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Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
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Source Organization
Kitchener Public Library
Collection
Soldier Information Cards - World War Two
Transcription
Beaudoin, Howard
[clipping] 4 Jul 1944
Sgt. Beaudoin Listed Missing on Bomb Flight
Flight Sgt. Howard Beaudoin, 21 year old son of L.J. and the late Mrs. Beaudoin, 85 Wilhelm St., is missing following air operations overseas.
His family received word Friday that he had failed to return from a flight on Wednesday. He has been flying night and day for the past weeks, he said in a recent letter, with little time off.
Bombardier Observer
Serving as bombardier-observer, he has been overseas since June 28, 1943. He enlisted in March, 1942 and was formery employed as a payroll clerk at the Merchants Rubber Co.. For a short time he was a member of the Scots Fusiliers reserve unit.
Born in Hamilton, Sgt Beaudoin has lived in the city most of his life, receiving his education at St. Jeromes's College. A brother, Pat, is serving with the Intelligence Corps., overseas.
Howard had a close shave on or about May 4, and luck was with him. It was after a raid over Friedrichshafen, Germany. A German fighter pilot opened desperate fire into the bomber, crippling it almost beyond belief. The crew nursed the plane home by the inch, taking turns holding two wires together, running from the mid-upper turret to the control column.
Plane Badly Damaged
When they crash-landed at the airdrome in England the plane burst into flames which were quickly extinguished.
They then counted the cost; The rear gunner was dead; the pilot was seriusly wounded; all crew members were badly shaken.
The compass as damaged, the mid-upper turret was knocked out and the elevators and hydraulics shot up. The bomb doors were hit and the main plane and fuselage were riddled by bullets. The cowling on the starboard inner engine was punctured. The plane never flew again.
[image] SGT. HOWARD BEAUDOIN Kitchener Killed in action
[clipping] 2 Sep, 1944
Flt. Sgt. Beaudoin is now officially reported killed in action during the operational flight overseas from which he failed to return on June 28
Serving as bombardier-observer he lost his life exactly one year after his arriving overseas. He enlisted in March, 1942 and was formerly employed as a payroll clerk at Merchants Rubber Company. For a short time he was a member of the Scots Fusilers (R) of Canada.
Born in Hamilton, Sgt Beaudoin had spent most of his life in this city receiving his education at St. Jerome's College.
His father Staff-Sgt Lionel Beaudoin is a member of the staff at the Driving and Maintenance School, Woodstock.
A brother, Patrick, is serving with the Canadian Army overseas. Two sisters, Kathleen and Margaret Mary, reside in Kitchener.