| Flying
Officer Alexander Colville was
piloting Lancaster Mk.II
LL718 coded
EQ-E
during an operation to Stuttgart on March 15/16, 1944. The
aircraft left Linton-on-Ouse at 1903hrs, but failed to
return.
The entire crew was
lost without a trace, it consisted of:
|
Name |
Service |
Trade |
Hometown |
Age |
|
F/O Alexander Colville |
RCAF |
Pilot |
Bowmanville, Ontario |
27 |
|
Sgt Michael Kalms |
RAFVR |
Flight Engineer |
Edgeware, Middlesex |
19 |
|
F/O William Reid |
RCAF |
Navigator |
- |
- |
|
F/O Moody Siddons |
RCAF |
Bomb Aimer |
Langford, B.C |
30 |
|
W/O1 Arthur Hodson |
RCAF |
W/Op/AG |
New Westminster, B.C |
27 |
|
Sgt Francis Smith |
RAFVR |
M/U Gunner |
- |
- |
|
Sgt Dennis Davies |
RAFVR |
Rear Gunner |
Rhondda, Glamorgan |
21 |
Flying
Officer Alexander “Alex” Colville was the first born of three
sons of Alexander and Annie Josephine of Bowmanville, Ontario,
(near
Toronto).
He
worked locally at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.
before enlisting in the RCAF at Toronto on the 9th
of September 1940.
He
served in Canada, Newfoundland and overseas. Graduating as a
Flight Sergeant Air Gunner, he re-mustered and was later
awarded his
Pilot's
wings
and commissioned as a Pilot Officer.
The Colville family suffered horrific losses during the war as
Alex's
two brothers who were also pilots in the Royal Canadian Air
force
also lost their lives.
William “Bill” Colville was killed on 6th May 1942
while serving in #11 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron. His other
brother John “Sandy” Colville was killed in action on 18th
August 1944 when his Hawker Typhoon (Fighter-Bomber) was hit
by flak in France.
Local
veteran Bill Calver researched the Colville brothers military
history and on June the 2nd 1996 a dedication
ceremony took place of “The Colville Memorial Clock Tower” in
Rotary Park, Queen Street, Bowmanville,
dedicated to the three Colville brothers.
A
painting created by the Canadian aviation artist Don Connolly
was commissioned with support from the Colville’s brothers
niece Connie Hooey and brother-in-law Hugh Mechin and was
donated to the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 178,
Bowmanville.
F/O
(P) Dick Watson (ret’d) of Wawa, Ontario composed a poem for
the occasion which is mounted on a second plaque in Rotary
Park.
A Memorial Cabinet was dedicated to the Colville brothers at
the RCAF Association, 416 Wing at Kingston Airport on July 8th
1994.
The
Colville brothers
youngest sister, Catherine Mechin (nee Colville) died on
January 1st 1996.
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