Keown, John Lightfoot
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | John Lightfoot |
Surname | Keown |
Gender | M |
Age | 25 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 06-12-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Robert Winfred Keown and Margaret Jane Keown (née Lightfoot), of Boissevain, Manitoba, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | NP945 |
Markings | QB-D |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Reichswald Forest War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 16. F. 5-6. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 193 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/95371 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 424 (Tiger) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Keown Creek, Manitoba; In the southern reaches of Moody Lake |
Country | Canada |
Memorial Type | Creek |
Memorial Text |
Location | Village Green, Skipton on Swale, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone, inscribed Metal Plaque & Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | A memorial to the Canadian personnel who served at RAF Skipton on Swale during WW2, including 424 Sqn RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
This crew was on its fifth sortie |
John was born on 16 March 1919 at Boissevain, Manitoba. His father was a farmer, born at Middlesex, Ontario and his mother was born in Middlesex County. He had six brothers and four sisters: Howard, Robert, Frederick, Clifford, Melvin, Douglas and Eileen, Vera, Bernice and Lauretta. He attended Boissevain school 1926- 1934. He played hockey at school and his hobby was mechanics. John spent seven years farming on the family farm before enlisting on 23 October 1941. |
After his initial training he was posted to the U.K. and embarked from Halifax on 3 May 1944, arriving at 3 RCAF (PRC) on 11 May. He then continued to 82 OTU on 6 June 1944, 61 Base 23 August 1944 and 424 Squadron on 23 October 1944. On 6 December 1944 John sadly lost his life. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1835/22 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1835/21 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 06-12-1944 |
End Date | 07-12-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Skipton on Swale |
Day/Night Raid | Night (56% moon) |
Operation | Osnabrück. 453 aircraft, 8 losses. The first major raid on this target in more than two years. The railway yards were only partly damaged but the Teuto-Metallwerke munitions factory was hit. 39 people were killed |
Reason for Loss |