Whalen, James Henry (Flight Lieutenant)

Killed in Action 1944-April-18

Flight Lieutenant James Henry Whalen RCAF

Birth Date: 1920-April-23

Born: Vancouver, British Columbia

Parents: Son of Almond and Hazel Whalen of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Spouse:

Home: Vancouver, British Columbia

Enlistment: Vancouver, British Columbia

Enlistment Date: 1940-June-26

Decorations: DFC

Service

RCAF

Unit

34 (FB) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)

Base

Dergaon, India

Rank

Flight Lieutenant

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

J/15005

Home

Vancouver, British Columbia

Temporary Burial

Flight Lieutenant Pilot Whalen Was Buried Near The Crash Site

Remains were later exhumed from this location and reburied

Final Burial

Kohima Military Cemetery
6 B 11

34 Squadron (Lupus Vult Lupus Volat). Flight Lieutenant Whalen was flying Hurricane aircraft LB780 and was shot down by enemy flak while carrying out a bombing and strafing attack against Huewi, Burma. The aircraft crashed near the Kohima-Imphal road in India.

Wingman's account :We were flying from Dergaon when Jimmy was killed. He led six Hurricanes on an attack on the Rifle Range and I was his No. 2. We bombed in Sections of two and Jimmy and I were first in bombing with two 250 lb. Bombs with 11 second delays fitted. I was slightly behind Jimmy and we dropped our bombs at about 50 feet and as we left the target area Jimmy's plane did a barrel roll and crashed. It was a very sad day on the Squadron because he was by far the most popular officer and pilot in both the Officers and Sergeants Mess. We carried out two more attacks that day and on both occasions we looked for his plane but there was nothing to be seen in the dense jungle."

From Form540: At 0750hrs, 6ac led by Flt Lts Whalen and Richmond airborne to attack enemy positions at RE492655 (map reference not known - Ed.). All bombs fell in target area. intense small arms and mortar return fire from Target area. A flash was seen to come from the aircraft piloted by Flt Lt Whalen at approx 0827 hrs on completion of bombing run. When between 20-50ft, AC seen to roll nd dive towards ground. It was not seen to crash or catch fire.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Hurricane LB780

Flight Lieutenant James Henry Whalen RCAF

Flight Lieutenant Whalen, James Henry (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1944-April-18
Kohima Military Cemetery, Kohima, India

Hurricane serial: LB780

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc.
Source BBMF

The Hawker Hurricane is a single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s"“1940s that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Hurricane developed through several versions, as bomber-interceptors, fighter-bombers, and ground support aircraft in addition to fighters. Versions designed for the Navy were popularly known as the Sea Hurricane, with modifications enabling their operation from ships. Some were converted to be used as catapult-launched convoy escorts. By the end of production in July 1944, 14,487 Hurricanes had been completed in Britain and Canada.

A major manufacturer of the Hurricane was Canadian Car and Foundry at their factory in Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ontario. The facility's chief engineer, Elsie MacGill, became known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes". The initiative was commercially led rather than governmentally, but was endorsed by the British government; Hawker, having recognized that a major conflict was all but inevitable after the Munich Crisis of 1938, drew up preliminary plans to expand Hurricane production via a new factory in Canada. Under this plan, samples, pattern aircraft, and a complete set of design documents stored on microfilm, were shipped to Canada; the RCAF ordered 20 Hurricanes to equip one fighter squadron and two more were supplied to Canadian Car and Foundry as pattern aircraft but one probably did not arrive. The first Hurricane built at Canadian Car and Foundry was officially produced in February 1940. As a result, Canadian-built Hurricanes were shipped to Britain to participate in events such as the Battle of Britain. Canadian Car and Foundry (CCF) was responsible for the production of 1,451 Hurricanes. Wikipedia and Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube Hurricane