Turner, Herbert Albert

Date of birth:: April 13th, 1919 (London/Ontario, Canada)
Date of death:: December 16th, 1943
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Protestants Churchyard Huizum Village Leeuwarden
Row: 10. Grave: 2.
Service number:: 18079.A
Nationality:: Canadian

Biography

Albert was born on April 13 1919 in London Ontario, the son of Herbert Alexander Turner and Edith Turner nee Clarke of London, Ontario. They were married on April 18 1918 in Chelsfield England. His brother was Frank William Turner and his sister Mrs. Molly Elizabeth Howe.

He was an elevator boy and member of the Anglican Church and his sports were hockey, softball and football.

He enlisted on September 15 1939 in London Ontario and he went thereafter on November 5 1942 overseas to the UK.

Albert was killed in action on Thursday December 16 1943 age 24 due to a crash at Weidum - Wijtgaard south of Leeuwarden before or after an attack on Berlin in Germany. The other fallen RCAF crew member was W/O I James S. Briegel age 28 in grave 10-4. The other fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew members were Sgt Raymond Hughes age 19 in grave 10-5 and F/Sgt Thomas W. Pragnell age 22 in grave 10-1 and the other fallen RAAF crew member was W/O Raymond K. Saunders age 23 in grave 10-3. The other fallen USAAF crew member F/O William C. Fisher was initially buried in Huizum but later reburied at the Ardennes American Cemetery in Neuville-en-Condroz (Belgium) in grave C-7-50. The other RCAF crew member F/Sgt O.D. Lewis survived the crash and he became then a prisoner of war and he survived the war and the other RAAF crew member F/Sgt M.A.T. Brudell survived the crash too and he also became then a prisoner of war.

On his headstone: YOUR KNIGHTLY VIRTUE PROVED, YOUR MEMORY HALLOWED IN THE LAND YOU LOVED

He was awarded on October 9 1942 the Air Gunner’s Badge and he was awarded on June 14 1947 posthumously the RCAF Operational Wings and Certificate of gallant services in action against the enemy.

He is mentioned together wit the other fallen crew members at an information sign in Huizum.

He served with the 432 Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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