105207 P/O Hubert William " " Pond Belgium Croix de Guerre 1940 with palmRoyal Air Force 431 Squadron from:Halifax, Nova Scotia (d.27th Apr 1944) I am seeking any information and pictures about Hubert Pond and his short time at Croft Airfield.
Hubert was the adopted and only child of Harold and Ethel Pond, Halifax, NS.
He lost his life on April 27th, 1944 while flying with the 431 Squadron. He is buried in Heverlee Cemetary Belgium. The crew were
- 1Lt Earman USAAF KIA,
- Sgt J.Graham KIA,
- F/O WG Dundley RCAF POW,
- Sgt. JFL Perry RCAF POW, F/O DM King RCAF POW,
- Sgt JJ Cooke RCAF KIA,
- P/O HW Pond RCAF KIA
They were on a mission to the Montzen rail yards when the Halifax MK 111 was shot down by a night fighter.
I am having great difficulty finding any information except the statistical, including what happened to his parents. His mother was presented with his Belgium Croix de Guerre in 1948. There are so many wonderful accounts of the men who sacrificed so much on this site and others, it grieves me that Hubert Pond may just be a name on a stone with no one to remember him.
My mother Catherine (nee Pattison) McMillen and Hubert were close before he left for England. All my years growing up she kept out a picture of this young serviceman, we just knew him as her friend Hubert. I am intending to copy that picture and hopefully have it installed on this wonderful site.
I am also looking for a picture of the Memorial at Dalton Village nearby the airfield. Any information any one could supply will be gratefully accepted.
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