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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

John Watt Lennox

In memory of:

Pilot Officer John Watt Lennox

May 5, 1943

Military Service


Service Number:

J/16481

Age:

22

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

405 Sqdn.

Additional Information


Born:

June 25, 1920

He was raised in Toronto, Ontario. Son of Wilfred and Fannie (Watt) Lennox. Brother of Betty Locke and Bill Lennox (RCAF).

Commemorated on Page 181 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY
Germany

Grave Reference:

15. F. 14.

Location:

The REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY is located 5 km south west of Kleve. From Kleve the cemetery is located, using the Hoffmannallee from the Town Centre, which becomes the Materbornerallee. This road enters Reichswald Forest and becomes the Grunewaldstrasse. Follow direction Gennep, entering Reichswald Forest the cemetery is situated 500 metres on the left. Alternatively from the motorway 57, take exit Kleve/Goch, which leads onto the 9 N road in the direction towards Kleve. After 3 km turn left on to the 504 direction Kranenburg. Reichswald cemetery is clearly signposted on the 504 at cross roads Grunewald. REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY is situated on the Grunewald Strasse direction Kleve on the right, 3 km from cross roads Grunewald.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Pilot Officer John Watt Lennox is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Pilot Officer John Watt Lennox is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram February 1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram June 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of John Watt Lennox– John Watt Lennox attended Brown Public School and North Toronto Collegiate. On graduation, attended Ontario
Agricultural College (Guelph) (class of '43) until joined RCAF on May 5, 1941. Trained at Victoriaville and Cap de la Madeleine, Quebec. Graduated from Moncton, N.B. as Sergeant Pilot. Home leave until departure for England from Halifax in February 1942. He became a Commissioned Pilot Officer on January 21, 1943. John immediately went to Harrods, bought his uniform and had this picture taken. 

John was killed in action over Dortmund, Germany in the night of May 4-5, 1943 with RCAF Pathfinder Squadron 405 flying a Halifax II bomber from Gransden Lodge,Bedfordshire. 

When the family received John's personal effects, his mother, Fannie, gave his uniform to an English pilot who had received his commission in Canada but could not afford a uniform. However, she kept John's trench coat and
wore it for a number of years. 

Family later received this letter: 

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Lennox. 

Frank, Addie, Frenchie and myself send you our deepest sympathy on the loss
of your son John. It was solely due to his keeping our aircraft under
control during great difficulties that we were able to bale out. As far as I
can ascertain John is buried at Benthum in N.W. Germany. 

Yours sincerely,
Austin Knight,
German Prisoner of War Camp: Kriegsgefangenenlager
July 12th 1943
  • Newspaper Clipping
  • Newspaper Clipping– Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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