Beattie, John Leslie
Personal Information
Rank | WO2 |
Forename(s) | John Leslie |
Surname | Beattie |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 20-02-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of David Beattie and Cecilla Elers Beattie (née Ronald), of Nelson, Nritish Columbia, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JD114 |
Markings | VR-V |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 254. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 128 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/112661 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 419 (Moose) |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside Former St. Georges Hotel, Teesside Airport, County Durham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Memorial Tablet on Stone Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to Nos 419, 420 and 428 Sqns RCAF who flew from RAF Middleton St George during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
John was a student, born on 10 November 1921 at Nelson, British Colombia. His father was born in Scotland and worked as a labourer his mother was born in England. He had five brothers: Ronald, Roderick, George, Donald and Robert, and a sister Rose. There were two other siblings who had earlier died. He attended Nelson Public School (1927-1935) followed by Nelson High (1935-1940). From 1941 onwards he attended Upper Canada College in Toronto where he studied an Honours Course and then enlisted on 27 June 1943. John worked as a clerk for the Hudson Bay Co., Nelson for just a short spell (Nov/Dec 1940). The sports he enjoyed were hockey, Lacrosse, and swimming. |
After enlisting and early training John was posted to the U.K. and he embarked from New York on 9 March 1943. He arrived in the U.K. at 3 PRC 18 March 1943, and was at 22 OTU 16 June 1943, 1659 CU 9 September 1943, 1664 CU 21 September 1943 and at 419 Squadron 24 October 1943. Sadly John was to lose his life on 20 February 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1823/4 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1823/3 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 19-02-1944 |
End Date | 20-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Middleton St. George |
Day/Night Raid | Night (22% moon) |
Operation | Leipzig. 823 aircraft, 78 losses (9.5%). Excluding early returners, the Halifax loss rate was 14.9%. As a result, Halifax Mks II and V were permanently withdrawn from service over Germany. The Kiel mine laying diversion was successful in drawing off fighters, but the German controllers only sent half of the available aircraft. As soon as the bomber stream crossed the Dutch coast they were confronted by the remaining half of the fighters and, moreover, the ones sent to Kiel were returned to join the fray. As a consequence, the fighters steadily picked off bombers all the way to this distant target. The winds were strongly than had been predicted and many bombers arrived early and had to orbit the target awaiting the Pathfinders, further increasing the likelihood of being picked off, either by flak or fighters. Leipzig was cloud covered and sky-marking had to be used. Early bombing appeared to be concentrated but later bombing less so. There was no local report nor a reconnaissance flight the following day. An American raid the following day then made it impossible to judge the effectiveness of the raid. |
Reason for Loss | Lost without trace |