Preparation
  The Sumner Crew - 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit  
 

The Sumner Crew  1663 Heavy Conversion Unit
 

 

The Sumner Crew posted in to 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit in the Spring of 1945. They trained on Halifaxes and then Lancasters, thankfully the war in Europe ended before the crew were posted to an operational squadron.

The crew consisted of:

 

Name Service Trade Hometown 
F/O “Bill” Sumner  RCAF Pilot London, Ontario
Sgt Jim “Jock” Oliver  RAFVR Flight Engineer Edinburgh, Scotland
F/O Jim O’Neil  RCAF Navigator London, Ontario
F/Sgt William Lloyd Fulford  RCAF Bomb Aimer Clinton, Ontario
F/Sgt T. "Yogi" Merchant  RCAF W/Op/AG Toronto, Ontario
W/O Harry Armstrong RAAF M/U  Gunner Allendale, Australia
F/O Bill Gordon RCAF Rear  Gunner Sault Ste Marie, Ontario

 
 
 Photo courtesy of Bob Fulford, research by Linda Ibrom.