Menzies, Allan
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | Allan |
Surname | Menzies |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 24-08-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Robert Menzies and Annie Menzies (née Tremblett) of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | HR918 |
Markings | LQ-C |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 5. L. 1. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 211 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/112570 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 8 |
Squadron | 405 (Vancouver) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
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
Allan was born at Toronto on 19 February 1923. His father, a Stone Mason, was born in Scotland and his mother was born in England. He had a brother Robert and sisters Mary, Lorraine, Jessie and Gracie. The schools he attended were Regal Road, 1929-1938, Western Technical 1938-1940 (Industrial course) as well as Central Tech 1939-1940 (Night school). His sport interests were mainly hockey, swimming and football, his hobby being amateur photography. Allen worked at National Steel, Canada during May 1940 on the final assembly of aircraft. He enlisted on 25 June 1941. |
After his initial training he was posted to the U.K. and embarked from New York on 9 March 1943. Arriving in England at 3PRC on 18 March 1943 he then continued to 23 OTU 13 April 1943, 1659 CU 7 June 1943 and 405 Squadron (RCAF) on 23 July 1943. On 24 August 1943, Allan sadly lost his life. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1788/16 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1788/15 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 23-08-1943 |
End Date | 24-08-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Gransden Lodge |
Day/Night Raid | Night (37% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 727 aircraft, 56 losses (7.9%)- the greatest loss in a single raid so far in the war. Sequential marking was used to keep the main force on course. A Master Bomber approach was also used (W/C J E [Johnny] Fauquier). PFF were unable to locate the centre of Berlin using H2S and instead marked the southern suburbs. The main force arrived late and many cut a corner, making their arrival point incorrect. As might be expected for Berlin, the flak and fighter defences were formidable. Nevertheless, this was the most serious raid on Berlin so far in the war. Much of the government district was badly damaged and 20 ships were also sunk. 854 people were killed, many of whom had failed to take refuge in air raid shelters. |
Reason for Loss |