During the war his plane was shot down over Germany. He was captured and was a prisoner of war until the war ended. Burke had an interesting experience a few years ago. He was involved in correspondence with a family from the town in Germany where his plane crashed and three crew members were killed. This was the family that witnessed Burke parachute into their yard. The 15-year old daughter had kept a diary of that evening in February 1945. They watched where Burke had hidden his parachute and the next day they recovered it and made clothes for their family. The diary writer said the clothes were much needed and had lasted for years. This year of correspondence, through the nephew of one of the men who was killed on the plane, ended with an invitation to the town in Germany where this nephew and his family attended a memorial service. It was also attended by the family that started the research as well as the mayor and people of the village who became involved in this research of RCAF flight 408. A brass plaque was struck to remember the whole crew. The names of those who died and those who lived are inscribed on this memorial. from his obituary (2010)
McIntosh, Joseph William Burke (Flt. Sergeant)
Prisoner of War 1945-February-21
Birth Date: 1921-January-17
Born: Sydney Cape Breton Nova Scotia
Parents: son of Bernard McIntosh 1892–1971 Freda MacLellan 1898–1980
Spouse:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
RAF East Moor
Rank
Flt. Sergeant
Position
Service Numbers
R/164615
Finadagrave.comCrew or Other Personnel
Halifax RG455
Mission
Halifax B.Mk.VII RG455
Bombing Monheim am Rhein 1945-February-20 to 1945-February-21
432 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF East Moor
128 aircraft - 112 Halifaxes, 10 Mosquitoes, 6 Lancasters - of 6 and 8 Groups attacked the Rhenania Ossag refinery at Monheim with similar results to the Reisholz raid. 2 Halifaxes lost.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Target: Rhenania Ossag synthetic oil refinery near Monheim
Shot down near target.
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
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 RG455 B.Mk.VII - Bombing Monheim am Rhein - 1945-02-20 to 1945-02-21
6 Bomber Group February 20/21, 1945
112 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 427, 429, and 432 Squadrons were ordered on an attack of the oil refinery at Monheim. The crews were over the target at between 14,000 and 16,000 feet, releasing 698,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused.
While the Halifaxes went to Monheim, 82 Lancasters from 419, 424, 428,431, 433, and 434 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Dortmund. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 231,000 lbs of high explosives and 579,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
128 aircraft - 112 Halifaxes, 10 Mosquitoes, 6 Lancasters - of 6 and 8 Groups attacked the Rhenania Ossag refinery at Monheim with similar results to the Reisholz raid. 2 Halifaxes lost.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Target: Rhenania Ossag synthetic oil refinery near Monheim
Shot down near target.
