Flight Lieutenant Allan Patrick Forbes
Son of George B. & Isabelle (Minnie) Forbes of Mortlach, Saskatchewan
Killed in Action: August 30, 1944, age 21
Pilot of Lancaster PB 365, downed over Stettin, Germany, now Szeczin, Poland
Buried at Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland .
Pat, as he was known to his family and friends, was born on March 17th, 1923. This St. Patrick’s Day, Pat would’ve turned 100. But it was not to be as Pat was killed flying a bombing mission over Stettin Germany in 1944. His story like so many others who stepped up in World War II is one of honour, bravery and determination.
Graduating from Mortlach High in 1940, Pat worked in Moose Jaw, then Victoria, before enlisting in the Air Force in 1942. He obtained his Wings at Yorkton. From there he was posted in the fall of 1943 to No. 103 Squadron in England.
Squadron No. 103 is credited with the most bombing missions but unfortunately its bombers suffered the highest losses The life expectancy was very short, with crews often being lost during their first operations and even more experienced crews being lost right at the end of their tours.
Pat flew 28 sorties over the summer of 1944. Two of Pat’s most extraordinary missions included his mission over Stuttgart Germany when 614 RAF bombers bombed the city in one night. The next night the RAF returned with 550 bombers annihilating the city centre with the most damaging attack against Stuttgart of the war. Among the dozens of buildings destroyed was the city’s Nazi Party headquarters.
Pat’s last mission was on August 29th, 1944, over Stettin, Germany. Stettin was vital in Germany’s infrastructure especially for weapons manufacturing. Many of the Lancasters were in the air for over 12 hours. The city was saturated with over 1200 tons of high explosives and incendiary bombs, including many 8000 pounders that night.
The Forbes family became aware of Pat’s failure to return in September. The next year, they received Pat’s Operational Wings and a certificate recognizing Pat’s “gallant services”. The Forbes family later learned that a communal grave was found near Stettin and it contained Pat’s remains. Pat was re-interred in the permanent British military cemetery at Posen, Western Poland.
As part of Saskatchewan’s Golden Jubilee, soldiers who died in World War II had islands in Northern Saskatchewan named after them and as such Forbes Island was named after Pat.
In 1996, 26 Canadians posthumously received the Polish Home Army Cross. This was the highest honour awarded for bravery to help liberate Poland during the Second World War. The Polish government wrote to our family:
“I am deeply honoured to be able to present to you the Polish Home Army Cross which has been awarded posthumously to your brother, Flight Lieutenant Allan Patrick Forbes, who lost his life attempting to help the Polish people during the Second World War…Their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten by the people of Poland”
So if St. Patrick’s day is special to you, please have Pat in your thoughts today.
