Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Memorial – Flight Sergeant Gordon John Lunney Barnes is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Flight Sergeant Gordon John Lunney Barnes 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

Photo of GORDON JOHN LUNNEY BARNES – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Photo of GORDON JOHN LUNNEY BARNES – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Grave Marker – Photo courtesy of Carin Olofsson, http://www.hembygdshistoria.se/palsjo/index-e.htm. Story of crash used with permission of Sven Flensted of Airwar Over Denmark http://www.flensted.eu.com/ Halifax III MZ865 of 429 Squadron took off 18:03 from Leeming on a mining (gardening) in the Kadett Channel. At 21:01 hours the aircraft was attacked by a German night fighter and crashed into the Baltic Sea about 8 kilometres off the Falsterbo lighthouse, Sweden, killing all onboard. The bodies of Pilot F/Lt Ross C. Charlton and Flt. Engr. P/O Wolodemir Fedorchuk were recovered from the sea west of Skanör by the Swedish navy and laid to rest in Pålsjö cemetery at Hälsingborg. Mid-Upper Gunner Sgt Gordon L.J. Barnes rests in Hälsingborg. Navigator F/O Robert A. Thorne was found on the Skanör beach and was laid to rest in Malmö cemetery. The body of W/Op F/O Keith W. Rainford was found washed ashore at Karlslunde beach on the island of Sjælland on 28/5 and was laid to rest in Karlslunde cemetery, Denmark, on 31/5 1945. On 16/7 the dead body of Tail Gunner F/Sgt Stanley E. Bostwick was found washed ashore near Vindeby on the island of Langeland and was laid to rest in Magleby cemetery on 20/7 1945. A Canadian Field Priest officiated at the graveside ceremony. Bomb Aimer P/O Robert J. McCallum has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. (It should be noted that in Swedish records it is claimed that the Halifax was hit by Swedish flak.)

Cross of Sacrifice – Photo courtesy of Carin Olofsson, http://www.hembygdshistoria.se/palsjo/index-e.htm.

Cemetery – Photo of cemetery courtesy of Carin Olofsson, http://www.hembygdshistoria.se/palsjo/index-e.htm.