Rea, John
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | John |
Surname | Rea |
Gender | M |
Age | 26 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 31-03-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of Stanley Coates Rea and Meta Park, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Husband of Ruth Athena Rea (née Oille) at Toronto on 3 April 1940. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster X |
Serial Number | KB869 |
Markings | VR-Q |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Becklingen War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 13. A. 1. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 230 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/94588 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 419 (Moose) |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside Former St. Georges Hotel, Teesside Airport, County Durham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Memorial Tablet on Stone Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to Nos 419, 420 and 428 Sqns RCAF who flew from RAF Middleton St George during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
John was born on 24 February 1919 at Eltham, New Zealand. His father was born in Belfast, Ireland and worked in war production and his mother was born in New Zealand. He had a brother, William. He attended Normal Model school 1930 -1935, and Harbord Collegiate Institute 1935- 1937. He then attended Central Technical school for night classes,1942- 1943. John worked at Loblaw’s Grocery as an Assistant manager 1939-1943. His hobbies were woodwork and photography, and enjoyed fencing, rugby and wrestling. |
On 8 February 1943 John enlisted and after training he was posted to the U.K. He embarked from Halifax 16 June 1944, arriving at 3 PRC on 25 June. He was at 61 Base on 13 October 1944, and 419 Squadron on 31 December1944. Sadly John lost his life on 31 March 1945. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1823/30 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1823/29 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 31-03-1945 |
End Date | 31-03-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Middleton St. George |
Day/Night Raid | Day |
Operation | Hamburg to attack the Blohm and Voss shipbuilding yards, where a new class of U-boats was being assembled. 469 aircraft, 11 lost due to a surprise appearance of the new Me 262 jet-propelled fighter. It was it's only appearance in fact. The target was completely cloud-covered so bombing was scattered throughout Hamburg with little damage to the intended target |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a jet-propelled fighter (Me 262) south of Hamburg and crashed near Harburg |