YOUNG, William Archie
NAME YOUNG William Archie
RANK Flight Lieutenant 25177
RCAF - Group 46 - 120 Wing
SQUADRON No. 435 “Chinthe”
“determined on delivery” RAF Transport Command
Croyden Airfield in London
Squadron Markings OD M Born April 15, 1920 - Brussels - Township of Morris - County of Huron - Ontario Residence Brussels - Ontario Died December 18, 1945 25 years 8 months
Cemetery Oslo Western Civil Cemetery - Oslo - Norway
2 D 6
Mother Mrs. Edna Young - Brussels Brothers Messrs. Ernest, Elmer and Warren Young - Brussels - Ontario
William was born on April 15, 1920 and was one of four brothers. He took his public schooling schooling at SS #5 Morris Township 1926-33 and then finished his schooling in Brussels at the Brussels Continuation School from 1933-36. He was 16 years of age when he left school. He especially enjoyed playing football growing up. He was employed in farming prior to his enlistment and worked for the County of Huron as a labourer doing road maintenance. From 1941-42 he took a correspondence course from D P Y T P in Hamilton and studied Pilot Observation. He and his family would have attended Melville Presbyterian Church.
Canada
He enlisted in Hamilton on March 7, 1942 and given the rank of Aircraftsman 2. Upon enlistment he stood 5' 11" and weighed 155 pounds. He had a fair complexion with hazel eyes and brown hair. He was posted to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto. His next posting sent him to No. 1 Training Centre in Toronto on April 25. On June21 he was posted to No. 5 Initial Training School in Belleville. He received the rank of Leading Aircraftsman while here. His average was 79% and he placed 16 in a class of 85. In the autumn his next posting on September 27 took him to No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School. He achieved an average of 81% and placed 14 in a class of 32. At the beginning of November he was posted to No. 9 Service Flying Training School in Centralia. While here he obtained the rank of Sergeant. His average was 75% and he placed 18 in a class of 56. On May 1, 1943 he was Taken on Strength with No. 5 Manning Depot - Dorval - Quebec and he received the rank of Flying Officer. His next posing on November 13 took him to Nassau - Bahamas to 113 South Atlantic Wing. He was here for a year before being posted back to Canada at Dorval on November 23, 1944.
Overseas
On January 17, 1945 he was Struck off of Service from Group 45 to Canada and the next day January 18 he emplaned from Dorval and deplaned a week later on January 25 in the United Kingdom at Prestwick - Scotland and assigned to Transport Command Headquarters at London. On January 17- April 10 he was at No. 109 Transport OYU where he achieved 81% on ground work and on Air work achieved 84%. On February 19 he was assigned with No. 105 Transport Operational Training Unit based at RAF Bramcote - Warwickshire and here he trained on the Vickers Wellington. While here he achieved 67% on ground examinations and 63% on flying examinations. H eas here until May 29. However, while posted with No. 105 Transport OTU he was on training duty in Africa from June 8-23. On June 26 it was to Portreath - Cornwall and then to Odiham - Hampshire. His next posting on August 1 was to RCAF 423 Squadron August 1-September 3. This squadron was with Transport Command based at RAF Castle Archdale - Fermanagh - Northern Ireland and at RAF Bassingbourn - Cambridgeshire. On October 9 he was Taken on Strength with RCAF 435 Transport Squadron based at RAF Croydon - Surrey and this was the main base for Transport Command.
In the Field
RCAF No. 435 Transport Squadron was based at RAF Down Apney - Wiltshire which flew supplies and mail from England to the continent and to Scandinavia. This flight was from Down Apney to Croydon to Oslo - Norway with a stop at Copenhagen - Denmark on December 17th.
Flight Lieutenant Young was flying Dakota Mk IV KN 413 and he was preparing to land at Oslo, Norway. He flew
into high ground in heavy cloud on the outward leg from the UK. The crash took place at 10:10 hours. This
was an operational flight and they were trying to get to Fornebo Airfield. The weather at the time at the airfield was calm winds with total cloud cover, a slight drizzle and 3 miles of visibility. The aircraft was destroyed by the
ensuing fire. This aircraft was on a mail run from Croyden Airfield in London to Copenhagen on December 17, 1945. The following day – December 18th – the leg was to be Copenhagen to Oslo and they had already passed
over Oslo, but were then diverted due to the overcast over the city. There was extremely poor visibility and he was told to climb to 3,000 feet while carrying out his approach to land. Flight Lieutenant Young failed to climb to 3,000 feet as ordered. Both engines failed due to heavy icing. Had be climbed as ordered the aircraft would have made a successful landing. They crashed 5 miles south of Oslo at Voksenhollen. The aircraft was destroyed by the following fire and 4 crew members along with 13 passengers perished.
Flight Lieutenant Young suffered fatal multiple injuries along with fractures.
From October of 1944 until March of 1945 No. 435 Squadron was used in United Kingdom operations, as
part of RCAF 120 Transport Wing.
The squadron role during hostilities was to provide transport services, by carrying troops and supplies
whether to advanced landing fields, or to a specific para drop zone, to rush the wounded from the battlefield
areas to hospitals in the rear and to tow gliders.
During the month of June 1946 Fling Officer's mother Edna received the Memorial Cross. At a later date Flight Lieutenant Young's mother Edna received the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.
He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of Melville Presbyterian Church in Brussels and on the Brussels Cenotaph. He is honoured and remembered on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial and on Parliament Hill at the Centre Block where the Books of Remembrance are displayed. He is honoured and remembered on the canadian fallen site at www.canadianfallen.ca/114076/YOUNG.
