Northern Ireland and Canada have many historic links. Between 1939 and 1945 there were many Canadians in wartime Northern Ireland. These are their stories.
Short Sunderland NJ175 crash at Cashelard, Co. Donegal
Short Sunderland NJ175 was one of many flying boats operating from Castle Archdale, Co. Fermanagh in the hands of the Royal Canadian Air Force 422 Squadron.
Chance Vought Corsair JT357 crash at R.A.F. Ballyhalbert, Co. Down
On 8th September 1945, the pilot of Chance Vought Corsair JT357 crash-landed and burned out 5 miles south-by-southwest of R.A.F. Ballyhalbert, Co. Down.
Royal Canadian Air Force
Daniel Archibald Brand
Flight Sergeant | R/119996
Flight Sergeant Daniel Archibald Brand served in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He died on 20th January 1942 when RAF Bristol Beaufort L9828 came down.
Frederick Dick Butland
Flying Officer | J/20423
Flying Officer Frederick Dick Butland of the Royal Canadian Air Force died when Vickers Wellington HF838 came down near RAF Limavady in Co. Londonderry.
Evan Campbell Devine
Flight Lieutenant | J/5705
Flight Lieutenant Evan Campbell Devine, known as Cam, died on 12th August 1944 when Short Sunderland NJ175 crashed after taking off from Castle Archdale.
Louis Romeo Dubuc
Flight Lieutenant | C/1520
A former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Louis Romeo Dubuc died when Lockheed Hudson AE577 came down in Co. Louth on 27th September 1941.
George William Gerring
Pilot Officer | 90925
Pilot Officer George William Gerring died on 24th June 1944 when Liberator FL977 came down in bad weather on Binevenagh Mountain approaching RAF Ballykelly.
Carlton Stokes Goodenough
Flight Sergeant | R/62738
Flight Sergeant Carlton Stokes Goodenough served in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He died on 16th March 1942 and is buried in Belfast City Cemetery.
Leslie Arthur Hebenton
Pilot Officer | J/88403
Canadian Pilot Officer Leslie Arthur Hebenton died on 20th February 1944 when Mark III Short Sunderland W6028 crashed near RAF St. Angelo, Co. Fermanagh.
James Waclaw Hoba
Warrant Officer Class I | R/103006
Canadian airman James Waclaw Hoba was on a training flight with No. 5 Operational Training Unit when he died northwest of Moira, Co. Down on 17th July 1943.
George Frederick King
Pilot Officer | J/15525
Pilot Officer George Frederick King died on board Consolidated Liberator AL577 on 16th March 1942 when the plane came down near Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland.
John Robert Lucas
Flight Sergeant | R78281
Flight Sergeant John Robert Lucas served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War, based in Northern Ireland with RAF 153 Squadron.
Francis Anthony McCluskey
Flight Sergeant
Flight Sergeant Francis Anthony McCluskey of Ballymoney died in the Netherlands on 6th October 1942. His story remained untold for many years.
Bernard Edwin Samuels
Flight Sergeant | R/117592
Flight Sergeant Bernard Edwin Samuels served in Northern Ireland with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a wireless operator and air gunner with 12 Squadron.
Edwin Archibald Toole
Flight Sergeant | R/53246
Canadian born airman Edwin Archibald Toole was married to Anna Toole of Belfast before his death in the former Yugoslavia on 4th November 1943.
Gordon Elgin Vance
Flying Officer | J/24133
Flying Officer Gordon Elgin Vance (J/24133) was a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He served with Royal Air Force 290 Squadron in Ballyhalbert.
Douglas Williams
Flying Officer | J/15206
Canadian Flying Officer Douglas Williams died on 12th June 1943 when his De Havilland Tiger Moth X5045 came down in the ground of Stormont Estate, Belfast.
Wilfred Clark Wallace
Warrant Officer Class I | R/134952
Warrant Officer Class I Wilfred Clark Wallace died on 24th June 1944 when Liberator FL977 came down on Binevenagh Mountain approaching RAF Ballykelly.
Canadian Army
James George Byron
Private | A/11283
Private James George Byron served in both world wars. He died in Belfast serving with the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps on 21st August 1942.
Hill Hamilton
Sergeant | H/7091
Sergeant Hill Hamilton of Ballymena, Co. Antrim died on 9th October 1944 serving in Royal Canadian Infantry Corps during the Second World War.
Joshua Liggett DCM
Private | 6114
Joshua Liggett DCM of Portadown, Co. Armagh died on 21st March 1968 in Canada having served Britain in The Great War and Canada the Second World War.
Joseph Baird McIlreavey
Lance Sergeant | B/11124
Lance Sergeant Joseph Baird McIlreavey, born in Co. Londonderry, served in the Royal Canadian Artillery at the time of his death in Belgium on 11th October 1944.
William Moulds
Special Constable
Special Constable WIlliam Moulds died on 8th September 1940 after joining the Local Defence Volunteers. He served in the Canadian Infantry in World War One.
Allan Norris
Sapper | M/54222
Allan Norris descended from a family based in Ballymartin, Co. Down but he served in the Royal Canadian Enginners at the time of his death on 1st July 1944.
John Robert Townshend
Captain
Captain John Robert Townshend served in the Royal Canadian Artillery during the war. He was born in the United Kingdom and was killed on the SS Nerissa.
Royal Canadian Navy
John Charles Griffon Comish
Telegraphist | V/56416
Telegraphist John Charles Griffon Comish served in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve at his time of death on 11th April 1945 on HMCS Strathadam.
James Thorpe Friend
Telegraphist | V/52131
Telegraphist James Thorpe Friend served in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve when a tragic incident unfolded on HMCS Strathadam on 11th April 1945.
John Alan Schwarz
Lieutenant
Lieutenant John Alan Schwarz served with the Royal Canadian Navy and was one of seven officers killed onboard HMS Whitaker off the coast of Ireland in 1944.
Canadian Merchant Navy
James Whittle
Second Engineer Officer
Second Engineer Officer James Whittle was born in Portadown, Co. Armagh in 1900 He died while serving in the Canadian Merchant Navy on 19th June 1940.
Canadians in the Allied Forces
William Elliot Fraser
Surgeon
Surgeon William Elliot Fraser was born in London, Ontario, Canada but lived in Bangor, Co. Down. He died soon after the Second World War.
Gordon Leslie MacIntyre DFC
Flight Lieutenant | 42718
Canadian Flight Lieutenant Gordon Leslie MacIntyre DFC married a WRN from Coleraine, Co. Londonderry only 6 months before his death on 29th April 1943.
Dermot Michael Power
Able Seaman | P/JX 200120
Able Seaman Dermot Michael Power was a Canadian seaman in the Royal Navy. He died on 2nd November 1941 and is buried in Belfast City Cemetery.
