Scanlan, Wilfred George

Date of birth:: April 29th, 1923 (Westport/Ontario, Canada)
Date of death:: September 17th, 1944
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Protestant Cemetery Strijen
Grave: 7.
Service number:: J/25351
Nationality:: Canadian

Biography

Wilfred was born on April 29 1923 in Westport Ontario, the son of John Scanlan and Ethel Scanlan nee Herlehey of Westport. They were married on September 11 1916 in Westport. He had seven brothers and two sisters.

He was a machinist apprentice and member of the Roman Catholic Church and his sports were softball and hockey.

He enlisted on May 7 1942 in Ottawa and he went thereafter on July 7 1943 overseas to the UK.

Wilfred was killed in action on Sunday September 17 1944 age 21 due to a crash on September 16 1944 about 11.00 PM between the RAF Avro Lancaster LM169 during an attack on the Moerdijkbrug during operation Market Garden and they crashed very close to each other in and around the Mariapolder in Strijensas. The other fallen RCAF crew members were P/O Douglas Dawson age 19 in grave 2, F/O Peter W. Bickford age 24 in graf 5, F/Sgt Donald George Flood age 20 in grave 3 and F/O Arnold N. Johnston age 28 in grave 6. The other fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew members were P/O Peter L. Dooley age 19 in grave 8 and F/Sgt Uriah B. Butters age 21 in grave 4.

He was awarded on April 16 1943 the Air Bomber’s Badge and he was awarded on January 23 1947 posthumously The Operational Wings and Certificate in recognition of the gallant services.

His name is mentioned with the other fallen crew members at a monument on the church in Strijen.

He served with the 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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