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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Leslie Asa McCrea

In memory of:

Pilot Officer Leslie Asa McCrea

June 3, 1944
Boissière Ecole, France

Military Service

Service Number:

J/89734

Age:

27

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

405 Sqdn.

Additional Information

Born:

May 20, 1917

Son of Elmer Asa McCrea and Myrtle McCrea, of Ioco, British Columbia. On the 62nd anniversary, June 3, 1944 - June 3, 2006, of the crash of the Lancaster LQ-C ND-507 which took the lives of Pilot Officer Leslie A. McCrea, Pilot Officer Norman Johnston, Pilot Officer J.G. Maurice Renaud, Pilot Officer David A. Kelley and Squadron Leader George E. Coldrey were honoured at the unveiling of a monument at la Bossière-Ecole, France. Guests included former German Pilot Frithjof Fensch, who downed the plane; family members Edith Bannerman, sister of David A. Kelley; Pierre Monfette, nephew of J.G. Maurice Renaud;, Lucinda Brouwer, niece of Leslie A. McCrea. Tori Olson, daughter of American Lieutenant Leroy Q. Olson, Christopher O'Neill, son of British Flight Lieutenant John H. O'Neill, and George Court, son of Canadian Flight Lieutenant George L. Court, children of the three survivors of the crash attended in honour of their fathers whom all died since 1995. Representing La Boisseère-Ecole were Francois Heiliger, Mayor, Fabien Drouin, First Deputy Mayor and Fréderic Vincent, Historical Adviser whose research led to the unveiling and commemoration of the deceased.

Commemorated on Page 383 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

ST. DESIR WAR CEMETERY
Calvados, France

Grave Reference:

VIII. B. 1.

Location:

St Desir is a village on the N13 to Caen, 4 kilometres west of Lisieux. The war cemetery is about one kilometre west of the village and lies on a secondary road, the D159.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Pilot Officer Leslie Asa McCrea is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Pilot Officer Leslie Asa McCrea is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Pilot Officer Leslie Asa McCrea is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Pilot Officer Leslie Asa McCrea is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Photo of LESLIE ASA MCCREA– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Photo of LESLIE ASA MCCREA
    Photo of LESLIE ASA MCCREA – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Attestation paper– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Attestation paper
    Attestation paper – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Correspondence– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Correspondence
    Correspondence – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Letter of recommendation– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Letter of recommendation
    Letter of recommendation – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From a World War 2 issue of the Vancouver Province c.February 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From a World War 2 issue of the Vancouver Province c.February 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • St. Desir War Cemetery

    Details

    St. Desir War Cemetery
    St. Desir War Cemetery
  • Grave Marker

    Details

    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker
  • Wreckage of Lancaster LQ-C.– On June 3, 1944, five men were killed and two survived this plane crash. The five men that lost their lives were Pilot Officer Norman Johnston, Squadron Leader George Edwin Coldrey, Pilot Officer Leslie Asa Mccrea, Pilot Officer Joseph Gerard Maurice Renaud and Pilot Officer David Austin Kelley.

    Details

    Wreckage of Lancaster LQ-C.
    Wreckage of Lancaster LQ-C. – On June 3, 1944, five men were killed and two survived this plane crash. The five men that lost their lives were Pilot Officer Norman Johnston, Squadron Leader George Edwin Coldrey, Pilot Officer Leslie Asa Mccrea, Pilot Officer Joseph Gerard Maurice Renaud and Pilot Officer David Austin Kelley.
  • Photo of Leslie Asa McCrea– Photograph of Pilot Officer Leslie A. McCrea, one of the crew members on board the Lancaster LQ-C ND 507 that crashed at Boissèrie Ecole on 3 June 1944.

    Details

    Photo of Leslie Asa McCrea
    Photo of Leslie Asa McCrea – Photograph of Pilot Officer Leslie A. McCrea, one of the crew members on board the Lancaster LQ-C ND 507 that crashed at Boissèrie Ecole on 3 June 1944.
  • Press Clipping– News article from Echo républiacin telling of the unveiling and dedication of a monument erected to commemorate the crew of the Lancaster LQ- C, ND 507 plane that crashed at Boissèrie Ecole on 3 June 1944.

    Details

    Press Clipping
    Press Clipping – News article from Echo républiacin telling of the unveiling and dedication of a monument erected to commemorate the crew of the Lancaster LQ- C, ND 507 plane that crashed at Boissèrie Ecole on 3 June 1944.
  • Group Photo– Unveiling ceremony of the memorial to the crew of Lancaster ND507 LQ-C from 405 RCAF Pathfinder Squadron on June 3rd, 2006 at La Boissiere-Ecole, France (62nd anniversary of the crash)

    Details

    Group Photo
    Group Photo – Unveiling ceremony of the memorial to the crew of Lancaster ND507 LQ-C from 405 RCAF Pathfinder Squadron on June 3rd, 2006 at La Boissiere-Ecole, France (62nd anniversary of the crash)
  • Newspaper Clipping

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping

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