Canadian Virtual War Memorial
John Earl Stillings
In memory of:
Flying Officer John Earl Stillings
April 8, 1945
Military Service
J/17618
30
Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
1659 Heavy Conversion Unit
Additional Information
Son of William Thomas Stillings and Laura Ellen Stillings. Native of U.S.A.
Commemorated on Page 567 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.
Burial Information
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Surrey, United Kingdom
Panel 280.
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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Details
LV 935 – NB: The aircraft and the crew shown in the photo are not from the # LV 935 (Unknown) The #1659 Heavy Conversion Unit Halifax aircraft #LV 935 was stationed at Topcliffe air base Yorkshire, England April 8, 1945, LV 935 was on a practice bombing exercise that would normally be to one of the practice 'bombing ranges' along the east coast of England. Usually this would involve a bit of navigation exercise as well, and this would normally always include a period of time over the sea. The fact that the crew, are all commemorated at Runnymede suggests that they came down into the sea somewhere off the British coast during the navigation part of the exercise. Casualty list of LV 935 J.G.L.R. Sicotte, Pilot/ O - J.A.R.G. Héroux Flying/ O, J.L.P.Routhier Flying/ O J.E.Stillings Flying/O J.A.L. Potvin Warrant Officer 1 - J.C.P. Laferrière Flight/sgt J.C. Valiquette Flight/sgt J.Stevenson Sergeant All of them have no known grave and their names are inscribed on Runnymede Memorial. -
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Memorial – Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - April 2017 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
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Memorial – Flying Officer John Earl Stillings is commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
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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 – Flying Officer John Earl Stillings is commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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