In memory ofFlying OfficerNicholas Stusiakwho died on 27 May 1944 |
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J35994 Flying Officer (No. 440 Beaver Squadron RCAF pilot) Nicholas (Nick) Stusiak (b.1920) of Powell River, British Columbia, died 19440527 and is buried at Bournemouth North cemetery, Hampshire, England. Stusiak's Typhoon crashed at Bransgore near Christchurch during a training flight. He was the son of Alexander and Veronica (Pentalychuk) Stusiak who came to Bienfait from Ukraine and moved to Bonnyville, Alberta, before the war. Nick was born at Bienfait, educated in B.C., and was working as a grinderman at the pulp mill at Powell River when he enlisted at Vancouver in 1941. In 2004, Wilfred Bristow of Bransgore was digging in his garden and uncovered an RCAF identity bracelet with Nick's name on it and "NICK FROM ELLEN" on the reverse. After searching the internet, Mr. Bristow's family forwarded the bracelet to Nick's sister-in-law at Vancouver. Unfortunately, Marilyn Stusiak passed away shortly thereafter before she could add more details to this intriguing story. It has subsequently come to light that "Ellen" was Miss Ellen Randle who met Nick while he was training at No. 5 Elementary Flight Training School at High River, Alberta. She gave him the engraved bracelet that he was wearing when he died. Ellen was still alive at age 96 in 2014. Her daughter Millie Anderson also provided the magazine cover among the images below. It shows Nick with No. 111 Squadron in Alaska with Ellen's bracelet plainly visible on his wrist. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A Glossary of abbreviations to help understand the terms used is available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Headstone Photo Please click here if you have another photograph or document to add. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Links to other web pages | Find-a-Grave tribute No. 111 Squadron website Powell River site | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Pages on our Blog | Please click here if you would like to create a Blog page for this casualty. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Memorial information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Saskatchewan rural municipality for commemoration | 4 - Coalfields | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Cemetery or memorial location | Bournemouth North cemetery, Hampshire, England
Please click here to view the cemetery/memorial information on Commonwealth War Graves Commission | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Honour roll location(s) | ------ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Geo-memorial | Stusiak Lake, Saskatchewan | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Geo-memorial location | 55.6833°N / 105.3333°W | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Geo-memorial NTS map reference | 73P11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Geo-memorial details | Northeast of Black Bear Island Lake. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 19200519 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Bienfait | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of enlistment | 19410610 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of enlistment | Vancouver, British Columbia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence on enlistment | Powell River, British Columbia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation | pulp worker | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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