Conway, Francis James (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Action 1945-February-09

Pilot Officer Francis James Conway RCAF

Birth Date: 1922-February-23

Born:

Parents: Frank H. Conway & Josephine G. Conway

Spouse:

Home: Toronto, Ontario (parents)

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

159 (BR) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Quo Non, Quando Non Wither not? when not?

Base

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Air Gunner

Service Numbers

J/95229
Prev: R/173515

Home
Google MapToronto, Ontario (parents)
Target
Google MapKha Hua Gang India
Temporary Burial
Google MapTaukkyan War Cemetery, Rangoon, Burma
Final Burial
Google MapYangon/Rangoon War Cemetery
Coll grave 7A E 10-17

Took off from Karachi to bomb the Khao Hua Gang railway yards in Burma.

It was hit by flak over the target and was seen by other crews with flames erupting from the bomb bay.

In a shallow dive, the aircraft crashed approx. 3 miles due west, of the west bank of the Pakchan River.

Killed includes Conway: Flying Officer Kristinn Gudmundur Johnson RCAF J/43938 KIA Taukkyan War Cemetery Myanmar Coll. grave 7A. E. 10-17. Flying Officer Richard Lyle McMillan RCAF J/44860 pilot KIA Taukkyan War Cemetery Myanmar Coll. grave 7A. E. 10-17. F/Lt William Gerald Schroeder RCAF J/12468 pilot KIA Taukkyan War Cemetery Myanmar Coll. grave 7A. E. 10-17. Flying Officer Robert Talbot RCAF J/45225 KIA Taukkyan War Cemetery Myanmar Coll. grave 7A. E. 10-17. Flying Officer Nick Zaiczkowski RCAF J/45103 KIA Taukkyan War Cemetery Myanmar Coll. grave 7A. E. 10-17. Sergeant Roland Bernard Bright RAF KIA Taukkyan War Cemetery Myanmar Coll. grave 7A. E. 10-17. Sergeant Derrick Charles North Burton RAF KIA Taukkyan War Cemetery Myanmar Coll. grave 7A. E. 10-17.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Liberator KH255

Pilot Officer Francis James Conway RCAF

Pilot Officer Conway, Francis James (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1945-February-09
Yangon/Rangoon War Cemetery, Yangoon, Myanmar

Flying Officer Kristinn Gudmundur Johnson RCAF

Flying Officer Johnson, Kristinn Gudmundur (RCAF)
Bomb Aimer
Killed in Action
1945-February-09
Yangon/Rangoon War Cemetery, Yangoon, Myanmar

Flying Officer Richard Lyle McMillan RCAF

Flying Officer McMillan, Richard Lyle (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1945-February-09
Singapore War Memorial, Singapore

Flight Lieutenant William Gerald Schroeder RCAF

Flight Lieutenant Schroeder, William Gerald (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1945-February-09
Yangon/Rangoon War Cemetery, Yangoon, Myanmar

Flying Officer Robert Talbot RCAF

Flying Officer Talbot, Robert (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1945-February-09
Htauk Kyant War Memorial Cemetery, Pyay Road, Yangon, Myanmar

Flying Officer Nick Zakow RCAF

Flying Officer Zakow, Nick (RCAF)
Navigator
Killed in Action
1945-February-09
Yangon/Rangoon War Cemetery, Yangoon, Myanmar

Liberator serial: KH255

(DND Photos via James Craik) (Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Consolidated Liberator G.R. Mk. VIII, RCAF (Serial No. 11130) ex-USAAF Consolidated (Vultee) B-24L Liberator USAAF (44-50154)
ex-RAF (Serial No. 5009), ex-Indian Air Force (Serial No. HE773).
Currently preserved in the Canada Aviation and Space Museum Ottawa Ontario.

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber flown by the RCAF during the Second Word War. It was designed with a shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing which gave the Liberator a high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load. Early RAF Liberators were the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean as a matter of routine. In comparison with its contemporaries the B-24 was relatively difficult to fly and had poor low speed performance; it also had a lower ceiling compared with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Of the roughly 18,500 B-24s built in the USA during the war, 148 were flown by the RCAF on long range anti-submarine patrols, with the B-24 serving an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. The RCAF also flew a few B-24s post war as transports.

Roughly half of all (RAF) Liberator crews in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theatre were Canadian by the end of the war. John Muir of Vancouver flew the longest mission of the war: 24hrs, 10mins from Ceylon to Burma and back. (Kyle Hood) Harold Skaarup web page


YouTube Liberator bomber

Wikipedia Wikipedia Liberator bomber

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page