Longley, John Arthur
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | John Arthur |
Surname | Longley |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 15-10-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of William Longley and Winifred Delhia Longley (née Gardner), of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | W7854 |
Markings | LQ-T |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
Burial/Memorial Place | Brussels Town Cemetery |
Grave Reference | X. 16. 8. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 200 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/97582 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 405 (Vancouver) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Village Windmill, Mill Rd, Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | Remembering 405 (Vancouver) Sqn. PFF at Gransden Lodge 1942 - 1945 |
Location | St. Bartholomew's Church, Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window, RoH and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | Commemorating the 801 airmen of 405 Sqn. RCAF who gave their lives 1941 - 1945 |
Location | Pocklington Gliding Club, Pocklington Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Marble Pillar and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of 102 (Ceylon) and 405 (Vancouver) Sqns. Pocklington Airfield |
Miscellaneous Information
John was born on 9 October 1920 at Kelowna, British Columbia. Both parents were born in London, England. The schools he attended were: Kelowna public followed by Kelowna private. For sport he enjoyed swimming, rowing and canoeing and his hobby was model boats. Between 1934-1940 he worked as a clerk. He is also shown as an assistant Lifeguard during 1940 and as a labourer 1937-1939 for Crown Fruit Company. |
John enlisted on 11 March 1941 and after training was posted to the U.K. He embarked from Canada on 8 January 1942, arriving at 3 PRC on 21 January. He then continued to 22 OTU 26 May 1942, and 405 Squadron on 9 October 1942. Sadly John then went missing on 15 October 1942, a matter of a few days after his 22nd birthday. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1787/34 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1787/33 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 15-10-1942 |
End Date | 16-10-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Topcliffe |
Day/Night Raid | Night (39% moon) |
Operation | Cologne. 289 aircraft, 18 losses (6.2%). PFF had difficulty in identifying the target and as a result were unable to draw the main force from a decoy fire. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Waterloo, SSE of Brussels, Belgium |