HIGGINS, Flight Sergeant Leslie Philip (RAF 505378) - British Empire Medal - No.32 Service Flying Training School, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan - Awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 January 1946 and AFRO 82/46 dated 25 January 1946). As non-commissioned officer in charge of Airframe Repairs, Flight Sergeant Higgins has been outstanding both as a senior non-commissioned officer and as a tradesman. It has been through his efforts, resourcefulness and exceptional devotion to duty that a high standard of aircraft serviceability has been maintained under the most difficult circumstances.

HIGGINS, S/L Clarence Wilfred (J15695) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.431 Squadron - Award effective 10 May 1944 as per London Gazette dated 23 May 1944 and AFRO 1380/44 dated 30 June 1944. Born in Charlottetown, 3 October 1913; home there. Enlisted in Charlottetown, 10 September 1940. To No.1 Equipment Depot, 9 November 1940. To No.1 ITS, 10 December 1940; graduated and promoted LAC, 14 January 1941; posted next day to No.1 Manning Depot; to No.4 EFTS, 27 January 1941; graduated 5 March 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot; to No.8 SFTS, 7 April 1941; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 3 July 1941. To Embarkation Depot, 4 July 1941; to RAF overseas, 20 July 1941. Commissioned 8 July 1942. On 17 November 1942 involved in minor accident at either Riccall or Leeming (Halifax R9384), instructing. Promoted Flying Officer, 8 January 1943; promoted Flight Lieutenant, 10 June 1943; promoted Squadron Leader, date uncertain. Repatriated 12 August 1944. Next few postings uncertain. To No.164 (Transport) Squadron, 8 May 1945. To No.168 (Heavy Transport) Squadron, 24 May 1945. To No.5 OTU, 14 July 1945. Retired 29 October 1945. Photo PL-25517R shows him on return to Canada. Photo PL-31175 taken 14 July 1944 has caption stating he had completed second tour (50 sorties in all); the last was described as the most exciting of all; “coming home from a French target he had to fly almost at ground level to escape a heavy flak barrage.” PL-31176 shows him saying goodbye to his mid-upper gunner, P/O Con Kelway. RCAF photo PL-31177 (ex UK-12618 dated 14 July 1944) shows him at dispersal saying farewell to ground crew - top to bottom, LAC Walter Tomlinson (Vancouver), LAC Scottie Wyllie (Ottawa), LAC “York” Davis (Haney, B.C.) and LAC Walter Melvin (Webb, Saskatchewan). Photo PL-31178 (ex UK-12619 dated 14 July 1944) shows Higgins on extreme right with (left to right), P/O Con Kelway (Victoria, bomb aimer), LAC “York” Davis (Haney), LAC Walter Melvin (Webb), LAC Ken James (Saskatoon), LAC Walter Tomlinson (Vancouver) and LAC Scottie Wyllie (Ottawa). DHist file 181.009 D.5526 (RG.24 Vol.20667) has recommendation dated 20 February 1944 when he had flown 32 sorties (176 hours 45 minutes). First tour was 23 November 1941 to 6 October 1942 (27 sorties which included returning on three engines from Bremen, 29 June 1942, and returning from Essen on three engines after a flak hit, 4 August 1942. Second tour had been five sorties to date (22 October 1943 to 29 January 1944), with attacks by fighters on last two trips (20 January and 29 January 1944, both to Berlin). // This officer has taken part in attacks on numerous targets in the Ruhr Valley and other such heavily defended objectives as Berlin, Mannheim, and Hamburg. He is now on his second tour of operations and has consistently shown great determination, initiative and fine airmanship. On three occasions Squadron Leader Higgins has flown his aircraft back from Germany with one engine not functioning and in two other sorties has successfully evaded persistent attacks by enemy night fighters. // The sortie list was as follows: // 23 November 1941 - Dunkirk (3.00, second pilot) // 26 November 1941 - Ostende (2.30, second pilot) // 21 January 1942 - Bremen (5.50, second pilot) // 26 January 1942 - Hanover (7.00, second pilot) // 12 February 1942 - Scharnhorst (3.45, daylight, target not located, second pilot) // 6 April 1942 - Essen (6.50, second pilot)) // 8 April 1942 - Hamburg (5.30, second pilot) // 25 June 1942 - Bremen (5.10, captain of aircraft hereafter) // 27 June 1942 - Bremen (5.10) // 29 June 1942 - Bremen (5.15, returned on three engines) // 2 July 1942 - Bremen (3.30, intercom failure; bombed Amelard) // 8 July 1942 - Wilhelmshaven (4.25) // 13 July 1942 - Duisburg (5.15) // 19 July 1942 - Vegasack (5.20) // 21 July 1942 - Duisburg (4.15, good photograph) // 23 July 1942 - Duisburg (4.55) // 25 July 1942 - Duisburg (3.20, abandoned mission due to icing) // 26 July 1942 - Hamburg (5.45) // 29 July 1942 - Saarbrucken (6.10) // 31 July 1942 - Dusseldorf (4.40) // 4 August 1942 - Essen (5.05, hit by flak; returned on three engines) // 16 September 1942 - Essen (6.15) // 19 September 1942 - Saarbrucken (7.20) // 23 September 1942 - Flensburg (6.25, bombed at 1,500 feet - should this read 15,000 feet ?) // 1 October 1942 - Hamburg (6.10) // 5 October 1942 - Aachen (5.15) // 6 October 1942 - Osnabruck (5.40, returned on three engines) // * * * * * // 22 October 1943 - Kassel (6.20) // 18 November 1943 - Mannheim (8.00) // 19 November 1943 - Leverkusen (6.35) // 20 January 1944 - Berlin (8.15, attacked by fighter) // 29 January 1944 - Berlin (7.50, attacked by fighter) // RCAF Press Release No.5612 dated 30 June 1944 from F/L H.W. Eggleston, transcribed by Huguette Oates, reads: // WITH RCAF BOMBER GROUP OVERSEAS: -- It was the pilot’s final sortie on his second tour of operations and the crew who had flown with him on most of them were still anxiously awaiting the thrills they hadn’t yet experienced during assaults on enemy targets. So just to oblige them, F/L C.W. Higgins, DFC, of Charlottetown, P.E.I. (St. Avards), a Lion squadron skipper, ended his operational career in a blaze of glory by zooming his big Halifax bomber down to within 300 feet of the deck and gave his gunners and bomb-aimer the opportunity to strafe German troops, tanks and radio installations with machine-gun fire. // It all happened during a daylight attack on a launching site for German flying bombs “doodle bugs” located near Gorenflos, France. The bomber had unloaded its cargo of T.N.T. on the target and was wending its way home when it was caught in a flak barrage about 20 miles inside the French coast. One piece of flak blasted its way through the mid-upper gunner’s turret, hit a panel in front of him, bounced back and hit him on the nose. He was not seriously hurt. // Forced to take violent evasive action, F/L Higgins put his aircraft into a dive. The next thing the crew knew, they were so close to the ground that they could see German troops, tanks and radio installations looming up ahead of them. The long awaited chance had come --- the mid-upper gunner, P/O Con Kelway of Victoria, B.C., (953 Balmoral Road), the rear-gunner and bomb-aimer (both Englishmen), manned the guns and went into action. // “We could almost see the “whites of their eyes,” said the mid-upper gunner in relating the story of the “shoot up”. The troops digging on the beaches fled for cover as we opened fire, but those guarding the tanks opened up on us with machine guns and rifles. “There was also a horse and cart ambling along a road. The fire from our guns startled it and it bolted. The last thing we saw it was still running. We also razed about 20 buildings close by the radio installations with long bursts before breaking off the attack.” It was real fun while it lasted,” he concluded. // F/L Higgins, pilot of the aircraft, has had a distinguished operational career. Altogether, he has completed 55 sorties on enemy targets, made up of 27 on his first tour and 28 on his second. Arriving overseas in July, 1941, he started on operations with a medium bomber squadron, making two or three trips as second pilot on Wellingtons. He then switched to Halifaxes and captained a crew on many sorties to the Ruhr Valley, Hanover, Hamburg and Cologne in Germany. He is also credited with five trips to Bremen. // On two occasions during this tour he brought his aircraft back to base with only three engines operating. On night while the bomber was making it’s “run in” on the target at Essen it was caught in a flak barrage. The flight engineer was wounded in the left leg and the starboard inner engine rendered useless, he continued on to his objective and got his bombs way before returning to base on three engines. // Another night, over Osanbruk, Germany, an engine caught fire just after the bomber had left the target. He was forced to fly home. After completing his first tour and being awarded the D.F.C. for his outstanding work, F/L Higgins spent a few months at an operational training unit as an instructor before joining the Iroquois squadron to start his second tour. He made 16 trips with this squadron, including two to Berlin. // He holds the distinction of taking Air Vice-Marshal C.M. McEwen, MC , DFC and Bar, air officer commanding the Canadian Bomber Group in England, on one attack on a French target. On another occasion, he was accompanied by Group Captain Doug Edwards, officer commanding the station. // Transferred to the Lion squadron, F/L Higgins banged in 12 more trips within five weeks before becoming eligible for repatriation in Canada for a well-earned rest. // The ace pilot of the bomber group joined the RCAF in Charlottetown, P.E.I. in September 1940. He took his training at No.1 I.T.S., Toronto, Ontario elementary at Windsor Mills, Quebec, and won his pilot’s wings and Sergeant’s stripes at Moncton, N.B. in July, 1941. He was commissioned soon after arriving overseas. // F/L Higgins is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Higgins of Charlottetown. Thirty years old and single, he has a brother Earl, and a sister Edna at home. Before joining up he was employed by the Imperial Oil Company in his home city.

HIGGINS, FS Francis Joseph (R98109) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.427 Squadron - Award effective 7 May 1943 as per London Gazette dated 25 May 1943 and AFRO 1247/43 dated 2 July 1943. Born in Amhurstburg, Ontario, 13 December 1921; home there. Enlisted in Windsor, 22 April 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot, Toronto. To Technical Training School, St. Thomas, 5 May 1941. To No.3 ITS, Victoriaville, 21 June 1941; promoted LAC, 26 July 1941; to No.11 EFTS, Cap de la Madeleine, 27 July 1941; to No.8 SFTS, Moncton, 14 September 1941; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 5 December 1941. To “Y” Depot, Halifax, 7 December 1941; held back owing to mumps until 10 February 1942 to RAF Trainee Pool, 13 March 1942; taken on strength of No.3 PRC, Bournemouth, 28 March 1942. Hospitalized with German measles, 31 March to 11 April 1942. Attached to 1 Canadian Division, 11-25 May 1942. To No.6 (P) AFU, 2 June 1942. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 5 June 1942. Attached to No.1513 Beam Approach Training Flight, 24 June to 1 July 1942. Posted to No.22 OTU, 7 July 1942. To No.419 Squadron, 22 September 1942. Attached to No.1535 Beam Approach Training Flight , 16 May 1943; attached to No.1659 Heavy Conversion Unit, 18 May 1943. He was in Halifax II W1273 on 27 May 1943 when it was wrecked in a landing accident. Aircraft swung off runway and undercarriage collapsed.. Returned to operations with No.427 Squadron, 3 June 1943; killed in action 26 June 1943 (Halifax DK190). RCAF photo PL-34534 shows Mr, A, Higgins (father) on presentation of DFM at Government House, 12 December 1944. Flight Sergeant Higgins piloted an aircraft detailed to attack a target in southwest Germany one night in 1943. Shortly after bombing the target the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and much damage was sustained. In difficult circumstances Flight Sergeant Higgins flew the aircraft to an airfield in this country where he effected a successful crash landing. He displayed great courage and determination. NOTE: At No.3 ITS he graduated 44th in a class of 145. He was described as “Very quick in answers. Youthful. Alert. Fair appearances. Pleasant personality. Serious. Enthusiastic. Seems a bright, keen man who should do well.” At No.11 EFTS (Fleet Finch) he passed 34th in a class of 36. He logged 38 hours 40 minutes dual, 34 hours 50 minutes solo, of which eight hours 30 minutes were instrument flying. He also put in ten hours on Link. His flying instructor (P.M. Boisvert) was happy with him, writing, “This pupil is very willing, keen and will give his best. He had trouble with his landings before going solo, but showed such enthusiasm for flying that after twelve hours of dual I was quite willing to give him a couple more hours dual. After solo he showed steady improvement. I believe this pupil will make a good service pilot.” However, his ground work was less impressive; he had to re-write exams in Airmanship and Theory of Flight. His conduct was good, but he was described as of “Low average ability. Not very interested in ground school subjects.” At. No.8 SFTS (Ansons) he logged 37.40 (day dual), 52.40 (day solo), two hours (night dual) and 10.30 (night solo), with 20.50 flown on instruments and 20 hours in Link. Described by OC No.1 Squadrons as “Average on instruments and navigation, low average clear hood. His steep turns are poor. His conception of precautionary landing is only fair. Doesn’t watch his airspeed enough and lacks airmanship.” The CFI was a bit more charitable: “ This pupil absorbed his flying training quickly with fair results. It would appear that his interest centres on the actual mechanics of flying and that the allied subjects are of no interest. The fact that he was so apt at flying definitely proves that he did not apply his intelligence or ability to the remainder of his training.” He barely passed ground school subjects and placed 49th in a class of 57. The website “Lost Bombers” has the following on his last flight. Halifax DK190, No.427 Squadron, target Gelsenkirkchen, 25/26 June 1943. DK190 was one of three No.427 Squadron Halifaxes lost during this operation; the others were DK135 and DK144. Airborne at 2328 hours, 25 June 1943. Shot down by a night-fighter (Hptm Wilhelm Dormann, III/NJG1), crashing 0113 near Gorssel (Gelderland) on the east bank of the IJssel and roughly midway between Deventer and Zutphen, Holland. Crew (all killed) were Flight Sergeant F.J.Higgins, DFM, RCAF; Sergeant F.J.Hunter; F/O G.T.Matynia, RCAF; Flight Sergeant A.K.Young, RCAF; Sergeant R.R.Stickney, RCAF; Sergeant W.Kashmar, RCAF; Flight Sergeant H.G.Froud, RCAF.

HIGGINS, FS (now P/O) John Henry Patrick (R77116/J18746) - Croix de Guerre 1940 (Belgium) - No.418 Squadron - Award effective 21 January 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 644/44 dated 24 March 1944. Born 3 March 1918 in Montreal; home in Verdun, Quebec. Enlisted in Montreal, 9 October 1940. To “R”, 22 November 1940. To No.2 WS, 31 January 1941; promoted LAC, 3 March 1941; graduated 20 June 1941 when posted to No.2 BGS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 4 August 1941. To Embarkation Depot, 5 August 1941. To RAF overseas, 23 August 1941, arriving 2 September 1941; to No.1 Signals School, 16 September 1941; periodically attached to Castle Camps from February 1942 onwards; commissioned on 23 August 1942; with No.418 Squadron (date of joining not clear; possibly about 9 March 1942); promoted Flying Officer, 23 February 1943; posted from No.418 Squadron to Station Pershore and No.22 OTU, 22 May 1943; RAF Station Hinton-in-Hedges (supernumerary duties, Air Gunner with No.1369 Special Duties Unit), 6 August to 28 December 1943; to No.22 OTU, 5 January 1944; to No.82 OTU, 24 January 1944; special leave in Canada, June-July 1944, apparently to commence pilot training but this was cancelled and he returned to Britain 11 August 1944; promoted Flight Lieutenant, 23 August 1944. To No.88 Squadron, 20 September 1944; returned to Britain (tour expired), 23 December 1944; repatriated to Canada, 31 January 1945; to No.1 Air Command, 13 February 1945. To No.1 WS, 16 March 1945. To Moncton, 5 May 1945. To No.1 PTU (whatever that is), 12 May 1945. To No.124 (Ferry) Squadron, 2 May 1946. Released 29 August 1946. RCAF photo PL-25093 shows him alone. RCAF photo PL-25095 shows (left to right) F/L J.R. Price, DFC (Indian Head, Saskatchewan), F/O R.A. Henry, DFC (Toronto), P/O C.T. Butler, DFM (North River, Prince Edward Island), P/O D.W. Storms, DFM (Emerson, Manitoba), standing left to right are F/O H.P. Higgins, Croix de Guerre (Verdun, Quebec), W/C W.A. McKay, DFC (Vancouver), F/L J.E. McCormack, DFC, AFC (Estevan), F/O L.M. McKinnon, DFM (Revelstock). On 16 January 1945 he signed a form which outlines his career as follows: 221 hours 20 minutes on Bostons with No.418 Squadron; 19 hours 20 minutes on Ansons and Oxfords on experimental work with No.1369 Special Duties Unit; 43 hours 25 minutes on Boston IVs with No.88 Squadron. He claimed 22 night fighter sorties and 14 sorties with 2nd Tactical Air Force (last sortie on 25 November 1944). He also gave his operational time as 94 hours 20 minutes and training time overseas as 242 hours 55 minutes. On 17 May 1943 the Canadian High Commissioner to London (Vincent Massey) communicated with Ottawa as follows: I am informed by Air Ministry that the Belgian Minister of National Defence desires to propose the award of the Croix de Guerre 1940 to Can/R.77116 Flight Sergeant J.H.P. Higgins, RCAF for his valuable service on operations which have included a number of successful experimental missions over Belgium. I should be glad to be informed at an early date whether in the event of the award being approved you might have any objection to its acceptance by the airman concerned. On 2 June 1943, the Deputy Minister of National Defence wrote that the Minister concurred and this was communicated to Massey on 8 June 1943. Nothing more seems to have been mentioned until gazetting. On 22 February 1944, RCAF Overseas Headquarters sent a telegram to the Minister of National Defence for Air, giving the citation but stating it was for record purposes only and "must not be published under any circumstances": This courageous and tenacious Non-Commissioned Officer has participated in 16 offensive sorties with Captain Pilot Z. Van Riel and has contributed to the success of experimental enterprises with the Belgians. On 23 February 1944 a Belgian official (Silvercruys) wrote directly to C.G. Power, giving a slightly different text: Canadian Non-Commissioned Officer, brave and steadfast Air Gunner, has taken part in 16 operational sorties with Air Captain Z. van Riel and inter alia has contributed to the success of experimental operations undertaken by the latter over Belgium. He then added the following explanatory note: At that time Pilot Officer Higgins was a Warrant Officer and was crew mate of Captain Zeger van Riel whose numerous victories had been rewarded with the Belgian Croix de Guerre with two bars (palms) and the Distinguished Flying Cross, which he received in December 1942. Captain van Riel was recently killed in an accident in India. His application for Bar to Operational Wing lists his sorties with No.88 Squadron as follows (squadron based in France from 17 October 1944 onwards): 21 September 1944 Boulogne (1.50) 26 September 1944 Flushing (2.20) 28 September 1944 Geldern (3.30) 2 October 1944 Arnhem (3.05) 5 October 1944 Huissen (3.25) 6 October 1944 Amersfoot (3.25) 13 October 1944 Utrecht (3.30) 14 October 1944 Zuphter (3.20) 21 October 1944 Cadzlan (1.50) 28 October 1944 Venlo bridge (2.10) 3 November 1944 Venlo (1.05) 5 November 1944 Roermund (1.55) 19 November 1944 Vierson (2.15) 25 November 1944 Dusseldorf (2.10)

HIGGINS, FS (now P/O) Russell Edgar (R168025/J87899) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.158 Squadron - Award effective 2 October 1944 as per London Gazette dated 13 October 1944 and AFRO 2637/44 dated 8 December 1944. Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, 1 April 1923; home there. Enlisted in Hamilton, 2 June 1942 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To Technical Training School, 1 August 1942. To No.3 WS, 23 September 1942. Promoted LAC, 28 October 1942. To No.2 Manning Depot, 13 February 1943; to Trenton, 30 March 1943; to No.3 BGS, 29 May 1943 Graduated and promoted Sergeant, 9 July 1943. To “Y” Depot, 23 July 1943. To United Kingdom, 2 August 1943. Further trained at No.19 OTU (August to October 1943) and No.1652 Conversion Unit (October to December 1943). To No,158 Squadron, 13 December 1943. Commissioned 24 June 1944. Promoted Flying Officer, 24 December 1944. Repatriated 2 August 1945. Retired 22 August 1945. No citation other than "completed...numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which they have invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty." Public Records Office Air 2/9026 has recommendation dated 20 July 1944 when he had flown 31 sorties (164 hours 15 minutes), 20 February to 22 June 1944. // 20 February 1944 - Stuttgart (7.47) // 24 February 1944 - Schweinfurt (7.38) // 7 March 1944 - Le Mans (5.39) // 13 March 1944 - Le Mans (5.19) // 15 March 1944 - Stuttgart (7.10) // 18 March 1944 - Frankfurt (6.17) // 22 March 1944 - Frankfurt (6.07) // 24 March 1944 - Berlin (6.48) // 26 March 1944 - Essen (4.59) // 30 March 1944 - Nuremburg (7.31), bombed through cloud // 18 April 1944 - Tergnier (5.26) // 22 April 1944 - Dusseldorf (5.05) // 24 April 1944 - Karlsruhe (6.36) // 26 April 1944 - Villeneuve St.Georges (5.37) // 27 April 1944 - Aulnoye (4.21) // 30 April 1944 - Acheres (4.28) // 1 May 1944 - Malines (3.50) // 8 May 1944 - Morsallines (3.43) // 11 May 1944 - Colline Beaumont (3.41) // 12 May 1944 - Hasselt (4.37) // 24 May 1944 - Aachen (4.11) // 27 May 1944 - Bourg Leopold (4.41) // 1 June 1944 - Ferme d'Urville (4.39) // 2 June 1944 - Trappes (5.11) // 5 June 1944 - Maisy (4.53) // 6 June 1944 - Chateaudun (5.43) // 7 June 1944 - Versailles (4.31) // 9 June 1944 - Laval (5.21) // 12 June 1944 - Amiens (4.15) // 17 June 1944 - St.Martin l'Hortier (4.26) // 22 June 1944 - Siracourt (3.45) // Flight Sergeant Higgins has just completed an exacting tour of 31 operational sorties as a Mid-Upper Gunner in a crew which won through by the skill of its pilot, the spirit of perfect team work and the efficiency and vigilance of its gunners. // Flight Sergeant Higgins has been a courageous member of an excellent crew. He started his tour in the early days of the year and took part in attacks on Berlin, Stuttgart, Schweinfurt, Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and other targets in the furthest and most heavily defended areas of Europe. // At all times throughout his hazardous sorties he proved himself a courageous and able gunner. He had a complete understanding of correct combat manoeuvre and whenever action came he remained a model of coolness and was able to give his captain essential and urgent information in a way which inspired confidence in every member of the crew. // Flight Sergeant Higgins completed his tour on the first daylight sorties from Lissett. // For his excellent record on operations, his unfailing courage in action, and his devotion to duty throughout his tour of operations, it is recommended that Flight Sergeant Higgins be awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. // Public Record Office Air 50/222 has combat report for night of 22/23 March 1944: Higgins was Mid-Upper Gunner and a Sergeant Tunstall (1682782) was Rear Gunner. // Halifax III “G”, HX349 of No.158 Squadron. Target Frankfurt. Position 52.03N 09.00E. Time 21.33. Height 20,000 feet. Speed 160 I.A.S.. Heading 075 T. Weather clear, good visibility. No searchlight activity prior to attack. I.F.F. was off. Monica was giving continuous warning of aircraft in vicinity due to other Halifax aircraft being within range. No flak. // Rear Gunner had visual sighting of aircraft on fine starboard quarter slightly up; identified as FW.190 without lights at a range of 200 yards. Immediate combat manoeuvre to corkscrew, commencing with diving turn to starboard. At the same time the Rear Gunner gave short burst of a fire at a range of 150 yards and hits were claimed on enemy aircraft. Enemy aircraft immediately broke off attack to starboard beam up without opening fire, and was lost to sight. No damage to own aircraft or casualties to crew. No searchlight activity during attack. Hits claimed on enemy aircraft. // Number of rounds fired by Rear Gunner - 50. // Crew in No.158 Squadron were 174627 - Hitchman, Joseph (Pilot); 176517 - Fisher, Leonard Edward; 125642 - Harmer, Harold James Stephen; R168025 - Higgins, Russell Edgar; 179178 - Pearson, Arthur Owen; 1581823 - Rice, Arthur Edward; 179171 - Tunstall, Wilfred (he was the only RCAF).

CLARENCE WILLIAM P/O(OB) 48518 - Royal Air Force. From White Rock, British Columbia. Killed in Action Sep 9/42 age 22. #15 Squadron (Aim Sure). P/O Higgins was killed when his Stirling aircraft crashed in England. Pilot Officer Observer Higgins is buried at Maidstone, Kent, England.

FRANCIS JOSEPH WO2(P) R98109 D.F.M. From Amherstburg, Ontario. Killed in Action Jun 26/43 age 22. #427 Lion Squadron (Ferte Manus Certas). Halifax aircraft #DK 190 was engaged in night operations over enemy-held territory when it was shot down at Gorssel, Holland. WOs R.R. Stickney, A.K. Young, W. Kashmar, F/O G.T. Matynia, P/O H.G. Froude, and Sgt F.J. Hunter (RAF) were also killed. Warrant Officer Class II Pilot Higgins is buried in the General Cemetery, Gorssel, Gelderland, Holland.

GERALD FREDERICK SGT(FE) R121488. From Chapman Camp, British Columbia. Killed Nov 15/44 age 21. #1664 Heavy Conversion Unit. Halifax aircraft in a mid-air collision. Please see Pridham E.J. for casualty list and flight detail. Sergeant Flight Engineer Higgins is buried in the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey, England.

LUKE ANTHONY FS(BA) R154170. From Montreal, Quebec. Killed in Action Jul 23/44 age 27. #620 Squadron. Stirling aircraft #LK 864 missing over enemy-occupied territory whilst on special operations. F/O E.C. Oke, FSs R.G. Carrothers, T.M. Galvon, F/O A.S. Middleton (RAF), and Sgt R.A. Wilkins (RAF) were also killed. Flight Sergeant Bomb Aimer Higgins is buried in the Communal Cemetery, Brillac, Charente, France.

JOHN BLAKE FS(AG) R141503. From Westmount, Quebec. Killed in Action Sep 11/42 age 23. #26 Operational Training Unit. Wellington aircraft #DV 703 was engaged in night operations when it went down fifteen miles west of Dusseldorf, Germany, near Monchen-Gladbach, Germany. Four of the crew, not Canadians, missing believed killed. Flight Sergeant Air Gunner Higginson was buried at Monchen-Gladbach, exhumed, and reburied in the War Cemetery at Rheinberg, Germany.