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Cenotaph Stories


Stinson, Harold Keith

Rank
Squadron Leader
Service No.
J/8418
Unit
Royal Canadian Air Force, 433 Sqdn.
Died
February 1, 1945 (crashed returning from bombing run)
Age 23
Buried
Harrowgate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire UK - Sec. H. Row F. Grave 10.
Remembrance:
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross
Additional Info
Son of Thomas A. Stinson & Florence C. Stinson, Lindsay, ON, Canada
Brother of Arnold, Fred, Marguerite


HAROLD KEITH STINSON

In Memoriam

Stinson – In Memory of Squadron Leader Harold K. Stinson. D.F.C., who paid the supreme sacrifice on active duty overseas, Feb. 1. 1945.

Fine, strong and clean
Of limb and mind
Our lad has gone
To join the valiant dead
Who live forever
In the treasured memory
Of a grateful land.
He carries on, undying
In the best tradition
Of a race among
The noblest God
Has ever given earth.
Canadian born,
He held aloft
The fairest flag
Unfurled to any breeze.
God make us strong
To bear unsullied to the end
That same fine honour
He and his companions bring
Unto our land
In this their greatest hour.

Mrs. Florence C. Stinson and Family

(The above lines were originally dedicated to a pal who passed on at the same. Time)

Aircraft Information

Aircraft: Avro Lancaster I
Serial Number: NG460
Markings: BM-A
Group 6, Squadron 433 (Porcupine)

Fellow Servicemen

F/O McMillan, D. J.
P/O McShane, J. T.
P/O Pierson, R.
P/O Thompson, E. H.

Last Operation Information

Start Date: 01/02/1945
End Date: 02/02/1945
Takeoff Station: Skipton on Swale
Day/Night Raid: Night (80% moon)
Operation: Ludwigshafen. 382 aircraft, 6 lost. Sky-markers were used which almost invariably leads to scattered bombing and this raid was no different. 900 houses were destroyed and the railway infrastructure was also damaged, as was a bridge. There were relatively few deaths (25) suggesting that much of the population had fled.
Reason for Loss: Successfully completed the bombing run but was then hit by flak. Subsequently encountered turbulent weather on return leg and control was lost. Crashed NW of Driffield, only two of the crew having made their escape.

Transcriptions:
 

Jan 7, 1943

20-YEAR-OLD LINDSAY
AIRMAN RECEIVES
DOUBLE PROMOTION

P.O. Harold Stinson, R.C.A.F. Overseas, 20-year-old son of Mrs. T. A. Stinson, Bond St., has been promoted to the rank of Acting Flight Lieutenant, is was reported today. This advancement came in the form of a double promotion as he had been previously recommended for Flying Officer.

Flight Lieut. Stinson has been overseas since Nov. 1941, and, at present, is on loan to the R.A.F. He has participated in many of the large raids on enemy territory.

In a letter home, he stated that he could not understand why they had given him a double promotion.

Harry's many friends, who know his abilities and realise how richly he deserves his promotion, extend their heartiest congratulations to him.
 


May 15, 1943

Former L.C.I. Boy
Wins the D.F.C.

Heartiest congratulations are in order to Flight Lieut. Harold K, Stinson, son of Mrs. S. C. Stinson, Bond Street town, who was among the R.C.A.F. men serving overseas to be awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross yesterday. Lieut. Stinson was a popular L. C. I. boy and well known here.
 


Post September 9, 1944

Formerly of
Lindsay DFC
Winner Home

H. K. Stinson, formerly, of Lindsay and now attached to the RCAF overseas, has arrived in Canada on furlough.

The family of which he is a member formerly resided at 80 Cambridge St. S but as far as can be learned, they have since moved to Windsor.

He is a holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Another brother Lieut. Fred A. Stinson is serving with the Canadian Navy, with headquarters on the Eastern Coast. A brother Arnold Stinson engaged in radio work resides in Windsor with his mother.
 


Having Royal Flu Is Something!

Harry Stinson, son of Mrs. T. A. Stinson, Bond St., was to receive his decoration Tuesday at Buckingham Palace from the King. The news that the royal family were suffering from the flu made us wonder if the occasion had to be postponed. It would really be an honour to receive even the flu from our gracious Queen Elizabeth, Congratulations Harry!
 


SON DOING GOOD JOB
GLAD, MOTHER SAYS

Mr: P. A. Stinson “Little Excited” After Report on Stuttgart Raid.

“All’s well that ends well.” Mrs. P. A. Stinson commented after receiving word of her son’s part in the great Stuttgart raid Sunday night.

Pilot Officer Stinson was in command of a Halifax bomber which remained over the city during most of the bombing operations.

“I am a little excited. The report say his plane returned with 25 holes punched in it by anti-aircraft fire, but it isn’t the first time. He took part in the raid on Bremen, Clologne and Saarbrücken, some of the raids lasted seven hours.

“Once he had an engine crippled before he reached his target. He did his job, and limped home.

“When he arrived over England, something went wrong with the petrol feed pipes, and he was forced to crash-land the huge four-motored bomber in a farmer’s field. None of his crew was injured. We were pretty proud of him for that.”

Mrs. Stinson lives in Lindsay. Ont. with Pilot Officer Stinson’s sister, Marguerite, who is attending collegiate. She has two other sons. Sub-Lieutenant S. P. Stinson, who is training at King’s college, Halifax, with the R.C.N.V.R. and A. W. Stinson, of Windsor.

Pilot Officer Stinson, 20, was born in Lindsay, and went to the collegiate there. He joined the R.C.A.F. in November 1940, and won his wings and commission an Dauphin, Man. He went overseas in November 1941, and has been on loan to the R.A.F. for some time.

Upon the completion of advanced training course he was made captain of the crew of a Halifax bomber, attached to the 102nd Squadron of the R.A.F.

“He’s doing a nice job.” His mother said last night. “I have had no recent news from him, but a month ago he had 15 trips over Germany to his credit. I hope he will always come home from his raid as he did from this one, safe and the winner.”
 


Post Feb 5 1945

Sqdn. - Ldr. Harold Stinson
Is Reported Killed Overseas

Word was received in Lindsay today by Rev. J. J. Black, pastor of Cambridge St. United Church, from Mrs. T. A. Stinson, Windsor, Ont., stating that her son, Squadron Leader Harold Stinson, D.F.C., had been reported killed overseas.

Sqdn.-Ldr. Stinson was awarded the D.F.C. last summer, following lengthy service overseas and was posted to Canada, but his love of air force life overseas was so great that he had no desire to remain in Canada away from the fray, and as a result thereof, he asked to be sent back to England again.

During the past summer, he and his brother Fred, a lieutenant in the Canadian Navy, spent a furlough together in Lindsay, and visited with friends at the lake.

Mrs. Stinson received the word at Windsor, where she has taken up temporary residence to be near her other son, Arnold, who has been confined to hospital there for some months past.

Sqdn.-Ldr. Stinson attained his 23rd birthday on the 13th of January this year and Mr. Black advised The Post today, that it is only a few days ago that he received a letter from him in which he commented jokingly about his birthday falling on the unlucky 13th.

The messege did not give details as to how he met his death, but it did state that he was buried In Yorkshire County, England.

One other member of the family, a sister, is a nurse-in-training at a Toronto hospital.

Sincere sympathy of the community in which this family has been particularly well-known and highly respected, is extended to the bereaved ones in their great loss.
 


SQD. LEADER
H. K. STINSON,
D.F.C., KILLED

Citizens were shocked Monday to learn that Squadron Leader Harold K. Stinson, DFC had been killed and his remains interred in a cemetery in Yorkshire Eng. No details are to hand.

The young officer, a son of Mrs T. A. Stinson of Windsor was born at Janetville, attended the Lindsay Collegiate Institute and resided in Lindsay several years before enlisting in the RCAF. He went overseas in December 1940 and in the course of his duties completed many operational flights over enemy territory, in excess of the required number. Some time ago along with others, he was awarded the Flying Cross for conspicuous action.
 


Winner Of D.F.C
Is Killed

Sqdn. Ldr. Stinson Dies on Raid

Widely-separated theatres of war produced today's list of three casualties. One Windsor airman, holder of Distinguished Flying Cross. Was reported killed in action over Germany. Another airman is missing in action in the Pacific theatre of war, and a soldier has been reported in Action in Holland.

The Casualties:

KILLED IN ACTION
Sqdn. Ldr. Harold K. Stinson, D.F.C. 23, son of Mrs. Florence Stinson, 1480 Church street and Lindsay, Ont.