World War Two collections | Page 7

Title

WWII

These collections contains all materials relating to Canadian from 1939 to 1945. Some individual collections may contain materials beyond this time frame. External links in collection descriptions are to casualty and burial information at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Richards, Edward Gordon Coke

Flight Sergeant Edward "Ted" Gordon Coke Richards was born on October 10, 1916 and served as a gunner with the 49th Squadron. He was killed on a raid over Germany, March 15, 1945, leaving behind a wife and infant daughter in Canada. The collection consists of five letters, two photographs, and seventeen poems he wrote while stationed overseas.

External links:
Flight Sergeant Edward Gordon Coke Richards’ service record (Serv/Reg# R252612) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Richards can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Rimer, Val Max Harold

Trooper Val Max Harold Rimer was born in Toronto, Ontario, on February 8, 1923. His family later moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

He served in World War II with the 2nd Armoured Regiment, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians). Shipped overseas in 1943 aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth, Rimer fought in the Italian Campaign, where he took part in the Battle for the Melfa River, and then in Belgium and Holland. Following the end of the war Rimer returned to Canada in 1946, travelling once again aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth.

In 2005 Rimer received the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation award in recognition of his work “in numerous community initiatives devoted to the care and support of Veterans.”

Content notes:
The collection’s only letter was written by Rimer to his mother in December of 1943.
Please note: there is some uncertainty regarding Rimer’s full name. In the collection’s letter his name was written with his service number and rank as “Rimer, M.H.” and the letter signed as “Max.” Following the war it appears that the name he went by publicly was “Val Rimer,” which, for example, is the name in which his Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation was issued. The collection name incorporates both war-time and post-war name formats.

External links:
Tpr. Val Rimer’s service record (Serv/Reg# H102549) is not currently open to public access through Library and Archives Canada.
Rimer’s receipt of the Government of Canada’s Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation.

[Editor’s note: Collection updated July/2023. One new postcard added, letter transcription reviewed and jpg files added, duplicate letter posting error corrected, and Collection Description updated. The collection name was originally posted as “Rimer, Val”.]

Roche, Thomas Joseph

Thomas Joseph Roche was born in Toronto, Ontario in April, 1918 and enlisted with the RCAF where he served as WO II. He served overseas with the 106 Sqdn. Roch'e aircraft and crew were lost on a raid against Hamburg, Germany on July 28, 1943. The collection currently consists of one letter, and two photographs.

External links:
Warrant Officer Thomas Joseph Roche’s service record (Serv/Reg# R115295) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Roche can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Ross, Colin Sewell

Colin Sewell Ross was born in November, 1921 and lived in Toronto, where he studied at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto from 1940-1941. In 1941 he joined the army. Ross served with the 4th Canadian Armoured Division and the 29th Canadian Armoured Recce Regt., fighting in France, Belgium, and Holland, and finished the war with the rank of Lt.-Col. Following the war he returned to the University of Toronto and graduated in medicine in 1950. Ross died in April, 2001. The collection consists of photographs and some personal items from his time in the army. See also the James Wells Ross collection in WWI (his father) and the Gladys Hope Sewell Ross collection in WWI (his mother).

Scandiffio, Francis Michael

Francis (Frank) Michael Scandiffio was born on December 24, 1913 and served as a Pilot Officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the war. Frank was killed on July 15, 1944. The collection consists of twenty-nine letters written home by Tom as well as official correspondence relating to his death. See also the correspondence of his brother Thomas.

External links:
Pilot Officer Francis Michael Scandiffio’s service record (Serv/Reg# J88799) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Scandiffio can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Scandiffio, Thomas Peter

Thomas (Tom) Peter Scandiffio was born on April 12, 1912 and served as a Warrant Officer Class II with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the war. Thomas was killed June 16, 1943. The collection consists of more than twenty letters written home by Tom as well as official correspondence relating to his death. See also the correspondence of his brother Frank.

External links:
Warrant Officer Thomas Peter Scandiffio’s service record (Serv/Reg# R102787) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Scandiffio can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Scofield, Robert James

Flight Officer Robert James Scofield was born July 7, 1925. He enlisted in World War II with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Training initially in Canada, Scofield qualified as Air Gunner in September 1942 at No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School in Fingal, Ontario. He was deployed overseas to England in February 1943, and in May of that year joined the R.C.A.F. strategic and tactical bombing unit No. 408 “Goose” Squadron. Scofield survived the war, and was living in Nanaimo, British Columbia, at the time of his death in 2000.

Content notes:
Included in the collection is Scofield’s R.C.A.F. flight log book with entries covering the period of May 1942 to January 1944. There is also a hybrid diary-scrapbook in which Scofield kept notated newspaper clippings relating to some of his operational flights over Germany. Transcriptions have been provided for the handwritten portions of these, and each entry includes both the diary-scrapbook images, along with the relevant log book entry for that flight.
Please note that while F/O is the highest rank appearing for Scofield within the collection materials, his final rank on discharge is unknown.

External links:
F/O Robert James Scofield’s service record (Serv/Reg# R139883 and J19017) is not open for public access at this time.

Sedgwick, Arthur Louis

Arthur Louis Sedgwick was born in November 1920, the son of Thomas and Jane Sedgwick of Toronto, Ontario. Sedgwick was a pilot with the 419 Squadron during the war. On the night of November 18, 1943 he was flying a Halifax on a return mission from Mannheim when the plane went into a dive. Sedgwick remained at the controls while the rest of the crew evacuated safely, but was unable to escape himself before the plane crashed. He was twenty three years of age at the time of his death. The collection currently consists of more than twenty letters, as well as photographs and miscellaneous documents.

External links:
Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis Sedgwick’s service record (Serv/Reg# R141113) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Sedgwick can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Selfe, Conrad Anthony

Flight Lieutenant Conrad Anthony ("Tony") Selfe, DFM, was born July 22, 1922, in Comox, British Columbia, to parents Richard and Irene Selfe.

He enlisted on July 29, 1941, in Vancouver, B.C., as an Aero Engine Mechanic with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Posted overseas in May 1943, Selfe was promoted to Flight Sergeant rank in October of that same year. He served with No. 425 (Alouette) Squadron before joining No. 426 (Thunderbird) Sqn. in May 1944. Released from service following the end of the war, Selfe rejoined the R.C.A.F. as a pilot in 1951 and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on July 1, 1955, retiring from military service sometime thereafter (date unknown).

The memoir in the Selfe Collection, written in 1990, is an account of the D-Day mission he flew as pilot of a Halifax bomber with the 426 Sqn., and for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM). The award was published in The London Gazette on August 22, 1944, with the following commendation:

“One night in June, 1944, Flight Sergeant Selfe captained an aircraft detailed for an operational mission. Whilst over the target the aircraft sustained severe damage. Both the port engines were rendered useless and a large part of one of the wings was torn away. The aircraft became difficult to control but Flight Sergeant Selfe released his bombs. Some height had been lost but course was set for home. When within sight of the English coast, the aircraft suddenly dived to 400 feet. The situation was critical but, by skilful airmanship, Flight Sergeant Selfe regained some height. As the coast was crossed he ordered his crew to leave the crippled aircraft by parachute. This done, he headed the aircraft out to sea before abandoning it himself. This airman displayed great courage, tenacity and devotion to duty in the face of perilous circumstances, setting a most inspiring example.”

External links:

F/S Selfe (Serv/Reg# R110459) survived the war; his Service Record is not open to public access at this time.
The awarding of the Distinguished Flying Medal, published in The London Gazette on August 22, 1944 (# 36665, p. 3883).

[Editor’s note: Collection reviewed/updated October 2022. Some additional material was added (the newspaper clipping of 1945-03-10), and the collection description expanded.]

Senton, Claude

Claude Senton was born in Simpson, Saskatchewan in July, 1919. He enlisted with the RCAF in the summer of 1941 and served with the 422 Squadron as a Pilot officer. Senton was killed on May 24, 1944 when his plane was shot down, and is buried in Norway. The collection currently consists of personal correspondence, official correspondence regarding his death, as well as photographs and other miscellaneous items.

External links:
Pilot Officer Claude Senton’s service record (Serv/Reg# J89686) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Senton can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Serrick, Daniel

Daniel Serrick was born in Jollimore, Nova Scotia in September, 1920. In 1938 Serrick went to England and joined the Manchester Regiment, serving with 'B' Company until his evacuation from Dunkirk in June, 1940. He then transferred to the British Commandos and then to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion in July, 1942. From there Serrick volunteered for the joint American and Canadian The First Special Service Force and was killed in the Italian campaign on May 29, 1944. Daniel Serrick is buried in the Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. The collection consists of one letter to his sister as well as several photographs.

External links:
Staff Sergeant Daniel Serrick’s service record (Serv/Reg# U1805) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Serrick can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Smith, William Henry

William Henry Smith served with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders in France. Unfortunately we know nothing more about Smith than this journal. The journal came into the possession of another Highlander, James Briand, who preserved it. The collection currently consists of Smith's journal from 1941 to 1944, and several photographs.

Steel, William Arthur

William Steel served with the R.C.A.F. during WWII. This collection consists of more than 20 letters between himself and family members, miscellaneous documents, as well as some photographs. Some of the letters describe his life in Ceylon where he was stationed towards the end of the war.

Stevens, William George

William George Stevens was born on August 7, 1915, the son of George and Beatrice Stevens of St. James, Manitoba. He enlisted with the RCAF and flew with the 106 (R.A.F.) Squadron as a Pilot Officer (Air Gnr.). Stevens was shot down and killed April 27, 1944. The collection consists of two photographs, a pass, and an official letter regarding his status as missing.

External links:
Pilot Officer William George Stevens’ service record (Serv/Reg# J89945) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Stevens can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Stewart, Harold Charles Edward

Harold Charles Edward Stewart was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in August, 1920. Stewart enlisted with the RCAF and was killed in a mid-air collision while training near Dunnville, Ontario on January 17, 1944. The collection currently consists of personal correspondence, photographs, telegrams, and clippings.

External links:
Leading Aircraftman Harold Charles Edward Stewart’s service record (Serv/Reg# R210519) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Stewart can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Stewart, John

John Stewart was born in Ballamoney, Ireland, in 1924. He immigrated to Canada at age 5 and settled in Pickardville, Alberta. He served overseas with the Sherbrooke Fusiliers and was wounded in Holland. He returned to Canada at the end of the war. The collection currently consists of two photographs and three telegrams.

Stubbs, Robin Anthony

Flying Officer Robin Anthony (“Tony”) Stubbs was born in 1914 in Kelowna, British Columbia, to parents Robin Holford and Mary Kathleen (nee Freer) Stubbs.

Stubbs enlisted for Active Service with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the spring of 1942. After basic training in Alberta, Stubbs was posted to Saskatchewan at the R.C.A.F. Initial Training School (ITS #7) in Saskatoon, followed by Elemental Flying Training School (EFTS #6) in Prince Albert, and Service Flying School (SFTS #4) in Saskatoon. Commissioned in June of 1943, he completed his Canadian training at General Reconnaissance School (GRS #1) in Summerside, P.E.I.

Stubbs shipped for England in October of 1943, where he flew with No. 204 and No. 243 Squadrons, Royal Air Force. Much of his service time was spent flying Sunderland anti-submarine missions over the North Atlantic. He survived the war and returned to civilian life in 1945.

Content notes:
Most letters in the collection were written by Stubbs to his family (mother, father, sister Mary, and brother Archie) in Okanagan Mission near Kelowna, B.C., between May 1942 and September of 1945. Letter transcriptions were provided by the collection donor.

External links:
Flying Officer Robin Anthony Stubbs’ service record (Serv/Reg# J26815) is not open to public access at this time.

Styles, Jack Morris

Flying Officer Jack Morris Styles was born in Midland, Ontario, on June 7, 1924, to parents Reuel Clarence and Jessie (née Morris) Styles. Prior to the war he worked as a bank clerk with the Royal Bank in Arnprior, Ontario.

Styles joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943, training as a navigator before heading overseas to England in April of 1944. He served with the R.C.A.F. 426 “Thunderbird” Squadron. He was killed on February 3, 1945, along with his crew when their Halifax bomber crashed while returning from a mission over Germany. Styles was buried in the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Brookwood, England.

External links:
Flying Officer Jack Morris Styles’ service record (Serv/Reg# J42042) is not available at this time.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Styles can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

[Editor’s note: Collection reviewed/updated August 2022. Letter transcription errors have been corrected and layout/formatting updated as needed. Additional biographical information has been added to the Collection Description.]

Swinton, Hugh Alastair

Hugh Alastair Swinton enlisted in the fall of 1939 and joined the 61st Battalion Royal Canadian Artillery. The collection currently consists of more than one hundred eighty letters from 1940 to 1945, plus several photographs.

Taylor, John McGuire

John McGuire Taylor was born in November of 1917. Taylor served with the RCAF during WWII until his aircraft was shot down over North Africa, where he was taken prisoner in November of 1941. He remained a prisoner of war for the remainder of WWII. After being taken prisoner in Africa, Taylor was a POW in Italy, and then finally sent to Germany, where he spent time in Stalag Luft 3. The collection consists of an extended, illustrated memoir written while as a prisoner, as well as photographs, letters, cards, and his flying log.