Flying Officer John Gordon Fraser
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
John Gordon Fraser was born at Dundee, Quebec, on 21 December 1918. He completed Grade XI / Junior Matriculation and worked on his father's farm before enlisting in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal on 8 August 1941. He trained as a pilot, received his Pilot's Flying Badge in April 1942 and rose through the ranks before being commissioned Pilot Officer in October 1943 and promoted Flying Officer in April 1944. After proceeding overseas in November 1943, he completed further operational training and was posted to No. 439 Squadron RCAF in August 1944, flying Typhoon fighter-bombers on operations in France, Belgium and Holland. On 11 November 1944 his Typhoon was hit by enemy flak during an attack on the lock gates at Sneek, Holland. Fraser force-landed safely and evaded capture with the Dutch underground until liberated by the Canadian Army on 14 April 1945. He returned to the United Kingdom, was repatriated to Canada in May and retired from active service on 25 August 1945. After the war he planned to continue the trucking business he had established between Dundee and Montreal.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
J36722
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Air Force
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Air Force
Battalion:
No. 439 Squadron RCAF
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Dundee, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
22 years 7 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
26 years 8 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
63 years 8 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Farmer
Next of Kin:
John James Fraser, father, Dundee, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Dundee, Quebec
Religion:
United Church of Canada
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 9.5 in / 177 cm
Weight:
139 lbs / 63 kg
Chest:
32.5 in / 83 cm
Expansion:
2.5 in / 6 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Lachine, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1478 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Flying Officer |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 439 Squadron RCAF |
|
|
|
| Default wartime operational unit. |
| WW2 |
Flying Officer |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
Repatriation / No. 1 Air Command / No. 2 Release Centre |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Flying Officer |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 3 Tactical Exercise Unit / No. 691 Squadron / No. 83 Group Support Unit |
|
|
|
| Temporary Flying Officer. |
| WW2 |
Pilot Officer |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre / No. 53 Operational Training Unit |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Pilot Officer |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 1 Y Depot |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Warrant Officer Class II |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 1 Operational Training Unit |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Warrant Officer Class II |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Flight Sergeant |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School |
|
|
|
| Acting and temporary Flight Sergeant recorded same date. |
| WW2 |
Sergeant |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Leading Aircraftman |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School / No. 8 Service Flying Training School |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Aircraftman 2nd Class |
Royal Canadian Air Force |
Air Force |
RCAF Special Reserve |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
Pilot's Flying Badge |
|
|
|
RCAF service file |
| Awarded after successfully completing pilot training. |
| WW2 |
1939-45 Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
France and Germany Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939-45 |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1918-12-21 — Born at Dundee, Quebec. — Dundee, Quebec
1925 to 1932 — Attended Dundee Consolidated School. — Dundee, Quebec / Dundee Consolidated School
1932 to 1936 — Attended Dundee Intermediate School; completed Grade XI / Junior Matriculation and left school at age 17. — Dundee, Quebec / Dundee Intermediate School
1936 to 1941 — Worked in farming for his father, John James Fraser. — Dundee, Quebec / John James Fraser farm
1941-07-28 — Interviewed and medically examined for RCAF Special Reserve flying duties; selected pilot as his preference. — Montreal, Quebec / RCAF Recruiting Centre
1941-08-08 — Enlisted for the duration in the RCAF Special Reserve as Aircraftman 2nd Class and proceeded to a Manning Depot. — Montreal, Quebec / RCAF Special Reserve
1941-09-13 — Transferred for initial aircrew training. — Victoriaville, Quebec / No. 3 Initial Training School
1941-10-19 — Promoted Leading Aircraftman. — Canada / Royal Canadian Air Force
1941-11-21 — Taken on strength for elementary flying training. — Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec / No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School
1942-01-04 — Taken on strength for service flying training. — Moncton, New Brunswick / No. 8 Service Flying Training School
1942-04-15 to 1942-04-20 — Hospitalized for bilateral ingrown great toenails; both nails were removed and he returned to duty. — Moncton, New Brunswick / No. 8 Service Flying Training School Hospital
1942-04-24 — Qualified as a pilot, received the Pilot's Flying Badge, and was promoted temporary Sergeant. — Moncton, New Brunswick / No. 8 Service Flying Training School
1942-05-08 to 1942-05-09 — Transferred to staff-pilot duties. — Macdonald, Manitoba / No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School
1942-08-19 to 1942-09-02 — Granted compassionate leave following his father's death. — Dundee, Quebec / Royal Canadian Air Force
1942-10-24 — Promoted Acting and Temporary Flight Sergeant (Pilot). — Macdonald, Manitoba / No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School
1943-04-24 — Promoted Temporary Warrant Officer Class II (Pilot). — Macdonald, Manitoba / No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School
1943-08-04 to 1943-08-05 — Transferred for operational training. — Bagotville, Quebec / No. 1 Operational Training Unit
1943-10-08 — Commissioned Pilot Officer, General List, Pilot Branch. — Bagotville, Quebec / Royal Canadian Air Force
1943-10-23 to 1943-10-24 — Transferred to the overseas embarkation depot. — Halifax, Nova Scotia / No. 1 Y Depot
1943-11-01 — Embarked from Canada for overseas service. — Halifax, Nova Scotia / No. 1 Y Depot
1943-11-09 — Disembarked in the United Kingdom. — United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Air Force Overseas
1943-11-10 — Taken on strength after arrival overseas. — United Kingdom / No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre
1943-12-21 — Posted for operational conversion training. — United Kingdom / No. 53 Operational Training Unit
1944-04-03 — Transferred to tactical training and attached to RAF Regiment training at Grantham. — Grantham, England / No. 3 Tactical Exercise Unit / RAF Regiment
1944-04-08 — Promoted Temporary Flying Officer. — United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Air Force Overseas
1944-05-06 — Transferred/attached from No. 3 Tactical Exercise Unit to No. 691 Squadron. — United Kingdom / No. 691 Squadron
1944-06-09 to 1944-07-13 — Completed further attachments including RAF Annan and RAF Honiley, then moved to No. 83 Group Support Unit. — United Kingdom / RAF Annan / RAF Honiley / No. 83 Group Support Unit
1944-08-14 — Posted as a Flying Officer pilot to No. 439 Squadron. — Northwest Europe / No. 439 Squadron RCAF
1944-08-18 to 1944-11-11 — Flew operational Typhoon sorties in France, Belgium and Holland with No. 439 Squadron, including strafing, Ramrod, fighter-patrol and weather-reconnaissance missions. — Northwest Europe / No. 439 Squadron RCAF
1944-11-11 — Typhoon MN547 was hit by enemy flak during a dive-bombing attack on lock gates at Sneek; he force-landed safely in enemy-occupied Holland and was reported missing. — Sneek, Holland / No. 439 Squadron RCAF
1944-11-11 to 1945-04-14 — Evaded capture and lived with the Dutch underground after his forced landing. — Northern Holland / Dutch underground
1945-04-14 — Liberated by the Canadian Army after approximately five months evading in Holland. — Holland / Canadian Army
1945-04-17 — Reported safe in Allied territory and admitted as an evader to No. 1 Canadian prisoner-of-war transit camp. — Allied territory / No. 1 Canadian prisoner-of-war transit camp
1945-04-21 — Arrived safely in the United Kingdom and was officially reclassified safe. — United Kingdom / No. 3 RCAF Personnel Reception Centre
1945-05-20 to 1945-05-21 — Moved to repatriation processing and embarked for Canada from Greenock. — Greenock, Scotland / No. 1 Repatriation Depot
1945-05-28 — Disembarked at New York while returning to Canada. — New York, USA / Royal Canadian Air Force
1945-05-30 to 1945-06-28 — Granted 30 days' special leave following repatriation. — Dundee, Quebec / Royal Canadian Air Force
1945-07-11 to 1945-07-12 — Posted to St. Hubert during demobilization processing. — St. Hubert, Quebec / No. 1 Air Command
1945-07-16 — Applied for Operational Wings based on his No. 439 Squadron sorties; the application was later rejected for insufficient operational time. — St. Hubert, Quebec / Royal Canadian Air Force
1945-08-14 to 1945-08-15 — Transferred to his release centre. — Lachine, Quebec / No. 2 Release Centre
1945-08-25 — Retired on completion of voluntary service during the emergency and transferred to RCAF Reserve, General Section, Class E. — Lachine, Quebec / No. 2 Release Centre
Notes
Completed Grade XI / Junior Matriculation at Dundee and worked on his father's farm before enlistment. He also operated a school-bus line for two years and, by discharge, had established a trucking business between Dundee and Montreal. He spoke English and some French, participated in softball, cycling and skating, and listed sports and mechanics among his interests.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Next of Kin: John J. Fraser. Dundee, Que.
Enlisted at Montreal, Aug. 8. 1941,
Born at Dundee, Que., Dec. 21, 1918.
BIRTH 21 DEC 1918 • Dundee, Huntingdon, Le Haut-Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada DEATH 17 SEP 1982 • Dundee, Quebec
Purchased the Montreal milk route formerly owned and operated by Mr. William J. Smythe, of Lee's Corners after returning to civilian life
ATIP Request confirmation number EA2026_0171052
Flying Officer J. Gordon Fraser, f Dundee Centre, Que., son of Mrs. Cora Fraser, who was posted as missing as of Nov. 11th, 1944, while serving with the R.C.A.F. Overseas, has now been definitely reported as having landed safely back in Bri- tain after being in enemy territory for over 5 months. The first news of his whereabouts came on Sun- day, April 15th, when+his mother received a telegram from Ottawa -o the effect that he was then safe in Allled hands. The following Tuesday another telegram arrived L saying that he had arrived back in the British Isles. On Saturday, April 28, a telegram from himself to his mother stated simply that “ne had been “repatriated to Eng- land”. The family are now await- ing a letter giving further particu- lars. Although officially reported as missing on Nov, 11, 1944, a letter from his Commanding Officer seemed to indicate that he might eventually be reported safe, According to the letter, F./O. Fra- ser had been doing patrol work over the Continent with the Typhoon Squadron to which he was attach- ed, when he was forced down over enemy territory. As he went down he radioed the Squadron Leader s¢hat he was landing safely appar- ently uninjured, thus giving rise to the belief that later he would be round, which to the rellef of his Jfamily and many friends, has prov- ad to be true. However, since that ‘ime no word or trace of the miss- ing airman was received until the welcome news arrived about 2 weeks ago that he was off the missing list. Gordon who is 25 years of age enlisted in the Air Force on August 8, 1941 and received his F./O, J. G. FRASER -0Q- wings from the Air Training school at Moncton, N.B., in the spring of 1942. He went overseas in Novem- ber 1943, and served several months on operational duty before and after D-Day until he was reported missing last November. The following paragraph appear- ed in the Montreal Daily Star of Saturday. April 28th: F/O. J. G. Praser of Dundee, Que.. an R.C.AF. Typhoon fighter pilot, lived with The Netherlands underground since armistice day last year when he had to crash land
Additional Service Notes
Pilot with No. 439 Squadron RCAF. Flew operational Typhoon sorties in France, Belgium and Holland from August to November 1944. On 11 November 1944 Typhoon MN547 was hit by flak during an attack on the lock gates at Sneek; he force-landed safely in enemy territory, evaded with the Dutch underground until liberated by the Canadian Army on 14 April 1945, and returned safely to the United Kingdom on 21 April 1945. His July 1945 application for Operational Wings was rejected for insufficient operational time.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Father John James Fraser, a farmer of Dundee, Quebec, was initially listed as next of kin and died in August 1942. Mother Cora May Fraser (maiden surname extracted as Evers, slightly uncertain), of Dundee, later became next of kin. Sister Mrs. Frank Thorpe lived at 5803 Boileau Street, Montreal. Fraser remained single during service.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-10-06 02:05:03
by: marc
