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Thiessen, Arley Henry

Date of birth:
December 18th, 1918 (Dalmeny/Saskatchewan, Canada)
Date of death:
February 3rd, 1943 (Leusden, the Netherlands)
Buried on:
Commonwealth War Graves Oud-Leusden (Rusthof)
Plot: 13. Row: 5. Grave: 84.
Service number:
R/122988
Nationality:
Canadian (1931-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

Biography

Arley was born on December 18 1918 in Dalmeny Saskatchewan, the son of Peter Henry Thiessen and Tina Tiessen nee Peters (deceased) of Dalmeny. He had two brothers and two sisters and one brother died of an accident.

He was a service station attendant and member of the Lutheran Church. His sports were hockey, baseball and tennis.

He enlisted on September 2 1941 in Hamilton Ontario and he went thereafter on March 29 1942 overseas to the UK.

Arley was killed in action on Wednesday February 3 1943 age 24 due to a crash near Leusden, between the Valleikanaal and the railway line. His other fallen RCAF crew members were W/O II William M. Murdoch age 21 in grave 13-5-82, WO II William O. Powell age 22 in grave 13-5-83, F/O John I. MacKenzie age 26 in grave 13-5-87 and P/O Daniel O’Neill age 24 in grave 13-5-88. The fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew members were P/O Denis H. Smith age 22 in grave 13-5-86 and P/O Derek G. De Garis age 21 in grave 13-5-85. And the fallen RAF crew member was Sgt Ronald F. Evans age 26 in grave 13-5-81.

His name is, together with the other 7 fallen crew members, at the monument in Leusden.

He served with the 214 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
March 2nd, 1942
Air Gunner Badge

Sources