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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Ralph James Lougheed

In memory of:

Flying Officer Ralph James Lougheed

January 7, 1945

Military Service

Service Number:

J/40492

Age:

20

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

103 (R.A.F.) Sqdn

Additional Information

Born:

November 11, 1924
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Son of Dr. M. S. Lougheed and Gladys (nee Haney) Lougheed, of Winnipeg, Manitoba. FO Ralph James Lougheed was killed in action January 7, 1945 when his Lancaster bomber crashed in the village of Hohrodberg near Munster in the Voges Mountains of France. The crash occured next to a hospital run by Protestant nuns for children with TB. One nun in particular, Ida Meiss, buried the men. Mr. and Mrs. H. Pickup, who befriended FO Lougheed while stationed near Oxford, England, visited his grave in 1946 and can be seen with Ida Meiss in one of the photographs in his collection. The Pickups gave Mrs. Gladys Lougheed the photograph and a small piece of the aircraft, years later when they emigrated to Canada. He is survived by his sister Florence and brother Lawrence.

Commemorated on Page 535 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

MUNSTER COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Haut-Rhin, France

Grave Reference:

Coll. grave.

Location:

Munster is a small town on the Colmar-Gerardmer road (N.417). The communal cemetery is on the north-eastern side of the town, on the D.10 road to Gunsbach. West of the lodge in the centre of the cemetery, and on the north-western side of the Military Plot, is the collective grave of 7 airmen. One of them belonged to the Royal Air Force and the others to the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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

    Details

    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 Ralph James Lougheed is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – Flying Officer Ralph James Lougheed is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flying Officer Ralph James Lougheed is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – Flying Officer Ralph James Lougheed is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Photo of RALPH JAMES LOUGHEED– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Photo of RALPH JAMES LOUGHEED
    Photo of RALPH JAMES LOUGHEED – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of RALPH JAMES LOUGHEED– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Photo of RALPH JAMES LOUGHEED
    Photo of RALPH JAMES LOUGHEED – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of Ralph 'James' Lougheed– Ralph James Lougheed of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Joined the R.C.A.F. in 1943, Age 18. This photo was taken outside our home in Winnipeg where James grew up.

    Details

    Photo of Ralph 'James' Lougheed
    Photo of Ralph 'James' Lougheed – Ralph James Lougheed of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Joined the R.C.A.F. in 1943, Age 18. This photo was taken outside our home in Winnipeg where James grew up.
  • Photo of Ralph 'James' Lougheed– Ralph James Lougheed, R.C.A.F. This picture was taken in England during his tour of duty.

    Details

    Photo of Ralph 'James' Lougheed
    Photo of Ralph 'James' Lougheed – Ralph James Lougheed, R.C.A.F. This picture was taken in England during his tour of duty.
  • Grave of Ralph 'James' Lougheed– Mrs. Pickup and Nun Ida Meiss at gravesite, 1946. This picture is of the first commual grave close to where the bomber crashed.The crash occured next to a hospital run by Protestant nuns for children with TB from the city of Stasbourg. One nun in particular, Ida Meiss ,buried the men. James' base was near Oxford in England and he was befriended by Mr and Mrs H Pickup and in 1946 they visited the grave site and this picture includes Mrs Pickup and Ida Meiss, Both these women coresponded with my mother for many years. The Pickups emigrated to Canada for several years before returing to England. They gave my mother the pictures and a small piece of the aircraft which I still have in my possession.

    Details

    Grave of Ralph 'James' Lougheed
    Grave of Ralph 'James' Lougheed – Mrs. Pickup and Nun Ida Meiss at gravesite, 1946. This picture is of the first commual grave close to where the bomber crashed.The crash occured next to a hospital run by Protestant nuns for children with TB from the city of Stasbourg. One nun in particular, Ida Meiss ,buried the men. James' base was near Oxford in England and he was befriended by Mr and Mrs H Pickup and in 1946 they visited the grave site and this picture includes Mrs Pickup and Ida Meiss, Both these women coresponded with my mother for many years. The Pickups emigrated to Canada for several years before returing to England. They gave my mother the pictures and a small piece of the aircraft which I still have in my possession.
  • Memorial– Memorial, 1990. This picture was taken by one of my sons when he visited the area and found the local people had constructed another memorial at the site of the crash.

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – Memorial, 1990. This picture was taken by one of my sons when he visited the area and found the local people had constructed another memorial at the site of the crash.
  • Gravesite of James– This picture was taken in 1983 when I visited the beautiful village of Hohrodberg and the town of Munster and took the picture of the final grave.

    Details

    Gravesite of James
    Gravesite of James – This picture was taken in 1983 when I visited the beautiful village of Hohrodberg and the town of Munster and took the picture of the final grave.

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