Habkirk, G S

,

Warrant Officer Class 2 George Sterling (Known as Sterling) Habkirk

Family/Last name:
Habkirk
Forename(s) and initial(s):
George Sterling (Known as Sterling)
Date of birth:
18/8/1922
Nationality:
Canada
Service number:
R/78929
Military Unit:
Royal Canadian Air Force, 106 Squadron (RCAF)
Rank when captured:
Warrant Officer Class 2
POW number:
27111
Camp
Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344
Data sources
Other Sources (Relative's Report)
View a commemorative certificate for this prisoner

Subject: George Sterling Habkirk  (My great-uncle)

George Sterling Habkirk (he went by Sterling), Warrant Officer 2nd class in the Royal Canadian Airforce was a POW at Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344.

His prisoner number was 27111. I’m not sure what years he was there for though. His was a sad story after returning to Canada which I’m sure is quite common amongst POW’s.

He eventually died in 1970 at the age of 47.

 Laurie Habkirk

North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

This information shows that he was in 106 Squadron and that his aircraft’s serial  number was R5899.

Aircraft was lost whilst on a mine-laying operation on 18th September 1942.

Mr Habkirk’s name is on a list of students at the No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School in Jarvis, Ontario: http://rcafjarvis.blogspot.fr/2010_07_01_archive.html

 

__________________________________________

 

Course 28: September 29 – November 8, 1941
Group Captain G.E. Wait, officer commanding, pinned wings on the largest group of airmen to graduate from the school since its opening.

“Your work is done here but your most important work is just starting. You gunners have to protect the aircraft and fire on ground targets as well as attack enemy aircraft.”

Observers: R.E. Fletcher, Roblin, Manitoba and G.A. Rogers, Toronto, tied for top in class of observers; (NZ404340) Arthur Gethin Creagh (DFC – 5 Sqn.); +(NZ404363) William Upton Hewett; (J/17620) G.E. Ashie; +(GB146286) Geoffrey William Clifton Candlin (DFC, DFM – 83 Sqn.); F.W. Ammon RAF, J.K.B. Lee RAF; +(J/21300) Henri Paul Theriault – 218 Sqn.; C.D. Gordon, Edmonton, G.M. Elliott, O.R. Marshall, L.W. McGovern, (J/9326) Harold Herbert Elgood Plewman, A.M. Reid, G.A. Rogers, Ben Sugarman – 425 Sqn. and K.E. Willis, all of Toronto, (J19441) Tom Beverley Britten – DFC 220 Sqn., Little Current; R.R. Curtis, Fenlon Falls; G. Dogue, Porcupine; W.A. Edgar, Brantford; L.M. Kauffeldt, Arnprior; J.G. Lee, St. Thomas; B.E. Mazur, London; +(R/72683 – J/17374) Joseph Charles McIver – 53 Sqn., London; J.N. McKibbon, Trenton; J.E. Moyer, St. Catharines; G.G. Parkinson, Jarvis; W.B. Sargent, Belleville; D.H. Smith, Sarnia; D. Stokes, Owen Sound; W.J. Switzer, Russell; W.L. White, Windsor

Air Gunners: +(J/8430) Francis ‘Frank’ Bartkiewicz, Hamilton, top gunner in course, Toronto gunners included N. Graham, E. Fujar, +(R/65832) Lawrence Edward Gilpin – 58 Sqn.; H.J. Elliott, +(R/85955) David Fenton – 156 Sqn.; +(R/93140) Lewis Nelson Dearlove – 405 Sqn.; +(J/17438) Joe Richard Latremouille – 434 Sqn.; (J/18450) Ivan Arthur Lewis Lockhart – POW 434 Sqn.; M. Hammill, Bracebridge; R.N. McLean, North Bay; Donald M. MacFie, Dunchurch; W.G. Milne, Port Credit; J.C. Miller, Midland; T.B. Lappen, Verona; (R/78929)

George Sterling Habkirk – POW 106 Sqn., Seaforth; +(R/78908) Jack McArthur Newton – 44 Sqn., Gorrie; J.A. Riddell, Orillia; Arthur Gerard Sauer, Hamilton; C. Fife, Chapleau; +(J/18155) Walter Raymond Affleck – 156 Sqn., Lanark; (J/16954) W.E. Beswick – POW 434 Sqn., Pt. Colborne; J.J. Demarco, North Bay; +(R/84175) Llewelyn Pryce Edwards – 330 Sqn., Welland; J.M. Lillico, Brittania Bay

 This website has more information about Mr Habkirk: ​http://www.hopkirk.org/hopkirk/PageA3222351.html

George Sterling HABKIRK, born 18 August 1922. He passed away  13 July 1970, age 47. He was known as Sterling. He was a  wireless airgunner with the RCAF, and he saw a lot of action during WWII. His plane was shot down by a German gunboat in the Baltic sea. Apparently they went too close to what they thought was a German fishing boat and ended up in a prisoner of war camp for years. “Sterling” was also a finish carpenter.

 

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