When an air force crew packed up its troubles and headed for a target, it would sometimes bring them back with them.
Thus, our story.
Frederick and Isabella Churchard brought a new child into the world in September, 1922. Christened George, he would grow up with a brother (Fred) and sister, on Sammon Avenue, in the Toronto suburb of East York.
Graduating from East York Collegiate just as the war started, George would join the Royal Canadian Air Force and report for duty at No. 1 Manning Depot, Canadian National Exhibition, on May 25, 1942.
We can follow his progress through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, thanks to his “Record of Service Airmen” card that went everywhere George went in the RCAF.
After basic and initial training, there was “Hangar Duty” at Hagersville, Ontario (cleaning, standing guard duty, etc.) while waiting for a spot to open. Then George went to Guelph for radio school on the campus of what is now the University of Guelph. It would be 18 months of different airfields before he came out the other end as a Wireless Air Gunner, with the rank of Sergeant. During that training, word came back to the family in May of 1943 that Fred had been shot down on a mission with the RCAF and was in a Prisoner of War camp.
George arrived in England during the early spring, and would be assigned to the famous No. 98 Squadron (Second Tactical Air Force), as a wireless operator and gunner on North American Mitchell II light bombers. The airfield was Dunsfold, Surrey, known in modern times as the home for the television series Top Gear.
On September 8, 1944, pilot Denis Loveridge and his crew took off in Mitchell II (FW 188, VO-B) for a daylight attack on Boulogne, France, supporting the move up the coast by the First Canadian Army. After “bombs gone” an indicator did not turn green, meaning one of the 500 pounders had hung up – refused to release – and the real danger began.
The crew would have been able to check by having someone crawl down the 18-inch high “Hell Hole” that was the gap from the top of the enclosed bomb bay and the top of the fuselage. There, a hatch opened to peer down.
They must have tried to dislodge it by putting the aircraft through heavy maneuvers, but that didn’t work.
We know the crew chose to come into the airfield together (rather than have most of them jump and land by parachute). On touchdown, the bomb let go, exploded, and killed four of them, plus an airman on the ground.
Per Ardua ad Astra to the brave crew of Loveridge, Churchard, Navigator Robert Logie, and gunner Russ Durling. All are buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking.
