Rae, John Maccauley
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | John Maccauley |
Surname | Rae |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 28-01-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of MacDuff Rae and Laura May Rae (née Hart), of Brandon, Manitoba. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | PB650 |
Markings | LQ-U |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Durnbach War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 8. C. 9-11. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 229 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/221847 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 8 |
Squadron | 405 (Vancouver) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Rae Bay, Manitoba; The eastern flank of Kapechekamasic Lake |
Country | Canada |
Memorial Type | Bay |
Memorial Text |
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 8 January 1922 in Chater, Manitoba. His father was born in Ontario. He was disabled and died in 1942. His mother was born in Rosseau, Ontario. John had a sister Margaret and brothers Donald, James and Ronald.. Private Ronald Rae had been killed whilst serving in the army in 1944 and R/863144 F/S James Douglas Rae born 2 December 1916 , was also killed whilst serving with Bomber Command on 6 December 1942. James left behind a wife Pearl and daughter Patricia Ann. John went to Alexander School 1928-1935 ( General. Course), Oxford School 1935-1938, also General course and Brandon Collegiate, Grade IX and spent a year studying an Industrial Course 1938-1939 (Grade X). Between 1940-1941 he was in the 59th Field Battn, (Reserve) R.C.A. at Brandon, as a gunner. The sports he took part in were hockey and swimming. |
John enlisted on 8 March 1943 and after training, embarked from Halifax for the U.K. on 29 April 1944. He reached 3 PRC on 8 May 1944, 20 OTU 6 June 1944, 77 Sqn 3 November 1944, 35 Sqn 15 December 1944, and 405 Squadron 15 December 1944. He lost his life approximately seven weeks later. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1790/2 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1790/1 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 28-01-1945 |
End Date | 29-01-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Gransden Lodge |
Day/Night Raid | Night (99% moon) |
Operation | Stuttgart. 602 aircraft, 11 losses (1.8%). A two-part raid with 3 hours between each. The first wave of 226 aircraft attacked railways yards at Kornwestheim. The second wave attacked Zuffenhausen which contained the Hirth engine factory. Sky-markers were used due to complete cloud cover and bombing was somewhat scattered. The Bosch factory was hit as a result of the Kornwestheim attack and it is said that the local people felt they had been bombed by mistake. Interestingly, dummy sky-makers were used in the defence of the city- small ground launched rockets. This was the last of 53 major raids on the city, which had endured a 63% destruction of its building stock and the loss of 4562 lives which was much lower than might have been the case had the air-raid defences been built into the sides of the hills. |
Reason for Loss | Thought to have crashed at Deufringen, Germany |