Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Newspaper Clipping – From the Charlottetown PEI newspaper The Guardian. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me

Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB

Memorial – Warrant Officer Class II George Warburton Acorn is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB ... photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Warrant Officer Class II George Warburton Acorn is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB ... photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Newspaper clipping – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Attestation Paper – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Document – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Correspondence – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Photo of George Warburton Acorn – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Photo of George Warburton Acorn

Cemetery – Photo of Berlin War Cemetery (CWGC) WOII Acorn was Wireless Air Gunner on Lancaster #JB222 with 405 Sqdn (Pathfinder Force) which went missing on a raid to Leipzig, Germany. Six RAF members of the crew were also killed. (courtesy of They Shall Grow Not Old, Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon, Man.) Several months before the fatal crash, WOII Acorn was crew member on Halifax MkII #JD174 of 408 Sqdn. which took off from Leeming at 00.09hrs on the 14th July 1943 for Ops to Aachen. Prior to this crew being able to drop their bomb load, they were attacked by an enemy fighter. This combat was serious enough to damage the aircraft's hydraulics which made it impossible for the bombs to be dropped. The pilot is believed to have shaken the attacking aircraft off. Whether the crew continued with the bomber stream over the target is not yet known but on their return to England they were again attacked and again the pilot's actions shook these aircraft off. On reaching the UK landing the aircraft was not going to be an option. When they crossed the Yorkshire coast the pilot ordered his crew to bail out of the aircraft, and all did so without injury to themselves. The pilot made his escape and the aircraft crashed a short time later into Arden Woods, where upon part of the bomb load exploded. The pilot, F/O Donald T Bain of Vancouver Island, survived the war. The other Canadian crew members did not. They were: Sgt (AG) Willard M Haugen was killed Aug. 18/43; F/O (BA) Philip Magson was killed Aug. 24/43; Sgt (AG) John Irvin Labow was killed Mar. 31/44. (For full story of July 14/43 crash see /www.allenby.info/aircraft/planes/43/jd174.html)