Memorial Sergeant Ronald James Currie

A plaque has been placed on the wall around the church of Tournai-sur-Dives with the following text:

This is Sergeant Ronald James Currie, Canadian, service number: J/21861, of the Royal Canadian Air Force 184 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.

The indirect report, written by S/L J.W. Wilson, stated:
"On 18 August 1944 I led No. 184 Squadron, 12 aircraft, to attack enemy transport in an area two miles SW of Trun. The squadron was airborne at 4pm, F/O Currie flying as Landlord Yellow 2 .
When I reached the target area, I detached the Blue and Yellow Sections to attack and orbited the Red Section myself. Shortly after reaching the target area, I saw intense light anti-aircraft fire coming out of a forest and called Warn Landlord aircraft for it. About two minutes later I saw an unidentified plane crash and burst into flames. But I personally don't know if this was F/O Currie or Yellow 1, who has not yet returned from this operation.' GF Orr stated: "F/O Currie's machine was pouring white glycol smoke. I lost sight of F/O Currie as I broke away from the attack, but Lt. Green (SAAF) Yellow 4, who followed me into the attack , saw F/O Currie's machine crash." Green stated: "Currie was apparently unable to gain height, as he kept at 200 feet and turned slightly to the left in an attempt to reach our lines which lay behind the wood. However, he failed to do so and fell about half a mile southwest in the woods, where his machine burst into flames on impact.

On September 4, 1944, Mrs. Currie received a letter telling her of the circumstances surrounding the loss of her son. "Your son was the sole occupant of an aircraft that took off to conduct an attack on motor transport and tanks on August 18, 1944. Your son's aircraft was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire over the target and was seen to fall to the ground nearby Falaise and Argentan, France, at 4:45 p.m. Your son was not seen jumping out."

He died on August 18, 1944 at the age of 22.

He is buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Bretteville-sur-Laize. XVII. B.10.

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Source

• Text: Bart Van Doorslaer
• Photos: Bart Van Doorslaer