Last Post - P/O (AG) Joseph William Ash

Source: reconstructed according to http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers

Lost Bomber Report

Serial MZ807. 45 Halifax Mk.111. Part of a batch of 360 HP61 Halifax Mk.B.111. Delivered by English Electric Co. (Salmesbury & Preston) between 23Jun44 and 14Jul44. MZ807 was initially issued to No.422 Sqdn. Airborne 1749 Dec. 02, 1944 from Skipton-on-Swale... Those killed are buried in Choloy War Cemetery. See below for images of the gravesite and headstone. F/S Mallory was treated for his injuries in a French Hospital.

Source: www.lostbombers.co.uk

Click here to read the entire report.

Choloy Cemetery

Choloy War Cemetery was created as the last resting place of military personnel recovered from isolated sites and small churchyards in north-eastern France where permanent maintenance of the graves was not possible. It is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The land was a gift from the people of France as shown in the plaque below.

In Memory of Pilot Officer JOSEPH WILLIAM ASH

J/95203, 433 Sqdn., Royal Canadian Air Force

who died age 23 on 02 December 1944

Son of Frank and Delia Ash, of Val D'Or, Province of Quebec, Canada.

Remembered with honour

CHOLOY WAR CEMETERY

Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The headstone of Pilot Officer Joseph William Ash beside his crew members at Choloy War Cemetery, image courtesy of Al Mallory, Son of F/S Lorne Mallory.

The image below of PO Ash's Headstone at Choloy is provided courtesy of The War Graves Photographic Project. http://www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=2692099. The Project has kindly posted the photo of the crew with each crew's headstone on their site.

Pilot Officer Joseph William Ash was born in Val D'Or, Quebec. The confident, smiling young man joined the Royal Canadian Airforce in 1942, and was trained as an Air Gunner. He crewed up with the W.H. Cook crew of 433 Squadron. The crew departed at 17:00 hours for an operation near Hagen Germany, crashing in France at 23:00 hours on Dec 2/3, 1944. It was the first flight of the W.H. Cook crew in Halifax MZ 807. The image on the right of Joseph William Ash was taken in the truck that transported him and his crew to their last flight. P/O Joseph William Ash is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank And Delia Ash of Val d'Or, Quebec.

Ops Report December 2/3, 1944

31 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 432, 433, and 434 squadrons were joined by 48 Lancasters from 419, 428 and 431 squadron on an attack at Hagen. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 18,000 feet, releasing 1,424,000 lbs of high explosives and 262,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, bombing was accurate with severe damage being caused. A factory making batteries for U-Boats was completely destroyed. All crews commented on the severe icing to and from the target on this night.

Source: http://www.6grouprcaf.com/ courtesy of Richard Koval

__________________________________

F/Lt W. Cook RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-807 coded BM-C, failed to return from this operation.

Sgt R. Ainsworth RAF

F/O J. Grant RCAF

F/O R. Shiells RCAF

F/O J. Pittman RCAF

F/Sgt L. Mallory RCAF– injured

P/O J. Ash RCAF

6 crew were killed and one injured.

Source www.Rcaf.com

Click here to read the entire ops report.

Click here to see the "They Shall Not grow Old" entry for P/O Joseph William Ash

Canada's Bomber Memorial contains the names of 10,063 brave Canadian members of Bomber Command who died during World War II. To see images of the beautiful Memorial at Nanton, Alberta, click here. Toward the bottom of the second column of this panel one can see the name of Robert Howard Shiells.