Last Post - Pilot Officer Louis Basarab

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last post -P/O Louis Basarab

Source: http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers and the Louis Basarab family

 

Jim McPhee with framed piece of parachute 60 yrs later   Jim McPhee and others with engine remnants
Jim McPhee being presented with a framed piece of his Parachute by townspeople   Bristol Hercules engine from Halifax NP810 Dr. James McPhee, Frau Elizabeth Guldenberg, Frau Hanna Eggerath, Thomas Boller, John Clark

 

reichswald forest war cemetery

The graves of the crew are all in a row, as follows:

Left to Right: Edgar Clark, Lloyd Frizzell, Ab Rowley, Ken Wilson, Louis Basarb of the Ab Steeves Crew

graves of 5 crew shot down over Germany

Photo courtesy of the Jim McPhee trip to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

To see more images and read about Jim McPhee's trip click here.

Below is the original Grave marker of Sgt. Louis Basarab before being buried with his crew at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. The Grave marker at Reichswald is shown below on the right. These images courtesy of the Louis Basarab family.
Louis  Basarab Wooden Cross from original grave before being buried with his crew at Reichswald

Image courtesy of the War Graves Photographic Project in association with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Louis Basarab Grave Marker at Reichswald

Image courtesy of the War Graves Photographic Project in association with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Opening of Canada's Bomber Command Memorial 2005

Image above courtesy of David Birell, Nanton Lancaster Air Museum

Bomber Command Chaplains dedication

Image above courtesy of David Birell, Nanton Lancaster Air Museum

Bomber Command memorial with Lancaster in Background

Image above courtesy of David Birell, Nanton Lancaster Air Museum

Louis Basarab's name on Bomber Command Memorial

Image above courtesy of Lloyd and Susan Campbell

 

Pilot Officer LOUIS BASARAB

J/95202, 408 Sqdn., Royal Canadian Air Force
who died
on 21 November 1944

Remembered with honour
REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY

reichswald Certificate for Louis J. Basarab

Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

reichswald

reichswald view from the street

image of Pilot Officer Louis Basarab RCAF

Pilot Officer Louis Basarab

Image courtesy of the Louis Basarab Family

Pilot Officer Louis Basarab and his crew, the A. E. Steeves crew were shot down over Germany November 21, 1944. Their Halifax NP810 plane crashed at a farm on the outskirts of Trill, 8 kms from Dusseldorf. The report below from www.rcaf.com is the Daily operations report from the day.

November 21/22, 1944

175 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 432, 433, and 434 Squadrons were joined by 55 Lancasters from 419, 428, and 431 Squadrons on an attack of the oil refinery at Castrop-Rauxel. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 1,807,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the plant was accurately bombed and severe damage was caused. 

_______________________________

F/Lt A. E. Steeves RCAF–POW and crew from 408 Squadron, flying Halifax VII NP-810 coded EQ-H, failed to return from this operation.

Sgt H. Clark RAFsmall poppy image
F/O A. Rowley RCAF small poppy image
F/O L. Frizzell RCAFsmall poppy image
P/O E. Wilson RCAFsmall poppy image
Sgt J. McPhee RCAF–POW
P/O L. Basarab RCAF small poppy image

5 crew were killed and 2 crew became POWs, the Pilot A. E. Steeves, and Jim McPhee. Source: www.rcaf.com. Click here to see the Daily Ops report.

Lost Bomber Report

"Serial Range NP793 - NP821. 28 Halifax Mk.V11. Part of a batch of 200 HP Halifax Mk. delivered by Handley Page (Cricklewood & Radlett) between 9Sep44 and 26Sep44. NP810 was initially issued to No.426 Sqdn. Airborne 1520 21Nov44 from Linton-on-Ouse. Cause of loss and crash- site not established. Those killed are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. F/L A.E.Steeves RCAF PoW Sgt H.E.Clark KIA F/O A.B.Rowley RCAF KIA F/O L.W.Frizzell RCAF KIA WO1 E.K.Wilson RCAF Inj Sgt J.A.McPhee RCAF PoW Sgt L.Basarab RCAF KIA Sgt J.A.McPhee was interned in Camp L7, PoW No.1248. F/L A.E.Steeves in Camp L1, PoW No.6731. WO1 E.K.Wilson died the same day of his injuries." Click here to read the entire report from .http://www.lostbombers.co.uk

They shall Grow Not Old Entry Click here to read the ""They Shall Grow Not Old" entry for Pilot Officer Louis Basarab.

Some 60 years later, former POW Jim McPhee was contacted by Thomas Boller of Dusseldorf, Germany, informing him that he had seen the motor from his plane. He and Hanna Eggerath researched the origin of the motor and discovered it was from a Halifax bomber, shot down November 21, 1944. They traced the crew and found that Jim McPhee was the only living survivor of the crew. Jim decided to go to Germany to visit the scene of that tragic night, accompanied by the son of RAF Sergeant Clark who had been his crewmate, John Clarke.

The story of the visit is detailed in Short Bursts, December 2007. Click here to read the entire story complete with several images. Shown at left and above is an image of Jim McPhee being presented with a framed piece of his Parachute by the local townspeople, and an image of the Bristol Hercules engine from Halifax NP810 Dr. James McPhee, Frau Elizabeth Guldenberg, Frau Hanna Eggerath, Thomas Boller, John Clark

Click here to see the "They Shall Grow Not Old" entry for Louis Basarab.

The Nanton Lancaster Air Museum built "Canada's Bomber Command Memorial" in 2005. The Memorial is forty one feet in length and is made of five polished black granite panels which are each eight feet wide and four feet high, plus a large central panel. The Memorial includes the names of all Canadians killed in Bomber Command, 10,643 names. It has been placed on the front lawn of the Nanton Lancaster Air Museum in Nanton, Alberta.

Pilot Officer Louis Basarab's name is engraved there.

The images at left show the dedication ceremony for the memorial, the Chaplains dedication, the central panel message, and the series of names in Panel one, which includes Pilot Officer Louis Basarab.

The Chaplain's dedication reads: "Three thousand miles across a hunted ocean they came, wearing on the shoulder of their tunics the treasured name, 'Canada", telling the world their origin. Young men and women they were, some still in their teens, fashioned by their Maker to love, not to kill, but proud and earnest in their mission to stand, and if it had to be, to die, for their country and for freedom.

One day, when the history of the 20th century is finally written, it will be recorded that when human society stood at the crossroads and civilization itself was under seige, the Royal Canadian Air Force was there to fill the breach and help give humanity the victory. And all those who had a part in it will have left to posterity a legacy of honour, of courage and of valour that time can never despoil."

Father J.P. Landie, Chaplain, 419, 428 Squadrons, RCAF

 

The last image at left is the certificate issued by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in memory of Pilot Officer Louis Basarab who rests in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Click here to visit their site.