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Those known to have served at RAF Eastmoor during the Second World War 1939-1945. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
Announcements
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
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- 19th Nov 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them.
The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.
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Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Want to know more about RAF Eastmoor? There are:26 items tagged RAF Eastmoor available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Albert Jacob Augustine 432 (Leaside) Squadron (d.10th Aug 1990) The following was shared with me by the son of my step-grandfather Albert Jacob Augustin), when I asked him for information regarding my grandfather's service in the war.
My father joined the RCAF I believe in 1943 at Westdale High School in Hamilton. It operated as a school during the daytime and served as a training facility all night. At one time the school was the largest building in the British empire complete with rifle range in the basement. After his basic training he was selected for aircrew and became an air gunner. Next stop was Gimli, Manitoba, for air gunnery training before going overseas.
He joined the 432 Squadron known as Leaside which was located at East Moor in England. It was part of the 6 Bomber Group and he flew as a tail gunner in a 4 engine Halifax bomber. He completed 36 missions with most being over industrial targets over Germany. His squadron flew night missions while the Americans flew during the daylight. He completed an extra 6 missions (30 was a normal tour) so he could return to Canada on leave in 1945.
When he got to Toronto by train at Union Station in 1945 he heard the war in Europe was over. He was assigned to train on new Lincoln bombers for the war in Asia after his leave ended. Fortunately the war ended and he was mustered out.
He and your grandmother went to England to attend the Bomber Group reunion at York, England, in the late 1980s. It was a highlight of the last years of his life. His 432 Squadron also had reunions in Toronto which he attended as he kept in touch with his fellow aircrew after the war ended.
Evidently the casualty rate was 50% for bomber command aircrew, with the life expectancy of a tail gunner of 8 missions. Grumpy was a very fortunate to survive his extended tour of duty.
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F/Lt. John Goodwin Maguire Leaside 432 Sqdn. (d.21st Feb 1945) My grandfather, John Maguire enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force when he was about 20 years old. He rose to the rank of Flight Lieutenant and was serving as navigator when his aircraft, a Halifax VII bomber, was shot down on route from East Moor airport to Worms, Germany, on February 21, 1945.
Jack and five other crew members were killed; the remaining member was injured and remained hospitalized until liberation. His crew mates were: Flight Lt. E.S. Maguire (pilot), Sgt. A.A. MacDonald, Flying Officer C.W. McMillan, Flight Lt. C.S. Moir, Flight Sgt. F.T. McLachlan and Flight Sgt. E.J. McCalarty.
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P/O. Marius Bendt "Sonny" Nielsen 432 (Leaside) Squadron (d.6th March 1944) My uncle Pilot Officer, Air Gunner Marius Nielson together with the seven other crew, Royal Canadian Air Force airmen from 432 Squadron based at RAF Eastmoor in North Yorkshire, were killed on 6th of March 1945 in Halifax VII QO-L (RG-475) while returning from a raid over Chemnitz, Germany. They were shot down by British Coastal Defences. Seven of them are buried in Brookfield Military Cemetery in Surrey.
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Sgt. Guy H. Rainville 12 Squadron  My uncle Guy Rainville was in his mid twenties when he started training as a gunner in 1940. He was based in Binbrook. We have his log book and one story he told. The story was about him being suspended by his feet to unlock the landing gear.
He tells about firing his guns in the back turret to relieve tension as they were coned and flaked for twelve minutes and there was a riot on the intercom, starting with the young pilot screaming "Where am I?".
He flew first in the R for Robert plane, a Wellington that bore the letters PS. R was his initial and PS those of his fiancee, Peggy. He considered this lucky and it was.
He married Peggy between tours and sold Victory bonds. Back in England, he stayed clear of his regular watering hole, the bar at the Strand Hotel in London. But he continued to be a patron at his favorite restaurant, La Belle Meuniere.
He flew 19 missions on that second tour, the last four in different Lancasters. On his 49th mission, then, fate struck. The 50th mission is the last in a flying man career. You are given an earthbound job after that. Only ten to fifteen percent of aviators made it in WWII. My uncle does not say he was looking forward to it.
14th of January 1944. The M Lancaster was a new plane, not tested. Guy is Rear Gunner. The target is a German town in the industrial valley of the Ruhr. A night flight, as always. The log entry reads "Ops Brunswick - Missing. Pilot is F/Lt Wales.
Instruments faulty over the sea, No climb above 19000ft. Over target incendiary bomb dropped (friendly from above) on Johnny Aplin's head in astro hatch (astrodome) Fatally wounded. Burst of flak cut petrol line. Bombs dropped on target. Motor catching fire. Return, One hour from target Bale out 1st twenty kms West of Rheine. Two killed W/Op & Mid-Upper Gunner Hutchinson. Walked all night. Hid all day. Walked again next night. Gave self WP at farmhouse on outskirts of Rheine. Escape impossible." He asked the farmer for a glass of milk and to call the police. He spent the next sixteen months in a POW camp.
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