Fingal, Ontario, Canada
RCAF NO. 4 BOMBING AND GUNNERY SCHOOL
No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School was a unit of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The Plan, from April 29, 1940 to March 15, 1945, graduated over 130,000 air crew, of which 73,000 were Canadians. No. 4 B&GS consisted of the main station at Fingal: bombing ranges at Dutton, Melbourne, Frome and Tempo; a Marine Section at Port Stanley; and bombing and gunnery ranges on Lake Erie. No,. 4 B&GS operated from November 25, 1940 to February 17, 1945, during which time over 6000 non-pilot aircrew members graduated from the School. This memorial is dedicated to all who served at No. 4 B&GS, especially to those named on the back of this plaque, who lost their lives in the course of their duty at Fingal.
Erected by:
Kettle Creek Conservation Authority – Private Donations – Province of Ontario
Names on the back of the Plaque
MEMORIAL PLAQUE
AT NO. 4 BOMBING AND GUNNERY SCHOOL, FINGAL
“I give them eternal life and they shall never perish.” John 10:28
8 DEC 1940, BATTLE, 1650
C2789 F/O L. A. HOOD, (USA) PILOT
R78032 AC2 E. W. BOURNE, CREWMAN
R71450 AC2 J. H. McNALLY, CREWMAN
23 NOV 1942, LYSANDER, 2332
R116691 SGT/PILOT R. C. GRAY [1]
R76059 CPL H. H. HILCHIE, DROGUE OPERATOR [2]
6 JAN 1943, LYSANDER, 1540
F/SGT E. PRENTICE, PILOT [3]
CPL M. M.. NICHOLSON, DROGUE OPERATOR[4]
19 OCT 1943, LYSANDER, 2427[5]
WO2 M. T. LAVOIE, PILOT[6]
LAC L. RENAUD, DROGUE OPERATOR[7]
2 DEC 1943, GROUND ACCIDENT
R165966 LAC E. J. DePLANCHE
1 AUG 1944, ANSON I, 6711
J42808 P/O K. M. JOYCE, PILOT
J44121 P/O T. H. REES, INSTRUCTOR[8]
R149817 LAC D. F. McLAY, STUDENT
429023 LAC S. C. TURNER, R.A.A.F., STUDENT
12 AUG 1944, ANSON I, 6276
R203152 SGT E. D. HAWKINS
R209421 SGT R. D. SHARP
20 JAN 1945, BOLINGBROKE IV(T), 10019
J29114 F/O J. D. ALLAN, PILOT
441609 LAC L. C. J. WATT, R.A.A.F., STUDENT
8256F[9] LAC W. T. F. NEVILLE, R.A.A.F., STUDENT
[1] Name should read R. O. Gray (Richard Owen). Sgt./Pilot Gray’s monument in Dutton Fairview shows his R.A.F. serial number 1334645.
[2] Name should read R. H. Hilchie (Ralph Howard)
[3] Name should read R. Prentice (Robert) Serial # R123271
[4] Name should read K. E. Nicholson (Kenneth Elgin) Serial # R74648
[5] Lysander Number should read 2424
[6] Name should read N. T. Lavoie (Norman Thomas) Serial # R78838
[7] LAC L. Renaud (Lionel), Serial # R151277
[8] Name should read I. H. Rees (Ivan Henry)
[9] Serial Number should read 82566 LAC WTF Neville
(Transcription and notes supplied by Pat Temple- Nov. 2003)