Sergeant John Gamborski, 1920-1944

Above, John Gamborski at age 22-23 somewhere in Canada

Below: images of the funeral. All images courtesy of Tammy Gamborski, great-niece of Sergeant John.Gamborski.

While it is possible that the Honor Guard is a regular detail assigned this duty, two of the airmen bear a striking resemblance to Walter Powell, first on left behind the commanding officer and Cameron Clare Campbell, second on right. If you know any of the personnel in this photo, please contact us. Below are additional images taken in 1944-45 of the funeral site, Brookwood Military Cemetery.

Sergeant John Gamborski, a young man from Halfway Lake, Alberta attended No.3 Bombing and Gunnery School at McDonald, Manitoba, from Dec. 15, 1943 to March 9th, 1944, followed by a Training course at UBC and No. 4 Aircrew Graduate Training School in Valleyfield Quebec with Cameron Clare Campbell, Walter Henry Powell, R.F. Fewster, H.L. Czyz, D.E.J. Daniels, Thomas Flemming Cronkhite, Alvin Eric Kidney and others from this website.

He is the son of Mike and Annie Gamborski of Halfway Lake, Alberta. His Great-niece Tammy Gamborski has kindly provided these images in memory of John Gamborski. Copyright remains with the family.

On Nov. 15, 1944, two Halifaxes JP201 and LL137 from Nos 1664 (Dishforth) and 1666(Wombleton) Heavy Conversion Units collided in mid air, leaving no survivors from the Gamborski crew. All members of John Gamborski's crew are buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery. To read the details of the Last Post for Sergeant John Gamborski, please click here.

A memorial has been erected in the center of the village of Morchard Bishop, in Devon, the scene of the crash. Click here to read the report and see the crew names.

The image at left shows John Gamborski possibly at age 22 or 23 wearing his overseas insignia patch. The photograph is likely taken in Canada considering the overseas patch, as a photo in the UK would show Sergeant stripes.

John Gamborski is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, a cemetery maintained by the Commonwealth War Grave Commission, with all his crew mates.

Click here to read the ""They Shall Grow Not Old" entry for Sergeant John Gamborski.

Rudyard Kipling, the British author and poet lost a son in World War I. He selected the phrase, "Their Name Liveth for Evermore", from Ecclesiasticus 44:14.

"Their bodies are buried in peace, but their name liveth for evermore."

ROBERT GARVIE	J/8362 Flight Lieutenant Robert Leslie Garvie of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Son of Arthur and Jenny Garvie; husband of Mary Lee Garvie, of Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. Born in 1917. Died 15 November 1944 aged 27. Buried in the Military Cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey.
GILBERT ERG	J/37812 Flying Officer (Air Bomber) Gilbert Louis Erg of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Son of Oscar E. Berg, and of Claire Berg, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Born in 1917. Died 15 November 1944 aged 27. Buried in the Military Cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey.
NORMAN BOSS	J/23705 Flying Officer (Navigator) Norman Holmes Boss of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Son of Abner Holmes Boss and Sadie Mary Boss, of Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. Born in 1919. Died 15 November 1944 aged 25. Buried in the Military Cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey.
ERNEST PRIDHAM	R/274918 Sergeant Ernest James Pridham of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Son of Harold George and Kathleen Pridham, of Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Born in 1926. Died 15 November 1944 aged 18. Buried in the Military Cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey.
JACK ARMSTRONG	R/202580 Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Jack Edward Armstrong of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Son of James H. Armstrong and Myrtle A. Armstrong, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Born in 1921. Died 15 November 1944 aged 23. Buried in the Military Cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey.
GERALD HIGGINS	R/121488 Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Gerald Frederick Higgins of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Son of Frederick Robert and Minnie E. Higgins, of Marysville, British Columbia, Canada. Born in 1923. Died 15 November 1944 aged 21. Buried in the Military Cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey.
NEVILLE ANDERSON	R/193213 Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Neville Joseph Anderson of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Son of Andrew and Emma Anderson, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Born in 1922. Died 15 November 1944 aged 27. Buried in the Military Cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey.
JOHN GAMBORSKI	R/149180 Sergeant John Gamborski of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Son of Mike and Annie Gamborski, of Halfway Lake, Alberta, Canada. Born in 1920. Died 15 November 1944 aged 24. Buried in the Military Cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey.

Below are other photos of Sergeant John Gamborski with friends. All photos courtesy of Tammy Gamborski, Great-Niece of John Gamborski.

The image above on the far left is entitled "Big Spree" From left to right the participants are : Alex Boddy, Bill Howe, John Cowle, Tom Cholik and John Gamborski.

On the left in the photo above is Sgt John Gamborski. If you know of any of the others in this lovely photo, please contact us.