Operation: Rhubarb

Date: 15th February 1943 (Monday)

Unit: No. 403 Squadron RCAF (motto: Stalk and Strike), No. 11 Group

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: AD231

Code: KH-?

Base: RAF Kenley, Greater London

Location: Near Gamaches, France

Pilot: F/O. Harold Andrew Westhaver, J/15058 (formerly R/61602), RCAF, Age 23 - Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Flying accident - 26th January 1943 (Spitfire IX BS433 - Merlin 61). F/O. Westhaver’s report:

At R.A.F. Station, Kenley at 16:30 hours on 26-1-43 I was flying aircraft BS433. I undershot the aerodrome and crashed. I was returning from a patrol and made a normal circuit, starting my approach at 1000 feet and 140 m.p.h. I dropped my airspeed to 110 m.p.h. at about 200 feet and then when in line with the runway and about fifty yards from end of the runway levelled out at approximately 95 m.p.h. On easing the stick back to bring the nose of the aircraft up, the aircraft sank from air instead of the usual float. I touched the ground before I could recover by use of the throttle. The aircraft tipped up on its nose and skidded this way for 35 or 40 yards.

S/Ldr. Leslie Sydney Ford (2) (O/C 403 Squadron) reported:

Experienced 11 Group pilot recently posted to this squadron. Initial part of approach normal, carelessly allowed speed to drop.

The Station Commander, Kenley, W/Cdr. Michael Nicholson Crossley (3) reported:

I concur with the remarks of the O.C. 403 Squadron. As a result of this accident the landing limit line on the runway is being moved some 30 yards forward. With the line where it is now, I should not be surprised to see accidents of this kind caused by pilots trying too hard not to over shoot the line, whereas the main danger lies in undershooting it.

On the 15th February 1943, F/O. Harold Andrew Westhaver and P/O. William Thompson Lane (1) took off from RAF Kenley to look for targets of opportunity on the ground in France.

The cloudy weather was ideal for a ‘Rhubarb’, and the pair crossed into France north of Ault and successfully attacked a goods locomotive between Chépy and Le Tréport. Sweeping south, they found their next target in the marshalling yards near Gamaches - another locomotive and goods cars.

Westhaver had to climb sharply to avoid a chimney, and Lane observed a puff of black smoke come from Westhaver’s Spitfire, which he thought was due to the boost applied by the pilot. There was no sign of enemy aircraft or flak.

At 1,500ft he saw Westhaver jettison his hood and bale out, and his parachute open fully at 1,000ft. Lane turned for home, uncertain of the fate of his comrade.

‘Westy’s’ Spitfire crashed five miles south-east of Le Tréport after he baled out, but the cause of his death is unclear.

Burial details:

F/O. Harold Andrew Westhaver. St. Pierre Cemetery, Amiens. Plot 1. Row B. Grave 11. Son of Andrew Harold Westhaver and Vera Mary Westhaver (née Woods). Brother of Donald Craig and David Woods, and of half-sister Dorothy Grace, of 3048 Angus Street, Regina, Saskatchewan.
Epitaph: 'At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him'.

Born: 29th December 1919, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. (note: many sources quote his age as 21 at the date - incorrect according to his service records)

Education: Lakeview Public School (to June 1934); Regina Central Collegiate, September 1934 - June 1938 - Senior Matriculation.

Sports and hobbies: Badminton, skating and tennis (extensively); rugby and baseball (occasionally); also hockey and figure skating. Hobby: model aircraft building.

Civilian employment: Clerk, Dominion Bank, Regina (manager W.A. Radcliff), August 1938 - June 1940; left to join the RCAF.

Habits (1939 medical): About 10 cigarettes a day; no alcohol.

Enlistment: 12th October 1939 - first applied to the RCAF at Regina (medical board held 15th September 1939; application "pending"). 19th June 1940 - enlisted at No. 1 RCAF Recruiting Centre, Regina, as AC2 Aircrew; attested by F/L. H. Malone, and took the oath the same day. 22nd June 1940 - No. 1 Manning Depot, Toronto.

Training:

No. 2 Initial Training School, Regina (Course 4), 30th June - 27th July 1940.

No. 6 Elementary Flying Training School, Prince Albert (Course 4), 18th August - 5th November 1940.

No. 4 Service Flying Training School, Saskatoon (Course 12), 11th November 1940 - 28th January 1941.

28th January 1941 - awarded his Pilot’s Flying Badge (wings) and promoted Sergeant.

Overseas:

17th February 1941 - Overseas Pool, Rockcliffe, Ontario.

5th March 1941 - left Canada; arrived UK 6th March 1941 (No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Uxbridge).

10th March 1941 - posted to No. 10 Air Observers School, Dumfries, Scotland, as a staff pilot. Briefly in the Military Hospital, Peebles, 13th March 1941.

At Dumfries he flew about 250 hours on Fairey Battles and 100 on Blackburn Bothas - about 500 hours in total by January 1942.

Leave: 5th - 14th July 1941 and 9th - 15th September 1941.

17th November 1941 - assessed Character "V.G.", specially recommended; discharged from the ranks to take a commission as Pilot Officer (J/15058).

11th January 1942 - signed officer’s application and record sheet at Dumfries.

24th March 1942 - No. 58 Operational Training Unit, Grangemouth (Spitfires).

21st May 1942 - No. 421 Squadron RCAF.

17th June 1942 - No. 401 Squadron RCAF.

1st October 1942 - promoted Flying Officer.

23rd January 1943 - posted from 401 to No. 403 Squadron RCAF.

In June 1946 his father received the following letter:

Ottawa, Canada, 15th June 1946.
Mr. A.H. Westhaver,
3048 Angus Street,
Regina, Saskatchewan.

Dear Mr. Westhaver:

It is a privilege to have the opportunity of sending you the Operational Wings and Certificate in recognition of the gallant services rendered by your son Flying Officer H.A. Westhaver.

I realize there is little which may be said or done to lessen your sorrow, but it is my hope that these "Wings", indicative of operations against the enemy, will be a treasured memento of a young life offered on the altar of freedom in defence of his Home and Country.

Yours very sincerely,
(Walter Allan Dicks) G/C (4)
R.C.A.F. Records Officer.

11th July 1943 - telegram from the RCAF Casualties Officer to his father: "Deeply regret to advise that your son flying officer Harold Andrew Westhaver reported missing believed killed overseas is for official purposes presumed to have died February fifteenth nineteen forty three stop please accept my profound sympathy".

• (1) P/O. William Thompson Lane: Born August 1921 in Sudbury, Ontario. He was shot down on the 15th May 1943 at about 17:00 while escorting bombers to Poix (Circus 297), by Oblt. Kurt Goltzsch. He crashed at a farm on the estate of the château at Baromesnil. He is buried in Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot-sur-Mer, grave H.18. Age 21.
• (2) W/Cdr. Leslie Sydney Ford, DFC and Bar: Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 30th December 1919; son of Dr. Theodore Rupert Ford and Margaret Irene Ford of Shelburne, Nova Scotia. He commanded 403 Squadron from the 13th August 1942 until April 1943, then became Wing Commander (Flying) at RAF Digby on the 19th April 1943. On the 4th June 1943 he was leading 402 Squadron in an attack on German vessels off the Dutch coast near Den Helder and was hit by flak. His body came ashore on Vlieland on the 14th July 1943 and was buried there on the 15th July. Age 23 (CWGC).
• (3) W/Cdr. Michael Nicholson Crossley: Born 29th May 1912. A Battle of Britain ace who commanded No. 32 Squadron in 1940 and later the Detling Wing.
• (4) G/C. Walter Allan Dicks: Born 6th December 1909; died 13th April 1967 at Key West, Florida. He set up the RCAF’s Statistics Branch. He was awarded the Czechoslovak Military Medal "For Merit" (Silver) and the Canadian Forces Decoration; he was recommended for an MBE in July 1945, but it was not granted.

St. Pierre Cemetery, Amiens

The cemetery is on the north-eastern edge of Amiens, in the suburb of Rivery, on the north side of the Amiens-Albert road (D929), with the Commonwealth plot at the back. It was first used for Commonwealth burials in September 1915. Amiens was a British base again in 1940, until the Germans took it on the 18th May 1940; the British Second Army retook it on the 31st August 1944. It holds 676 Commonwealth burials from the First World War and 82 from the Second World War.

Sources and Acknowledgements:

• RCAF Personnel Service Record, H.Q. file 1130-W-95 ipedia
• Paradie-Duttil RCAF Archives
• RCAF Personnel Service Record
• National Archives, Kew
• Aircrew Remembered Archives
• Find A Grave
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)
• Military History Encyclopedia (historyofwar.org)
• CASPIR - Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
• Wik 403 Squadron Operations Record Book 1943 - RCAF Association (rcafassociation.ca)
• Kenley Revival - F/O. H.A. Westhaver, P/O. W.T. Lane and W/Cdr. L.S. Ford pages (kenleyrevival.org)
• Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada
• Traces of War (tracesofwar.com) - G/C. W.A. Dicks
• ww1cemeteries.com - St. Pierre Cemetery, Amiens