Flying Officer John Victor Ching
1939 – 1945 Star, Atlantic Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM) and Clasp, 1939-45 War Medal
Royal Canadian Air Force
15 April 1922 – 05 December 1986
John Victor “Vic” Ching grew up on a small farm SW of Morden. His parents John Wesley and Alice (Neil) Ching raised him and his younger brother Gordon on their mixed farm. He worked hard and loved farm life.
Vic was a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner on 407 “Demon” Squadron of Coastal Command. The squadron was initially designated as a Coastal Strike (CS) squadron, responsible for attacks against enemy shipping and when assigned the Wellington aircraft in 1943, they were designated as a General Reconnaissance (GR) Squadron and their role changed to anti-submarine duty to keep Allied shipping safe.
-
Vic enlisted in Portage la Prairie 06 November 1941 and was stationed at MacDonald, MB for wireless and flying training and Paulson, MB for wireless and gunnery training. During training he flew in the Avro Anson, and the Bolingbroke (a reconnaissance trainer for maritime patrol). It is at this time that he would have been awarded his AG Wings (Air Gunner).
-
When he went overseas, he was stationed in south-west England out of Chivenor, although they flew in and out of many bases. He flew in Lockheed Hudson from February 1942 - April 1943. While continuing to train for flying and radio instruction, he briefly flew in the Blackburn Botha.
-
From 27 October 1943 - 12 June 1945, he flew in Wellingtons, patrolling the waters surrounding England. He flew close to 200 flights over the North Sea, the English Channel, the Norwegian Coast, the Bay of Biscay, south of Ireland, and the Western Approaches. They often flew so low that wave spray would at times wash over their windscreen. His squadron was one of the best at sub hunting – hence the name “Demons”. As the war was nearing its end, 407 Squadron was searching out the enemy and shifting to protecting Allied ships.
-
During its war time existence, 08 May 1941 – 04 June 1945, 407 Squadron flew 11,926 operational hours and suffered 24 squadron members killed and a further 151 presumed dead. Training had its risks and a further 38 were killed and 20 presumed dead during 3759 nonoperational flying hours. Undoubtedly, during his time with the squadron Vic would have known many of them.
Vic was awarded Royal Canadian Air Force Operational Wings for completing his tour.
Vic was offered a desk job after the war but his desire was to go home to the Shadeland District. He was demobilized 28 September 1945 and he returned and farmed with his father and brother. He had corresponded with Norma Spangelo during the war and on 29 June 1946, they were married. They settled on SE 23-2-7 and started a family. They had 2 children, John Lloyd, and Norma Gail. It was a mixed farm, Vic milked cows, raised chickens, a few pigs, and farmed 3 quarters of crop land until 1977 when a stroke slowed him down. Vic served as a councillor for the RM of Pembina and started the morning fires for heat in the one room school that he had attended before the war-the same school where his children would go. Vic was a highly active member of Morden Legion Branch 11 for 40 years. He did not talk about the war or his time there, he put it behind him and lived on his farm until his death, 05 December 1986.
Information provided by the Ching family and the National Museum of Man book on RCAF Squadron Histories and Aircraft.
Private Charles Reginald Clayton
1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, 1939-1945 War Medal
Algonquin Regiment
WW II
Charles Reginald (Reg) Clayton was born 31 May 1922 in Morden, Manitoba to Charles and Phoebe Mary Ann, Polly, (Card)(Hunt) Clayton just a year after they were married. Mary had been married to Harry Hunt of Thornhill, who died during the flu epidemic. Mary came into the marriage with four children, Charles, Ferris, Martha and Gertrude. In 1929 there was a final addition to the Clayton family, a son Kenneth Stewart, (Stew Clayton), who would in later years gain fame as a balladeer and yodeler. The Clayton family farmed at Kaleida, Manitoba and Reg farmed with his father until enlisting.
Private Charles Reginald Clayton joined the army in 1942 and became a member of the Algonquin Regiment. Initially the Regiment served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 20th Infantry Brigade, 7th Division and in Newfoundland from 07 February 1942 to 06 February 1943. The Algonquin Regiment embarked for Britain 11 June 1943 and landed in France 25 July 1944, as part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division, and continued to fight in North-west Europe until the end of the war. Reg claimed he had “marched across 4 countries during the war,” not unrealistic when looking at the history of his regiment. He was very proud of having served his country during WW II. At some point in the late spring, early summer of 1945 Reg contracted diphtheria and was hospitalized for 6 months. He was repatriated in late 1945 and eventually demobilised in early 1946.
After being discharged Reg married Doreen Norman of Newton Siding, Manitoba which is approximately 12 miles east of Portage la Prairie. Reg and Doreen farmed for 11 years south of Darlingford. Reg also worked at a local seed plant and for some local farmers. He eventually ended up at Manitoba Pool Elevators and stayed for 24 years, retiring in 1986. Reg and Doreen had 6 children Wendy (Jim) McLeod, Warren (Lana), Douglas (Jean), Gordon (Dawn), Glen (Jackie), and Shelly (Vince) Hink.
Reg was predeceased by his parents, 5 siblings, a grandson and his wife Doreen in 2009.
He is survived by 3 sons, 1 daughter, 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Private Charles Reginald Clayton passed away in July 2014 and is buried at the Darlingford Cemetery, Darlingford, Manitoba.
Sergeant William (Bill) Cramer
1939-1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM) and Clasp, 1939-45 War Medal
Royal Canadian Air Force
RAF 144 Squadron
WW II
William (Bill) Cramer was born on a farm at Baldur, Manitoba 02 December 1921 to Edward Albert and Eva Mary (Aitkin) Cramer. Bill was the youngest of 3 children, a sister Jessie and brother Jim. Bill’s brother, Sergeant Jim Cramer, served with the Royal Canadian Service Corps in Africa, Sicily, France, Holland and Germany during WW II.
Bill enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) 14 April 1941. He received his basic training at bases in Manitoba and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, followed by Radio School in Clinton, Ontario. Upon completion of training in Canada he was promoted to Sergeant, presented with his Wireless Air Gunner (WAG) badge and posted to England in March 1942.
As was the case with many RCAF members, Bill Cramer too, was posted to a Royal Air Force (RAF) Squadron (Sqn). He served with the RAF for the next 3 ½ years as a WAG on flight crews of 6 different RAF Squadrons in North and Central Africa, England and Scotland, flying in Vickers Warwick, Short Sunderland Bombers and Bristol Beaufighters. His service records show the following posting assignments;
-
08 May 1942 – To RAF 32 Sqn, Lyneham Air Base, Wiltshire, England.
-
17 January 1943 – To RAF Mediterranean Command, Bone, Algeria (Air/sea Rescue & Maritime Reconnaissance).
-
27 March 1943 – May 1944 – To RAF 95 and 204 Sqns, West Africa Costal Command, Freetown, Sierra Leon and Bathurst, Gambia flying Short Sunderlands (the largest combat aircraft of WW II).
-
16 May 1944 – To RAF 295 Sqn, Harwell, England. (On the night before D-Day 295 and 570 Sqns dropped the first airborne troops of the invasion force into Normandy).
-
31 July 1944 – To RAF 144 Sqn of Coastal Command, Strubby, Lincolnshire, England. (Tasked to attack German sea operations in the North Sea and English Channel).
-
September 1944 – RAF 144 Sqn of Coastal Command moved to, Loissemouth, Banff and Dallachy, Scotland. (New tasking assignment, attack German sea operations in Norway).
-
09 February 1945 – RAF 144 and RCAF 404 Sqns, flying Bristol Beaufighters, supported by RAF 65 Sqn, flying P-51 Mustangs were assigned to attack German destroyer Z-33, and supporting escort ships sheltered in Forde Fjord, Norway. To engage the ships, they had to fly through heavy Flak, resulting in the loss of 7 Beaufighters and a further 2 Beaufighters and a Mustang were shot down by German Luftwaffe Fw 190’s. Two German ships were damaged and the Luftwaffe lost 4 or 5 aircraft. Due to the heavy losses the survivors referred to the day as “Black Friday”.
-
03 March 1945 – To RAF 236 Sqn of Coastal Command, North Coates, Lincolnshire, England.
-
08 August 1945 – Repatriated to Greenwood, Nova Scotia.
-
12 September 1945 – Discharged.
In early 1946, shortly after his return to Manitoba, Bill became a journeyman electrician with the Manitoba Power Commission (now Manitoba Hydro) in Portage la Prairie. In 1947 he met Roberta Mary Dyer, of Portage, and they married in May 1949. Bill was transferred and the Cramer family relocated to Morden. While living in Morden they had two sons, Gregory, born September 1951 and Garth, born June 1954. They spent their remaining years in Morden and Bill retired from Manitoba Hydro, in 1976, as the District Supervisor.
Bill and Roberta were very much involved in the community and proud lifetime members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 11 in Morden. Bill served two terms as President as well as in several other Executive positions and remained an active member until his death. For his dedication and service Bill was presented with the Meritorious Service Award by Dominion Command, of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Sergeant William (Bill) Cramer passed away, 17 April 2005, at age 82. He is at rest in the Columbarium at the Wiebe Funeral Home, Morden, Manitoba.
Information from family, Wikipedia and Royal Air Force Squadron histories.