432 Leaside Squadron (Saevitir Ad Lucem).
Aircraft was shot down by flak near the target during a raid on the Le Mans Railway Yards.
Desmarais, Joseph Eugene Gerard (Pilot Officer)
Killed in Action 1944-May-23
Birth Date: 1918-September-19
Born:
Parents:
Spouse:
Home: Montreal, Quebec
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
RAF Leeming
Rank
Pilot Officer
Position
WOp-AG
Service Numbers
J/88152
Prev: R/117632
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Crew or Other Personnel
Halifax MZ506
Mission
Halifax B.Mk.III MZ506
Bombing Le Mans France 1944-May-23 to 1944-May-23
(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor
133 aircraft- 112 Halifaxes, 13 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes - of 6 and 8 Groups again attacked the railway yards. The local report confirms that the bombing was accurate, with much damage to the railways and the nearby Gnome & Rhone factory. Only 2 'French people were injured. 1 Halifax lost.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Halifax aircraft MZ 506 was shot down during night operations over Le Mans Flying Officer W.H. Mathews, P/Os J.E. Desmarais, S. Kuleski, E.P. Boutilier, W.W. Crum, M. Wiwsianski, and Sergeant ED. Horton (RAF) were killed.
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 MZ506 B.Mk.III - Bombing Le Mans France - 1944-05-23 to 1944-05-23
Squadron: (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1944-05-23
Completion Date: 1944-05-23
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Le Mans France
Target Specific:
Base: East Moor
Take Off Time: 00.10
Squadron Code: QO X
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: north of Chelveston, UK
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: engine
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
133 aircraft- 112 Halifaxes, 13 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes - of 6 and 8 Groups again attacked the railway yards. The local report confirms that the bombing was accurate, with much damage to the railways and the nearby Gnome & Rhone factory. Only 2 'French people were injured. 1 Halifax lost.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Halifax aircraft MZ 506 was shot down during night operations over Le Mans Flying Officer W.H. Mathews, P/Os J.E. Desmarais, S. Kuleski, E.P. Boutilier, W.W. Crum, M. Wiwsianski, and Sergeant ED. Horton (RAF) were killed.
