Last Post - Sergeant Ernest James Pridham

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Last post Sgt Pridham RCAF

Source: http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers

Below: images from Brookwood Military Cemetery, courtesy of Mark Lucas, www.lucasphotography.co.uk

See description above, at right for more details.

In Memory of
Sergeant ERNEST JAMES PRIDHAM

R/274918, Royal Canadian Air Force
who died age 18
on 15 November 1944
Son of Harold George and Kathleen Pridham, of Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Remembered with honour
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY

Brookwood military cemetery certificate in honor of Sgt Ernest James Pridham

Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

 

 

canaadia graves at brookwood with maple leaf

Ernest James Pridham, a young man from Kingston, Ontario was trained as an Air Gunner. He was posted overseas and eventually crewed up wth John Gamborski, also trained as an Air Gunner. John Gamborski attended No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery school with many of the airmen in this site. They were posted to the Heavy Conversion Unit at 1664 Dishforth for training on Halifaxes.

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 Ernest James Pridham crew. All members of the crew are buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery.

Only Pilot Officer Pugh was a survivor from the other crew. 4 months later in April,1945, P/O Pugh was also listed as missing on an operation.

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. An image of the memorial is shown below.

memorial headstone for 2 crew crashed at Morchard Bishop in Devon

 

Ernest James Pridham is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, a cemetery maintained by the Commonwealth War Grave Commission, with all his crew mates.He is the son of Harold George and Kathleen Pridham of Kingston, Ontario.

They shall Grow Not Old Entry Click here to read the ""They Shall Grow Not Old" entry for Sergeant Ernest James Pridham.

Click here to see an image of the certificate issued by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in memory of Sgt. Pridham.

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."

Mark Lucas, British Photographer, has kindly agreed to the use of his images below for this site.Click here to visit his website.

CREW OF HALIFAX LL137 
ROBERT GARVIE small red poppy in memoriam
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 small red poppy in memoriam
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 small red poppy in memoriam
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 small red poppy in memoriam
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 small red poppy in memoriam
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 small red poppy in memoriam
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 small red poppy in memoriam
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 small red poppy in memoriam
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.
Mark Lucas Photo of Brookwood Military Cemetery Canadian section

Mark Lucas Photo of canadian graves at Brookwood Military Cemetery