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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

John Alexander Santo

In memory of:

Pilot Officer John Alexander Santo

August 1, 1944

Military Service


Service Number:

J/88290

Age:

23

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

429 Sqdn.

Additional Information


Born:

September 21, 1920
Bender, Saskatchewan

Enlistment:

May 5, 1942
Regina, Saskatchewan

Son of Alexander and Margaret Santo (1973 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother), of Bender, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Twin brother of Warrant Officer Class I Frank Robert Santo, who died while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Commemorated on Page 436 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

ST. MARTIN-AU-BOSC COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Seine-Maritime, France

Grave Reference:

Grave 5.

Location:

St. Martin-au-Bosc is a village and commune 42 kilometres east-south-east of Dieppe, and 11 kilometres south of Blangy, where the Le Treport-Aumale-Paris road (N.15 bis) crosses the Rouen to Abbeville road (N.28). The cemetery is on the south-east side of the village, down a rough track, 600 yards from the church. Near, and south-east of the crucifix in the centre of the cemetery are the graves of 1 officer of the Royal Air Force and 6 officers of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Id Card
  • Photo of JOHN ALEXANDER SANTO
  • Cemetery– Photo courtesy Regis Biaux,France, and Pierre Vandervelden, Belgium, of www.inmemories.com 

On 31 July 1944, the crew of Halifax LV 950 was airborne at 2151 from their base at RAF Leeming on a mission to attack the V-1 Site at Couqereaux.  They failed to return from the operation and crashed behind German lines.  They rest together in a plot in the St-Martin-au-Bosc Communal Cemetery.   They were:
P/Os John R. Irish (P); John A. Santo (N); Hugh B. Gilmore (AG); P/O (AG) Gordon Lindensmith (AG)
F/Os (WAG) Wm. J. Wright (WAG);  John  E. Gloeckler (BA) and RAF P/O Reg. T. Walsham (FE).
  • Grave Marker– Photo of grave marker courtesy of Kelvin Youngs, Aircrew Remembered
  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Pilot Officer John Alexander Santo is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Pilot Officer John Alexander Santo is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Photo of JOHN ALEXANDER SANTO– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of JOHN ALEXANDER SANTO– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of JOHN ALEXANDER SANTO– John's mother. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Attestation paper– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Identification– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Correspondence– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Correspondence– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Memorial– Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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