HABKIRK, Ramsay McKenzie

NAME                    HABKIRK          Ramsay McKenzie
RANK                    Flying Officer / Air Bombardier          25702   RAF                                                                                                      Bomber Command - Group 38                                                                                          SQUADRON         RAF No. 620
                              “we are bringing gifts”
                              RAF Station Tilstock - Whitechurch - Shropshire
                              Squadron Markings QS D4                                                                                                      Born                      June 4, 1922 - Wingham - Townships of Turnberry - County of Huron                              Residence             Wingham - Ontario                                                                                                                Died                       August 
Cemetery              Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery - Tilly-sur-Seulles - Calovados - France
                              XI D 3-11
Mother                  Mrs. Mabel Habkirk - Wingham                                                                                              Sister                    Mrs. Ron Howson - Wingham - Ontario

Ramsay was born in Wingham on June 4, 1922. The family attended Wingham United Church. He took his schooling at Wingham Public School 1928-36 and attended Wingham High School 1936-39. He left after three years of High School at the age of 18. Then in 1941/42 he attended the Ontario Training College in Hamilton and took a Pre Entry Aircrew Educational Course. He enjoyed playing hockey, tennis and skiing. His hobby was making model airplanes. Growing up he had tonsilitis, measles, mumps and whooping cough. He was employed at the Bank of Commerce in Toronto / Wingham as a bank clerk for two years..

Canada

Ramsay enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force on June 11, 1942 in Hamilton with the rank of Aircraftsman 2 and the same day travelled to Toronto to No. 1 Manning Depot. At this time he was 5' 5" tall with 132 pounds. He had a medium complexion with brown eyes and brown hair. He was at the Manning Depot until August 7 and at that time he was posted to No. 4 Manning Depot in Quebec City. On October 11 he was posted to Victoriaville - Quebec to No. 3 Initial Training School. He had a 78% average and placed 92 out of 119. He received the rank of Leading Aircraftsman while posted here.                                                                                                                His next posting on January 9, 1943 sent him to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School in Fingal - Ontario and here his average was 77% and he placed 15 in a class of 31. On the first day of Spring March 21 his next posting was to No. 9 Air Observer School in Saint Jean sur Richelieu - Quebec and here the average was 77% and he placed 15 in a class of 20.While here he received the rank of Sergeant and then Pilot Officer. He obtained his Air Bomber Badge while posted here. In the middle of May he went to Jarvis - Ontario to No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School. Near the end of June on the 26th he was sent east to No. 1 "Y" Depot in Halifax - Nova Scotia On July 15 Pilot Officer Habkirk volunteered for the RAF Training Pool.

Overseas

Flying Officer Habkirk embarked from Canada for overseas on July 16, 1943 and disembarked in the United Kingdom on July 22 then immediately travelled to Bournemouth - Dorset to RAF No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre. His first posting in the United Kingdom took place on September 11 to No. 5 Air Observer School based at RAF Jurby - Crawyn - Isle of Man. A month later on October 9 his posting took him to RAF No. 1476 Air Sea Rescue. While he was posted here he received the rank of Flying Officer. His next posting on November 2 was to RAF No. 19 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Kinloss - Moray Firth - Scotland. His average for ground training was 66% and his average for air training was 64%.                                                                                    In the second month of 1944 on February 18 his next posting sends him to RAF No. 81 Operational Training Unit at RAF Ashbourne based at Derbyshire - England where his average was 69% and he remain here until April 5 when he is posted to No. 1665 Heavy Conversion Unit based at RAF Lindholme - South Yorkshire. Three weeks later on April 27 he arrives at RAF No. 620 Squadron based at RAF Fairford - Gloucestershire.

In the Field

What we know is that Flying Officers home base was RAF Station Tilstock but for this special night mission Short Stirling Mk IV  LJ 920 took off from RAF Great Dunmow - Essex with the objective being to drop supplies to the people of the French Resistance. Flying Officer Habkirk was the second Bombadier on the mission. Once the aircraft was airborne nothing was heard ever heard from the crew. The aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire on August 4, 1944 and crashed into a field at Notre Dame de Livaye in France. The wreckage was strewn over a wide area and apparently burned for four days. As the Germans had occupied the area the locals could not approach the aircraft. No bodies were visible. The Germans surrounded the crash site. No graves were found in the area and when the Germans left the mayor found a set of ID discs and it was later found the discs belonged to the Flight Engineer, so this is the aircraft Flying Officer Habkirk was on. A French farmer found and removed all the remains he could locate and buried them until Flying Officer Habkirk and his crew could be properly laid to rest.

In 2005 a bomber was found with much of its cargo intact by people from the Atlantic Wall Museum. During a search parts of the plane that Flying Officer Habkirk and his crew mates were flying were located. A local man 76 years of age gave the Atlantic Wall Museum personnel information about this aircraft. This man at the age of 15 1/2 years witnessed Short Stirling LJ 920 fall to the ground. The four engines and the undercarriage were located 16' deep in the ground. The intact cargo included rifles, machine guns, cartridges, a transceiver, surgical equipment, mini generators, tool kits, parachutes and personal items. These items have been stores in a secure location and will be a part of a new proposed museum.

In the month of April 1946 his mother received the Memorial Cross and this was followed in February 1947 with the medals awarded to Ramsay which included the 1939-45 Star, the France-Germany Star, the Defence and War Medals along with the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp. Also during February she received his Operational Wings.

He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaques of the Wingham High School and Wingham United Church. He is honoured and remembered on the Bank of Commerce Honour Roll and on the Wingham Cenotaph. He is honoured and remember on the RCAF Bomber Command Memorial and in the Books of Remembrance at the Canadian Parliament in the Centre block. He is honoured and remembered on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.