Ethier, Joseph Paul Olivier

Date of birth:: July 13th, 1918 (Sherbrooke/Quebec, Canada)
Date of death:: May 14th, 1943 (Nederhorst den Berg, the Netherlands)
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Oud-Leusden (Rusthof)
Plot: 13. Row: 6. Grave: 123.
Service number:: R/55816
Nationality:: Canadian (1931-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

Biography

Joseph was born on July 13 1918 in Sherbrooke Quebec, the son of Dr. Joseph Alexis Calixte Ethier, M.D., and Hortense Ethier nee Olivier of Sherbrooke. He had four brothers and two were deceased during the infancy and one died of an accident and he had four sisters and two were also deceased during the infancy.

He was a student of the medical faculty of the University of Montreal and member of the Roman Catholic Church. He spoke English and French and his hobbies were music and reading and his sports were baseball, football, golf, skiing, riding, sailing, badminton, wrestling and canoeing.

He enlisted on February 21 1941 in Quebec City and he went thereafter on November 4 1942 overseas to the UK.

Joseph was killed in action on Friday May 14 1943 age 24 due to a crash at the Vreelandseweg near Nederhorst den Berg before or after an attack on Bochum in Germany. His other fallen RCAF crew members were F/Sgt James A. Thomson age 20 in grave 13-6-121, F/Sgt Albert F. Hopley age 20 in grave 13-6-122 and F/Sgt Thomas F. How age 25 in grave 13-6-124. The fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew member was Sgt Norman Hudspith age 22 in grave 13-6-120.

On his headstone: O JESUS, LORD OF MERCY, WE IMPLORE THY CLEMENCY ON BEHALF OF THY SERVANT PAUL

A monument for the 5 fallen crew members was unveiled in September 2019 by family members in Nederhorst den Berg, Holland.

He served with the 426 Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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