Farnham, John Arlo (Flying Officer)
Killed in Action 1943-May-28
Birth Date: 1919-April-20
Born: Upper Southampton New Brunswick
Parents: Son of George Wetmore Farnham and Myrtle Edna Farnham, of Upper Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada.
Spouse:
Home: Upper Woodstock, New Brunswick
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
RAF Skipton-on-Swale
Rank
Flying Officer
Position
Bomb Aimer
Service Numbers
J/12974
Target
Essen Germany
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Crew or Other Personnel
Wellington HE294
Mission
Wellington B. Mk. X HE294
Bombing Essen Germany 1943-May-27 to 1943-May-28
432 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Skipton-on-Swale
Battle of the Ruhr
518 aircraft - 274 Lancasters, 151 Halifaxes, 81 Wellingtons, 12 Mosquitoes. 23 aircraft- I I Halifaxes, 6 Lancasters, 5 Wellingtons, 1 Mosquito lost, 4.4 per cent of the force.
The weather was cloudy and sky-marking had to be used. The main bombing was scattered, with many aircraft undershooting. The limited damage caused in Essen was mainly in the central and northern districts. 488 buildings were destroyed. 196 people were killed and 547 injured. Bombs fell in 10 surrounding Ruhr towns.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Wellington aircraft HE 294 missing from night operations over Essen, Germany. R.G. Allan, R.M. Murray, J.A. Farnham, R.E Taylor and A.G. Bailey 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.
Wellington HE294 B. Mk. X - Bombing Essen Germany - 1943-05-27 to 1943-05-28
Squadron: 432 (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1943-05-27
Completion Date: 1943-05-28
Mission: Bombing
Operation: Battle of the Ruhr
Target City: Essen Germany
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Skipton-on-Swale
Take Off Time: 22.52
Squadron Code: QO-P
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: North Sea, 35 kilometres north-west of Den Helder, Holland.
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group May 27/28, 1943
23 Halifaxes from 408 and 419 Squadrons were joined by 33 Wellingtons from 426, 428, 429, 431, and 432 Squadrons on an attack at Essen. The crews were over the target at between 14,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 97,000 lbs of high explosives and 134,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was cloud covered and bombing was scattered. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
518 aircraft - 274 Lancasters, 151 Halifaxes, 81 Wellingtons, 12 Mosquitoes. 23 aircraft- I I Halifaxes, 6 Lancasters, 5 Wellingtons, 1 Mosquito lost, 4.4 per cent of the force.
The weather was cloudy and sky-marking had to be used. The main bombing was scattered, with many aircraft undershooting. The limited damage caused in Essen was mainly in the central and northern districts. 488 buildings were destroyed. 196 people were killed and 547 injured. Bombs fell in 10 surrounding Ruhr towns.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Wellington aircraft HE 294 missing from night operations over Essen, Germany. R.G. Allan, R.M. Murray, J.A. Farnham, R.E Taylor and A.G. Bailey were killed.
