432 Squadron

Ray148ca · Leading Aircraftsman

432 Squadron

AW · Air Commodore

Roger,

Halifax LW597, QO-C, took off from East Moor at 21.40hrs for operations to Augsburg. Attacked by a nightfighter near Ulm and set on fire.

1Lt A.L. Lubold, USAAF, pow.

Sgt L.F. Bean, pow.

F/O A.G. Turton, RCAF, pow.

F/O R.A. Richards, RCAF, pow.

Sgt J. Cannon, pow.

Sgt G.E.R. Robineau, RCAF, killed.

Sgt W. Thompson, killed.

Details from BC Losses (Chorley)

You will find this operation and any previous ones for this crew in the 432sqdn ORB (Operations Record Book) which should be available through the Canadian Archives, or downloadable from the UK National Archives website, in monthly portions, but this can work out an expensive way. The whole 432sqdn ORB is under the reference of AIR27/1860 from the archives and covers from May 1943 to May 1945, it would be a better option to get the whole ORB as in the long run, it would work out a lot cheaper.

Alan

MikeH · Air Vice Marshall

Hi Roger/Alan,

the Halifax was claimed by Fw. Rauer 3./NJG1 40 km. W. Augsburg: Height 5.500 m. Time 01.33

(source: Nachtjagd War Diaries Vol 1, Theo Boiten).

Regards,

Mike H.

AW · Air Commodore

Roger,

No need to visit UK to get ORB. You can order it online, and they'll send it on cd. As the ORB is all on one reel, it will cost you approx £23 or whatever that converts to in Canadian Dollars. If you want to order it online, let me have your email address via my whiteboard in my profile, and i'll let you know the procedure.

Alan.

Just noticed that you grew up in Cornwall Ontario. I'm from the original Cornwall, UK.

-- Edited by AW on Sunday 12th of August 2012 10:03:15 AM

Ray148ca · Leading Aircraftsman

Thanks for the information.

Another reason to go visit England. I started down the path of ordering a copy of the Book, then got to the section about how big the Operations Book could be, I will just have to be patient.
I will also have to find the War Diaries.

Thanks for your prompt and informative replies.

Roger R.

Ray148ca · Leading Aircraftsman

Thanks , i will do that.

We have not visited the original Cornwall yet. Farthest West we have been in the UK is Bath. My wife's family comes from Poorlock (Sommerset) as well.

Cheers

Roger

Date: Sep 17, 2012

Hi just found this forum tonight after researching my uncle's death. My mother never talks about him and she as far as I know has no info on his service record. It was interesting to read that he Sgt W Thompson and Sgt GER Robineau were the only two fatalities that night. I am still trying to piece together info and was wondering if any of the others in the crew are still alive today. I will be intending to visit Durnbach some time soon.

alieneyes · Group Captain

Hazel Dewar wrote:
Hi just found this forum tonight after researching my uncle's death. My mother never talks about him and she as far as I know has no info on his service record. It was interesting to read that he Sgt W Thompson and Sgt GER Robineau were the only two fatalities that night. I am still trying to piece together info and was wondering if any of the others in the crew are still alive today. I will be intending to visit Durnbach some time soon.

Hello Hazel,

Raymond Arthur Richards passed away 4 December 2010:

http://www.mckenzieblundy.com/obituaries/richards-raymond-arthur.html

Allan Glenholme Turton was from Ottawa. I see no obituary for him nor do I see any telephone listing. This could mean he's either alive or passed away long before the internet.

I could find nothing on A.L. Lubold. I would suspect he was originally in the RCAF.

Unfortunately, without an address the two UK POWs will be extremely difficult to locate as their names are just too common.

Regards,

Dave

Ray148ca · Leading Aircraftsman

Hi Hazel

I would like to share what i found with you and thanks to "alieneyes" for the further infomation. I should have started my search for information many years ago. blankstare

I have ordered and received the Operations Book and Appendices for Squadron 432. The Appendices were supposed to contain further details, but unfortunately they were not included, so i have asked the Archives to try and find the Appendix references. Based on other examples i have seen this should provide further details on their flight.

The information i received from teh Canadian archives indicate that Rheal and one other survived teh crash, but died a few days later in a German hospital.

If you want to keep in touch i am at Robineau2@cogeco.ca

I also have a blog where i intend to put up more information on Rheal and his ill-fated flight. At the moment my full time job is keeping me away from pursuing this research with more vigour.

I have attached a page from the Operations book that relates a bit more information about Rheal flight

Talk to you soon

Cheers

Roger Robineau

alieneyes · Group Captain

A little more information for you both:

The pilot was 1st Lt Andrew L. Lubold, who came from New Jersey. From what I gather he was born 1916 and passed away in 1970.

As suspected, he enlisted in the USAAF in February 1944 and his unit of record was the 12th Replacement Depot in Chorley, Lancs. This suggests that he was an American in the RCAF or even RAF who then joined the USAAF. The condition for joining was that they first finish their tour with their British or Canadian squadron. This is why you will cases of BC aircrew with an American aboard.

Regards,

Dave

Stirlingpilot · Flight Sergeant

Hello Hazel,

If you get the chance to visit Durnbach it is well worth the trip. A lovelier setting it would be hard to find. If you need to whet your appetite try

http://www.stirlingpilot.org.uk/Durnbach.html

It is photographs and video of our trip.

Alan F

John W · Group Captain

Hi Rodger,

Could you contact me off board with a formal photo of the crew on harley.158ATbigpond.com replace the AT with the usual and I'll explain more.

Regards,

John. W

Date: Nov 3, 2012

Hello this Bert Richards, youngest son of F/O Raymond Arthur Richards who flew with Mr.Robineau - please contact me at bertrichards@hotmail.com

Viognier · Aircraftsman 1st Class

Dear Roger, please see below, in case my email didn't reach you.

I am the youngest son of Raymond Richards, a crew mate of your uncle Rheal. He passed away on December 4, 2010 as noted in his In Memorial posted on the blog.

I would be pleased to attempt to answer any questions you might have about your uncle. My father was very reticent to discuss his war experiences, but I'll add what I can. I have some stories about Lubold, and can also help with some medals and awards that your uncle's heirs may be entitled to.

The picture shows my father in the bomb aimer's position in the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster at Hamilton in 1990, taken by myself from the ****pit area. The picture doesn't show it, but we are both in tears.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Raymond (Bert) Richards
Dundas, ON

Ray148ca · Leading Aircraftsman

Thanks for your post. I have sent you an e-mail. As with my Genealogy hobby, i wish i had started this research 30 years ago.

Roger Robineau

Oakville, Ontario

Ray148ca · Leading Aircraftsman

Hi

Regarding your statement below. Where is the blog you mention?

Dear Roger, please see below, in case my email didn't reach you.

I am the youngest son of Raymond Richards, a crew mate of your uncle Rheal. He passed away on December 4, 2010 as noted in his In Memorial posted on the blog.

Date: Mar 13, 2017

Hello, my name is Otmar Gotterbarm,

I am the author of Die Abgestürzten, der Luftkrieg am 25./26. Februar 1944, telling the story of the last and first (!) mission of "Miss Canada", Rheal Robineau's Halifax. Five years after its publication I am about to publish another documentation on other air crashes, but in which I include new findings on Rheal's death. So, if anybody can provide me with information on Lubold (couldn't find anything on him)or any of the others of the crew (Turton died in 2011), I would be able to include that, too.

Date: Mar 13, 2017

Hello, my name is Otmar Gotterbarm,

I am the author of Die Abgestürzten, der Luftkrieg am 25./26. Februar 1944, telling the story of the last and first (!) mission of "Miss Canada", Rheal Robineau's Halifax. Five years after its publication I am about to publish another documentation on other air crashes, but in which I include new findings on Rheal's death. So, if anybody can provide me with information on Lubold (couldn't find anything on him)or any of the others of the crew (Turton died in 2011), I would be able to include that, too.

alieneyes · Group Captain

Otmar,

1st Lt Andrew Lincoln Lubold, deceased 1970:

findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi

F/O Raymond Arthur Richards, deceased 2010:

mckenzieblundy.com/tribute/details/1982/Raymond-Arthur-Richards/obituary.html

Dave

Viognier · Aircraftsman 1st Class

Greetings Otmar,

This is Bert Richards, youngest son of Raymond Arthur Richards, bomb aimer on Miss Canada. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me directly at bertrichards@hotmail.com. I have your book and have some of it translated into English. Rheal's nephew who has posted here is a friend who lives nearby here in southern Ontario Canada.

Ray's wife passed on April 19, 2016, and his four children, their four children all live in southern Ontario. I have all of Ray Richards flight logs, journals and medals, along with several photos, mostly from training schools with BCATP.

My sister Adelle and I will be at Vimy in France and various points in France & Belgium from April 5-11, 2017. Let me know how I can assist with any of your research.