Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Flying Officer John Irvin Labow is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Flying Officer John Irvin Labow is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Photo of John Irvin Labow – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Correspondence – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Correspondence – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Document – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Group Photo – Lloyd Stanley "Red" Lafoy and Irvine Labow in Halifax waiting for transport to UK.

Group Photo – Joe Carrigan (KIA) and Irvine Labow. Photo taken by L.S. "Red" Lafoy in 1942 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Photo of JOHN IRVIN LABOW – Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me

Cemetery – Photo of Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany (CWGC) F/O Labow was Air Gunner on Lancaster #LL633 of 408 Sqdn when it was shot down by a night fighter aircraft during a night raid to Nuremberg. Also killed was P/O (AG) Alvin Patton and one RAF crew member. Four Canadians were taken P.O.W. Several months before the fatal crash, F/O Labow was crew member on Halifax MkII #JD174 of 408 Sqdn. which took off from Leeming at 00.09hrs on the 14th July 1943 for Ops to Aachen. Prior to this crew being able to drop their bomb load, they were attacked by an enemy fighter. This combat was serious enough to damage the aircraft's hydraulics which made it impossible for the bombs to be dropped. The pilot is believed to have shaken the attacking aircraft off. Whether the crew continued with the bomber stream over the target is not yet known but on their return to England they were again attacked and again the pilot's actions shook these aircraft off. On reaching the UK landing the aircraft was not going to be an option. When they crossed the Yorkshire coast the pilot ordered his crew to bail out of the aircraft, and all did so without injury to themselves. The pilot made his escape and the aircraft crashed a short time later into Arden Woods, where upon part of the bomb load exploded. The pilot, F/O Donald T Bain of Vancouver Island, survived the war. The other Canadian crew members did not. They were: Sgt (AG) Willard M Haugen was killed Aug. 18/43; F/O (BA) Philip Magson was killed Aug. 24/43; and WOII (WAG) George W. Acorn was killed Dec. 4/43. (For full story of July 14/43 crash see /www.allenby.info/aircraft/planes/43/jd174.html)