James enlisted at Windsor, ON. 28/09/42

Born 30/12/1920 at MacGregor, Manitoba, the son of Helen, one of three sisters that immigrated from Scotland to Canada and she married Allan Lundy when she was nineteen. They moved to Ontario about 1925, finding work on the farm of Mr. Ingram Strain. Living at R.R.#1,Turnerville, Kent Co., ON. Mr. Strain a bachelor lived on the ground floor. Allan and Helen with the children Jim, Jack, Wilfred, Bob and sisters Mary and Janet. The boys and their father helped “Ing” with the ‘chores’ and Helen looked after the housework.

James father Allan Ferguson would pass away 14/09/1935, when James was fifteen. After a “proper interval”, Mr. Strain proposed to Helen and also offered to raise the children James, Jack, Wilfred, Bob, Mary and Janet as his own to which Helen agreed. “Jim was a happy-go-lucky kind of a fellow. He was good with animals. He was an eternal optimist; a pleasant guy to have around and had many friends. Jim received his High School Entrance Certificate 6 July, 1935.  Jim attended 10th Concession School in Chatham Twsp., Kent Co., ON.  He also attended Dover Centre United Church.

He also attended the Dover Centre United Church. He was an eternal optimist; a pleasant guy to have around and had many friends. Jim received his High School Entrance Certificate 6 July, 1935

James enlisted in the RCAF at Windsor, ON. 28/09/1942, he trained in Toronto and in Quebec he graduated from Mount Joli in June 1943 and went overseas the following month. Sailing for overseas in June. James was reported visiting his mother Mrs. Ingram Strain of Chatham Twsp on his way to RCAF – Toronto Manning Pool. CDN 3/11/42

The CDN 8/02/44 reported that Sgt. (AG) Lundy “reported some months ago is now believed dead”. The CDN 16/05/44 reported that Sgt. James Patrick Lundy reported missing after air operations on 4 October, “is now presumed dead for official purposes”.

KIA – Date of Death: 03/10/1943, Flying in Halifax bomber # EB 213 they were shot down and crashed near Byrguffein, Germany during a night trip to Kassel, Germany. Five other of the crew were killed, Sgt. F Gration was taken as a POW.  This was on Sgt. Lundy’s ninth raid over Berlin.

The photo of the two comrades was a treasured possession of his mother and hopefully some comfort to her and the valor of a young man.

The CDN 29/06/44 reported that James’ mother had received a photograph of her son from RCAF headquarters. The photo showed James with another air gunner seated on a pile of bombs. An inscription on the photo is as follows:

“The thousand pound bombs on which that they are shown seated provided the last word in comfort for two Ontario gunners. Returning from a raid over Berlin Sgt. James Lundy of Chatham found his Halifax attacked twelve times by two German night fighters. One of them a ME109 they shot down like a ball of fire while the other a JU-88 was beaten off.

It was the second trip for both members of the squadron in the RCAF bomber group, commanded by Wing Commander Don Smith DFC of Preston.”

 Curators Note: The head shot photograph appeared in the CDN article. JRH.

In a letter to his mother after the raid Sgt. Lundy stated that they found fifty bullet holes in their plane when they returned from that raid.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference:plot 11.row C. 3 grave 12.

Cemetery: HANOVER (Limmer) British Military WAR CEMETERY.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources	IODE-IS, Information from Jim Lundy (nephew), Statement of Service, PAC., They Shall Grow Not Old.
Supplemental Information	Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference:plot 11.row C. 3 grave 12. Cemetery: HANOVER (Limmer) British Military WAR CEMETERY. Afa: IODE-IS, Information from Jim Lundy (nephew), Statement of Service, PAC., They Shall Grow Not Old.

Next of Kin

Janet (Lawton) sister. (IODE-IS)

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