Mystery picture found near site of Canadian plane crash in Wales...who is he?

[Damien]

The man standing to the left in the new photo looks like the same person standing to the left of Ernest in the first crew photo,and the man on the right looks like the one who is second from right in the first crew photo.

[Caroline_d]

Damien has a point about the pictures.  I've emailed Ernests relative to see if she has any idea on the names of the other 2 men in her picture....I couldn't take another mystery! but he has a point about them looking similar...

Janice, can you get any info from your friend the Mayor? after all, the picture is also shown with Eric Burke in the newspaper article.

[Janice M]

I have received permission to post the photo of J.P. Ernest Burke. I also wanted to let you know what his niece had to say about him.

"I've read the infomation on the rootchat.  I can't believe all the trouble you have gone through to help us get back with Uncle Ernest.  I am includeing a few pictures which I have of him to help you get to know him better.  I remember my mother telling us that he was a gunner and wireless operator.  He was born April 24, 1924 which made him 22 when he died.  Such a young man.  I have never met him but through my mother got to know him.  He was a very good boy and had a heart of gold.  My mother loved her little brother.

My uncle Ernest graduated from Sacred Heart University with a secretarial degree.  He was a trumpet player and was part of the orchestra. (All my family is very musical) In 1942, he was time-keeper for "Foundation Company" in Arvida, near Jonquière, in Quebec. This was a company responsible for the construction of the Electric Central of Shipshaw. In 1943, he enroled as a volunteer in the Canadian Air Force.  His training brought him to St Hubert, then Paulson, Brandon then Winnipeg in Manitoba.  He was promoted to sargent on January 28 1944, after successfully completing couses in navigation and wireless operating in Brandon.  He left from Halifax for England  on October 10. All his family was waiting to meet his train as it went through Bathurst, but unfotunately, the train took another route and did not pass through Bathust.  Everybody was quite disapointed, as they were notr able to see him. Then he died a month later.  My grandfather was only 56 at the time of my uncle's death."

It is so nice to actually get to know something about these young men.

Janice

[J.J.]

Not sure what the f. means...aren't the other 2 named here...? so he must have
trained right here in Manitoba, first, just like my Dad did!!!! 2 years of vigorous
training. These fellows all went through a heck of a lot even in training.

Sgt. Joseph Paul Ernest Burke, to the centre ,( f.) of
William and of Hermine Hachey, at Winnipeg, in 1944
If it said Burke I would think the f. was for "son"

re: below
of course, silly me...how nice that the maiden name is used...I am so used to
some of these old files where the poor ladies had first names only!

[g a r]

I think the f. is for son and Hermine Hachey is mom's maiden name.

[J.J.]

  I posted at the same time last night, again , but was too tired
to look at yours, Janice...What a lovely letter from Ernest's niece.  I have just
been watching "Bomber Boys" this week...a documentary type shoot of 6
grandsons of wartime airmen. They have 3 weeks of air training at an
actual training station, and it is giving them (& us) a small idea of the grueling
pace and intense workout that they had.
 The series says it took longer to train as a wireless operator than it did a pilot.
My father also trained at Paulson and Brandon. What a wonderful bunch of
fellows they all were, to have volunteered for this duty.   


( Dad said that he couldn't see any stripes or anything to make out rank...
He did say that the pilot had his rank closer to the cuff, I believe where as the
others were on sleeves ...but our forces buffs would have caught that anyway.)

[dennford]

Commissioned officers have thier rank on the cuff and eppaulettes, non commissioned officers on the upper arm, however I don't believe rank was nessesarily worn on flying suits, the first picture of our young airman is in dress suit and shows no rank at al which is why I believe it was took at recruit training.
                                   Denn

[Caroline_d]

I’ve received information from the people at Mc Gill University who are researching their past pupil William Allison.  I’ve emailed them the information we have all found out and posted on this site and as you will read, they are also now helping to find out more. 

Parts of emails received have been posted below

He was a McGill student in 1936 & 1937  and was 28 at the time of death. He was a flight lt, which would likely make him a pilot or co-pilot, although pilots were certainly of the “Sgt” or F/O (Flying Officer rank) in the RCAF during that time. His age would indicate that he was likely an instructor

We’re going to use part of it and some of your other messages, along with the various photos, and create a new webpage for William Allison as part of our project.  We have mobilized the resources of the university to see if we can locate the family of Mr. Allison. As of today both our alumni association and registrar’s office are working to find clues as to where any members of his family might be.so that you can contact them.  The problem that we have, in terms of information, is that Mr. Allison graduated in 1937 and beyond any basic records (such as type of degree he obtained) we are likely to have nothing else. However we might be able to find a sibling who attended McGill who might have a link to our alumni group who try to track the approximately 150,000 living graduates of McGill.

Everyone here at the university who has come in contact with the tale becomes quite interested in resolving the mystery.

Chris Milligan and I are also doing a presentation for the university’s historical association, and we have decided to insert your grandfather’s story as a highlight (and an example of why our project is of interest to other people in world).

I will keep you posted of any updates, a newspaper report was also included with the email which I’ve also posted.

[Caroline_d]

Denn, I think you are right.....I forgot to add that the email from Mc Gills also mentioned that each time there was a promotion, a new photo was taken and maybe the glue and navy card on the back of the photograph was because they had wanted to keep an older photograph and therefore ripped it from old documents.  An example of the card and photo was given but I can't copy it here.

It could also give a reason why the unknown man looked much younger than the members of the crew...as mentioned by Denn, it could have been taken at recruit training.