Operation: Ramrod, France

Date: 7th June 1944 (Tuesday)

Unit No: 440 (City of Ottawa) Squadron, RCAF, 143 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force

Type: Typhoon Ib

Serial: MN548

Code: I8:F

Base: RAF Hurn, Dorset, England

Location: La Vacquerie, France

Pilot: Flt Lt. Stanley Vincent Garside J5058 RCAF Age 24. KiA

Above Flt Lt. Garside from his Service Record

On the 19th May 1942, whilst at #1 Bombing & Gunnery (B&G), RCAF Station Jarvis, Ontario, Fg Off. Garside was involved in an flying accident aboard Bolingbroke #719.

Flt Lt. J.E. Cowart was the Staff Pilot with Fg Off. Garside aboard. On take off the starboard tyre blew out on landing the aircraft swung off the runway and tipped up on its nose. Neither of the two airmen were injured.

On the 1st December 1943, whilst at 111 (F) Sqn, RCAF Station Patricia Bay, British Columbia, Fg Off. Garside was involved in a accident flying Kittyhawk (P-40E) T-1080.

At 11:45 hrs on landing to the east on No. 7 runway with a 20 mph crosswind from the south. A gust caught the starboard wing throwing the aircraft off the runway to the left side into soft ground and the port wing dug into the ground tipping the aircraft on its nose. The undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft ended up on its belly.

Fg Off. Garside suffered minor shock and a contusion to his right elbow.

REASON FOR LOSS

On the 7th June 1944 Flt Lt. Garside took off from RAF Hurn at 19:30 hrs to join a force of eight Typhoons on a Ramrod south of Caen in France.

Ramrod: Short range bomber attacks to destroy ground targets.

Two other Typhoons from the Sqn were also lost on this mission:

Fg Off. Ronald William Doidge J26406, RCAF - Typhoon Ib MN257 I8:D - Evaded;

Fg Off. Wilfred Joseph Mahagan J11280, RCAF - Typhoon Ib MN307 I8:? - KiA.

A Missing Research & Enquiry Unit (MREU) conducted a sweep in the area of La Vacquerie in France on the 20th March 1946 and was directed to the outskirts of the village to the crash of an aircraft at a spot called La Haie.

La Haie is approximately 1 km (¾ ml) south of La Vacquerie.

From the wreckage found it was determined that the aircraft was Typhoon Ib MN548. It appears that the aircraft caught some high tension cables before crashing in the field.

The remains of the pilot were buried in an isolated grave at La Lande-sur-Drôme.

La Lande-sur-Drôme is 1¾ km (1¼ ml) south of La Haie.

Burial details:

Flt Lt. Stanley Vincent Garside. Recovered and laid to rest at the Bayeux War Cemetery XV.E.21 on the 20th June 1946. Inscription: 'WE MOURN YOUR EARTHLY ABSENCE BUT YOUR SPIRIT SUSTAINS US ALWAYS. MOTHER.' Born on the 28th November 1919 in Edmonton, Alberta. Son of Thomas Emsley and Maude (née Harris) Garside, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Researched by Ralph Snape and dedicated to this pilot and his family.

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025 Last Modified: 23 May 2023, 12:59