Boomer, Kenneth Arthur (Squadron Leader)

Killed in Action 1944-October-22

Squadron Leader Kenneth Arthur Boomer RCAF

Birth Date: 1916-August-20

Born: Ottawa, Ontario

Parents: Son of Frank Daniel Boomer and Nettie Alice Boomer (nee Masler) of Ottawa, Ontario.

Spouse: Husband of Jean Millar Boomer of Ottawa, Ontario.

Home: Vancouver, British Columbia

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: 1939-October-09

Distinguished Flying Cross

Service

RCAF

Unit

418 Sqn- Squadron
Piyautailili Defend even unto death: Inuktitut

Base

RAF Hunsdon

Rank

Squadron Leader

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

C/1220

Home
Google MapVancouver, British Columbia
Target
Google MapMunich Germany
Final Burial
Google MapCholoy War Cemetery
1 G 10

Born in Ottawa, 20 August 1916. Enlisted in Ottawa, 9 October 1939- Trained at Camp Borden, earning wings 29 April 1940. Sent overseas, September 1940, serving in Nos. 112, 1 (C) and 411 Squadrons.

Returned to Canada, April 1942. No.111 Squadron (Alaska), 17 August 1942-31 May 1943. On staff duties until January 1944 when he was posted to No.36 OTU. Posted overseas, April 1944, trained further at No.60 OTU, and posted to No.418 Squadron, 20 August 1944.

Killed in Action (Day Ranger), 22 October 1944. 418 City of Edmonton Squadron. Target - Munich, Germany. Mosquito aircraft PZ 198 was shot down at Brunthal, Germany, Flight Lieutenant N.J. Gibbons DFC and Bar also killed.

In 1942 Squadron Leader Boomer won the U.S. Air Medal for his continuing attack against a Japanese submarine. He eliminated three successive submarine gun crews in the attack.

On Sep 25/42 Squadron Leader Boomer was with 111 Thunderbird Squadron flying Kittyhawk aircraft when he shot down a Japanese aircraft. He was the only Canadian pilot to shoot down a Japanese aircraft in the Aleutians during the war.

Addendum: - Air Medal (United States) - Alaska - Award effective 23 December 1942 as per AFRO 272/43 dated 19 February 1943. Cited in this instance with Flying Officer J.G. Gohl, Pilot Officer H.O.Gooding, and Flying Officer R. Lynch. See magazine Airforce, Volume VII No.2 (June 1983). On 25th September 1942, they voluntarily flew with United States Army combat pilots, accompanying heavy bombers in making a hazardous five hundred mile over water flight in order to press home an attack on the enemy at Kiska Island, Alaska Although the mission of protecting the bombing planes from anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters was completed, the fighters returned to strafe all enemy installations with remarkable success. All planes returned safely to base.

BOOMER, Squadron Leader Kenneth Arthur (C1220) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.111 Squadron (Canada) - Award effective 1 January 1943 as per Canada Gazette of that date and AFRO 55/43 dated 15 January 1943. The citation reads - "This officer is in command of a fighter squadron on detached operations in Alaska. Inspired by his unflagging zeal and devotion to duty, his squadron has maintained a consistently high standard of efficiency under difficult and trying conditions. He has displayed great qualities of courage and determination in seeking out the enemy and his flying skill has been responsible for the excellent work done by his squadron on coastal patrol duties in action against the enemy HE WAS THE FIRST RCAF PILOT TO MAKE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY and in so doing gave an exceptionally good account of himself. His services on fighter operations have been invaluable." Detail provided by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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

Unit Desciption

418 Sqn Piyautailili ("City of Edmonton")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Boston III, Mosquito II, FB Mk VI)

[Note that the squadron crest and motto were not given to the squadron until after WWII. During WWII the squadron had neither crest nor motto.] The squadron was formed at Debden, Essex, UK in November 1941as the RCAF's only Intruder Squadron. As such, it was attached to 11 Group of Fighter Command (later renamed Air Defence of Great Britain), conducting day and night intruder operations. These involved a variety of targets, strategic attacks and intruder attacks on airfields. Originally the squadron flew Douglas Boston Mk. III, with the squadron code letters being TH. They flew from a number of airfields in the south of England from 1942 to 1944, namely Debden, Bradwell Bay, Ford, Holmsley South, Hurn, Middle Wallop and Hunsdon. In March 1943 the squadron re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito Mks. II and F.B. VI aircraft., with a marked increase in their successes in destroying enemy aircraft. The squadron claimed its hundredth victory in May 1944. After D-Day the squadron was involved in the campaign against V-1 and V-2 weapons.

On November 21, 1944 the squadron was transferred from Fighter Command to the 2nd Tactical Air Force in No. 136 (RAF) Wing and operated from Hartford Bridge, Hampshire, UK. before moving to Base 71 at Coxyde, Belgium, and then finally moving to Base 80 at Volkel, the Netherlands . The squadron was disbanded there on September 7th 1945.

The squadron was the most high-scoring unit of the RCAF in WWII. It claimed 178 aircraft and 79 and a half V-1 Flying Bombs. There were a number of aces, among them Wing Commander R. Bannock, DFC and Bar, Squadron Leader R. Gray, DFC, Flying Officer S.P. Reid DFC, Squadron Leader H.D. Cleveland DFC, Flight Lieutenant C.M. Jasper DFC, Flight Lieutenant J. Evans, Flight Lieutenant S.H.R. Cotterill DFC, Flight Lieutenant D.E. Forsyth, Squadron Leader J.B. Kerr, Flight Lieutenant H.E. Miller and Flight Lieutenant P.S. Leggatt. The squadron won 3 DSO's, 42 DFC's, 9 Bars to DFC's, 1 Second Bar to DFC, 5 DFM's, 1 DFC(USA) and 1 Air Medal (USA). Overall, 3492 sorties were flown, 402 of which were on anti-V-1 patrols. 11,248 hours were flown operationally for the loss of 59 aircraft. The squadron was credited with destroying 178 aircraft, 17 locomotives destroyed and 59 damaged, with other destruction of rolling stock and motor vehicles. Battle Honours were: Defence of Britain 1944, Fortress Europe 1942-44, Dieppe, France and Germany 1944-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine. Wikipedia, Kostenuk and Griffin

Map for Movements of 418 Squadron 1941-45

MAP 1: 418 Squadron Movements 1941-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)

418 Squadron History Summary 1941-45

418 Squadron History Summary 1941-45 Page 2

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Harvard II, Mitchell, Expeditor, Silver Star, Otter, Twin Otter, Kingfisher)

The squadron re-formed at Edmonton, Alberta on 15 April 1946, flying North American B-5 Mitchell aircraft in a light bomber role. It moved to RCAF Station Namao, Alberta in 1955. In March 1958 it was reassigned to a light transport and emergency rescue role and was re-equipped with Beechcraft Expeditor and de Havilland Otter aircraft. Its duties ranged from aid to the civil power to aerial resupply. On 27 May 1967 it received a Squadron Standard for 25 years’ service. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces as No. 418 “City of Edmonton” Air Reserve Squadron, and acquired de Havilland Twin Otter aircraft The squadron was disbanded in 1994, its aircraft being transferred to No 440 Transport Squadron.

418 Squadron was re-formed on March 13, 2019, The unit is based at 19 Wing Comox, British Columbia as 418 Search and Rescue Operational Training Squadron, training aircrew and maintenance personnel on the CC-295 Kingfisher, using simulators and aircraft, when the aircraft are delivered.