Profile image
Military service
Service number:
R/172283
Age:
20
Rank:
Flight Sergeant
Force:
Air Force
Unit/Regiment:
Royal Canadian Air Force
Division:
419 Sqdn.
Birth:
June 17, 1923
Brule, Alberta
Enlistment:
June 29, 1942
Vancouver, British Columbia
Death:
October 4, 1943
Burial/memorial information
Grave reference:
20. B. 31.
Additional information
Son of Marino and Amabele Bortolussi of Powell River, British Columbia.
Digital gallery of Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
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Cemetery
Entrance - Rheinberg War Cemetery - May 2015 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
Cemetery
Rheinberg War Cemetery - May 2015 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
Cemetery
Cross of Sacrifice - Rheinberg War Cemetery - May 2015 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
Grave Marker
Grave marker - Rheinberg War Cemetery - May 2015 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
Group Photo
The crew of Halifax JD 204, from 419 Sqdn RCAF, was lost 4 October 1943 on the crew's 15th mission. Takeoff was from Middleton St. George at 1740 Hrs, for target FRANKFURT. Expected return 01:26 Hrs October 5th. Hamilton, Dale, Griffin and Bortolussi were killed in the crash. Riley, McEwan, and Reay bailed out and were POW's. Hamilton is standing in the rear 2nd from the left beside his friend Jack Dale.<P> Source of information: Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse<P> Source of photograph: Mr. Robert E. Dale via R. Whitehouse -
Group Photo
This picture is of F/O Bill Hamilton's crew after an air test at Middleton St George in July/August 1943. The crew completed 14 missions and was shot down on the 15th trip, which was to Frankfurt. They had just come back from a 9 day leave the previous day. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter about 40-50 miles east of Mannheim. The Halifax crashed at a site 8 km SW of Kirchberg (Sohren) The four dead crew were buried side by side in the Rheinberg War Cemetery. Hamilton Plot 20 Row B Grave 28 Dale Plot 20 Row B Grave 29 Griffin Plot 20 Row B Greave 30 Bortolussi Plot 20 Row B Grave 31 They are not quite in the order of the mae west photo, but almost. Source: Photo from the Dale family archives via R Whitehouse Source: All other data taken from the Dale file at Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse -
Letter 1, Page 1
Letter #1 pg 1 Nov 5, 1943 Here are two letters to Mrs. A. Dale, the mother of the Bomb Aimer in Aldo's crew. The letters speak for themselves as to the emotional stress caused by those telegrams that they all dreaded receiving. These two letters are taken from the Dale Family archives. Source: Dale family archives via R. Whitehouse -
Letter 1, Page 2
Letter #1 pg 2 Nov 5, 1943 Source: Dale family archives via R. Whitehouse -
Letter 1, Page 3
Letter #1 pg 3 Nov 5, 1943 Source: Dale family archives via R. Whitehouse -
Letter 2, Page 1
Letter #2 pg 1 15 December, 1943 The crew's families were all notified of their sons deaths on 21 November 1943 by the RCAF Casualty Officer. The International Red Cross Society received the information that all four bodies were found in the wreckage of the aircraft by the German authorities. Source: Letter from the Dale family archives via R. Whitehouse Information from Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse -
Letter 2, Page 2
Letter #2 pg 2 15 December, 1943 The crew's families were all notified of their sons deaths on 21 November 1943 by the RCAF Casualty Officer. The International Red Cross Society received the information that all four bodies were found in the wreckage of the aircraft by the German authorities. Source: Letter from the Dale family archives via R. Whitehouse Information from Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse -
Photo of ALDO BORTOLUSSI
Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me -
Memorial
Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
Memorial
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
Memorial
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
Digital gallery of
Flight Sergeant Aldo Bortolussi
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 138 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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