John
'Reggie' Richmond at home in Guelph, Ontario, Canada
John 'Reggie' Richmond was the mid upper gunner in the following
Lancaster crew
| Pilot |
Sgt
Frederick Morgan |
| Navigator |
Sgt
G.L. Fountain |
| Wireless
Op |
Sgt
R. MaGinnis |
| Bomb
Aimer |
Sgt
Kenneth Walker |
| Flight
Engineer |
Sgt
Kenneth Foster |
| Mid
Upper Gunner |
F/S
John 'Reggie' Richmond |
| Rear
Gunner |
Sgt
G.T. Spiece |
I'm
not sure when the crew were posted to 12 Squadron, but on
the 11 April 1943 Reggie wrote a cheerful letter to his parents
back home in Canada;
|
 
 
England,
Apr 11, 1943
Dear
Mum & Dad,
Well,
here I am just back from twelve days leave and settled
on another new station. I spent the greater part of
it with my brother and in laws and went out on a two-day
scheme with the 3rd battery. It was quite a change to
"tough it" for awhile in contrast to the compartively
soft life I have. However I enjoyed my leave very much
and had a great rest. When I arrived here there was
a post card from you waiting for me as well as a long
letter from Gertie.
By
the way, did I ever tell you about the members of my
crew? The pilot is a real nice Australian and certainly
knows his stuff. Our navigator is a red headed Scotchman
and always grinning. The flight engineer, bomb aimer
and wireless operator are all English and the rear gunner
and myself Canadian. We've been nick-named the "flying
league of nations" and to hear us all in conversation,
one would think we were rightly named. But the are all
great fellows and we get along fine together.
I
guess you and Dad are back on the homestead by now and
renewing aquaintances with all the neighbours. I didn't
mention having met Rip and Lorne Lott during my leave
- well I did and they are both fine, but poor Lorne
still has stutters as badly as ever.
Well
folks, I still haven't received but one parcel - and
that was in the middle of January. Irene mentioned having
sent cigarettes but they've never arrived either, and
I could sure do with some good fags for a change.
I
must close now for lack of news. I hope this reaches
you and finds you as heathly as I am. If I get any fatter,
I'm afraid it will be embarrassing.
Cheerio
with love
From
Reg.
|
On
the night of 13 May 1943 - operations were ordered to bomb
Bochum in Germany
Thirteen
Lancasters from 12 Squadron joined over 440 Bomber Command
aircraft
Tragically
the Lancaster Reggie was flying in [R5688 PH-G] crashed near
Gelsenkirchen. Those who died Sgt Morgan [New South Wales,
Australia], Sgt Foster [Yorkshire, UK] and Sgt Richmond [Ontario,
Canada] are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Sgt
Fountain, Walker, Maginnis and Spiece were captured and became
prisoners of war.
Below
are two letters sent to Reggie's parents - the first of which
is from the Royal Canadian Air Force, the second from RCAF
Air Marshal Harold Edwards
I'd
like to say a special thank you to Heather Kailburn for the
information on this page
