419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Halifax DT639

Crew of Halifax DT539

419 Squadron - Crew Changes

The Levasseur crew first appears at 419 on January 21st. 1943, at that time the Navigator was WO E.B. Hutchinson and the Flight Engineer was Sgt. J.B. Johnson. By the operation flown on the night of February 7/8 Sgt. Robinson was the F/E and Sgt. Lloyd was the Navigator. The crew then flew together for three operations before February 18th.
The other members of the crew flew a total of six sorties with their captain prior to the eighteenth.

February 18th 1943

Halifax DT639 took off for a mine laying operation off the Frisian Islands on February 18th at 1751. The night was bright moonlit and almost perfect visibility. The sky was also full of enemy fighters who were on patrol over the area.
No word was ever heard from the crew after they left the base. There were other Moose aircraft taking part in the Gardening Operation. Two of which were attacked by the fighters. One Moose Halifax claimed a Probable on a fighter that came in at it for the attack. The second Halifax drove off it's attacker with a burst of the rear guns.
DT639 may not have been so lucky, although with the night sky described as it was gave no visible evidence to the other six 419 crews in the area.
The Gardening Operation was made up of almost 90 aircraft. During this operation two Halifax bombers were lost the other was to 158 Squadron.
A larger raid of 195 bombers were targeting Wilhelmshaven on the same night.

Crew of Halifax DT539

419 Squadron - Crew Changes

February 18th 1943

Sergeant

William Albert Robinson

Flight Eng. Age 21
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Three Hills Alberta
Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Warrant Officer II

Harold Thomas Jacobsen

Wireless Op. Age 24
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Vancouver B. C. Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Flight Sergeant

Benoit Albert Levasseur

Pilot 26 th Op.
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Lac Du Bonnet Manitoba
Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Flight Sergeant

Robert Potter Wilson

Air Gunner Age 25
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Bronxville New York USA Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Sergeant

Grffith Arthur Lloyd RAF

Navigator Age 21
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Selsley Gloucestershire
Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Sergeant

John William Grant RAF

Bomb Aimer Age 20
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Warrant Officer II

William Reid Gray

Rear Gunner Age 26
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Winnipeg Manitoba Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Crew of Halifax DT539

419 Squadron - Crew Changes

February 18th 1943

Sergeant

William Albert Robinson

Flight Eng. Age 21 Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943 From Three Hills Alberta Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Warrant Officer II

Harold Thomas Jacobsen

Wireless Op. Age 24 Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943 From Vancouver B. C. Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Flight Sergeant

Benoit Albert Levasseur

Pilot 26 th Op. Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943 From Lac Du Bonnet Manitoba Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Flight Sergeant

Robert Potter Wilson

Air Gunner Age 25 Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943 From Bronxville New York USA Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Sergeant

Grffith Arthur Lloyd RAF

Navigator Age 21 Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943 From Selsley Gloucestershire Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Sergeant

John William Grant RAF

Bomb Aimer Age 20 Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943 Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Warrant Officer II

William Reid Gray

Rear Gunner Age 26 Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943 From Winnipeg Manitoba Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Flight Eng. Age 21
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Three Hills Alberta
Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Wireless Op. Age 24
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Vancouver B. C. Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Pilot 26 th Op.
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Lac Du Bonnet Manitoba
Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Air Gunner Age 25
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Bronxville New York USA Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Navigator Age 21
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Selsley Gloucestershire
Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Bomb Aimer Age 20
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
Rememberance Runnymede Memorial

Rear Gunner Age 26
Killed in Action Feruary 18 1943
From Winnipeg Manitoba Rememberance Runnymede Memorial