Operation: Training

Date: 11th February 1944 (Friday)

Unit: 425 (Alouette) Squadron, RCAF

Type: Halifax III

Serial: LW395

Code: KW-O

Base: RAF Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire

Location: Callow Hill, Worcestershire

Pilot: Flt.Sgt. Joseph Gilbert Dollard Aubin R118590 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Flt.Eng: Sgt. John James Shanahan 1801992 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Nav: Flt.Sgt. Harold Bertram Mitton 1319639 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air Bmr: Flt.Sgt. Joseph Henry Yvon Albert R125906 RCAF Age 23. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. William Edmond Dubroy R54360 RCAF Age 26. Killed

Air Gnr: Sgt. Joseph Oscar Rolland Fleury R174119 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Air Gnr: Sgt. Joseph Fernard Mayville R141896 RCAF Age 23. Killed

Passenger: Sig. Joseph Leonard Dubroy C100506 RCCS. Age 21. Killed

We welcome any contact from relative who maybe able to provide further information/photographs for their page of remembrance.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking of on a ‘Bulleye’ training operation over the Midlands. See 'abbreviations.'

Above L-R: Plt.Off. Joseph Aubin, Plt.Off. Joseph Albert, Plt.Off. William Dubroy, Plt.Off. Joseph Fleury, Sgt. Joseph Mayville, Sig. Joseph Dubroy (courtesy Dave Champion)

The aircraft crashed at Callows Hill near Hanbury at 21.07 hrs. All the crew were killed instantly.

The Court of Inquiry held on 12th February 1944 found that the engines, engine components, empennage components and other parts of the aircraft scattered over a wide area in a radius of approximately 4 miles of the main body of the aircraft, which appears to have fallen out of control and landed on its back. The main wreckage was almost totally consumed by fire. The Court found no conclusive evidence as to the cause of the accident and found that the cause of the accident was obscure and was unable to allocate any responsibility.

Two other members of the Dubroy family from Ottawa were also killed, a Flt.Sgt. Joseph William DuBroy R82074 RCAF of 10 Sqn (air gunner) and a Flt.Lt. Thomas Edmund DuBroy J5212 RCAF of 418 Sqn (pilot) were brothers and 1st cousins of Joseph and William.

William and Joseph were 2 of 14 children of Louis and Mary Kerrigan. 8 boys and 6 girls. At least 3 of the other boys were in the war, but they all made it back home safely.

In 2011 Wychavon District Council, Bloor and Bellway Homes commemorated the loss of some Canadian serviceman, named some of the streets in a new development off Three Springs Road in Pershore.

Plt.Off. Joseph Gilbert Dollard Aubin. Pershore Cemetery. Plot R. Grave 117. Born in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario on the 27th May 1922. He was the third of four sons of Albert Zenophile and Jeannette (née Bourdon) Aubin. The Aubins also had six daughters. Albert was a lawyer and a member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly, representing Sturgeon Falls, from 1929 to 1934. Appointed to Commission on the 12th February 1944 with Service No. J85928.

Sgt. John James Shanahan. Cromer No.2 Burial Ground. Sec.X. Grave 54. Son of John and Julia Shanahan, of Mundesley, Norfolk, England.

Flt.Sgt. Harold Bertram Mitton. Nottingham Crematorium. Panel 4. Son of Dr. James Bertram Mitton and Alys Mary Mitton, of Littleover, Derby, England. Sadly the family also lost his younger brother just 5 months later on the 16th July 1944. At the time of his death, 19 year old Kenneth Peter Mitton 14415183 was serving with the South Staffordshire Regiment 1/16th Battalion. Buried at Fontenay-Le-Pesnel War Cemetery in Tessel, France.

Plt.Off. Joseph Henry Yvon Albert. Pershore Cemetery. Plot R. Grave 109. Born in Sudbury, Ontario on the 15th July 1920. He was the son of Joseph Majoric and Aurelie (née Dumas) Albert of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He had one brother, Louis-Philippe, who was serving in the army in Alberta and a sister, Yvette. At the time of enlistment on the 17th September 1941, he was attending the University of Ottawa. Enlisted in November 1941, graduated as an Air Bomber in January 1942. Posthumously promoted to Plt.Off. with Service No. J88332.

Plt.Off. William Edmond Dubroy. Pershore Cemetery. Plot R. Grave 115. Born on the 15th October 1917. Son of Louis and Mary Bridget Dubroy, of 140 LeBreton Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Posthumously promoted to Plt.Off. with Service No. J85409.

Plt.Off. Joseph Oscar Rolland Fleury. Pershore Cemetery. Plot R. Grave 98. Born 17th August 1920 in Grayson, Saskatchewan. Son of Evariste and Henriette Fleury, of Drummondville, Province of Quebec, Canada. Posthumously promoted to Plt.Off. with Service No. J89447

Sgt. Joseph Fernard Mayville. Pershore Cemetery. Plot R. Grave 101. Son of Joseph Albert and Marie Alfreda Mayville, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

Sig. Joseph Leonard Dubroy. Pershore Cemetery. Plot R. Grave 107. Born on the 11th April 1922 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Son of Louis and Mary Bridget Dubroy, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

For further details our thanks to the following, Dave Champion for crew information and photographs, Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Julian Tansell for some of the grave photographs. ‘Bomber Command Database’, 'Paradie Archive'. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Thanks to David Papineau, the great nephew of William Edmond Dubroy and Joseph Leonard Dubroy, for the additional family information.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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