Stephenson, John Gay (Air Commodore)

Prisoner of War 1945-January-05

Male Head

Birth Date: 1914-April-04

Born:

Parents: Son of John and Irene Stephenson

Spouse: Husband of Barbara Stephenson. Father of Michael and John Stephenson

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Order of the British Empire Airforce Cross Canadian Forces Decoration

Service

RCAF

Unit

432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light

Base

RAF East Moor

Rank

Air Commodore

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

C/860

Target
Google MapHannover Germany

Wing Commander Stephenson would stay in the RCAF after his release and rise to the rank of Air Commodore. Sadly, he would be among the six casualties of a flying accident 1960-04-29 in 12 RCAF Air Transport Command Mitchell aircraft 5220 that crashed into Lake Michigan while attempting to land at an airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with an engine and propeller malfunction

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page 411

432 Leaside Squadron (Saevirer ad Lucem) RAF East Moor. Halifax BVII aircraft NP 817 QO-D was shot down during an operation against targets in Hannover, Germany. There are multiple night fighter claims for this loss. The bomber was abandoned before it crashed at 2 km east of Schneeren, Neustadt am Rubenberge, Niedersachsen, Germany

The (then) Wing Commander JG Stephenson OBE AFC CD (RCAF), Flying Officer TR Bond (RCAF), Flying Officer RG Donaldson (RCAF)(USA), Flying Officer WE Fleming (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 1 WT McMahon (RCAF), Flying Officer EB Pickthorne (RCAF) and Sergeant BM Hodges (RAF) all survived and were taken as Prisoners of War

There were two 432 Squadron Halifax BVII aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serial NP 759 QO-C for additional information on this aircraft and crew

Unvetted Source [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

Unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

Crew or Other Personnel

Halifax NP817

Flying Officer Thomas Richard Bond RCAF

Flying Officer Bond, Thomas Richard (RCAF)
Air Gunner (Rear)
Prisoner of War
1945-January-05
cemetery unknown

Flying Officer Robert Gordon Donaldson RCAF

Flying Officer Donaldson, Robert Gordon (RCAF)
Bomb Aimer
Prisoner of War
1945-January-05
cemetery unknown

Flying Officer Wallace Eugene Fleming RCAF

Flying Officer Fleming, Wallace Eugene (RCAF)
Navigator
Prisoner of War
1945-January-05
cemetery unknown

Sergeant B M Hodges RAF

Sergeant Hodges, B M (RAF)
Flight Engineer
Prisoner of War
1945-January-05
cemetery unknown

Warrant Officer 1 W T McMahon RCAF

Warrant Officer 1 McMahon, W T (RCAF)
Air Gunner (Mid-Upper)
Prisoner of War
1945-January-05
cemetery unknown

Flying Officer Emerson Blair Pickthorne RCAF

Flying Officer Pickthorne, Emerson Blair (RCAF)
Wireless Operator
Prisoner of War
1945-January-05
cemetery unknown

Air Commodore John Gay Stephenson RCAF

Air Commodore Stephenson, John Gay (RCAF)
Pilot
Prisoner of War
1945-January-05
cemetery unknown

Mission

Halifax B.Mk.VII NP817

Bombing Hannover Germany 1945-January-05 to 1945-January-05

432 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF East Moor

432 Leaside Squadron (Saevirer ad Lucem) RAF East Moor. Halifax BVII aircraft NP 817 QO-D was shot down during an operation against targets in Hannover, Germany. There are multiple night fighter claims for this loss. The bomber was abandoned before it crashed at 2 km east of Schneeren, Neustadt am Rubenberge, Niedersachsen, Germany

The (then) Wing Commander JG Stephenson OBE AFC CD (RCAF), Flying Officer TR Bond (RCAF), Flying Officer RG Donaldson (RCAF)(USA), Flying Officer WE Fleming (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 1 WT McMahon (RCAF), Flying Officer EB Pickthorne (RCAF) and Sergeant BM Hodges (RAF) all survived and were taken as Prisoners of War. Little PoW information< id known to date

There were two 432 Squadron Halifax BVII aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serial NP 759 QO-C for additional information on this aircraft and crew

Unvetted Source [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

Unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

Unvetted Source Daily Operations

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.