Ronald Loughton Movold

  Research Notes:

1. Source: Second World War service files: Canadian Armed Forces War Dead [www.collectionscanada.gc.ca]

- Sergeant, Royal Canadian Air Force
- Service # R252874
- Ref # RG23; Vol, 28297
- son of Oscar and Margaret Helen Movold of North Vancouver, BC

2. web site: imofhs.im (Isle of Man family history society); Research - Index of burials

- Movold, Ronald Morton [?]; age 18; 18 July 1944 (under column Par - And ??) - this is the date of funeral; he died on 14 Jul 1944

3. Commonwealth War Graves Commission

- Sergeant, Royal Canadian Air Force; unit - 433 Sqdn.
- Service # R252874
- Grave/Memorial Ref - Service Plot. Grave 20
- died 14 Jul 1944, age 18 years, 10 months, 6 days

[ length of service: 1 year, 2 months, 24 days ]


4. Canada, WW II Service files of War Dead, 1939-1947; Library and Archives Canada (view at Ancestry.com, link, )
highlights
file # R 252874; ancestry.com (images 176 - 221). Note square brackets indicate info from other sources)

image 177
- date of enlistment, 20 Apr 1943 at North Vancouver, BC [age, 17 years, 7 months, 12 days]; Air Force - enlisted for Flying duties (image 187); image 210 is an identification card with photo and issued 22 Apr 1943 at "No 3, 'M' Depo, Edmonton [Manning Depo in Edmonton at Clark Field, later known as Clark Stadium, home of Edmonton Eskimos]
- no dependents
- occupation working with the Boiler Makers Union - "Rivet Heater" at the North Vancouver Shipyards
image 178 - Medical, 12 Apr 1943
- single, age 17 born 8 Sep 1925; address - 142 W 15th St, N Van
- grade 12; athletics - hockey, baseball, badminton
- smoke - 3 cigs a day; nil alcohol; father and mother alive and in good heatlh; 2 brothers
image 181; observations and findings of medical
- "Physically fit. Youthful - quiet - has been on air gunner course. Was given opportunity to try for pilot if he passes Link. Clean cut appearance. Average a/c material
images 182-185; form P.64; Dept of National Defense - Estates
- born 8 Sep 1925 at Kamloops, BC **
image 185
- his mother notes that Ronald had taken out on 7 Jan 1944, a "pay life [insurance] policy with Confedation Life [$3000 over 20 years] and that the life insurance company with will refund the money paid''
image 186
- he had belonged to the Air Force Cadets (Sqaud 111), Vancouver but quit when he started at the Shipyard
image 190; Airman's/Airwoman's Record Sheet
- Rank - Sergeant
- Air Gunner
- No 1 Y depot, 16 Dec 1943; embarked at Halifax 20 Jan 1944 and arrived at UK 31 Jan 1944, and then to 3 RCAF.PRC from 1 Feb 1944 to 29 Feb 1944
- at 82 OTU [Operational Training Unit at RAF Ossington, a Royal Air Force station located near the village of Ossington, Nottinghamshire, England] - started on 29 Feb 1944 to 6 Jun 1944, then
- to 61 Base [Base Command/headquaters and designated as a Training Base, at Topcliff in North Yorkshire, England] on 6 June to 6 Jul 1944 when transferred to:
- 433 Sqdn, RCAF UK Nt [Night] Unit, 14 Jul 1944
image 192 BC Death Certificate
- place of Death - Overseas (Isle of Man)
- date - 14 Jul 1944 - Killed in Flying Accident
image 193 Statement of War service gratuity
- 15 pay periods at $7.50/per = $112.50 + .25 overseas times 175 days, Total: $186.38
image 195
- Killed 14 Jul 1944 as a result of flying accident (overseas) at Andreas, Isle of Man [ training run ???] ** see below
image 198 Funeral
- funeral on 18 Jul 1944 at Kirk Andreas Yard, Isle of Man (telegram to Oscar Movold from RCAF Casualites Officer
image 200
- date of accident, 1620 hours [4:20 PM], 14 Jul 1944 at Laxey, Isle of Man; "Multiple Injuries resulting in Death (aircraft exploded in the air)" - Medical officer;
image 201
- injury sustained in performance of duty - Yes - Training Flight
image 202 Personal Effects - list - copied to Ole T Movold folder
image 207 - Photo - copied to Ole T Movold folder
image 220 - summary of postings, attachments
- M Depot, Edmonton; 20 Apr 1943
- Dafoe, Guelph; 19 Jun 1943 [ this is a bit confusing; Guelph was a base for training of 'wireless gunners', but Dafoe was in SK? ;; see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCAF_Station_Guelph



5. Findagrave

link, https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=143362479
then the crash memorial: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=143365988

and then, Halifax Bomber Crash Memorial
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=143365988


and then, Canada Virtual War Memorial


In memory of
Sergeant
Ronald Loughton Movold
July 14, 1944
Military Service:

Service Number:
R/252874
Age: 18
Force: Air Force
Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
Division: 433 Sqdn.
Additional Information:

Son of Oscar and Margaret Helen Movold, of North Vancouver, British Columbia.

Commemorated on Page 400 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.

Burial Information:

Cemetery:
ANDREAS (ST. ANDREW) CHURCHYARD ; Isle of Man, United Kingdom
Grave Reference: Service Plot. Grave 20.

NOTE: 2 photos from findagrave website; copied

The memorial commemorates the lives lost when a bomber aircraft broke up over the parish.

On 14th July 1944, Handley Page Halifax Mk III, LW115, of 433(Canadian) Squadron was on a cross-country training flight from RAF Leeming, with a waypoint at Douglas in the Isle of Man.

In the afternoon the crew encountered low cloud and were dealing with mechanical problems. Following a number of explosions on board the Halifax broke up over the village of Laxey and the surrounding parish of Lonan. Debris was scattered over a large area.

At 4.20 pm a large piece of wreckage hit a house with 4 occupants. Some were injured, but tragically a 3½ year old child, Alan Charles McCulloch, an evacuee from Newcastle, was fatally injured and died in the Military Hospital, Onchan shortly after the incident.

All 7 members of the crew were killed, and are interred in War Graves:

F/O William Wallace RCAF
F/Sgt Bruce Tees RCAF
Sgt Ronald Movold RCAF
Sgt George Walker RAF
F/O John Evans RCAF
W/O James Murie RCAF
Sgt George Pidgeon RCAF

The 3½ year old victim of the crash, Alan Charles McCulloch, is buried elsewhere in Lonan Churchyard

Inscription

In Memory Of / THOSE WHO DIED WHEN A HALIFAX BOMBER OF No. 433 Sqdn / ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE / CRASHED AT LONAN ON 14TH JULY 1944 / SOME WRECKAGE FELL ON A HOUSE4 "HOKANG" PINFOLD HILL / FATALLY INJURING A CHILD / Crew / Fg Off WILLIAM M WALLACE / Fg Off JOHN T EVANS / Warr Off JAMES M MURIE / Plt OFF BRUCE E TEES / Sgt ROANLD L MOVOLD / Sgt GEORGE W PIDGEON / Sgt GEORGE F W WALKER RAF // ALLAN CHARLES McCULLOCH / AGED 3½ YEARS



and then, at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/223503 ;; some additional photos of a memorial at Manx Aviation and Military Museumm, Ronaldsway Airport, Ballasalla, Isle of Man ²⁸⁷¹

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Military Service: Isle of Man. ¹⁹⁴⁶ as a Sergeant with the Royal Canadian Air Force; Killed in Action 14 July 1944