Horwood, Douglas Ray

Date of birth:: April 22nd, 1919 (Toronto/Ontario, Canada)
Date of death:: May 13th, 1943
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Roman Catholic Cemetery Deurningen
Row: 1. Grave: 1-5.
Service number:: R/127814
Nationality:: Canadian (1931-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

Biography

Douglas was born on April 22 1919 in Toronto, the son of Frederick Ernest Horwood and Ellen Horwood nee Dyment (deceased in 1919 during a childbirth) of Riverside, Ontario. They were married on November 15 1916 in Regina Saskatchewan. His stepmother was Elizabeth L. Horwood. His brothers were William P. (with the marine), Sydney A. and Patrick F. Horwood. His sister was Gwendolyn Horwood and his half-sisters were Marguerite and Eileen Norwood.

He was a factory foreman and member of the United Church. His sports were baseball, hockey and basketball and his hobby was mechanics.

He served as a Private from November 22 1940 till December 22 1940 with the Toronto Scottish Regiment of The Non-Permanent Active Militia of Canada. He enlisted on August 20 1941 then the RCAF in Toronto and he went thereafter on November 4 1942 overseas to the UK.

Charles was killed in action on Thursday May 13 1943 age 24, just three weeks after this 24th birthday due to a crash at the hamlet of Hasseleres near Deurningen/Weerselo before or after an attack on Duisburg in Germany. He was buried on May 15 1943 then in Deurningen. The other fallen RCAF crew members were F/O Raymond L. Baumgarten age 23 in grave 1-1-5, F/Sgt Alan E. Hatch age 22 in grave 1-1-5 and F/Sgt Charles C. Hildreth age 21 in grave 1-1-5. The other fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew member was Sgt William Leven age 20 in grave 1-1-5.

On his headstone: HE DIED TO KEEP US FREE. MAY HE REST PEACEFULLY

He and the other fallen crew members are mentioned since March 2020 at an information sign near the crash site on the occasion of 75 years of Freedom.

He served with the 428 Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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