Lang, James Murray Reginald Died

Back

Personal Information

Rank F/S
Forename(s) James Murray Reginald
Surname Lang
Gender M
Age 25
Date of Death 12-06-1943
Next of Kin Son of Francis James Lafage Lang and Ethel Jane Lang (née Murray), of Lyleton, Manitoba, Canada. Husband of Evelyn Ruth Lang (née Webb), whom he married on 7 July 1942, shortly before being sent overseas.
LANG JMR

Aircraft Information

Aircraft Handley Page Halifax II
Serial Number JB972
Markings EQ-Q

Memorial Information

Burial/Memorial Country Germany
Burial/Memorial Place Rheinberg War Cemetery
Grave Reference 3. A. 10.

IBCC Memorial Information

Map
Directions to panel 196
LANG JMR

Location

Row -
Panel 196
Column -
Line -

Directions From the Chadwick Centre, take the central path towards The Spire.

Phase 2
Panel Number 196

Enlistment Information

Service Number R/119753
Service Royal Canadian Air Force
Group 8
Squadron 408 (Goose)
Squadron Motto For freedom
Trade Air Gunner
Country of Origin Canada

Other Memorials

Location St. Nicholas's Church, Condicote, Gloucestershire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed metal plaque
Memorial Text John William Lane RAF killed in action June 8th 1944
Location Lang Island, Manitoba; Within Creba Lake
Country Canada
Memorial Type Island
Memorial Text
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, 419 Moose, 427 Lion, 429 Bison. Also, to the many Civilians who supported them during their term of duty in North Yorkshire. We remember too the RAF Squadrons who preceded the Canadians from 1940 - 1942; 7 - 10 - 35 -77 - 102 - 219. To those who paid the supreme sacrifice, we will remember them. Dedicated June 19, 1993
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.
Location Village Centre, Linton on Ouse, North Yorkshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Stone Memorial and inscribed slate tablet
Memorial Text In memory of 408 (Goose) and 426 (Thunderbird) Squadrons of R.C.A.F

Miscellaneous Information

James was born on 6 April 1918 at Lyleton, Manitoba. His father was born at Coulter, Manitoba and worked as an Elevator Agent and his mother was born at Hamilton, Ontario. He attended Coulter school in Manitoba between 1924-1933 and then Coultervale 1933-1935. His sport interests were hockey and baseball. James worked for his father, F. J. Lang at Coulter 1937-1940 as an Elevator assistant and then went to C.C.Curtis, a creamery at Souris, Manitoba and became a cream truck driver from 1940 until enlisting.
After enlisting in Winnipeg on 24 July 1941 and undergoing training he was posted to the U.K. and embarked from Canada on 20 July 1942. He was then at 3PRC on 30 July, 7 AGS 9 September 1942, 14 OTU 6 October 1942, 1659 CU 20 February 1943, 405 Sqn 24 March 1943, and 408 Squadron on 9 May 1943. Sadly James lost his life the following month on 12 June 1943.

The National Archives

Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1797/12
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1797/12

Fellow Servicemen

Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.

Name Outcome
Fowell A E (WO2) Died
Grant A G (P/O) Died

Last Operation Information

Start Date 11-06-1943
End Date 12-06-1943
Takeoff Station Leeming
Day/Night Raid Night (59% moon)
Operation Düsseldorf. 783 aircraft. 38 losses (4.9%). PFF marking was accurate but one Mosquito inadvertently released some target indicators far from the target, confusing the main force and causing many bombs to fall in open countryside. Nevertheless, much damage was caused to the centre of Düsseldorf with at least 130 acres laid waste 1292 people were killed and 140000 people bombed out. 42 businesses that contributed to the war effort were put completely out of action and a further 35 were put on reduced output. 8 ships were sunk or damaged.
Reason for Aircraft Loss Hit by flak in the target area and crashed between Krefeld and the target
Start new losses database search Back
 
 
 
 

Please Wait

Casualty Pack

IBCC is delighted to introduce a unique facility to link the Losses Database to the relevant RAF Casualty Pack on the National Archives website. This project is the result of on-going collaboration between IBCC, the MOD Records Office and National Archives, Kew. This document describes what Casualty Packs are, when they were created, the process of making them available to the public and then goes on to describe the process by which you can view the contents of the packs. Casualty Packs (CPs) were created by the RAF whenever there was serious injury or loss of life associated with operational activity within the RAF. This includes operational flying losses, enemy action due to air raids, road accidents either on station or even off-station if they involved RAF vehicles. Deaths due to natural causes in service or accidents that did not involve RAF vehicles did not generally give rise to a CP.

CPs were originally given a unique reference number by the RAF. Each begins with the letter ‘P’ and is followed by six digits, then an oblique (forward slash) and the finally the year in which the incident took place- for example P396154/42.

The CPs are in the process of being made available to the general public as they are passed from the MOD Records Office, Portsmouth to National Archives, Kew. This process requires some rework to the files which is very time consuming, so the process of making them all available to National Archives will take several years. They are being made available in increasing date order.

Once CPs arrive at National Archives they are assigned a unique AIR81 number, so each CP has both a P-number and an AIR81 number. Both are searchable on the National Archives website under ‘Search the catalogue’ and both are included on the IBCC website.

The AIR81 reference on the IBCC website is a link to the file on the National Archives website. When you click on it, the relevant page will open in a new tab on your browser.

There is currently no plan to digitise AIR81 files, partly because they are fragile and partly because the information they contain can at times be sensitive, even harrowing, since they may contain exhumation reports and even photographs of corpses. Family members wishing to read the AIR81 files relating to their ancestors are advised to exercise caution and be guided by National Archives warnings where appropriate.

There are two means for accessing AIR81 files- to attend in person or to order a copy by post.

To attend in person, the attendee should first create a Reader’s Ticket. This can be done online by following this link: https://secure.nationalarchives.gov.uk/login/yourdetails. Then click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and click Order in Advance. Enter your Reader’s Ticket number and state the date on which you intend to visit. National Archives will have the file ready for you when you arrive, saving you time. When you visit Kew, you must quote the Reader’s Ticket number and take along two forms of ID- one bearing your signature and one bearing your address. When you view the files, you are permitted to take photographs of each page, should you wish.

Alternatively, if you wish to order a copy by post, please be aware that there is a charge for this service based on the number of pages in the file. Click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and then click Request a Copy. There is an £8.40 charge for National Archives staff to access the file and give you a quotation for the copying service. The process takes around 24 days to complete and can be expensive.

IBCC wishes to thank the staff at the MOD Records Office and National Archives for their engagement and assistance in making this facility available to our website users.