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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Burton McLauchlin

In memory of:

Pilot Officer Burton McLauchlin

August 27, 1944
Skarrild, Denmark

Military Service


Service Number:

J/92133

Age:

23

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

630 (R.A.F.) Sqdn

Additional Information


Born:

June 30, 1921

Son of Orlan and Alice McLauchlin, of St. Catharines, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 389 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

SKARRILD CHURCHYARD
Denmark

Grave Reference:

Coll. grave 539.

Location:

Skarrild is a small village of Jutland about 25 kilometres north-north-east of Esbjerb. It lies to the west of the road (No 18) between Brande and Herning.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Pilot Officer Burton McLauchlin is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Pilot Officer Burton McLauchlin 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
  • Letter– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of BURTON MCLAUCHLIN– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of BURTON MCLAUCHLIN– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Group photo– Seated L to R F/Sgt Burton McLaughlin RCAF, F/O Evelyn George William Bowers, Pilot Officer Wilfred James Fingland RCAF
Standing: Sergeant Guy Raymond Stott, Warrant Officer William John Carrier RAAF, Sergeant Leslie Thompson, Sergeant Alan Ambrose Michael Langridge 

Submitted for the project: Operation Picture Me
  • Cemetery– Photo and excerpt of story from Airwar Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com and used with permission of Soren Flensted.

Lancaster I ME650 of 630 (RAF) Sqn. took off from East Kirkby at 19:58 on a raid to  Königsberg.  On the return flight ME650 was attacked by a night fighter and at 04:15 hours it crashed in a field at Sønder Grene near Skarrild. 
The bodies of the crew were taken by horse drawn carriage to a grave prepared in the Skarrild churchyard cemetery and placed in two coffins for burial.
Vicar Henrik Ingerslev officiated at the graveside ceremony. The Germans allowed the 40-50 attending Danes to sing one hymn. Before the end of the day the grave was covered with flowers.

The crew were:
P/O (BA) B. McLauchlin of St. Catharines and P/O (N) W. J. Fingland of Toronto; also
WO W. J. Carrier RAAF; F/L E. G. W. Bowers RAF; and RAF Sgts. A. A. M. Langridge, G. R. Stott, and L. Thompson.
  • Photo of Burton McLauchlin– Photo courtesy of www.flensted.eu.com
  • Cemetery– Each year on the evening of 5/5 on the day of the liberation of Denmark a ceremony is held at Skarrild Cemetery in honour of the flyers.
Photo of memorial after the 2005 ceremony courtesy of www.flensted.eu.com

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