Corless, Alvin Van Dyke
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | Alvin Van Dyke |
Surname | Corless |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 22-06-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Morton Treffry Corless and Permilia Corless (née Colquhoun), of Clinton, Huron County, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster l |
Serial Number | ME683 |
Markings | EM-W W-Wilber |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
Burial/Memorial Place | Adegem Canadian War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | XI. J. 2. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 23 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/26477 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 207 |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Anjerstraat, Meeuwen, Limburg Province |
Country | Belgium |
Memorial Type | Stone pillar, inscribed metal plaque & stencilled information board |
Memorial Text | Vier Canadese en drie Britse bemanningsleden van een bommenwerper van het 207 Squadron die hier in de nacht van 21 op 22 juni 1944 - Lancaster ME 683 |
Location | St. Mary the Virgin Church, Bottesford, Leicestershire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Tablet and Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 207 Sqn RAF who served at RAF Bottesford during WW2 |
Location | X, Great Steeping, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed group of Memorial Stones with adjacent info board |
Memorial Text | In memory of 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Spilsby and of 10 Sqn Armourers killed in an accident on 10th April 1944 |
Location | All Saints Church, Great Steeping |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet and Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 207 Sqn RAF who served at RAF Spilsby during WW2 |
Location | Stn Church, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Waddington between 1 November 1940 and 18th November 1941 |
Location | Harby Rd, Langar, Nottinghamshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | A memorial to 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Langar during WW2 |
Location | St. Andrew's Church, Langar, Nottinghamshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Brass Plaque & Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and a memorial to the personnel of 207 Sqn RAF who were killed flying from RAF Langar during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
Alvin was born at Clinton, Huron County, Ontario on 10 December 1920. His father was a Town Clerk and was born in Norwich, Ontario and his mother was born in Mitchell. He had a brother A. Benson Corless, who also served overseas and a married sister, Dorothy G Breaky. He went to Clinton Public School 1927-1934, followed by the Collegiate Institute 1934-1937. He then attended Shaw Schools 1938-1940. Alvin enjoyed several sports including tennis, swimming, badminton and softball. Between 1937-1941 he worked as a Ledger Keeper/Teller for the Royal Bank of Canada before enlisting on 26 May 1941. |
After training he was posted to the U.K. and embarked from Canada on 23 June 1943, arriving at 3PRC on 2 July 1943. He then continued to 15 (P) AFU 10 August 1943, 17 OTU 16 November 1943, 51 Base 29 February 1944, 1661 CU on 1 March 1944 and 207 Squadron on 25 May 1944. Alvin was sadly to lose his life the following month on 22 June 1944. |
A poem entitled June 22 1944 was written about this crew by the Hon. John Ross Matheson, a judge and MP, and one of the designers of the Canadian flag. Please see image for the full poem. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1235/12 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1235/11 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 21-06-1944 |
End Date | 22-06-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Spilsby |
Day/Night Raid | Night (2% moon) |
Operation | Wesseling |
Reason for Loss | Take off: 2320. At approximately 0130hrs, the bomber was attacked by a German fighter of Major Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer of Geschwader NJG4. The bomber jettisoned some of its bombs, before exploding, and crashing at Meeuwen-Gruitrode, near Bree, Belgium. |