Porter, Roy Stanley Died
Personal Information
| Rank | P/O |
| Forename(s) | Roy Stanley |
| Surname | Porter |
| Gender | M |
| Age | 20 |
| Date of Death | 26-03-1944 |
| Next of Kin | Son of William George Porter and Amy Eleanor Porter (née Flux), of Woodroffe, Ottawa, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
| Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
| Serial Number | LW693 |
| Markings | KW-V V-Victor |
Memorial Information
| Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
| Burial/Memorial Place | Bath (Haycombe) Cemetery |
| Grave Reference | Plot 39. Sec. H. Row B. Grave 248. |
IBCC Memorial Information
| Phase | 2 |
| Panel Number | 227 |
Enlistment Information
| Service Number | J/89470 |
| Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Group | 6 |
| Squadron | 425 (Alouette) |
| Squadron Motto | Je te plumerai (I shall pluck you) |
| Trade | Air Bomber |
| Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
| Location | Outside Village Hall, Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Memorial Stone and inscribed metal plaque |
| Memorial Text | In memory of the Canadian aircrew of 425 and 426 Sqns RCAF who served at RAF Dishforth, 1942-1945 |
| Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Memorial Stone, inscribed metal plaque and Maple Tree |
| Memorial Text | A memorial, in French, to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 425 Sqn |
| Location | Allerton Park Castle, Allerton, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
| Memorial Text | Memorial Garden dedicated to the 4272 personnel of 6 (RCAF) Gp based at Allerton Castle who gave the ultimate sacrifice during WWII to preserve our freedom |
Miscellaneous Information
| Cpl Craig Reid survived the crash. He was actually a ground radar technician but had stood in for a colleague who was on a 'hot date'! Sgt Bill Cameron (A/2403) also survived the crash only to be killed over Germany a few weeks later. |
| There is a plaque at Westbury House, Bradford on Avon (BA15 1DE) in memory of those lost. The deaths of the crew members that died were registered at Trowbridge - Wiltshire. |
| Roy was born at Nepean township, Ontario on 18 February 1923. Both parents were born in England. His father, who was deceased by the time of Roy's enlistment, was born in London and had been a Quarter Master Sergeant in the army. His mother was born In Newport. He had a sister Gwen and two brothers: Clifford, who was still at school, and Lieutenant Victor Porter, who was overseas. He went to Woodroffe Public School 1928-1936 followed by Ottawa Tech. High School, 1936-1939. The sports he took part in were football, hockey and softball. Roy worked as an office boy for the Domestic Government, Ottawa and was in the Fishers Department, 1939-1940 and then in the Post Office department from 1940 until enlisting on 4 May 1942. After training he embarked for the U.K. on 22 June 1943, arriving at 3 PRC on 2 July. He was then at 4(0)AFU 12 July 1943, 19 OTU 16 August 1943, 61 Base 4 November 1943 and 425 Squadron 16 January 1944. Sadly, two months later, Roy lost his life from 425 Squadron on 26 March 1944. |
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 |
|---|---|
| Evans G H (Sgt) | Died |
| Grover D H S (P/O) | Died |
| Hall J G B (P/O) | Died |
| Newton H (Sgt) | Died |
| Simpson F N (Sgt) | Died |
Last Operation Information
| Start Date | 26-03-1944 |
| End Date | 26-03-1944 |
| Takeoff Station | Tholthorpe |
| Day/Night Raid | Day |
| Operation | Training- cross-country flying exercise |
| Reason for Aircraft Loss | Last seen over Bradford on Avon with one engine on fire, circling in pursuit of a suitable place to crash-land. The order to bale out was issued and three obliged, but the aircraft was too low for their parachutes to be effective and they were killed. The pilot eventually lost his fight to control the aircraft and he and the rear gunner remained in the aircraft as it crashed and exploded. Townsfolk dragged out the rear gunner but he died of his injuries moments later. |