Born 28 December, 1919 at Charing Cross. The son of Warren P. and Violet W. (nee Bennett) Drewery, of Charing Cross, Ontario. Bertram attended S. S. #21/2 Charing Cross Public School and Blenheim District High School. The brother of Percy RCNVR on HMCS Ontario and Raeburn in the Army stationed in Europe also Floyd ‘Pop’, Melvin and Hazel.

Bertram enlisted in August 1941. He took his basic training at No. 12 BTC in Chatham and later transferred to the RCAF. He arrived at Initial training at #2 Manning Depot, Brandon, MB on 26 August 41. LAC Drewery writes, “Our course is a pretty rough one – both the ground school and the flying but the standard of training is well worth it.

It was reported that Sergeant-Pilot Drewery graduated from No. 12 S.F.T.S. at Brandon, Manitoba. Bert write to the BNT that the Blenheim paper is arriving in Brandon very regular. He was given a fourteen day furlough to visit his parents.  CDN 26/10/42. No. 19 Elementry Flying Training School at Virden, MB.  He would receive his wings at Brandon in 22 October of 1942. Later that year he would be posted overseas.

Bert eventually went overseas and was stationed in Scotland as a Halifax bomber pilot with 429 Squadron RCAF.

He wrote many letters and some found their way to the Blenheim News Tribune. Still Sgt. R126657 he writes to Leonard Pegg the editor of Blenheim News Tribune That he settled in and appreciated the copies of the ‘hometown’ paper reaching him. He mentions meeting two local boys Cpl. Jim Simpson (James Russell) and Roy (Edward) Seney.

In July of 1944 Bert was still enjoying the Blenheim newspaper and “even the grocery ‘ads’ are going over well.” He and his ‘bunch’ had discovered a “little road-side pub about 10 or 12 miles away” that make a “wizard meal of eggs and chips”. He bought a bike for a quid ($13 – $14 roughly) but in good condition. No doubt made the trip for eggs and chips quicker. A local village hall was a main attraction for their home-made cake and sandwiches served up by the village ladies. “Every time I get a chance for home cooking, I snap at it cause service issue grub can be improved upon quite a bit.”

 F/O Drewery was reported missing in action over enemy occupied Europe  and ‘failed to return’. CDN 15/01/45(P).  

 Inscription on family gravestone at Pardoville Cemetery “Born 28 Dec. 1919 –  KIA 28 Dec. 1944, Buried in Norway” 

Age: 25, KIA – Date of Death: 28/12/1944, (28 December was his birthday)  in Halifax bomber # NR 197 on Air Ops. shot down over the target of Sandefjord, Norway, it was Bert’s 25^th birthday, 

Memorial – Flying Officer Bertram Ernest Drewery is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens. CVWM.

An article in the BNT in October (year unknown) Chad Guyitt the great nephew of Bert Drewery was talking to the UCW – Charing Cross United Church and told of his visit to the Bert’s grave in Norway.

Curators Note: There is a photograph of the grave marker listing the names of all of the crew of Halifax bomber NR197 as well a good photo of F/O (Pilot) Drewery. Canadian Virtual War Memorial  website.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave. B. 1. 7-12.

Cemetery: SANDEFJORD (EKEBERG) CHURCHYARD. Sandefjord is on the south-east coast, is on the railway line between Oslo and Larvik, 19 Klm. North of Larvik and 140 Klm. From Oslo.

 

The CDN of 3/12/45 reporting on the “Stirring Tribute To Charing Cross pilot and Member of Crew” A letter from the RCAF Casualty Office had received a report from the Royal Air Force Missing Research and Inquiry Service operating in Norway investigation at Sandefjord reported

The following:

“The whole and sad story reveals that the aircraft piloted by FO. Drewery was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from a German ship lying in the fjord, and crashed upon a chemical works. The was a very sever explosion in which the whole crew must have been killed instantly.

After the resulting fire every possible effort was made to recover the remains of the crew, but although there were seven in number and an Austrian chemist was also known to have been in the building when it was struck the remains of the six bodies, five of which were unidentified could be recovered.

These remains were buried in a comrade’s grave at Sandefjord New Churchyard, on December 30, 1944, and a report of the burial service conducted by the Reverend Tofte, a Norwegian is enclosed.

The British Council at Sandefjord wishes to have a tablet erected over the grave in memory of the crew with particulars of their names, date of birth and home addresses. He grave has been carefully tended and always bears fresh flowers placed thereby the Norwegian people.

In giving these sad details I do sincerely hope that the knowledge tat your son’s death was instantaneous and that tribute is being paid to his memory and that of his comrades in a friendly country, may be of some slight comfort to you in your great loss.”E. Thompson.

RCAF Casualty Officer for Chief of the Air Staff.

 

The letter from Rev. Tofte of the funeral ceremony is as follows:

“The ceremony started at Solvang Hospital where the six coffins, when I arrived, were placed in the open yard in front of the house. The coffins were well made, some white and some black, but without any flowers. On a large truck they were brought the short way to the churchyard. Twelve German soldiers and one officer were present. In spit of nothing being published in connection with the funeral about 200 Norwegian people had assembled on both sides of the road and followed the coffins right up to the grave without the Germans doing anything to hinder this manner of demonstrating their sympathy towards the deceased British friends.

The act started with two verses being sung of the psalm. “Think of the Day when Gathered Together”. The ceremony was performed according to ritual and earth was placed on each one of the coffins. Before finishing I read the text from the Bible, John 6, 40 “And this is the will of my Father, that everyone that sees the Son and Believe in Him, he shall have eternal life, and I will arouse him on the Dooms Day.”

After the Holy Prayer, the last two verses of the before mentioned psalm we sung. Everybody present was deeply touched. As far as I myself was concerned it was the most moving funeral I have performed. My thoughts were with their families far away in Great Britain and Canada. It seemed to be most tragic that their dear ones should be put to rest in a foreign land – far away from their dear ones, and their homes, who surely would have done anything to be present for a last farewell and be able to cover the naked coffins with flowers. They had given their lives for the freedom of Norway and therefore great respect and thankfulness we all bowed our bare heads as a last farewell, to these unknown friends of an Allied Nation.”

“We should be grateful if this could be brought to the knowledge of their families. CDN 3/12/45

Image Below: Irving, Hazel Winnifred (Sister of  Drewery, Bertram “Bert” Ernest)

 

 

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

“The First 200 Years” by Alvin Armstrong, Index of Overseas Deaths, They Shall Not Grow Old, Blenheim IODE Tablet of Remembrance., BHS-RH, TBD-RH, CDN, BFL-B, RCLM, CCUC-RH

Age

25

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