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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Joseph Ash

In memory of:

Flying Officer Joseph Ash

December 12, 1942

Military Service

Service Number:

J/10980

Age:

22

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

#5 Operational Training Unit

Additional Information

Commemorated on Page 55 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Surrey, United Kingdom

Grave Reference:

Panel 99.

Location:

During the Second World War more than 116,000 men and women of the Air Forces of the British Commonwealth gave their lives in service. More than 17,000 of these were members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, or Canadians serving with the Royal Air Force. Approximately one-third of all who died have no known grave. Of these, 20,450 are commemorated by name on the Runnymede Memorial, which is situated at Englefield Green, near Egham, 32 kilometers by road west of London.

The design of the Runnymede Memorial is original and striking. On the crest of Cooper's Hill, overlooking the Thames, a square tower dominates a cloister, in the centre of which rests the Stone of Remembrance. The cloistered walks terminate in two lookouts, one facing towards Windsor, and the other towards London Airport at Heathrow. The names of the dead are inscribed on the stone reveals of the narrow windows in the cloisters and the lookouts. They include those of 3,050 Canadian airmen. Above the three-arched entrance to the cloister is a great stone eagle with the Royal Air Force motto, Per Ardua ad Astra". On each side is the inscription:

IN THIS CLOISTER ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY THOUSAND AIRMEN WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE. THEY DIED FOR FREEDOM IN RAID AND SORTIE OVER THE BRITISH ISLES AND THE LANDS AND SEAS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE

In the tower a vaulted shrine, which provides a quiet place for contemplation, contains illuminated verses by Paul H. Scott."

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - April 2017 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - April 2017 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Newspaper Clipping– Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

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    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Memorial– A beautiful monument was installed in 2015 at the Jewish Community Cemetery on Bank Street, honouring those brave men of the Ottawa Jewish Community who fought and lost their lives in war. The three panel granite monument lists Ottawa community members who served and fell in the Great War, World War II, Israeli War of Independence and while on active duty with the Israeli Army.

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – A beautiful monument was installed in 2015 at the Jewish Community Cemetery on Bank Street, honouring those brave men of the Ottawa Jewish Community who fought and lost their lives in war. The three panel granite monument lists Ottawa community members who served and fell in the Great War, World War II, Israeli War of Independence and while on active duty with the Israeli Army.
  • Photo of Joseph Ash– Joseph Ash is honoured on page 6 of the memorial book, CANADIAN JEWS IN WORLD WAR II, Part II: Casualties, compiled by David Rome for the Canadian Jewish Congress, Montreal, 1948. This extract is provided courtesy of the Canadian Jewish Congress which holds the copyright for this volume. For additional information about these archival records, please contact: The Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives 1590 Ave. Docteur Penfield, Montreal, Que. H3G 1C5 (Canada) telephone: 514-931-7531 ex. 2 facsimile: 514-931-0548 website: www.cjc.ca

    Details

    Photo of Joseph Ash
    Photo of Joseph Ash – Joseph Ash is honoured on page 6 of the memorial book, CANADIAN JEWS IN WORLD WAR II, Part II: Casualties, compiled by David Rome for the Canadian Jewish Congress, Montreal, 1948. This extract is provided courtesy of the Canadian Jewish Congress which holds the copyright for this volume. For additional information about these archival records, please contact: The Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives 1590 Ave. Docteur Penfield, Montreal, Que. H3G 1C5 (Canada) telephone: 514-931-7531 ex. 2 facsimile: 514-931-0548 website: www.cjc.ca
  • Stained Glass Window– Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 2669 F/O Joseph Ash (RMC 1938) was educated at the Osgood Public School, Lisgar Collegiate, Ottawa Technical School and the Royal Military College. He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, #5 Operational Training Unit. He was reported missing after air operations over the North Sea on Nov 2, 1942. He was presumed dead on Oct 9, 1943. His name is listed on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom. His name is listed on page 6 of the memorial book Canadian Jews in World War II.

    Details

    Stained Glass Window
    Stained Glass Window – Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 2669 F/O Joseph Ash (RMC 1938) was educated at the Osgood Public School, Lisgar Collegiate, Ottawa Technical School and the Royal Military College. He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, #5 Operational Training Unit. He was reported missing after air operations over the North Sea on Nov 2, 1942. He was presumed dead on Oct 9, 1943. His name is listed on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom. His name is listed on page 6 of the memorial book Canadian Jews in World War II.
  • Plaque– Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 2669 F/O Joseph Ash (RMC 1938) was educated at the Osgood Public School, Lisgar Collegiate, Ottawa Technical School and the Royal Military College. He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, #5 Operational Training Unit. He was reported missing after air operations over the North Sea on Nov 2, 1942. He was presumed dead on Oct 9, 1943. His name is listed on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom. His name is listed on page 6 of the memorial book Canadian Jews in World War II.

    Details

    Plaque
    Plaque – Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 2669 F/O Joseph Ash (RMC 1938) was educated at the Osgood Public School, Lisgar Collegiate, Ottawa Technical School and the Royal Military College. He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, #5 Operational Training Unit. He was reported missing after air operations over the North Sea on Nov 2, 1942. He was presumed dead on Oct 9, 1943. His name is listed on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom. His name is listed on page 6 of the memorial book Canadian Jews in World War II.
  • Memorial– Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 2669 F/O Joseph Ash (RMC 1938) was educated at the Osgood Public School, Lisgar Collegiate, Ottawa Technical School and the Royal Military College. He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, #5 Operational Training Unit. He was reported missing after air operations over the North Sea on Nov 2, 1942. He was presumed dead on Oct 9, 1943. His name is listed on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom. His name is listed on page 6 of the memorial book Canadian Jews in World War II.

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – Ex-cadets are named on the Memorial Arch at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario and in memorial stained glass windows to fallen comrades. 2669 F/O Joseph Ash (RMC 1938) was educated at the Osgood Public School, Lisgar Collegiate, Ottawa Technical School and the Royal Military College. He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, #5 Operational Training Unit. He was reported missing after air operations over the North Sea on Nov 2, 1942. He was presumed dead on Oct 9, 1943. His name is listed on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom. His name is listed on page 6 of the memorial book Canadian Jews in World War II.
  • Monument– 2432 F/L John Okeden Alexander (RMC 1934) served with the Royal Air Force. He died on Oct 21, 1941. He was buried in the Helensburgh Cemetery in Dunbartonshire, United Kingdom 7. Grave 3. Sec. R. Walk.

    Details

    Monument
    Monument – 2432 F/L John Okeden Alexander (RMC 1934) served with the Royal Air Force. He died on Oct 21, 1941. He was buried in the Helensburgh Cemetery in Dunbartonshire, United Kingdom 7. Grave 3. Sec. R. Walk.

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