Van Fleet, Ralph Douglas
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | Ralph Douglas |
Surname | Van Fleet |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 31-03-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of John Robert Van Fleet and Irene Violet Van Fleet (née Allen), of Dundas, Ontario. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LW555 |
Markings | C8-L |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 10. D. 8. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 257 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/25706 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 640 |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Normandy Barracks, Leconfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Metal Sculpture Brick Pillars and Inscribed Sqn Badges |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those who flew from RAF Leconfield, including 640 Sqn |
Location | Memorial Gardens, Beverley, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone, Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those of 640 Sqn who were killed during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
Ralph was born on 21 Feb 1924 in Dundas, Ontario. His father was born in Spayside, Ontario and was a garage owner and mechanic and his mother was born in Surrey, England (and was deceased by the time Ralph enlisted). He had sisters Audrey and Betty and another sister Dorothy had died in 1938. He also had a younger brother Allen, and John B. who was in the RCAF. He also had a half brother, Gordon. The schools Ralph attended were Queen Mary, Ballard and Queen Victoria, Hamilton between 1933-1937 (general course) and Central Collegiate, Hamilton 1937-1940.(Jnr. Matric). He also attended night school in Hamilton 1939-1941 and the W.E.T.P. Ontario Teacher’s College, Hamilton, March-June 1942 (aircrew ITS). His sport interests were hockey and swimming. He worked as a Mechanic’s helper during 1939 at Van’s Commercial Garage, and then as a grocery clerk, also in 1939, for Quality Groceteria. He worked again as a grocery clerk 1939-1942 for A&P Stores in Hamilton until enlisting on 11 June 1942. |
After enlisting and initial training, Ralph set sail for the U.K. on 23 June 1943. He arrived at 3 PRC on 2 July 1943, 4(0)AFU 12 July 1943, 20 OTU 17 August 1943 and 1658 CU 12 November 1943 before reaching 640 Squadron on 24 February 1944. He was killed just five weeks afterwards. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2216/6 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2157/5 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 30-03-1944 |
End Date | 31-03-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Leconfield |
Day/Night Raid | Night (45% moon) |
Operation | Nuremberg. 795 aircraft, 95 losses (11.9%)- the highest of any raid. High-cloud was expected to offer protection to the bomber stream but the target would be clear for the bombing run. A Mosquito meteorological flight had predicted that in fact that would not be the case, but the raid went ahead anyway. The German controller ignored the diversionary raids and had his fighters circling close to the route of the main force, using Tame Boar tactics. Consequently, the fighters engaged the bombers before they reached the Belgian border. The clear conditions allowed the fighters to pick off bombers at will with 82 of the 95 bombers being Lost on the outbound leg. Strong winds meant that some of the bombers went off the intended route and as a consequence many bombed Schweinfurt in error, some 50 miles from Nuremberg. The problem as exacerbated by two PFF aircraft dropping markers in Schweinfurt. Overall, the raid was a failure and little damage was caused. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter (Me 110) on outbound leg and crashed, out of control, at Halbs, NNW of Westerburg, Germany |