Remembering the Crew of Lancaster R5695EM-C and JOHN JAMES GALLIMORE

BORN MARCH 21, 1916

DIED NOVEMBER 22, 1942 ON A BOMBING MISSION TO GERMANY

DENTON, MANCHESTER, LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND

26 YEARS OLD

John James Gallimore, “Jack,” was born on 21 March 1916 in Seymour Street, Denton, Manchester, Lancashire, England to John Henry Gallimore and Alice Walker. He was the oldest of 6 children. His only brother, Albert Edward (Ted), also served in WW2. He was always remembered by his four sisters, Elsie, Beatrice, Marian, and Enid. All the Gallimore children attended Denton Central school and the children were good scholars. They attended Christ Church in Denton where Jack joined the Boy Scouts. After Jack was lost, Beatrice Gallimore spent many hours passing memories of “Uncle Jack” to her children often recalling the special sense of humour he used with his sisters. Beatrice remembered an occasion during rationing when each person was only allowed 2 ounces of butter each week. Jack, beloved brother, keenly wanted a crumpet with butter filling the spongy holes. His loving family gave in with a wink and a smile. Everyone in the family gave up their share for Jack to fill the crumpet craters! When the war started Jack decided he wanted to join the RAF. He enrolled and was based in Lincolnshire where he met and married Dora Farmer in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire on Valentine’s Day 1942. Jack’s family remembered that when she learned she had lost Jack, Dora was grief stricken and heartbroken. When she finally remarried more than ten years later, she brought her fiancé to meet Jack’s parents to get their permission. Jack was the only crew member known to have married. The last time Jack was home on leave, Beatrice remembered she wanted to give him ‘half a crown,” her usual gift whenever Jack visited home and returned to the airbase. Beatrice had saved her money and was prepared to give it to Jack when he was ready to leave but one of her older sisters quickly asked her if she had half a crown. Beatrice told her she did, but it was for Jack. The sister convinced the younger Beatrice that she needed the money so Beatrice gave it over to her sister who promptly gave it to Jack. Poor Beatrice was upset, especially because it was the last time she ever saw her brother. 7 When Jack and the crew were reported missing, Jack’s family – just like all other families - spent endless hours writing to various government departments to learn what had happened to their son, their brother, and their husband with no resolution. Even after Jack’s mother died, the family carried on searching. Jack was christened and confirmed into the Church of England. He made a promise to his mother that wherever he was on Easter Sunday & Christmas Day, he would take communion honoring her wishes.

James Gallimore and his bride, Dora Farmer

A Memorial Service is Coming Together on November 25th, 2022

On November 25th, 2022, a great effort will come together to mark the 80th anniversary of the loss of Royal Air Force Lancaster R5695EM-C over the North Sea, NWN off the Bergen an Zee, Netherlands.  The eight man crew was returning from a bombing mission over Haselunne, Germany on November 25th, 1942 and were "lost without a trace".  However, the love of family members, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, most gone now too, kept the flame of memory aglow.  We will be honoring them at the airfield they last departed - Langar Airfield in Nottingham, UK.

Alfred Joseph Parkyn, pilot.
Palisades, New Jersey, USA

James McGregor Allan
 Mimico, Ontario, Canada

Eugene Edward Chouiniere, Gunner
Waterford/Cohoes, NY, USA

John James Gallimore
Denton, Manchester, Lancashire, UK

James Louis Guichard
Dearborn, Michigan, USA

Jack Slater

Hyde, Cheshire, UK

William James Vandervoort, navigator
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Windsor Francis Richard Webb
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK

Here are links to earlier blog posts about Lancaster R5695EM-C

• my first story, "Lost Without a Trace" posted in April 2011, was about Eugene Chouiniere
• Update: 5 October 2021
  
• Eugene Chouiniere: in Memoriam

Update on 'Lost Without A Trace' The crew of Avro Lancaster R5695EM-C on the night of November 25th, 1942

In 2010 I met Lea Langlais of Cohoes, NY who lovingly told me about her uncle and childhood playmate, Eugene Edward Chouiniere, who died while serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force during WW2.  Afterwards, I wrote about him and Lea's steadfast devotion to keeping his memory alive.   Lea died in 2012 but the memory of young Chouiniere and the other crew members of the Avro Lancaster R5695EM-C lives on.  Lea had photographs of five crew members which lead me to believe the aircraft had a crew of five.  I will never know why Lea had photos of the 3 Americans and 2 Canadians crew members but not the 3 English crew.  However, in the past year thanks to a dedicated group of people in England known as the "The Field Detectives" from the Goadby Marwood History Group, I have come to understand more about the aircraft and airmen of R5695EM-C.  The eight airmen were:

An effort is underway to find as many family members of the crew across North America and the UK as possible.  If you are a family member or a friend reading this post, please contact FrancoAmericanGravy@gmail.com or check our Facebook group, Families of Avro Lancaster R5695EM-C, and request to join the group.  A nephew of Alfred Parkyn, the pilot of R5695EM-C, and the team of 'The Field Detectives' are working tirelessly to organize a memorial service to mark the 80th anniversary of this tragic event.  It is an honor to bring families together to remember these men and the sacrifice they made during WW2.  In the following posts and coming weeks, I hope to share a little bit about each crew member with you, dear reader.  Meanwhile, family member and retired Unites States Marine Corp pilot, Michael Parkyn, is writing a history of the crew and aircraft that he hopes will be available in the anniversary year. 

James McGregor Allen,          1918-1942, 24 years old, Canada

Eugene Edward Chouiniere,   1923-1942, 19 years old, USA

John James Gallimore,            1916-1942, 26 years old, England

James Louis Guichard,            1904-1942, 38 years old, USA

Alfred Joseph Parkyn,             1915-1942, 27 years old, USA

Jack Slater,                              1921-1942, 21 years old, England

William John Vandervoort,     1916-1942, 26 years old, Canada

Windsor Francis R. Webb,      1924-1942, 18 years old, England

As I establish contact with the families of these men, it has greatly moved me to learn how parents and siblings struggled throughout their entire lives never knowing where their son, their brother and, for the wife of John James Gallimore, her husband, met death.  Their consolation was the knowledge these men gave their lives protecting England, the people living in England and in the parts of Europe overpowered by the Nazi war machine.  The crew of R5695EM-C, along with thousands of other airmen and women never recovered, are memorialized at The Air Forces Memorial Runnymede, in Surrey, England and in the Airmen Memorial Database here.