| Rank | Flt. Sgt.(AG) |
| Service # | R187614 |
| Unit # | 166 (R.A.F.) Sqdn, RCAF |
Born 27/11/1921 the son of James Edward and Georgina Ann Preston of 25 Forest St., Chatham, ON. James attended Blessed Sacrament School and Chatham Collegiate Institute. Prior to the war James work for the Bell Telephone Co. in Chatham for eight months.
James enlisted in Windsor, ON. in 28 August 1942 and received his wings at Mont Joli in May of 1943. He arrived overseas in June. He was reported flying in a Lancaster bomber as rear gunner on a bombing operation against Berlin on the evening of 21-22 November, 1943. His bomber C2 became separated from the rest of the flight but they stuck to the attack on the German capital. The pilot on that raid was Sgt. W, V. Butler from Portsmouth, England and it was a combination of dense cloud and ‘tricky winds’ that they were separated from the main attack force of hundreds of the large bombers which would drop 2,300 ton of explosives and incendiaries that night.
When the lone bomber reached the target the main force had left and they were alone with all of the German anti-aircraft guns and search lights trying to find them. It wasn’t until bomb-aimer Sgt. J. Holden of Hounslow, England dropped their load of bombs that they were spotted but were able to evade the shells sent at them.
While passing another German city their luck changed and the port (left) inner engine was hit and had to be “feathered”. Then a shot hit the outer Starboard (right) was hit and the big four engine plane was in trouble. They abandoned the idea of ‘ditching’ the plane in the English Channel and flew on to the nearest airdrome where Piolt Butler brought the hugh plane in for belly landing safely, the crew was only shaken up for the experience. “Sergt. J. Preston Takes Part In Lone Berlin Raid” CDN 5/01/1944. – From a letter to his parents.
“Bombed Berlin” CDN 12/01/44 and “Missing” CDN 19/01/44
Age: 22, KIA – Date of Death: 14/01/1944, In Lancaster bomber # EE 137, on night Air Ops. over Brunswick, Germany. On 24/04/44 he along with the four others killed and the 2 MIA presumed killed, this included James . It was reported that he had been buried at Hoya, but no other information was available in a letter from the RCAF Casualty officer as follows:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Preston:
Further to my letter of April 24th advice received from overseas, in reply to our inquiry, states that your son was buried in Hoya cemetery which is situated on the river Wesser, twenty-three miles southeast of Bremen, Germany. His burial took place on the 17th of January, 1944 in grave number 23.
Please be assured that should any additional details be received they will be communicated to you immediately.
Yours sincerely,
R.C.A.F. Casualty Officer for Chief of the Air Staff.
A memorial reqium high mass was offered at Blessed Sacrament church in memory of Sgt. Preston on 21 June, 1944. CDN 20/06/44
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