Ontario

Southcott Court is named in memory of Pilot Officer Ward Rex Southcott

Ward Rex Southcott was born on 15 May 1915 in London ON. He was educated at Tecumseh Avenue Public School and H. B. Beal Technical High School and entered the work force before joining the military soon after the start of the Second World War. Assigned to the Canadian Postal Corps, he rose to the rank of Sergeant before requesting a transfer to the Royal Canadian Air Force in February 1943. After completing his aircrew training as a wireless operator-air gunner, in early November 1944 he became a member of No. 50 Squadron, RAF flying Lancaster bombers from Skellingthorpe airfield, west of Lincoln.

On the evening of 21 February 1945, his 7-man crew took off for their 16th operation. Joining almost 180 Lancasters and Mosquitos, their mission was to attack the Mittelland Canal near Gravenhorst, Germany. After successfully delivering its bombload, Southcott’s plane was hit by anti-aircraft gunfire but managed to continue on its return flight. However, 45 minutes later, the bomber was attacked by a German fighter and burst into flames as it approached Deurne, The Netherlands. Crashing neer Helenaveen, only one crewmember survived.

Pilot Officer Ward Rex Southcott is buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery.

Purcell Drive and Purcell Court are named in memory of Private Gerald Duncan Purcell.

Gerald Duncan Purcell was born in 1922 in Aldborough Township, now known as West Elgin, about 40 km south west of London ON. As a member of the Perth Regiment, he served during the Regiment’s campaign in Italy during the summer and autumn of 1944 including the breaching of the Gothic Line. After the fall of Rimini on 21 September, the Allies continued their advance along the Adriatic coast into the Romagna region of Italy. It is during this operation that Private Purcell was wounded. He later died of his wounds on 24 September 1944 and is buried at Coriano Ridge War Cemetery.

This street is named in memory of Captain George Crossley Hungerford.

George Crossley Hungerford was raised on Wellington Street in London ON. He attended Central Collegiate followed by St. Andrew’s College in Aurora ON from 1933 to 1935. He served in the militia with the Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) as well as the 48^th Highlanders, before being called to active service in September 1939. In early March 1940 he joined the Royal Canadian Regiment at Wolseley Barracks in London ON and sailed for England soon after. Once in the UK, he was assigned to instructional duties. In March 1944, he rejoined his Regiment at Ortona and was appointed Officer Commanding D Company, Royal Canadian Regiment. Captain George C. Hungerford was killed by shell fire on 17 September 1944 during the battle for the Rimini airfield as part of OPERATION OLIVE, the main Allied offensive on the Gothic Line. He is buried at Coriano Ridge War Cemetery.

This street is named in memory of Flying Officer Charles Robert Loft.

Charles Robert Loft was born in London, ON where he grew up on Baseline Road. He attended South Collegiate where he played high school football, winning the city championship in 1941. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 and completed aircrew training in Canada as a bomb aimer. Soon after, he was transferred to No. 76 Base, a training establishment in the UK, supporting several heavy conversion units. On 12 March 1945, after completing his conversion training on Lancaster bombers, he was assigned to 419 Squadron RCAF. On the night of 13-14 April 1945, his crew left their airfield at Middleton St. George for their fourth operational mission, a raid on Kiel Germany. Something went terribly wrong during their mission and the aircraft failed to return to base. Examination of Luftwaffe records make no mention of a Lancaster bomber being attacked by German night fighters making it difficult to determine the location of the crash site. By a twist of fate, this aircrew were the last airmen lost to 419 Squadron. With the war soon ending, the squadron’s last sortie was on 25 April and by 9 May, they were making preparations for their return to Canada.

With no known grave, Flying Officer Charles Robert Loft is memorialized on the Runnymede Memorial.

This street is named in memory of Flying Officer Gordon Frederick Hutchinson. 

Gordon Frederick Hutchinson was born on 1 June 1914 in Winnipeg. While still a youngster, his family moved to London, residing on Devonshire Avenue. After graduating from South Collegiate, Hutchinson entered the workforce, moved to Port Arthur, ON and eventually returned to Winnipeg. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941 and trained as a pilot. After completing his aircrew training in Canada, he was transferred to Britain, where he was assigned to No. 1667 Heavy Conversion Unit flying out of RAF Sandtoft, north-east of Doncaster. Flying Officer Hurtchinson was undergoing training on Halifax bombers when on 2 July 1944, his aircraft crashed and exploded near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Due to the violence of the crash, his remains were never recovered. With no known grave, Flying Officer Gordon Frederick Hutchinson is memorialized on the Runnymede War Memorial in England.

This street is named in memory of WO II James Richard Goodfellow.

James Richard Goodfellow was born in 1920 in London, ON. He grew up on Wharncliffe Road South and, as a young boy, demonstated a keen interest in flying. Upon graduation from South Collegiate, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and trained as a wireless- air gunner. After completing his aircrew training in Canada, he was transferred to Britain, where he was assigned to 428 Squadron flying out of RAF Middleton- St. George, east of Darlington. On the night of 13 July 1943, his crew took off at 23 :38 as part of a bomber group set to attack Aachen, Germany. A few hours later at 02 :40, they were intercepted by German nightfighters and crashed near Mesnil- Saint Blaize, Belgium ; all seven crew members were killed. WO II James Goodfellow is buried at Florennes Communal Cemetery, Belgium.

This street is named in memory of Flying Officer Kenneth Donald Wallingford.

Kenneth Donald Wallingford lived in London, ON and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After completing his aircrew training as a bomb aimer, he was assigned to 635 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Formed at Downham Market, 635 Squadron was part of No. 8 (Pathfinder) Group and continued in that role throughout the war. Flying Officer Wallingford was killed in action on 6 December 1944 when his Lancaster bomber was reported missing from a night mission over Merseburg, Germany. He was initially interred at Vienenburg (75 km southwest of Magdeburg, Germany) but later exhumed and reburied at the Hanover War Cemetery.

This park is named in memory of Private Francis Masterson McGarrell.

Francis Masterson McGarrell grew up on Piccadilly Street in London ON. In 1942, he joined the military and following his initial training, was assigned as an instructor at A-20 Canadian Army Training Centre Red Deer, responsible for trades training for the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. He remained in Red Deer for 2 years, attaining the rank of Sergeant but decided to relinquish his rank to be transfered overseas. He was assigned to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (RHLI) and remained with them throughout the European campaign. He was killed in action on 2 March 1945, as the RHLI fought in the Kalkar-Xanten area of Germany. Private Francis McGarrell is buried in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, 10km south-east of Nijmegan.

This street is named in memory of Corporal Claude Eustace Bellsmith.

Claude Eustace Bellsmith was born on 12 October 1916 in New Westminster, British Columbia. Upon joining the military, he was assigned to the Royal Canadian Regiment. The RCR fought in several battles of the Italian campaign including key engagements at the Moro River near Ortona in December 1943. Bellsmith was killed on 20 December 1943 during these battles for the village of Ortona on Italy’s Adriatic coast. Corporal Claude Eustace Bellsmith is buried at the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery.

Mumford Court is named in memory of Engine Room Artificer (ERA) Leonard Kempster Mumford, RCNVR.

Leonard Kempster Mumford was born in Little Current, Manitoulin Island, ON in 1919 and, being the son of a Methodist/United Church minister, moved frequently, first to Toronto then Hagersville. While in Toronto, Leonard completed his education and graduated from Central Technical High School. Mechanically minded, he worked in a machine-shop after leaving school and later in an aircraft plant. He joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1942 and went on to train as an Engine Room Artificer (ERA). In early 1943, he was transfered to HMCS ATHABASCAN and remained with the ship throughout the war. ERA Mumford was killed and lost at sea on 29 April 1944, when his ship was torpedoed off the coast of France.  Leonard Mumford was 25 years old and is commemorated on the Halifax Memorial.

HMCS ATHABASKA was commissioned in Feb 1943 and assigned to the British Home Fleet. In March 1943, she sailed for her first mission patrolling the Iceland-Faeroes Passage area and in Jun 1943, she took part in OP GEARBOX III, the relief of the garrison at Spitsbergen. In Jul and Aug 1943 she was based at Plymouth, carrying out anti-submarine patrols in the Bay of Biscay, and on 27 Aug 1943 was hit by a glider bomb off the Spanish coast. ATHABASKAN managed to reach Devonport, where she remained under repair until Nov 1943. During the Dec – Jan period , she escorted three convoys after which she returned to Plymouth Command. On 26 Apr 1944 she assisted in the destruction of German torpedo boat T-29 in the Channel off Ushant, and three days later was sunk by a torpedo from T-24 north of Ile de Batz. Her captain and 128 men were lost; among them was ERA Mumford.