Copping, Harold James Langford
Personal Information
Rank | WO2 |
Forename(s) | Harold James Langford |
Surname | Copping |
Gender | M |
Age | 29 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 26-11-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Ernest Frederick Copping and Mabel Gertrude Copping (née Langford), of North Grimsby, Ontario, Canada. Husband of Marie Simone Blondine Copping (née Guenette), whom he married in Ottawa on 18 July 1936. Father of Richard James Copping, born 21 November 1939, died 14 May 1941. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JD411 |
Markings | AL-A |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 9. L. 7. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 148 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/54352 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 429 (Bison) |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Roman Rd, Leeming, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brass plaque set into a stone plinth into which is carved with the Canadian maple leaf and the Yorkshire rose. |
Memorial Text | This memorial is dedicated to those men and women who served at RAF Leeming during World War II, including those from the Royal Canadian Air Force Squadrons, whose members came from all parts of the Commonwealth from 1942 to 1945; 405 Vancouver, 408 Goose |
Location | Opposite old Main Guardroom, RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial & Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | In commemoration of those men and women of many nations who served at RAF Leeming during the second world war. |
Miscellaneous Information
Harold was born at North Grimsby, Ontario on 1 September 1914. His parents were born in Ottawa and his father was an Accountant. He had two sisters Evelyn and Audrey and two brothers Norman and William. His brother Norman was a WOp/AG at RCAF Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The schools he attended were Borden Public School, 1920-1927 followed by Ottawa Technical High School 1927-1930. Between 1935-1936 he studied, nights, at the High School of Commerce (book keeping etc.), at Stephen Willis College of Commerce, 1936–1937 and La Salle Extension at University. Harold worked as a clerk in the Auditor General’s Office between 1930 and 1940 when he enlisted. He took part in most sports including baseball, softball, basketball and hockey and enjoyed making model aircraft. |
Harold enlisted on 24 August 1940 and after training embarked from New York for the U.K. on 23 November 1942. He arrived at 3PRC on 1 December 1942, then went to 6 AOS 2 March 1943, 23 OTU 20 April 1943, 1659 CU 27 July 1943, 434 Sqn 19 August 1943, 1664 CU 16 September 1943 and 429 Squadron on 18 October 1943. Sadly Harold was to lose his life on 26 November 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1852/22 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1852/21 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 25-11-1943 |
End Date | 26-11-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Leeming |
Day/Night Raid | Night (3% moon) |
Operation | Frankfurt. 262 aircraft, mainly Halifaxes. 12 losses (4.6%) with no diversionary raids. The German controller correctly surmised that Frankfurt was the target. Cloud cover led to scattered bombing and it is thought that fewer than 100 bombs landed on the city. 80 deaths on the ground and 1500 people were bombed out |
Reason for Loss | Crashed at Waschied, NNW of Prüm, Germany |