In memory of

Flight Lieutenant

Raymond John Fern

who died on 11 Mar 1945

Service details
  Conflict WWII
  Service RCAF
  Unit No. 434 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
  Rank Flight Lieutenant
  Service number J15681
  Date of death 19450311
  Cause of death killed in action
Narrative history
  J15681 Flight Lieutenant (No. 434 Bluenose Squadron RCAF pilot) Raymond John (Johnny) Fern (b.1919) of Christopher Lake was KIA 19450311 and is buried at Reichswald Forest war cemetery near Kleve, Germany. Fern's Lancaster was hit by flak and exploded on what was to have been its final mission from its base at Croft, a massive daylight raid on Essen. Over 1,000 Lancasters (just three were lost) and Halifaxes, the largest number of aircraft sent to a single target to that point in the war, virtually obliterated the city. Fern's crew of six RCAF and one British flier were veterans, all on their second tours. He was the son of Raymond Mason and Vina (Gibbs) Fern, farmers. Johnny was born at Saskatoon and was working as a trucker in the national park when he enlisted at Saskatoon in 1940. He married Esme Dorothy (Temple) at Acton, Greater London, England, just three months before his death.
       A Glossary of abbreviations to help understand the terms used is available.
Images
  Photo
   Please click here if you have another photograph or document to add.
Additional information
  Links to other web pages Aircrew Remembered
Photo collection on CVWM

  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 521 - Lakeland
  Cemetery or memorial location Reichswald Forest war cemetery, Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany    

Please click here to view the cemetery/memorial information on Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  Honour roll location(s) ------
  Geo-memorial Fern Lake, Saskatchewan     
  Geo-memorial location 54.8167°N / 108.2°W
  Geo-memorial NTS map reference 73K16
  Geo-memorial details South of Keeley Lake.
Personal information
  Date of birth 19190701
  Place of birth Saskatoon    
  Date of enlistment 19400813
  Place of enlistment Saskatoon    
  Residence on enlistment Christopher Lake    
  Occupation trucker
Copyright Information
  The information above is Copyright © Saskatchewan War Memorial Project; all rights reserved. Permission is granted to use this information for personal use and for use in a school classroom environment only. For all other uses, please submit a request through the Contact Form.