Johnston, Arnold Ney

Date of birth:: May 16th, 1916 (Cartwright/Ontario, Canada)
Date of death:: September 17th, 1944
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Protestant Cemetery Strijen
Grave: 6.
Service number:: J/28771
Nationality:: Canadian

Biography

Arnold was born on May 16 1916 in Cartwright Durham County Ontario, the son of John Alexander Johnston and Edith May Johnston nee Ferguson of Burketon Ontario. They were married on May 24 1911 in Blackstock Durham County. His bothers were Keith Bruce and Neil Alexander Johnston and his sister was Mrs. Ferga Marjory Avery.

He was a salesman and member of the United Church. His sports were skating, baseball, hockey, tennis and badminton.

He enlisted on April 22 1942 in Toronto and he went on September 1 1943 thereafter overseas to the UK.

Arnold was killed in action on Sunday September 17 1944 age 28 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 Wilfred G. Scanlan age 21 in grave 7. 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.

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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