True and Fascinating Canadian History
Runnymede Air Force(s) Memorial
Englefield Green. England
In Memory of:
Nicholas Clayton Rushton WWII. KIA
and
Reg.#13917, RCMP Constable
Harold Ernest Leslie Chapman WWII. KIA
and
Reg.#11892, RCMP Constable
Edward Earle Muffitt WWII. KIA
"R178903 Sergeant (No. 12 Operational Training Unit RCAF bomb aimer) Nicholas Clayton Rushton (b.1911) of Swift Current, SK was KIA 1944,05,16 and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial near London, England, for airmen from the north European theatre who died with no known grave.
Rushton's Wellington failed to return from a night "nickel raid" (propaganda leaflets) over the Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, area of France.
He was the son of Nicholas and Jean Fairweather (Youngson) Rushton of Edmonton. Nicholas Jr. was born and educated at Gadsby, Alberta, and had been a grain buyer when he joined the RCMP in 1935. He enlisted at Edmonton in 1942 leaving a wife Dallas Mary (Perrigo) and son Nicholas Gary at Calgary."
"The Air Forces Memorial, or Runnymede Memorial, in Englefield Green, near Egham, Surrey, England is a Memorial dedicated to some 20,456 men and women from the British Empire who were lost in operations from World War II."
"J26941 Flying Officer (No. 144 Squadron RAF Pilot) Harold Ernest Leslie Chapman (b.1921) of Toronto, Ontario, was KIA 19450411. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial near London, England, for Airmen from the north European theatre who died with no known grave.
Chapman's Beaufighter crashed during an anti-shipping sortie to Fede Fjord, Norway.
Harold Chapman was the son of Rev. Thomas Henry and Blanche Elizabeth (Leslie) Chapman who both came from Québec and who lived at Calgary after the war. Harold was born at Blandford, Lunenburg Co., Nova Scotia, and educated at Lacombe and Stettler, Alberta.
He joined the RCMP and spent his first posting at Regina, SK before being transferred to Toronto eleven months before he enlisted at Calgary, AB early in 1942."
courtesy of John Henderson, Vets Ottawa. ON.
June. 2015
The photos hereunder of Runnymede Air Force Memorial and the following information was submitted courtesy of John Henderson, Vets Ottawa. ON. Thank you John. (JJH). 2015
Reg.#11892, Edward Earle MuffittFlight Lieutenant. J8372. Pilot. RCAF. No. 131 OTU. Catalina FP12002.11.43
“Killed by own depth charges when the depth charges onboard his aircraft exploded causing the aircraft to crash into the sea near Makinmore Head, Northern Ireland.” ARCHIVES RG24 28299
Source & Appreciation. Air Forces Memorial.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=runningmeade+memorial&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#client=firefox-
a&hs=l2d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=runnymede+memorial&sa=X&ei=qz3nUYWKC9P-4AOC54H4AQ&ved=0CCwQ7xYoAA&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.
49478099,d.dmg&fp=bfc1815c2ef0fc6a&biw=1522&bih=702
Air Forces Memorial Address:
Cooper's Hill Ln, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey TW20 0LB, United Kingdom
Source for notes about Constable Rushton's participation in WWII.
http://svwm.ca/casualty-display/?ID=A000010147
Source for notes about Constable Chapman's participation in WWII.
http://svwm.ca/casualty-display/?ID=A000007122
