Dambusters Raid – The Canadian Contribution

Dambusters Raid – The Canadian Contribution

RCAF Aircrew who Returned from the Dams RaidBack Row: Oancia, Sutherland, O’Brien, Brown, Weeks, Thrasher, Deering, Radcliffe, MacLean, McCarthy, MacDonaldFront Row: Pigeon, Taerum, Walker, Gowrie, Rodger
As with all aspects of the history of Bomber Command, Canadians played a major role in the Dams Raid. Of the 133 airmen that set out on the raid, 30 were Canadian and six were from Alberta. Fourteen were killed during the raid and one became a Prisoner of War. Exactly 50% of the Canadians who took off did not return. Four of the Canadians who survived the Raid were killed in action later in the war. Note that F/L Joe McCarthy was an American who flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Sgt. James L. Arthur

(Coldwater, Ontario) (P/O Burpee's bomb aimer) Killed during the Raid

F/Sgt. Joseph G. Brady

(Ponoka, Alberta) (P/O Burpee's rear gunner) Killed during the Raid

Sgt. Charles Brennan

(Calgary, Alberta) (F/L Hopgood's flight engineer) Killed during the Raid

F/Sgt. Ken Brown

(Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) (pilot) Survived the Raid and the war (awarded Conspicuous Gallantry Medal)

P/O Lewis J. Burpee

(Ottawa, Ontario) (pilot) Killed during the Raid

Sgt. Allan Preston Cottam

(Jasper, Alberta) (S/L Maudsley's wireless operator) Killed during the Raid

F/Sgt. George A. Deering

(Toronto, Ontario) (W/C Gibson's front gunner) Survived the Raid but killed in action Sept. 16, 1943 (awarded the DFC)

F/O Kenneth Earnshaw

(Ohaton, Alberta) (F/L Hopgood's navigator) Killed during the Raid

P/O John W. Fraser

(Nanaimo, B.C.) (F/L Hopgood's bomb aimer) Taken Prisoner of War following the Raid and survived the war

Sgt. Francis A. Garbas

(Hamilton, Ontario) (F/L Astell's front gunner) Killed during the Raid

Sgt. Abram Garshowitz

(Hamilton, Ontario) (F/L Astell's wireless operator) Killed during the Raidd

F/O Harvey S. Glinz

(Winnipeg, Manitoba) (F/L Barlow's front gunner) Killed during the Raid

Sgt. Chester B. Gowrie

(Tramping Lake, Saskatchewan) (P/O Rice's wireless operator) Survived the Raid but killed in action Dec. 20, 1943

F/O Vincent S. MacCausland

(Tyne Valley, P.E.I.) (S/L Young's bomb aimer) Killed during the Raid

F/Sgt. Grant S. MacDonald

(Grand Forks, B.C.) (F/Sgt. Ken Brown's rear gunner) Survived the Raid and the war

Sgt. James McDowell

(Port Arthur, Ontario) (Sgt. Byer's rear gunner) Killed during the Raid

F/Sgt. Donald A. MacLean

(Toronto, Ontario) (F/L McCarthy's navigator) Survived the Raid and the war (awarded the DFM)

Sgt. Stefan Oancia

(Stonehenge, Saskatchewan) (F/Sgt. Brown's bomb aimer) Survived the Raid and the war (awarded DFM)

Sgt. Harry E. O'Brien

(Regina, Saskatchewan) (F/L Knight's rear gunner) Survived the Raid and the war

Sgt. Percy E. Pigeon

(Williams Lake, B.C.) (F/L Munro's wireless operator) Survived the Raid and the war

Sgt. William Radcliffe

(New Westminster, B.C.) (F/L McCarthy's flight engineer) Survived the Raid and the war

F/L David Rodger DFC

(Sault St. Marie, Ontario) (F/L McCarthy's rear gunner) Survived the Raid and the war

Sgt. Frederick E. Sutherland

(Peace River, Alberta) (F/L Knight's front gunner) Survived the Raid and the war; Shot down Sept 16, 1943, evaded and returned to England

P/O Harlo "Terry" Taerum DFC

(Milo, Alberta) (W/C Gibson's navigator) Survived the Raid but killed in action Sept. 16, 1943 (awarded the DFC)

F/Sgt. John W. Thrasher

(Amherstburg, Ontario) (P/O Rice's bomb aimer) Survived the Raid but killed in action Dec. 20, 1943

F/O Robert A. Urquhart

(Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) (S/L Maudsley's navigator) Killed during the Raid

F/O D. Revie Walker

(Blairmore, Alberta) (F/L Shannon's navigator) Survived the Raid and the war (awarded Bar to his DFC)

F/Sgt. Harvey Weeks

(Chilliwack, B.C.) (F/L Munro's rear gunner) Survived the Raid and the war

P/O Floyd A. Wile

(Truro, Nova Scotia) (F/L Astell's navigator) Killed during the Raid