Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Memorial – Pilot Officer Robert Orin Blackhall is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Pilot Officer Robert Orin Blackhall is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Group Photo – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Grave Marker – Photo courtesy of Frans van Cappellen, The Netherlands P/O Blackhall, age 26, was pilot of Halifax aircraft JB-898 which crashed while on a raid over Dortmund, Germany. The crew were airborne 2243 4May43 from Leeming and shot down by a night-fighter, crashing at 0052 at Akkrum (Friesland), 17 km SSE of Leeuwarden, Holland. Those killed are buried in Utingeradeel (Akkrum) General Cemetery. F/S Blackhall was an American from Bremerton, Washington, serving in the RCAF. The second pilot on the aircraft for that raid was P/O F. H. Scythes who survived and taken PoW. Also killed were the Flight Engineer, Sgt K.E.Emmons, of Newboro Ontario, and Wireless Air Gunner Sgt A.J.Sutton of Toronto. The three are buried in the General Cemetery at Akkrum, Holland. The following crew members survived and were PoWs: F/S C.B.Norton RCAF, Sgt G.I.Semper, F/S K.E.Godfrey, and Sgt C.L.Horn RCAF. (for more information on PoWs see //lostbombers.co.uk)

Cemetery – Photo courtesy of Frans van Cappellen, The Netherlands

Photo of Robert Orin Blackhall – Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me