PL - Norman Vincent Gautschi KIA

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"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
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Gautschi, Norman Vincent DFC (Flying Officer)

Killed in Action 1944-July-08

Canada

Birth Date: 1917-October-23 (age 26)

Son of Theodore Alphonse and Elizabeth Ellen Gautschi, of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Home: Vancouver, British Columbia

Decorations: DFC

Distinguished Service Cross

Service
RCAF

Unit
106 Sqn- Squadron

Rank

Flying Officer

Marshal
Air Chief Marshal	A/C/M
Air Marshal	A/M
Air Vice Marshal	A/V/M
Air Commodore	A/C
Group Captain	G/C
Wing Commander	W/C
Squadron Leader	S/L
Flight Lieutenant	F/L
Flying Officer	F/O
Pilot Officer	P/O
Warrant Officer 1st Class	WO1
Warrant Officer 2nd Class	WO2
Flight Sergeant	FS
Sergeant	SGT
Corporal	CPL
Senior Aircraftman	SAC
Leading Aircraftman	LAC
Aircraftman 1st Class	AC1
Aircraftman 2nd Class	AC2

Position
Bomb Aimer

Service Numbers
J/25073

Born in Vancouver, 1917; served in Seaforth Highlanders. Enlisted March 1942. Trained at No.1 ITS (graduated 27 December 1942), No.7 BGS (graduated 21 February 1943) and No .7 AOS (graduated 16 April 1943). Killed in action 7/8 July 1944; buried in France. 106 Squadron (Pro Libertate). Lancaster aircraft JB 641 crashed during night operations against St Leu D'Esserent, France. Five RAF members of the crew, F/S J. Balmer, F/L F.C.W. Clement D.F.C., Sgt(s) J. Palmer, R.D. Potter, and F/O W.B. Wilkinson were also killed. One crew member, not Canadian, missing believed killed. .Addendum: Add to the crew list Sgt. J.M. McLachlan (RAF) was also killed and was buried in the same cemetery as Gautschi. This completes this crew list. Detail provided by Joel Huard, Serquigny, France. - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.106 Squadron (deceased) - Award effective 6 July 1944 as per London Gazette dated 25 January 1946 and AFRO 244/46 dated 8 March 1946. GAUTSCHI, F/O Norman Vincent (J25073) -Distinguished Flying Cross - The citation reads - "Flying Officer Gautschi has taken part in attacks on many of the most heavily defended targets in Germany, including Berlin, Augsburg, Essen, and Stuttgart. On his first operational flight he obtained an excellent photograph of the aiming point and on his second sortie a few nights later he made a telling attack on an enemy aircraft factory and also obtained a fine photograph. This officer has on all his subsequent operations maintained this high standard and his accuracy and steadiness as bomb aimer have made him a most valuable member of his crew." Detail provided by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Home

Google Map

Vancouver, British Columbia

Burial
Google Map

Google Map

St Sever Cemetery Extension, France
Block S Plot 1 Row I Coll Grave 6-7

Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.

The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia

YouTube Lancaster Bomber

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General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

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last update: 2021-09-18 14:32:33

Lancaster Mk.III JB641

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