273 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND McDONALD, Thomas Lauchlin “Tom” Tom was born in Grey Township of Huron County on December 29, 1894. He was a farmer and was drafted late into the war. He originally joined the 1st Depot Battalion Western Ontario Regiment on May 28, 1918. He was only enlisted for 35 days in the Army and then transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force. His family believes he did his training in St. Thomas. He was a big farm boy, and he was training to pull the propellors to start the planes. The war ended before he was sent overseas. He was a successful farmer/drover and in days when 100 to 150 acres was the norm, he owned 400 acres. He was the first to recognize hoof and mouth disease in cattle in the area because he was buying, selling, and shipping cattle. He managed to sell most of his cattle before the worst of the disease hit. He was a gentle man who preached to his family to always “do the right thing”. He had seven grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. Tom passed away on November 19, 1968. McINTOSH, Allan Morris Allan was born in Timmins, Ontario on May 26, 1935. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on February 26, 1954 and served during the Cold War. He was discharged on February 25, 1957 and took up residence in Kapuskasing. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 85. Allan passed away on March 2, 2013. McGRATH, Robert Kenneth Robert was born on January 11, 1923, in Toronto, Ontario, to John and Mabel. He was raised in Kitchener and worked at Dumart’s. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in London, Ontario on April 29, 1942. His training took place in Aylmer and Guelph, Ontario as well as in Debert and Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was soon shipped off to Britain where he joined the RCAF’s 407 “Demon” Squadron. This squadron was engaged in coastal patrol duties hunting for submarines in the Atlantic and Bay of Biscay. It was based in Devon, along with four other squadrons. On May 31, 1945, Wellington bomber NC-512 took off from RCAF Station Chivenor with an allCanadian crew of six to fly an anti-submarine patrol over the Bay of Biscay. The plane was in sound condition at take-off and the patrol was considered routine. After all, the Germans had surrendered on May 8, 1945. Nothing was heard from the aircraft until it was seen to crash into the water off Sharp Nose Point, Devon that same day. None of the crew survived. Four crew members’ bodies were recovered. Sadly, Flying Officers Robert K. McGrath and John Edward Garrigan, were lost at sea. Their names appear on the Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial in Runnymede, Surrey.
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