The Story of Lancaster W4326 SR-C & the loss of her Bomber Command crew

At this time little is known about Jay's service with 101 Squadron during the first part of 1942. He would have flown operations in Wellington Bombers with a crew of five, it is known that at least once he flew with Flt.Lt. J.W.Menzies DFC.

At some point around early November 1942 he would have teamed up with the rest of the crew of SR-C under W.O2 Spinney and converted from Wellingtons to the mighty Lancaster Bomber. While 'shaking down' their brand new plane during the night of 16-November-1942, on a cross country bombing practice, they were all tragically lost in an accident.

The Lancaster's tail section was blown off in the explosion and the rest of the plane dived into the ground in flames. Rescue services and aircraft from 101 Squadron combed the area but sadly it was ten days before Jay was found. He was buried with his other overseas crew-mates in Towyn Cemetery, Wales. During the search it seems that Jay was reported as 'Missing -Presumed Dead' and that this was not rescinded, he is also honoured therefore on The Runnymede Memorial to Airmen with No Known Grave. A stunning monument to so many brave souls on a beautiful hilltop setting overlooking the River Thames.

RUNNEYMEDE

The first rays of the dawning sun
Shall touch its pillars,
And as the Day advances
And the light grows stronger,
You shall read the names
Engraved on the stone
Of those who sailed on the angry sky
And saw harbour no more.
No gravestone in yew-dark churchyard
Shall mark their resting place;
Their bones lie in the forgotten corners
Of earth and sea.
But, that we may not lose their memory
With fading years, their monument stands here,
Here, where the trees troop down to Runnymede.
Meadow of Magna Carta, field of freedom,
Never saw you so fitting a memorial,
Proof that the principals established here
Are still dear to the hearts of men.
Here now they stand, contrasted and alike,
The field of freedom's birth, and the memorial
To freedom's winning.

And, as evening comes,
And mists, like quiet ghosts, rise from the river bed,
And climb the hill to wander through the cloisters,
We shall not forget them. Above the mist
We shall see the memorial still, and over it
The crown and single star. And we shall pray
As the mists rise up and the air grows dark
That we may wear
As brave a heart as they.

Three thousand miles across a hunted ocean they came,
wearing on the shoulder of their tunics the treasured name, "Canada," telling the world their origin.
Young men and women they were, some still in their teens, fashioned by their Maker to love,
not to kill, but proud and earnest in their mission to stand, and if it had to be,
to die, for their country and for freedom.

One day, when the history of the twentieth century is finally written,
it will be recorded that when human society stood at the crossroads and civilization itself was under siege,
the Royal Canadian Air Force was there to fill the breach and help give humanity the victory.
And all those who had a part in it will have left to posterity a legacy of honour,
of courage, and of valour that time can never despoil.

-from a speech by Father J.P. Lardie, Chaplain 419, 428 Squadron at the dedication
of the RCAF Memorial at Middleton St. George, 15 June, 1985

Another courageous young man, who crossed the World to join the fight for Freedom against tyranny, perhaps his achiement can be summed up by the two words at the top of his obituary:-

GIVES LIFE