A few weeks ago the Moose Jaw Express ran the story of ‘Pat’ Forbes by Jason Antonio and David Forbes. Flt Lt. A.P. Forbes, Pilot of Lancaster PB365, 103 Squadron, RAF was David’s Uncle. Forbes and his crew were killed on a raid on Stettin, (Germany) Poland on the night of August 29/30, 1944.
Forbes and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron, RAF at Elsham Wolds on May 25, 1944. The Normandy Invasion took place on June 6, 1944. The Forbes crew flew often through June, July and August, until the night they were killed.
In those intervening 86 days they flew on Operations 29 times for an average of an Operational Flight every 3 days and often flying several days in a row. The stress level was high. It must have been exhausting.
A Lancaster Bomber crew was normally 7 men. The Lancaster Bomber required only one pilot. F/O Theodore Gorak, J/26415, is listed as Second Pilot. The reason for his being on the flight is unknown. He may have been on a training operation.
The Canadian RCAF Crew
I did a follow-up on the Canadian crewmen. I was unable to do research on the RAF crewmen.
The initial information is from the RAF WW2 Casualty Reports; the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM) and United States Marine Corps records. The SVWM and CVWM sites are outstanding. If you lost a family member in WW1 or WW2, Korea or later, you should review these sites.
Cause of the Crash
The aircraft crashed after taking a catastrophic hit from exploding Flak. It crashed almost immediately, making it impossible for any crewmen to parachute to safety.
Canadian Crewmen:
- Flight Lieutenant Allan Patrick Forbes (J/24260) (Mortlack and Moose Jaw) KIA, Pilot. His story has been told.
- Flt. Sgt. Thomas Andrew Purvis, RCAF Air Gunner
- Flt. Sgt. Thomas Andrew Purvis, Air Gunner, (R/217006), was the son of Culver B. Purvis and Adeline, Purvis, 79 Falcon Avenue, Toronto (east side).
Thomas was born in February 1925. He was a member of the 48th Highlanders of Canada, Militia and reached the rank of Corporal before enlisting in the RCAF in Toronto.
He was on his 35th Operational Sortie at the time of his death, which suggests he was on a Second Tour.
Additional Information – From David Forbes, Saskatoon, March 2023
It is believed Flt. Sgt. Tommy Purvis was an addition to and not part of the regular crew of the 103 Squadron, RAF, Lancaster PB365. The Bomber crew were on their 29th Operation. Their regular Air Gunner, Harold “Mike” Prentice of Abbey, Saskatchewan was wounded earlier, on Operational #26. David writes, he was wounded “… August 14, 1944 at Fontaine-le-pin (Battle of Normandy) and Prentice was unable take part on the fatal August 29/30 Operation to Stettin.”
David goes on to say, “Harold visited Mortlach in the 1990’s. He passed away in December 1996. It was remembered that he felt badly about how things played out on that fatal mission.”
Credit the 103 Squadron, RAF website for much of this information.
August 14, 1944, Fontaine-le-Pin (Calvados) Operation – “Mike” Prentice is wounded
On August 14, 1944 Pat Forbes’ Lancaster PB365 was one of about 800 heavy bombers on an operation at Fontaine-le-Pin (Calvados) in the vicinity of Caen, all part of the Battle of Normandy. The Canadian 3rd Division was attacking a German position. The Bombers were sent in at 2,500 feet to bomb the Germans in support of the Canadian and Polish soldiers.
The Bombers got part of the operation right but later bombed and strafed Canadian and Polish troops for 70 minutes. The error put the troops out of action.
Thirteen were killed and 53 wounded.
It is not known how Air Gunner Prentice was wounded, but flying at 2500 feet meant a lot of people were shooting at the aircraft and close range. It is known that the ‘annoyed’ Canadians shot at their own Bombers in that incident. (Sgt. Fred Van Alstyne, RCA, Gravenhurst ON.)
Odd Convergence of Lives
My Grandfather, Thomas W. Dowson was a building contractor in Toronto. After the 1920-21 Recession a construction boom hit Toronto. My father was a Journeyman Bricklayer but had moved to Northern Ontario where he worked his trade; worked in the bush and established a homestead. By 1925 my Grandfather needed help and my father, who had investment money, came back to Toronto. The big initial project during the boom was building Duplexes (Semi-detached) on Falcon Avenue. My Grandfather built several and lived at 21 Falcon Avenue, just down from the Purvis family. He probably built the Purvis residence at 79 Falcon.
My cousin Doris lived down the block on Soudan Avenue. Thomas Purvis was born in 1925, the same year as my cousin Doris. She attended Northern Vocational School at the same time as Flt. Sgt. Purvis. My cousin was on a star basketball player on the school team.
F/O Ben Ingard Kalheim
F/O Ben Ingard Kalheim, J/27434, Bomb Aimer, son of Christian Kalhiem and Borghild Kalheim of Wilkie, Saskatchewan. The second Saskatchewan boy on the Operation.
Ben was born in Norway. The family was living in Wilkie when Ben’s father, Kristian Kalheim died. His mother remarried to Oscar Emanuelson of Wilike, Saskatchewan. They later retired to Sullivan Station (Cloverdale) B.C.
F/O Ben Ingard Kalheim was a very bright and capable young man. Like so many rural Saskatchewan boys, his schooling was interrupted by the Great Depression and/or he was needed at home to help on the farm. Ben did manage to complete Grade Ten at McLurg School, Wilkie, Saskatchewan. After Grade Ten he was farming with his step-father Oscar Emanuelson at Wilike.
Ben enlisted in Regina on February 3, 1941 as a Pilot or Observer (Navigator). There were more men than classes at the time so he was put on ‘Special Reserve’ to be called up when there was an opening. That opening came on March 16, 1942 when he was posted to the Manning Depot at Brandon, Manitoba.
After Brandon he was posted to an Initial Training School. Upon completion he was posted to #19 EFTS at Virden but ‘washed out’ on December 28, 1942. From there he was assigned to the Air Bomber Trade. He received his Air Bomber Badge on June 25, 1943. The Bomb Aimer, ‘trade’ required Mathematics and Trigonometry skills, just like a Navigator.
F/O Ben Ingard Kalheim was buried ‘collectively’ with the Flight Engineer, Sergeant Eric Hartley Gordon Jackson, 1625088, RAFVR in the Pozan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland. Both men were together in the front of the Lancaster Bomber when it crashed.
F/O Theodore Gorak
Flying Officer Theodore Gorak, J/26415 (Second Pilot) was born February 5, 1920, in Bergholz, Ohio and enlisted in the RCAF on March 27, 1942, in Toronto, Ontario.
He was the son of Joseph and Sophia Gorak of 727 North Park Street, Alliance, Ohio, USA Alliance, Ohio and was 24 when he was killed.
F/O Gorak is buried in the Pozan Old Garrison Cemetery, Poland in Grave Reference: 6. D. 2. The cemetery is in western Poland and east of Berlin. In a strange twist of irony, Ted’s grandparents were born in ‘Galicia’ which is now part of Poland.
Ted joined the RCAF in March 1942, 4 months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. He may have joined the RCAF because he wanted to be a pilot and knew there was no chance of him becoming a Pilot in the United States military.
The initial qualification for pilot training in the Unites States Army Air Force was to have graduated from a College or University. The RCAF had no such regulation.
An alternate reason for joining the RCAF is that Ted may have been living with his Aunt and Uncle, of Martin and Anne Sabola, in Hagersville, Haldimand County, Ontario. His aunt and uncle had moved to Canada from Ohio and settled in Hagersville, Ontario some time in the 1920s.
Background: In a letter to RCAF Headquarters, Ottawa, dated March 29, 1945, Mrs. T. W. Robinson, Box 203 Hagersville, Ontario is inquiring about whether F/O Gorak was killed in action. In the letter she writes, “He is my cousin, which will serve to explain my interest.”
Flying Officer Theodore Gorak, J/26415 is remembered on a plaque at the Royal Canadian Legion in Hagersville.
Frances Sabola Robinson was the daughter of Martin and Anne Sabola and was born 1918 in Dillonvale, Jefferson County, Ohio, USA. Frances died in Hagersville November 22, 2015.
The Obituary of Frances Sabola Robinson: “Peacefully at Anson Place, Hagersville on Sunday, November 22, 2015, Frances completed her life's journey in her 98th year. With love she leaves behind her son, Mark and his wife Jamie. Loved Grandma of Allen (Danielle) and Jackie. Predeceased by her husband Thomas, sister Mary Hare, brother Andy Sabola, and sister-in law, Isobel Jago. She is survived by sisters-in-law Fern Sabola of Cambridge and Winnifred Ring of Richmond Hill.”
Credit: Find a Grave.
Inscription – The WWII plaque on Hagersville’s War Memorial in Hagersville, Ontario, Canada— Theodore GORAK is one of the 19 names listed on the plaque.
Ted’s brother Ignatius and Frances Sabola Robinson’s cousin, was a decorated Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. He was killed in action in Nov. 1943.
Sgt Ignatius Joseph Gorak, USMC
Sgt Ignatius Joseph Gorak, 352361; 727 North Park Street, Alliance, Ohio; 2nd Raider Battalion (Company H), born 1924 at Bergholz, Jefferson County, Ohio, USA. (Raider Battalions Were Special Forces)
Sgt. Gorak died November 8, 1943, Bougainville (North Solomons), Papua New Guinea and is buried in the Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region Cemetery, Philippines.
Sgt. Gorak was wounded and died fighting the Japanese on the Numa Numa-Piva Trail, Bougainville, North Solomon Islands.
The Battle of Numa-Numa Trail is also known as the Battle of Piva Forks. After the 3rd Marine Division landed at Cape Torkina an advance team went over land toward the Piva Trail but was turned back by the Japanese. It is believed Sergeant Ignatius Joseph Gorak was killed in this operation.
For his actions he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the third highest award for gallantry.
Next of kin – Father Mr. Joseph Gorak, 727 North Park Avenue, Alliance, Ohio
Citation
“Silver Star: The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant Ignatius Joseph Gorak (MCSN: 352361), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the Second Marine Raider Battalion during an attack along the Numa Numa-Piva trail, Bougainville Island, British Solomon Islands on November 7, 1943. Skillfully maneuvering the machine-gun section under his command for maximum striking power, Sergeant Gorak led his men through difficult jungle terrain and, despite heavy enemy automatic weapons fire, assisted materially in the progress of the assault. Although suffering from fatal wounds in the hip and stomach, he steadfastly continued to direct the fire of his guns, preventing the Japanese from penetrating the lines of his company. Sergeant Gorak's brilliant leadership and heroic devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”
