RootsChat.Com

Just to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year.

Sorry Caroline, I was under the impression that third from the left was identified as Burke?
Tranquilizers are just to your left love!
                                                                 Bill.

Caroline,
Nothing in the photograph gives any indication about when the picture was taken, however, I suspect it was when he was newly commissioned. My reason for that statement is that his hat looks quite new and pristine.
Bomber types were quite proud of their SD caps and would endeavour to hang on to them even when issued with new uniforms. A bomber man's "operational" cap was a treasured possession and was quite often regarded as a talisman.

Caroline,
Thanks for your posting, I'm glad that I'm not the only one to make such assertions!
I agree with everything Harry says, the OTU's did have to cope with some very tired old aeroplanes and I'm sure that contributed in no small part to the loss of so many trainee aircrew.
Looking at the loss reports for this particular night, 22 OTU lost three aircraft , as Harry says. What struck me as I read the reports was the fact that all three reported problems with the starboard engine. That is some spooky coincidence.
Now I'm going to really stick my neck out!
Studying the photo of our young man for the umpteenth time and comparing facial features with the crew photo, I believe there is quite a resemblance to the man second from right, i.e. the one I nominate as the rear gunner. If it is not a younger version of him, then it could well be a younger brother, in which case he may not have been aircrew, hence no flying badges and if the photo was taken in Canada, he would not necessarily have worn CANADA flashes.

I have to admit to some confusion folks!
The Winipeg Sun has Allison down as the bomb aimer in the crew,as do  other posts on this thread, but the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists him as navigator. Could make crew identification even harder than it already is don't you think?
On Caroline's update thread, the picture of the crew in flying clothing throws up one or two useful points. The man on the extreme right has a badge on his upper left arm. In the other photos this was not very distinct and I took it to be a wireless operator's badge but, move back from your screen a couple of feet and look at it again. Is it my imagination, or could that badge have the word CANADA on it?
The man next to him, I believe, is one of the air-gunners, quite possibly the rear gunner. He would be the one member of the crew most likely to be wearing a full Irving flying suit as this chap is. The fellow second from left seems to be similarly attired, although it is not quite so distinct. If that is the case, then we have found Groulx and Du Sablon.
Now look at the photograph that Caroline found of Allison in formal uniform. Compare it with with the facial features of the man third from right in  the crew photo.
Could they not be one and the same person? If so, then the navigator's bag on the ground almost in front of him might well bear out the CWGC listing of Allison as the navigator.
This all contributes nothing to identifying the young man in the original photograph found at the crash site, except that it does confirm that crew members probably wore "CANADA" flashes on their uniform jackets.
Over to you my friends.