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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

James Alexander Buzza

In memory of:

Warrant Officer Class II James Alexander Buzza

March 31, 1945

Military Service

Service Number:

R/197961

Age:

24

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

298 Sqdn.

Additional Information

Son of David and Effie Buzza, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; husband of Mary Buzza, of Vancouver.

Commemorated on Page 500 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 281.

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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  • Id Card– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

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    Id Card
    Id Card – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From a World War 2 issue of the Vancouver Province c.May 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.May 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Halifax Aircraft– Photo Halifax aircraft towing glider. 298 Sqdn flew converted Halifax V aircraft that could tow heavily laden gliders. On the first night of D-Day they lifted Horsa gliders with infantry troops under the command of Maj. John Howard. This operation is now commonly known as Pegasus Bridge and is shown in the movie The Longest Day. On 17th Sept 1944, 298 Sqdn participated in the lift of the 1st Airborne Division to Arnhem in Operation Market Garden which is portrayed in the movie A Bridge Too Far. On 24 Mar 1945, their Halifaxes towed twenty-four Hamilcars and five Horsas for the Rhine river crossing. The Sqdn then reverted to its *SAS/SOE resupply role, which now largely concerned only Norway and Denmark. In a sortie on 30th Mar 1945, Halifax PN 243 was lost in the waters off Norway. A/G WO2 Buzza was the only member of the RCAF on the crew. *Special Air Service; Special Operations Executive (http://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/batt_298.htm)

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    Halifax Aircraft
    Halifax Aircraft – Photo Halifax aircraft towing glider. 298 Sqdn flew converted Halifax V aircraft that could tow heavily laden gliders. On the first night of D-Day they lifted Horsa gliders with infantry troops under the command of Maj. John Howard. This operation is now commonly known as Pegasus Bridge and is shown in the movie The Longest Day. On 17th Sept 1944, 298 Sqdn participated in the lift of the 1st Airborne Division to Arnhem in Operation Market Garden which is portrayed in the movie A Bridge Too Far. On 24 Mar 1945, their Halifaxes towed twenty-four Hamilcars and five Horsas for the Rhine river crossing. The Sqdn then reverted to its *SAS/SOE resupply role, which now largely concerned only Norway and Denmark. In a sortie on 30th Mar 1945, Halifax PN 243 was lost in the waters off Norway. A/G WO2 Buzza was the only member of the RCAF on the crew. *Special Air Service; Special Operations Executive (http://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/batt_298.htm)
  • Runnymeade Memorial– Runnymede Memorial WO2 Buzza and the crew of RAF Halifax PN 243 were lost in the waters off Norway. Their names are commemorated on the panels of the Runnymede Memorial to those with no known grave.

    Details

    Runnymeade Memorial
    Runnymeade Memorial – Runnymede Memorial WO2 Buzza and the crew of RAF Halifax PN 243 were lost in the waters off Norway. Their names are commemorated on the panels of the Runnymede Memorial to those with no known grave.
  • Memorial– Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - April 2017 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

    Details

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

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