Flying Officer Alan Edward May

North of the 58th parallel, in the wilds of Northern Manitoba there is a lake called Tadoule Lake. In the northwest corner of the lake there is an isolated bay called May Bay. On the other side of the world, in a quiet cemetery just north of St. Pol-sur-Ternoise in the north of France is the grave site of Flying Officer Alan Edward May from Sprague, Manitoba. Alan May was killed in action on July 6th, 1944. He was a navigator in RCAF Squadron No. 424 flying Halifax bombers. He was also the son of Oborne (O.B.) and Mabel May, my great Aunt and Uncle whom I became very close with

while growing up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I used to ride my bike over to Ft. Garry to visit them and always remember the picture of their son Alan beside the TV in their living room. O.B. was no stranger to war having returned from World War I with a leg full of shrapnel and missing two fingers. They never spoke much of Alan, but the picture was ever present in a prominent place in their living room.

On the morning of July 6th, 1944 Halifax Mark III aircraft LW. 169 took off from Skipton Airfield in England at 05:32 with a crew of 7 young men. Alan May was the navigator. The crew had flown over 30 successful missions and this day their target was Siracourt, France. Over the locality of Pas de Calais the bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire and exploded in the air. All seven crew members perished in the crash. Alan May was

Alan May / Stan Queen

22 years old. Notes in his military file are nothing but complementary. "a man of promise, and of unusual character." "He inherits a large measure of sincere patriotism from his father, a veteran of the last war." "surolous energy, stirling character and a great capacity for work." What might Alan May have become had he not given his life for future generations?

O.B. and Mabel May are now long gone. Alan's only brother Rob lives in Minnesota. He is aging and not well. As the generations pass, personal connections to these fallen

heroes disappear. Thank goodness that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will maintain their grave sites in perpetuity. And how fitting that certain provinces of Canada name geographic locations in honour of those who paid the ultimate price for those who would follow. A fitting tribute lest we forget.