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McEachern, John William Hugh

Date of birth:
May 27th, 1915 (Midland/Ontario, Canada)
Date of death:
September 16th, 1944 (Vinkel, The Netherlands)
Buried on:
Commonwealth War Graves Roman Catholic Cemetery Heesch
Grave: 19.
Service number:
J/23068
Nationality:
Canadian

Biography

John was born on May 27 1915 in Midland Ontario, the son of Frank McEachern and Annie Louise McEachern nee Gill of Midland. They were married on April 1 1914 in Midland. He was married on September 7 1942 in Toronto with Gertrude Millicent McEachern nee Hoult of St Catharines Ontario and their daughter was Bonnie Suzanne McEachern (1944). Gertrude remarried later as Mrs. Bryan. His sisters were Francis Nellie and Edna Jean Carmylita McEachern.

He was a presser and member of the Presbyterian Church. His hobbies were boating, playing cards and billiards and his sports were hunting, swimming, hockey, rugby, skiing and boat racings.

He served two months with a Non-Permanent Active Militia of Canada. He enlisted on October 14 1940 then the RCAF in Kingston Ontario and he went on November 9 1943 thereafter overseas to the UK.

John was killed in action on Saturday September 16 1944 age 29 due to a crash at the village Vinkel near ‘s- Hertogenbosch before or after a support mission for the airborne landings near Eindhoven and Arnhem during operation Market Garden and he was shot down then by Flak.

He served with the 414 Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 7th, 1941
Pilot's Flying Badge

Sources

Photo