Operation: Patrol

Date: 25th December 1944 (Monday)

Unit: No. 416 Squadron (motto: Ad Saltum paratus - 'Ready for the leap')

Type: Spitfire XVI

Serial: SM303

Code: DN-?

Base: B.56 Evere, Belgium

Location: Houffalize, Belgium

Pilot: F/O. Alexander George Borland J/25780 RCAF Age 21. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 03rd September 1944 Haren-Evere area was liberated, and only three days later the first Royal Air Force squadrons landed. It was designated as Advanced Landing Ground B-56 Evere. As the Germans had left in a hurry, the twin airfields needed very little repair work. Between September 1944 and October 1945, the British further expanded the runways, taxiways and aprons. When World War II ended, the two airfields continued to be used by the military. It took until March 1946 before the airfields were fully released for civilian use.

The squadron took off in the morning on a patrol in the area of Malmedy, Belgium.

F/0 Borland was flying Yellow 5. A single aircraft approached from the east as section was proceeding west at 10,000ft. It was Identified as a P-47 Thunderbolt with normal American markings. As section passed he attacked formation fron astern, section broke into him and did all possible to identify themselves.

Above taken at RAF Tangmere on the 30th May 1944 (week before 'D' day

Top row (l-r) W/0. G.R Patterson (1), Fl/Lt. W.F Maso, (2) F/O. A.G Borland (3)
Lower row: P/O. W.H Palmer (4), Fl/Lt. R.D Forbes-Roberts (5), F/O. A ,R McFadden (6). (see below)

He attacked again and fired at F/0. Borland and Fl/Lt. Harling from nearly head on. They immediately broke on to his tail, but as they turned, he swung on to F/O. Borlsnd and fired at him.

No strikes seen but F/O. Borland rolled over and dove vertically into the ground at 12:30 hrs. No trace of the crash site established post war and the pilot has no known grave.

F/O. Alexander George Borland. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 245. Born on the 18th May 1923 in Guelph, Ontario.Educated at Guelph Collegiate. Enlisted on the 17th March 1942 in Hamilton, Ontario. Trained with No. 20 Elementary Flying Training School, No. 6 Service Flying Training School, 57 Operational Training Unit. Awarded his wings on the 30th April 1943.

Son of John Lee and Jessie Kate Borland (née Neill), brother of Jean (Haywood), a nurse serving with the RCAMC also in Belgium, of Turnkey Residence, County Bridge, Guelph, Ontario.

Photograph Details

(1) W/0. George Rudolf Patterson J/7440 Born on the 04th July 1921 in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Enlisted in Vancouver on the 08th February 1941. After his training posted to 416 squadron on the 08th September 1943. Discharges from RCAF on the 20th August 1945. Worked for Armco Canada for 33 years becoming president in 1971. Husband of Joyce Kathleen, broth of Ruth Schroeder, Dr. L.A. Patterson, Marion Sarkissian, Charlotte Hamlin and Tina Mark
Passed away on the 16th December 2001 in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.
Credited with 3 enemy aircraft destroyed - 22nd May 1944 Fw190, 28th June 1944 Fw190, 14th July 1944 Bf109.

(2) Fl/Lt. William Francis Mason J/6372 Born on the 05th February 1918 in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. Husband of Madeleine. Following his career with Canadair Bill volunteered with C.E.S.O., and was a founding member of Oak Bay Probus. Died 02nd December 2005, of Smiths Falls, Ontario,

(3) F/O. Alexander George Borland J/38156. This paget

(4) P/O. William Hewitt Palmer J/19648. Born on the 02nd November 1920 in Chase, British Columbia, Canada. Enlisted ib Ontario on the 17th March 1942, Died 15th July 1968, age 47. Son of Thomas Hedley Palmer (died 1857, age 63) and Mary Martine Palmer (née Bradley - died 1983, age 87) Husband of Marjorie Ellen Palmer (née Geddes - died 2006, age 90) of Kamloops and Salmon Arm, British Columbia.

(5) Fl/Lt. Richard Drummond Forbes-Roberts. Born on the 18th July 1918 in Saskatchewan. Son of to Herbert and Melissa (née Jefferson) Forbes-Roberts. Growing up on the prairies. I n 1938, Dick entered the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, which he attended until the onset of the war. He trained as a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and after marrying Dorothy Innes Hopkins in 1941, Dick was sent overseas where he served with distinction, flying Spitfires while stationed in England and France. In 2014, the government of France presented him with the French Legion of Honour Award for his part in helping to liberate their country. After the war, Dick remained in the service and was commander of Royal Canadian Air Force bases in eastern Canada. He retired from the RCAF in 1965. The family moved to Vancouver, BC where Dick worked as Student Placement Officer with Canada Manpower. He retired in 1980. Predeceased by Dorothy, his wife of seventy years. Died on the 24th April 2015, age 96, of Vancouver, British Columbia.

(5) Fl/Lt. Richard Drummond Forbes-Roberts. Born on the 18th July 1918 in Saskatchewan. Son of Herbert and Melissa (née Jefferson) Forbes-Roberts. Growing up on the prairies. I n 1938, Dick entered the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, which he attended until the onset of the war. He trained as a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and after marrying Dorothy Innes Hopkins in 1941, Dick was sent overseas where he served with distinction, flying Spitfires while stationed in England and France. In 2014, the government of France presented him with the French Legion of Honour Award for his part in helping to liberate their country. After the war, Dick remained in the service and was commander of Royal Canadian Air Force bases in eastern Canada. He retired from the RCAF in 1965. The family moved to Vancouver, BC where Dick worked as Student Placement Officer with Canada Manpower. He retired in 1980. Predeceased by Dorothy, his wife of seventy years. Died on the 24th April 2015, age 96, of Vancouver, British Columbia.

(6) F/O.'Dick' Allan Robert McFadden J/8416 Born on the 29th July 1918 in Fort Macleod, Canada. In April of 1942, he crashed in French West Africa and was interned in Timbucto until December of 1942. Upon release from internment he returned to the UK and flew Spitfires with 416 Squadron through ""D"" day and late 1944. He then returned to Canada and married Marjorie Lenore Wilson. They resided in Edmonton and Saskatoon while Allan attended university where he obtained his BSA in agriculture. They came to Lethbridge in 1949 where Allan was employed at the Canada Agriculture Research Station. In 1951 he joined Oliver Chemical Company of Lethbridge and remained with them until retirement in 1976. They then moved to Wasa, BC until 1984, at which time they retuned to Lethbridge.
Son of Archie and Louise McFadden (née Olmstead). Husband of Marjorie Lenore McFadden (née Wilson - died 2005, age, 84) Allan died on the 29th July 2007, age 88 of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Video of the history of 416 Squadron (Courtesy Sean's Aviation)

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the Paradie RCAF Archives, World War Two Canadian Archive, Pierre Lagacé for photographs, National Archives Kew.

Other pages that may interest you:

Pages regarding 1944 losses

Pages detailing RCAF losses

Other sources as quoted below:

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