Dewis, Frederick Sayre

Date of birth:: September 8th, 1913 (Edminton/Alberta, Canada)
Date of death:: June 22nd, 1942 (Lozen/Limburg, Belgium)
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Cemetery Heverlee
Plot: 6. Row: F. Grave: 11-12 Coll.
Service number:: R/171864
Nationality:: Canadian

Biography

Frederick Sayre Dewis was born on 8 September 1913 in Edmonton, the son of Clifford Sayre Dewis and Grace Emina Dewis- Pineo of Canmore Alberta. They were married on 1 September 1906 in Boston US. He married Mary Martha Dewis-Bacha of Canmore on 2 August 1941 in Calgary. Mary later remarried as Mrs E.G. Jones of Fort Worth Texas US. He was the brother of John Pineo Dewis (also in the army) and Marshall Woodworth Dewis (also in the RCAF).

He attended the Canmore Public School from 1919-1926 and then the Canmore High School from 1926-1930 and then the University of Alberta from 1930-1933 and then from 1934-1935 the LaSalle Institute in Chicago US (degree in higher accountancy). He was an office clerk and a member of the United Church. His sports were golf, ice hockey, baseball, skating and swimming. He spoke and read English and he could also read Spanish and French.

He served with the Non-Permanent Active Militia of Canada from 11 October 1939. He then enlisted in the RCAF in Edmonton on 30 June 1942 and received the Air Navigator's Badge in Canada on 19 March 1943. He then went overseas to the UK on 24 May 1943 and after arriving in the UK participated in his squadron's various air operations to NW Europe as Warrant Officer Class II.

Frederick died on Thursday 22 June 1944 at the age of 30 as a result of a crash in near Lozen (Bocholt) in Belgium during a mission to the town of Wesseling in Germany. He was then temporarily buried in Bocholt Belgium and reburied in Heverlee at an unknown date. The other fallen RCAF crew member was P/O John L. McKenna, age 22 in grave 6-F-13. The RAF VR crew members killed were: P/O Robert C. Hooper (DFM), age 22 in Coll. 6.F. 11-12, Sgt Thomas D.S. Fraser, age 24 in grave 6-F-9, Sgt Peter H. Kano, age 21 in grave 6-F-7, F/Lt Thomas Neison (DFM), age 31 in grave 6-F-10 and Sgt Daniel F.O. Synnot, age 19 in grave 6-F-8.
His name is listed with the other crew members on a plaque at Lozen church in Belgium.

He served with The Royal Canadian Air Force 630 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.

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