Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of Andrew and Elizabeth Johnston, of Vancouver, British Columbia. Originally from Powell River, British Columbia. On the 62nd anniversary, June 3, 1944 - June 3, 2006, of the crash of the Lancaster LQ-C ND-507 which took the lives of Pilot Officer Norman Johnston, Pilot Officer David A. Kelley, Pilot Officer J.G. Maurice Renaud, Pilot Officer Leslie A. McCrea and Squadron Leader George E. Coldrey were honoured at the unveiling of a monument at la Bossière-Ecole, France.
Guests included former German Pilot Frithjof Fensch, who downed the plane; family members Edith Bannerman, sister of David A. Kelley; Pierre Monfette, nephew of J.G. Maurice Renaud;, Lucinda Brouwer, niece of Leslie A. McCrea.
Tori Olson, daughter of American Lieutenant Leroy Q. Olson, Christopher O'Neill, son of British Flight Lieutenant John H. O'Neill, and George Court, son of Canadian Flight Lieutenant George L. Court, children of the three survivors of the crash attended in honour of their fathers whom all died since 1995.
Representing La Boisseère-Ecole were Francois Heiliger, Mayor, Fabien Drouin, First Deputy Mayor and Fréderic Vincent, Historical Adviser whose research led to the unveiling and commemoration of the deceased.
Digital gallery of Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Norman Johnston of Powell River and Vancouver British Columbia. He served with 405 R.C.A.F. City of Vancouver Pathfinder Squadron as a Wireless Officer and Tail Gunner.
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
On June 3, 1944, five men were killed and two survived this plane crash. The five men that lost their lives were Pilot Officer Norman Johnston, Squadron Leader George Edwin Coldrey, Pilot Officer Leslie Asa Mccrea, Pilot Officer Joseph Gerard Maurice Renaud and Pilot Officer David Austin Kelley.
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
News article from Echo Républiacin about the unveiling and dedication of the monument to the crew of the Lancaster Bomber, LQ-C- ND 507.
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Norman Johnston (marked X) with flight crew
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Unveiling ceremony of the memorial to the crew of Lancaster ND507 LQ-C from 405 RCAF Pathfinder Squadron on June 3rd, 2006 at La Boissiere-Ecole, France (62nd anniversary of the crash)
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston
Pilot Officer Norman Johnston is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Image gallery
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Norman Johnston of Powell River and Vancouver British Columbia. He served with 405 R.C.A.F. City of Vancouver Pathfinder Squadron as a Wireless Officer and Tail Gunner.
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On June 3, 1944, five men were killed and two survived this plane crash. The five men that lost their lives were Pilot Officer Norman Johnston, Squadron Leader George Edwin Coldrey, Pilot Officer Leslie Asa Mccrea, Pilot Officer Joseph Gerard Maurice Renaud and Pilot Officer David Austin Kelley.
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News article from Echo Républiacin about the unveiling and dedication of the monument to the crew of the Lancaster Bomber, LQ-C- ND 507.
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Norman Johnston (marked X) with flight crew
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Unveiling ceremony of the memorial to the crew of Lancaster ND507 LQ-C from 405 RCAF Pathfinder Squadron on June 3rd, 2006 at La Boissiere-Ecole, France (62nd anniversary of the crash)
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Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Pilot Officer Norman Johnston is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Pilot Officer Norman Johnston is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 347 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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ST. DESIR WAR CEMETERY Calvados, France
St Desir is a village on the N13 to Caen, 4 kilometres west of Lisieux. The war cemetery is about one kilometre west of the village and lies on a secondary road, the D159.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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