ROBERT LORNE SLEETH - Lorne Sleeth received his Elementary Flying Training at Goderich and was assessed by F/L MacLean, No. 12 EFTS Chief Supervisory Officer: “A student with very good possibilities but inclined to be set in his ways. Does as well as he can.” While Sleeth was training at Centralia, Group Captain Elmer Fullerton provided the following assessment: “This student is a good pilot and keen to learn. However, he won’t admit a mistake even to himself and tries to alibi out of everything he does. This pupil is not recommended for a commission.” Upon graduation from Centralia, the resident of Gravenhurst, Ontario was posted overseas. He received the following assessment while training at No. 11 Advanced Flying Unit: “An over confident pilot who is rather erratic, low average.” After completing AFU training, Sleeth was posted to No. 20 Operational Training Unit. He was given the following assessment: “The AFU trained NCO has completed almost two full courses at the unit, having disagreed with his original crew, and subsequently been crewed up again. He is keen, conscientious, smart and a good pilot. Although he has three Officers in his crew, he has had no trouble in asserting himself as captain of aircraft, and his crew like him and respect his ability. He has been completely trouble-free in this Flight, has completed all exercises most efficiently, and is considered an above average captain with above average crew. Strongly recommended for commissioned rank.” Flying Officer Sleeth and crew were posted to 158 Squadron RAF. On September 13, 1944, Sleeth piloted a Halifax bomber for what was to be his 10th sortie. The aircraft departed at 15:52 hours for the target; an oil refinery located at Gelsenkirchen. The aircraft was shot down over the target. An investigation into the accident was performed by No. 2 MRES (Missing Research and Enquiry Service). Statement by F/S T.W. Roberts, rear gunner: “Barker bailed out (navigator) before me and could be seen above coming down with open chute. Informed by German Interrogators that he had been wounded by flak and died 1 ½ hours later.” F/O Sleeth, Sgt. J.H. Boocock (Flt/Engineer), Sgt. J.L. Mitchell (Mid Upper Gunner), F/S Laing AUS (W/Op) were killed when plane blew up at 18,000 feet and later identified near scene of crash by rear gunner of crew F/O R.H. Fox RAF (Air Bomber) baled out safe POW. F/S T.W. Roberts (Rear Gunner) safe POW. Fox stated to investigators that Sgt. Roberts, the Air Gunner, personally saw F/O Sleeth near the wreckage and actually spoke with him a few minutes before he died. Both his legs had been torn off in the crash. In 1949, Flying Officer Sleeth’s parents wrote a letter to W/C Gunn, RCAF Casualties Officer. “We deeply appreciate your very kind letter wherein you advise us the location of the grave of our beloved Son, Flying Officer Robert Lorne Sleeth and those of his chums who died with him. With the information now given us we hope it may be possible for us to someday visit the scene of his last resting place. As Lorne was our only child and meant everything in the world to us you will understand how much it means to us to have the information you have so kindly passed on to us. “In one of his last letters home, Lorne mentioned that if his plane became damaged by shell fire it would, of course, be necessary for him to make sure all members of his crew were safely out before he could jump himself; and from particulars indirectly received, we are inclined to believe our Son could probably have saved his own life had he known that those members of his crew who did not ‘bale out’ were killed when the shell hit his plane. While such action possibly does not merit any special recognitions to his memory, it does convey to a Mother and Dad a certain degree of comfort to know that their Son died as we would have lived – honourably and thinking of others before himself.”