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 – Flight Sergeant Eugene Shadrack Masson is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Flight Sergeant Eugene Shadrack Masson is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star April 1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star June 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star June 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Memorial – The Memorial Stone, initiated and funded by local interests, in the idyllic village of Højerup, Stevns, Denmark. The Memorial Stone is located just outside the wall of New Højerup Church to commemorate the crew of Halifax Mk. II DT620, shot down in the Baltic Sea off Store Heddinge on the 14th of March 1943.

Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Telegram April 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Photo of Eugene Masson – This picture of Eugene Masson was taken from his file in the Canadian Archives. All persons entering military service have these pictures taken. Source: Library and Archives Canada via Robert Whitehouse.

Document – After Action Report from 138 Sqdn. Masson's aircraft was on a Special Operations Executive mission to drop supplies to the Resistance in Poland. It was shot down by a German fighter that had just taken off from its base. After a single burst of cannon fire the Halifax exploded in the air and crashed 300 meters off the shoreline of Denmark killing all on board. There was no chance to bail out because they were flying at 700 feet. (Internet source- Soren Flensted: Airwar Over Denmark) Document Source: Library and Archives Canada via Robert Whitehouse.

Post Presumption Memorandum – Post Presumption Memorandum for Halifax DT260 This document lists the names and burial information as available to the RCAF in March of 1949, six years after their deaths. Document Source: Library and Archives Canada via Robert Whitehouse.

Casualty Enquiry – Casualty Enquiry D122 pg 1 Part of a two page summary of the investigation into the deaths of the seven crew members of Halifax DT260. Great effort was made to correctly identify missing crew and to properly inter them when so found. Here it details the efforts to identify Ross and Masson. (Page 2 follows) Source: Library and Archives Canada via Robert Whitehouse.

Casualty Enquiry – Casualty Enquiry D122 page 2 This completes the investigation into the lost crew of DT260. One amendment was made after the enquiry was completed. It follows this document. Source: Library and Archives Canada via Robert Whitehouse.

Casualty Enquiry – Casualty Enquiry D122 Amendment to paragraph 6 (Masson) This document updates the exhumation details off Masson's body and shows the details that were recorded in the effort to give each crewman and individual grave rather than the communal graves that were often the case when the bodies were to badly damaged to be identified. Source: Library and Archives Canada via Robert Whitehouse.

Sonderbefehl 7 (Burial Order 7) – Sonderbefehl 7 (Burial Order 7) page 1 During the period 1942 through to about the start of 1944, Allied casualties were usually gathered up and buried by the local military authority. In many cases there were full military funerals for the aircrews. As the war progressed and the bombing of the cities in Germany worsened, the attitude of the authorities changed and burials took place with minimal or no ceremony and in some case, no formal records. The casualties were buried where they were found and not recorded. This is a record of the former period. Source: Soren Flensted (Airwar over Denmark website) via Robert Whitehouse

Sonderbefehl 7 (Burial Order 7) – Sonderbefehl 7 (Burial Order 7) page 2 Source: Soren Flensted (Airwar over Denmark website) via Robert Whitehouse

Translation of Sonderbefehl 7 – Translation of Sonderbefehl 7 page 1 It is thought that this translation was done post war. Source: Soren Flensted (Airwar over Denmark website) via Robert Whitehouse

Translation of Sonderbefehl 7 page 2 – Translation of Sonderbefehl 7 page 2 It is thought that this translation was done post war. Source: Soren Flensted (Airwar over Denmark website) via Robert Whitehouse

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

Photo of EUGENE SHADRACK MASSON – Halifax DT620 Memorial, Højerup Ny Kirke, Højerup, Denmark. This memorial to the crew of DT620 is located near the location where E S Masson's aircraft crashed. Photo taken September 16, 2013.

Cemetery – Commonwealth War Graves area of Copenhagen (Bispebjerg) Cemetery, Denmark. Image taken 18 March 2015 by Tom Tulloch.

Cross of Sacrifice – Cross of Sacrifice at Copenhagen (Bispebjerg) Cemetery, Denmark. Image taken 18 March 2015 by Tom Tulloch.

Grave Marker – Grave marker for Eugene Shadrock Masson at Copenhagen (Bispebjerg) Cemetery, Denmark. Image taken 18 March 2015 by Tom Tulloch.