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CASPIR Data Archive Mission & Data Sources Significant Canadian Historians Our Team RCAF Assistance CASPIR Volunteering

CASPIR contains documents, images and history of Canada's military aviation. The personnel and aircraft data has been compiled using data provided by trusted Canadian military aviation historians and original source documents. Where possible source documents are linked.
Research

CASPIR Resources

RCAF Accident Cards (1939-1945) JA Griffin Documents 1968 and 2005 Obtaining a World War II Service File

External Resources

RCAF.info: Research Resources RCAF.info: Finding Your Family Records

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

John Griffin was a significant historian, documenting Canada's Military aircraft.
Aircraft

Military Aircraft Associated with Canadians Choose a Specific Aircraft Serial

Lancaster FM213

CWHM flies one of the two airworthy Lancasters in the world. FM213 is usually marked as KB726 honouring Andrew Mynarski, VC.
Personnel

Name or Home Town Search Unit (Squadron) Search Aircraft Type or Serial Search Browse by Letter This Day in History

War Status Search Catastrophic Losses (Ships Hotels Aircraft) Choose Specific Military Cemeteries (WW1 WW2 and Beyond)

Andrew Mynarski, VC

We Shall Remember Them.
History

Education & History
Start Here Glossary Canada and World War II Combatants & First Airmen Casualties Air Force Operations Battle of Britain Women in War War Artists Canada in Korean Air War 1950-1953

Blogs & Articles
CASPIR Overview First World War Neighbourhood - Dufferin & Dupont Canada's First Military Aeroplane 1917

"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
Contact

Sturgess, John Lee (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Action 1942-August-13

Pilot Officer John Lee Sturgess RCAF

Birth Date: 1921-May-28

Born:

Parents: H. M. and Mary Lee. Adopted son, and nephew of Maj. Frederick Sturgess, R.C.I.C., of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Spouse:

Home: Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

15 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Aim Sure

Base

RAF Bourn

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Observer

Service Numbers

J/7219

Home

Google Map

Toronto, Ontario

Target

Google Map

Mainz Germany

Final Burial

Google Map

Communal Cemetery
Row 3 Coll Grave 1-3

15 Squadron (Aim Sure) Stirling I aircraft BF 329 LS-A was shot down outward-bound, by a night fighter and it crashed in the Bois de Roly woods SE of Romedenne, Philippeville, province of Namur, Belgium. Pilot Officer JL Sturgess (RCAF) was killed. Please see Blackmore, LJ for complete casualty list and flight detail.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

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

Crew or Other Personnel

Stirling BF329

Sergeant Lester John Blackmore RAFVR

Sergeant Blackmore, Lester John (RAFVR)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1942-August-13
Communal Cemetery, Gosselies, Hainaut, Belgium

Sergeant Peter Derek Goodbourne RAF

Sergeant Goodbourne, Peter Derek (RAF)

Prisoner of War
1942-August-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Roy Helyar RAF

Sergeant Helyar, Roy (RAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1942-August-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Donald Templeman Jeans RAFVR

Sergeant Jeans, Donald Templeman (RAFVR)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1942-August-13
Communal Cemetery, Gosselies, Hainaut, Belgium

Flt Sergeant Kenneth McAusland RAFVR

Flt Sergeant McAusland, Kenneth (RAFVR)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1942-August-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Terence Shoesmith RAF

Sergeant Shoesmith, Terence (RAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1942-August-13
cemetery unknown

Pilot Officer John Lee Sturgess RCAF

Pilot Officer Sturgess, John Lee (RCAF)
Observer
Killed in Action
1942-August-13
Communal Cemetery, Gosselies, Hainaut, Belgium