BELL, Vanegmond Robert
NAME BELL Vanegmond Robert
RANK Flight Lieutenant 11349 RAF No. 2 Group - 138 Wing SQUADRON RAF No. 107 Squadron
“we shall be there”
Cambrai / Epinoy Airfield (A-75)
France
Squadron Markings OM Born February 17, 1919 - Seaforth - Townships of McKillop / Tuckersmith - County of Huron Residence Seaforth - Ontario Died March 6, 1945 26 years Cemetery Adegem Canadian War Cemetery - Maldegem - Oost-Vlaanderen - Belgium
XI G 5 Wife Mrs. Helen Bell (Mickle) - Seaforth / London / Edmonton - Alberta Daughter Miss Vanna Bell - Seaforth / London / Edmonton Parents Mr. Earl and Ruth Bell - Seaforth Sister Miss Fergus Anna Bell - Seaforth
Vanegmond was born in Seaforth on February 17,1919. He took his schooling at Seaforth Public 1925-32 and
Seaforth Collegiate 1932-39. As he grew up he enjoyed hockey, soccer, baseball, lacrosse and his hobby was hunting. He would have attended First Presbyterian Church. He was employed as a machinist with Morrow Nut & Screw in Ingersoll before moving to Bell Engine Company prior to his enlistment.
Canada
Once his high school education was completed he went to London and tried to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Pilot and was put onto a waiting list. Ten months later in September of 1940 he told the RCAF he was joining the Army. They discourages him from doing this and told him he could enlist and perform general duties and once in the RCAF he could re-muster at a later date. He then enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force on September 16, 1940 and he received the rank of Aircraftsman 2. At the time he stood 5' 10" and weighed 160 pounds. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He was assigned to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto for a short period of time. His next posting on September 25 was to CFB Trenton probably to No. 1 Composite Training School. Then on October 9 he was assigned to Ottawa to take a Security Guard Course until late in November. He was then posted to Dartmouth - Nova Scotia. In the first half of 1941 while posted at Dartmouth he was Corporal of the Guard and was classified as Dervice Police Guard Group "C". On July 22 his next posting sent him to No. 10 Air Observer School in Chatham - New Brunswick. Then it was a short trip to Pennfield Ridge - New Brunswick to No. 2 Air Navigation School. Following his time in New Brunswick the next assignment was to No. 3 Initial Training School where he placed 1 in a class of 108 and received an average of 88%. He received the rank of Leading Aircraftsman On November 8 it was on to No. 17 Elementary Flying Training School in Stanley - Nova Scotia and in Flying Training he had 80% and in Ground Training he had 78%. The next posting was to Moncton - New Brunswick to No. 8 Service Flying Training School where he had a 72% in Flying Training and 75% in Ground Training. On April 24, 1942 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and shortly following this he was assigned to No. 8 Service Flying Training School in Moncton - New Brunswick and following this he was off to RCAF No. 124 Ferry Squadron based at RCAF Rockcliffe. In late October 1942 he received the rank of Flying Officer. On February 29, 1944 his next posting was to St Hubert - Quebec with 124 Ferry Squadron where he remained until August 11 and at that time he was assigned to No. 7 Operational Training Unit at Debert - Nova Scotia. until October 24. Then it was to "Y" Depot at Lachine the following day. On November 20 he is assigned to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre in the United Kingdom and he embarks from Canada. Eight days later on November 28 he disembarks in the United Kingdom. The following day he reported to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre in Bournemouth - Dorset and while here on December 1, 1944 obtained the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He was here a short period and on December 12 he was posted to RAF No. 13 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Bicester - Oxfordshire.
In the Field Between February 25-28, 1945 he was posted to RAF No. 2 General Support Unit and the next day on March 1 he arrived at RAF A75 Cambrai / Epinoy in France and were flying Mosquitoes. The weather for this mission was fair will 100% cloud at 2,000 feet and icing conditions while in the cloud.
There were 12 aircraft detailed for this mission with 4 sections of 3 aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Bell was airborne at 11:17 pm and was to patrol the area of Wetzlarsiegen – Koln area of Germany. The mission was to carry out railway patrols over Germany and as the mission progressed the weather began to deteriorate. It is believed all aircraft reached the target and they began the return leg to base at 00:35 hours. Flight Lieutenant Bell requested Ground Crew Assistance and was told it was not available and to proceed to point “Y” and stand by for 30 minutes. This was the last contact from this aircraft and there was no indication as to the cause of the crash Flight Lieutenant Bell was returning from an army support mission when Mosquito RS 533 crashed 1 mile
south of Marquette in France. The time of his aircraft crashing was 00:40 am of March 6, 1945.
Flight Lieutenant Bell's wife Helen had remarried when she received the Memorial Cross and his mother Ruth also received the Memorial Cross in December of 1945. Then in December of 1946 Mrs. Helen Mickle received the medals awarded to her late husband which included the 1939-45 Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp. That same month his wife received his Operational Wings.
Vanegmond is honoured and remembered on the Seaforth Cenotap and on the Memorial Plaques of First Presbyterian Church and Seaforth Collegiate. He is honoured and remembered in the Books of Remembrance located in the Centre Block of Canada's Parliament and on the RCAF Bomber Command Memorial as well as on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.
