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In memory of:

Squadron Leader George Edwin Coldrey

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Military service

Service number: J/4820
Age: 26
Rank: Squadron Leader
Force: Air Force
Unit/Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Division: 405 Squadron
Birth: May 23, 1918
Death: June 3, 1944 Boissière Ecole, France

Burial/memorial information

LA BOISSIERE-ECOLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Additional information
Son of Henry E. and Mary C. (née White) Coldrey, of Carlington, Ontario. Brother of Eleanor, Margaret and Clifford. Squadron Leader Coldrey made 23 missions in his career. 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 Squadron Leader George E. Coldrey, Pilot Officer David A. Kelley, Pilot Officer Norman Johnston, Pilot Officer J.G. Maurice Renaud and Pilot Officer Leslie A. McCrea 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.

Related media

Second World War (1939 – 1945)

In the Books of Remembrance

Commemorated on:

Page 276 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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LA BOISSIERE-ECOLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY Yvelines, France

La Boissiere-Ecole is a village and commune 38 kilometres south-west of Versailles, and 14 kilometres west-north-west of Rambouillet. The cemetery, which lies on the western side of the village on the road to Faverolles, contains the graves of 2 Canadian airmen situated near the large family vault in the centre of the cemetery.

For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

 

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