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 – Warrant Officer Class II Alexander McCowan Freeman is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Warrant Officer Class II Alexander McCowan Freeman is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Photo of ALEXANDER MCCOWAN FREEMAN – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Document – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Letter – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Letter – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Document – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star February 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

Newspaper Clipping – The Toronto Star, February 14, 1945, page 8

Newspaper Clipping – The Toronto Star, February 14, 1945, page 8 Story of crew of Lancaster ND-583 found on www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand WOII Freeman was a Bomb Aimer serving with 630 (RAF) Squadron. Lancaster ND 583 was airborne 1857 on 15 March 1944 from East Kirkby on a mission to Stuttgart, Germany. The bomber force of 863 aircraft - 617 Lancasters, 230 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitos flew over France nearly as far as the Swiss frontier before turning north-east to approach Stuttgart. When the German fighters did arrive, just before the target was reached, the usual fierce combats ensued. 37 aircraft - 27 Lancasters, 10 Halifaxes - were lost, 4.3 per cent of the force. 2 of the Lancasters force-landed in Switzerland. On the 16 March, ND 583 crashed and exploded with great force near Bourguignon-sous-Coucy (Aisne), 23 km NW of Soissons, France. The crew are buried in the churchyard at Bourguignon-sous-Coucy. WOII Freeman was the only Canadian on the crew with 5 RAF and 1 RAAF airmen.