Operation: Training

Date: 15th March 1945 (Thursday)

Unit No: 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU)

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ481

Base: RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire

Location: Unknown - lost without trace, almost certainly Irish Sea

Pilot: Flt Lt. Frank Earl Connors J21847 RCAF Age 27. Missing

Flt Eng: Sgt. Kenneth James Parrish 1801881 RAFVR Age 21. Missing

Nav: Fg Off. James Charles Pearson J42664 RCAF Age 21. Missing

Bomb Aimer: Flt Lt. John Mackintosh Fowlie J13989 RCAF Age 24. Missing

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Arthur Henry Jones R218186 RCAF Age 19. Missing

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. James Graham 12168A RCAF Age 25. Missing

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. John Howard James Grahame R106461 RCAF Age 24. Missing

We would appreciate contact from relatives of Sgt. Parrish as his is the only photo missing from the crew line up.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 19:10 hrs from RAF Dishforth in Yorkshire on a night cross country exercise.

At 03:30 hrs (the absolute limit of flying time) a search was commenced for the aircraft and no trace could be found, the crew had not transmitted any message that they had a problem. One of the theories is that the crew may have become incapacitated via carbon dioxide fumes entering their oxygen supply.

Shown above the six Canadian members of the crew: L-R: Flt Lt. Frank Earl Connors, Flt Lt. John Mackintosh Fowlie, Flt Sgt. Arthur Henry Jones, Fg Off. James Charles Pearson. Seated: Flt Sgt. John Howard James Grahame, Flt Sgt. James Graham, (courtesy Ken Greenaway)

We are indebted to Norma Wilkinson-Wills and the family of Fg Off. James Charles Pearson for records and photographs used in this page of remembrance. Also to Ken Greenaway, nephew of the navigator, who also contacted us in October 2014 with the crew photographs, finally to Ann Cullen friend of the family of Flt Lt. John Mackintosh Fowlie who contacted us in October 2016.

Above: Pilot: Flt Lt. Frank Earl Connors (courtesy Ken Greenaway)

Wireless Operator: Flt Sgt. Arthur Henry Jones (courtesy Ken Greenaway)

Air Gunner: Flt Sgt. James Graham (courtesy Ken Greenaway)

Above left: Flt Lt. John Mackintosh Fowlie (courtesy Ken Greenaway)

Fg Off. James Charles Pearson, right, from his Service record

Left to right: Flt Lt Conners, Flt Lt. Powlie, Flt Sgt. Jones from their Service records

Above: Flt Sgt. James Graham (Courtesy Douglas Graham)

Burial Details

Above: Runnymede Memorial with inserts L-R: Flt Lt. Connors, Fg Off. Pearson, Flt Sgt. Jones, Flt Lt. Fowlie and Flt Sgt. Grahame.

Flt Lt. Frank Earl Connors. Runnymede Memorial Panel 278. Born on the 25th July 1914 in Fort William, Ontario. Son of Thomas John and Jessie Connors, of Fort William, Ontario, Canada, husband of Louise Connors, of 205 Shuniah Road, Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Kenneth James Parrish. Runnymede Memorial Panel 276. Born in October 1923 in Dartford, Kent. Son of James Albert and Christiana Lilian Parrish, of Welling, Kent, England. Also of, The Bungalow, Westleigh Lane, Leigh, Lancashire, England.

Fg Off. James Charles Pearson. Runnymede Memorial Panel 279. Born on the 3rd February 1924 in Hamilton, Ontario. Son of James and Clara Loretta (née Simmonds) Pearson, of 88 Kenilworth Street, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

James enlisted on the 6th May 1942, he was enrolled in Delta Collegiate in the Accountancy program.

Flt Lt. John Mackintosh Fowlie. Runnymede Memorial Panel 278. Born on the 3rd May 1920 in Somme, Saskatchewan, the only son of Melville Mackay Fowlie and Margaret Rose (née Mackintosh) Fowlie, of 144 Forythe Street, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

John’s mother Margaret, died the day after a difficult childbirth while delivering John. His father married his second wife Catherine Clark (née Ferguson) and they both raised John. They had two children together of their own, Janet and Don. Enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941. He received training at Prince Albert, graduated at Rivers, Manitoba.

Jack Fowlie’s family also had a stone laid in tribute to him at Lakeview Cemetery, Sarnia.

Flt Sgt. Arthur Henry Jones. Runnymede Memorial Panel 282. Son of Henry J. and Florence E. Jones, of Somme, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Prior to enlisting on the 31st March 1943 he was a farmer.

Jones Bay, Saskatchewan is named after Flt Sgt. Arthur Henry Jones

Flt Sgt. James Graham. Runnymede Memorial Panel 281. Born on the 16th May 1919 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Son of Joseph and Christina (née Reid) Graham of 76 Connaught Crescent, Regina Saskatchewan, Canada.

Both his parents predeceased him in July 1930 and February 1945 respectively. He enlisted on the 22nd May 1939 - prior to that he was a mechanic.

Graham Lake, Saskatchewan is named after Flt Sgt. James Graham

The Graham family memorial (courtesy Douglas Graham)

Flt Sgt. John Howard James Grahame. Runnymede Memorial Panel 281. Born on the 11th April 1920 in Stonewall, Manitoba. Son of John Edwin and Elizabeth (née Brown) Grahame, of Stonewall, Manitoba, Canada.

His mother predeceased him in August 1935. Uncle, Mr George Brown of 7 Sunnybank Road, Droylsden, Manchester, England.

Grahame Point on Blevins Lake, Manitoba is named after Flt Sgt. Grahame

Researched for relatives of the crew with thanks for additional information to Norma Wilkinson-Wills, Library and Archives Canada, Ken Greenaway, nephew of the navigator, Robert Sinclair, relative of Flt Sgt. Grahame, Ann Cullen friend of the family of Flt Lt. John Mackintosh Fowlie - his family, Ann Hawley and Bill Harper. Thanks to Douglas Graham, the nephew of Flt Sgt. Graham for the family memorial and photograph (Nov 2021). Additional images and information by Aircrew Remembered (Nov 2021). Other sources as quoted below: