Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Frederick David Bristow
In memory of:
Sergeant Frederick David Bristow
August 31, 1944
Military Service
R/197789
29
Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
Additional Information
Son of William J. and Margaret Bristow, of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Commemorated on Page 258 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.
Burial Information
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Surrey, United Kingdom
Panel 255.
During the Second World War more than 116,000 men and women of the Air Forces of the British Commonwealth gave their lives in service. More than 17,000 of these were members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, or Canadians serving with the Royal Air Force. Approximately one-third of all who died have no known grave. Of these, 20,450 are commemorated by name on the Runnymede Memorial, which is situated at Englefield Green, near Egham, 32 kilometers by road west of London.
The design of the Runnymede Memorial is original and striking. On the crest of Cooper's Hill, overlooking the Thames, a square tower dominates a cloister, in the centre of which rests the Stone of Remembrance. The cloistered walks terminate in two lookouts, one facing towards Windsor, and the other towards London Airport at Heathrow. The names of the dead are inscribed on the stone reveals of the narrow windows in the cloisters and the lookouts. They include those of 3,050 Canadian airmen. Above the three-arched entrance to the cloister is a great stone eagle with the Royal Air Force motto, Per Ardua ad Astra". On each side is the inscription:
IN THIS CLOISTER ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY THOUSAND AIRMEN WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE. THEY DIED FOR FREEDOM IN RAID AND SORTIE OVER THE BRITISH ISLES AND THE LANDS AND SEAS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE
In the tower a vaulted shrine, which provides a quiet place for contemplation, contains illuminated verses by Paul H. Scott."
Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Digital Collection
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Memorial – Sergeant Frederick David Bristow is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
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Memorial – Sergeant Frederick David Bristow is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
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Memorial – 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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Id Card – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me -
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Photo of FREDERICK DAVID BRISTOW – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me -
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Photo of FREDERICK DAVID BRISTOW – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me -
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Photo of FREDERICK DAVID BRISTOW – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me -
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Photo of Frederick Bristow – Photo courtesy of David Loosley from England, cousin of Sgt. Bristow. Sgt. F. David Bristow was killed while completing his training at #22 Operational Training Unit, RAF Gaydon, Warwickshire. The all-Canadian crew of Wellington DF-737 was on a night flight when their aircraft disappeared over the North Sea. Their names are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial for those with no known grave. With Sgt. Bristow are the following crew: F/O (P) William C. Miller, age 22, from Vancouver. F/O (BA) Norman Douglas, from Vancouver Sgt. (WAG) Douglas McLean, age 19, from Toronto F/O (N) James K. Reid, age 21, from Edmonton Sgt. (AG) Curtis Jutzi, age 19, from Kitchener, ON Sgt. (AG) Murray Casey, age 19, from Brandon, Man. -
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Photo of William Melville Bristow – Photo of F/O William Melville Bristow, brother of Sgt. Bristow, courtesy of David Loosley from England, William Bristow served in the RCAF during and post-WWII. Like his younger brother, he was stationed at #22 OTU an Operational Training Unit based at RAF Wellesbourne with satellite stations at Gaydon and Stratford. Training on Wellington bombers took place as well as bombing and air sea rescue operations. It was on a training flight out of RAF Gaydon that 21-yr old Sgt. Bristow lost his life on August 31, 1944. While stationed at #22 OTU, F/O William Bristow married Avril Eaton Davies on 22 April 1944 in the Wellesbourne Parish Church. He and his wife came to Canada after the war but returned to the U.K. where F/O Bristow continued to serve in the air force. He died in Swansea, Wales in 1995. -
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Runnymeade Memorial – Photo of Runnymede Memorial (CWGC). The Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede was dedicated by Queen Elizabeth II on 17 Oct 1953. Sgt. Bristow's father had died in 1947 and his mother sailed to England, arriving on October 16th, in order to attend the service. On the memorial are commemorated by name over 20,000 airmen who were lost in the Second World War during operations from bases in the United Kingdom and North and Western Europe, and who have no known graves. -
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Inscription – Memorial panel at Runnymede Memorial Photo courtesy of David Loosley, England -
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Memorial – Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - April 2017 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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