Port Arthur, Ontario
207 Squadron (Semper Paratus). Lancaster aircraft was shot down near Champignol. FS R.P. Strain and five other crew members were also killed. The following letter appeared in the Montreal Gazette on Sep 3/70, "Sir, - On Aug 19th, 1970, I was at Champignol, a small French village about 30 miles east of Troyes, where I visited the graves of seven airmen who died on Nov 7th, 1942. They were three Englishmen, one Australian, one South African, and two Canadians: R92290 Flight Sergeant R.P. Strain, and R100363 Flight Sergeant C.W.W. Peck DFM. Two more, both Britishers, fell on May 4th, 1942 and were buried along-side of them. I was extremely surprised and touched to see four freshly cut white gladioli on the grave of Flight Lieutenant Sergeant Peck. They had obviously been placed there on the preceeding afternoon. I was told that this was done by the local villagers, some coming even from Bar-sur-Aube to put fresh cut flowers on those graves. When Pastor, Joseph Zeltz, saw my interest, he brought the parish register of 1942 and I thought that the following entry, which I translate from the French, might be of interest to some of your readers: On Nov 10, 1942, I, the undersigned, Pastor of Champignol, gave church burial to four airmen, killed on Nov 7 on the territory of the township. Three of them were carbonized. The fourth, named Raymond whom they think may be a Canadian (later identified as Sergeant W.J. Rose, a Rhodesian) is buried first from the left. On Nov 15, the body of a fifth member of the crew, found in the wood, was buried alongside the first four graves, to the left. On Jan 10, 1943, two more bodies were found in the wood, not far from where the plane fell. They were buried to the left of the first five graves. Signed: E. Soucat. This may perhaps reach some relatives or friends of these war heroes. They may be relieved to know how lovingly the memory of their departed ones is still cherished after 28 years, by a grateful people." J. Ledit.
Peck, Charles Woodrow Wilson (Flight Sergeant)
Killed in Action 1942-11-07
Birth Date: 1917-July-04
Born:
Son of Robert Samuel and Erminnie Ann Mary Peck of Port Arthur, Ontario.
Home: Port Arthur, Ontario
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Decorations: DFM
Service
RCAF
Unit
207 Sqn- Squadron
Base
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Position
Flight Sergeant
Service Numbers
R/100368
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.comLancaster L7546
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Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
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
Lancaster Bomber
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