neptunes, which gave an enhanced anti-submarine capability. and the first to fly Lancaster, Neptune and Argus aircraft on East Coast maritime duty. In April 1958 the squadron was given the distinction of being the first to fly the Canadian-built CP-107 Argus. The squadron made its last flight in the Argus on 10 November 1980 before introducing the CP-140 Aurora. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces. It is now designated No 405 Long Range Patrol Squadron, flying from Greenwood, NS.

The squadron’s primary combat functions are Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface (ASUW). The Squadron regularly trains for its roles by participating in a number of naval exercises at home and abroad. However, most of its time is taken up in a number of non-combat roles, including search and rescue and support to other government departments, including counter-drug operations with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and fisheries patrols with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Year-round, the Squadron carries out sovereignty patrols covering the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and maritime areas of interest . During these patrols, 405 LRPS crews maintain a constant vigil for ships that discharge pollutants illegal at sea. Similarly, its crews verify that foreign and Canadian fishing vessels abide by their Canadian licensing agreements and report suspected violators to DFO patrol boats.

405 LRPS regularly deploys to a number of allied bases for an assortment of exercises and missions. Among its international training sites are US NAS Keflavik (Iceland), US NAS Sigonella (Sicily, Italy), US NAS Oceana (Virginia, USA), US NAS Jacksonville (Florida, USA), US NAS Roosevelt Roads (Puerto Rico), UK RAF Kinloss (Moray, Scotland),UK RAF Station St. Mawgan (Cornwall, England) and NL NAS Valkenburg (Netherlands).

Unvetted Source Government of Canada RCAF Website