Beech, Gerard McKee
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Gerard McKee |
Surname | Beech |
Gender | M |
Age | 24 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 29-07-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of Gerard Victor Macklin Beech and Martha Lenora Glover Beech (née Cowan), of Pilot Mound, Manitoba, Canada. Husband of Golda Margaret Beech (née Thorpe), whom he married on 5 February 1940 at Ottawa. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington III |
Serial Number | X3606 |
Markings | WS- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Becklingen War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 26. H. 14. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 129 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/9160 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 9 (IX) |
Trade | Observer |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Beech Lake, Manitoba; Located between Quasso and Smith House Lakes |
Country | Canada |
Memorial Type | Lake |
Memorial Text |
Location | Village Green, Bardney, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial, Propeller and Plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of the killed or missing of IX Sqd. 1939 - 1945 |
Miscellaneous Information
Gerard was born at Pilot Mound, Manitoba on 12 April 1918. His father, born in England, was a grain buyer and his mother was born at Sundridge, Ontario. He had a married sister Mary (Mrs. McKay) and a brother P/O William, who died 16 January 1941. The schools he attended were Arnaud, Manitoba 1924-1932 and Baldur in 1935. Gerard also also took a summer course during 1935 at Manitoba University. The sports he enjoyed were softball, tennis, hockey and hardball. He worked for the Civil Service in the Bureau of Statistics and between 1936-1938 he was a census clerk. He was then a clerk grade 1, 1938-1939 and grade 2, in 1939 in the Post Office department, financial branch. He then became a Postal clerk, in the Forward Letter division and he could drive. |
He enlisted on 18 November 1940 and after training was sent to the U.K. He arrived at 3 PRC on 26 December 1941 then 1 AOS 16 January 1942, 12 OTU 17 March 1942 and 9 Squadron 11 May 1942. Sadly Gerard was to lose his life on 29 July 1942. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/126/37 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/126/36 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 28-07-1942 |
End Date | 29-07-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Honington |
Day/Night Raid | Night (98% moon) |
Operation | Hamburg. Was to have been a much larger raid but bad weather in the north of England prevented many Squadrons taking part. Further bad weather en route- the 91 Group OTU aircraft were recalled, the rest becoming scattered. Only 68 bombed the target but a hospital was hit. Heavy aircraft losses including 15.2% of 4 Group OTU Wellingtons |
Reason for Loss | Crashed in the suburbs of Bremen |