Arrival in Liverpool, January 1944 Redux

I had started this blog with what I could find about 443 Squadron.

I had found this information on the Internet…

On the morning of December 23, 1943, the advance party of No. 129 Squadron arrived to take over No. 127’s duties at Dartmouth and a happy band of officers and airmen boarded a train to take them home on embarkation leave. So ended No. 127 Squadron’s tour in Canada. The squadron’s flying personnel now included: S/L H. W. McLeod, F/Ls D. M. Walz and M. V. Shenk, P/Os E. H. Fairfield, A. J. Horrell, A. Hunter, G. F. Ockenden and C. E. Scarlett, P/Os W. A. Aziz, S. Bregman, L. B. Foster, W. A. C. Gilbert, T. G. Munro, L. Perez-Gomez, L. P. E. Piché, W. I. Williams and L. H. Wilson, W02 D. F. Bridges, F/Ss P. G. Bockman, P. E. Ferguson and G. E. Urquhart, and Sgt H. W. Summerfeldt.

 

The squadron’s flying personnel now included:

S/L H. W. McLeod,

F/L D. M. Walz

F/L M. V. Shenk,

P/O E. H. Fairfield,

P/O A. J. Horrell,

P/O A. Hunter,

P/O G. F. Ockenden

P/O C. E. Scarlett,

P/O W. A. Aziz,

P/O S. Bregman,

P/O L. B. Foster,

P/O W. A. C. Gilbert,

P/O T. G. Munro,

P/O L. Perez-Gomez,

P/O L. P. E. Piché,

P/O W. I. Williams

 P/O L. H. Wilson,

WO2 D. F. Bridges,

F/S P. G. Bockman,

F/S P. E. Ferguson and

F/S G. E. Urquhart, and

Sgt H. W. Summerfeldt.

 

Little did I know back then that this blog would generate some interest among my readers.

In this message, Tara, Paul Émile Piché’s granddaughter wants to know who is the unknown pilot in this picture?

I have been trying to figure out who the “unknown” pilot in the first row of the picture is. I have also changed the pilot identified as “Ferguson” in the far right, back row to “unknown” since P.E. Ferguson has been identified.

On Mr. McManus’ website, he identifies the members of 443 Squadron before they left Dartmouth. I put this information in a table to help us identify the “unknown” pilots in the photo.  McManus tells us that there were 23 pilots in 443 Squadron but the photo only has 18 people in it. When I cross-reference the pilots from McManus’ website, I find that six people are not accounted for in the photo:

F/L D.M. Walz

P/O E.H. Fairfield

P/O S. Bregman

WO2 D.F. Bridges

F/S G.E. Urquhart.

Sgt. H.W. Summerfeldt.

If this photo is only of the pilots, can we assume that the two unknown airmen are Fairfield and Bregman?

Would you be able to double-check my work to see if this might be a possibility? I think it is important to put a name to these men. To that end, I would also like to put their full names where possible instead of just initials. Somewhere, someone knew them as “Bill” or “Len” etc. and by giving them a name instead of initials, we make their life more real.

Thanks,

Tara

This is the original picture taken from the archives of the DND.

I used it to make different montages.

Paul-Émile Piché

Arthur James Horrell

Luis Perez-Gomez

Alex Hunter

C. E. Scarlet

Percival Edward Ferguson

Gordon Frederick Ockenden

Henry Wallace McLeod

Ivor Williams

L. H. Wilson

M. V. Shenk

P. G. Bockman

T. G. Munroe

unidentified pilot

W. A. Aziz

W. A. C. Gilbert

This is Tara’s worksheet about where she stands right now in her search.

Rank	127 Squadron – December 1943 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (From: http://www.mcmanus.ca/02CofC/443history_files/history1.htm) 23 pilots, 3 airmen and 1 medical officer	January 31, 1944 Liverpool, England (From: photo edited by Ivor Williams)		First and middle names?	Notes
S/L	H.W. McLeod	Henry Wallace McLeod			Took over leadership of Squadron from Paul Gilbertson Dec  1943
F/L	D.M. Waltz				One of original 13 pilots of 127 Squadron
F/L	M.V. Shenk	M.V. Shenk		Vince?	Joined squadron  in July 1943 now back in Dartmouth
P/O	E.H. Fairfield				Not sure when he joined 443
P/O	A. J. Horrell	Arthur James Horrell			Joined squadron at Gander in May 1943
P/O	A. Hunter	Alex Hunter			Joined squadron  in Sept.  1943 now back in Dartmouth
P/O	G. F. Ockenden	Gordon Frederick Ockenden			Joined squadron at Gander in April 1943
P/O	C.E. Scarlett	C.E. Scarlett			Joined squadron at Gander in April 1943
P/O	W.A. Aziz	W.A. Aziz		Bill?	Joined squadron at Gander in June 1943
P/O	S. Bregman				Joined squadron at Gander in June 1943
P/O.	L. B. Foster	Les Foster			Joined squadron at Gander in Dec 1942
P/O	W.A.C.Gilbert	William Alonzo Cramner Gilbert			Joined squadron  in Nov. 1943 now back in Dartmouth
P/O	T.G. Munro	T.G. Munro			Joined squadron  in July 1943 now back in Dartmouth
P/O	L. Perez-Gomez	Luis Perez-Gomez			Joined squadron  in Nov. 1943 now back in Dartmouth
P/O	P.E. Piche	Louis Paul Emile Piche			Joined squadron  in July 1943 now back in Dartmouth
P/O	W. I. Williams	Ivor Williams			Joined squadron at Gander in Dec 1942
P/O	L. H. Wilson	L.H. Wilson		Len?	Joined squadron  in Nov. 1943 now back in Dartmouth
WO2	D.F. Bridges				Joined squadron at Gander in Dec 1942
F/S	P.G. Bockman	P.G. Bockman (Vickers)			Joined squadron at Gander in Nov 1942
F/S	P.E. Ferguson	Percival Edward Ferguson			Joined squadron  in July 1943 now back in Dartmouth
F/S	G.E. Urquhart				Joined squadron at Gander in Nov 1943
Sgt.	H.W. Summerfeldt				Joined squadron at Gander in June 1943
December 23, 1943 – Jan ? 1944  Embarkation Leave Depart Lachine on ship, “Pasteur” on Jan 20, 1944  Arrive Liverpool, England January 31, 1944
Once in England they were joined in approximately March 1944 by:
F/S	R.A. Hodgins
F/L	W.A. Prest
Further joined in approximately April 1944 by:
F/L	I.R. MacLennan
DFM	Hugh Russell
	E.B. Stovel
F/O	J.R. Irwin
F/O	G.R. Stephen
P/O	R.B. Henderson
“A” Flight – Ian MacLennan			“B” Flight – Bill Prest

 

Don Walz Visiting France – Redux

Editor’s note

Michael, Don Walz’s son, just wrote me a personal message about an article on his father.

Thank you for publishing these pictures. I am the son that was with Donald in 2000 (the coloured photographs) The woman in question in the first two photographs is Arlette Hollier-Larousse from Louvigny near Caen. She was our host. In photograph #4 the other gentleman is Thierry Hollier- Larousse, Arlette’s husband.
The mayor of Sassy in the photographs is André Barbot, I do not recall his wife’s name. I do hope this helps clarify for you

Very best regards

Michael Walz

Here are some pictures sent by Samuel Magdelaine who found out about this blog paying homage to 443 Squadron. His grandfather had helped Donald Walz escaping from the Germans when he was shot down.

I will continue with  the translation of the last post in the coming weeks so people in France can read this amazing story about Donald Walz.

 

Donald Waltz with his son Michael and Arlette Hollier-Larousse

Donald Walz with Arlette Hollier-Larousse and André Barbot, the mayor of Sassy in 1984

Donald Walz with his son Michael, André Barbot, the mayor of Sassy and the mayor’s wife at the scene of the crash.

Donald Walz again with the mayor of Sassy and Thierry Hollier- Larousse, Arlette’s husband.

Donald Walz listening to the mayor of Sassy in 1984 talking on the microphone. Next to him, on his right is the person who was mayor in 1944. The man holding a present is Samuel’s grandfather. Samuel is the little boy with his arms crossed on the extreme left.

Donald Walz with flowers in his hands. Next to him on his left is Samuel’s grandfather. Sassy’s mayor in 1984 in on the left of the picture.

Donald Walz with Samuel’s grandfather presenting him with a gift. His father told him that his grandfather was very moved.

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