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Name: Frederick Michael Holobow Service Number: R/77570 Rank: Warrant Officer Class I Military Service: Royal Canadian Air Force Division: 489 (R.N.Z.A.F.) Squadron Date of Birth: December 1, 1920 Place of Birth: Watson, Saskatchewan Date of Enlistment: November 17, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Toronto, Ontario Address At Enlistment: Calgary, Alberta Age at Enlistment: 19 Height: 5 feet, 7 inches Complexion: Medium Eyes: Gray-blue Hair: Dark Brown Weight: 146 lbs. Trade: Carpentry/Plumbing Marital Status: Single at Enlistment Religion: United Next of Kin: Michael Holobow (Father) Calgary, Alberta Date of Death: April 13, 1943 Age at Death: 21 Cemetery: Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery, Norway Grave Reference: British Plot. J. 17. Commemorated on Page 171 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 9 Roll of Honour 489 Squadron RNZAF - August 1941 to August 1945 Frederick Michael was the son of Russian immigrants, Michael F. and Paulina Holobow (Alberta at the time of his enlistment), and husband of Helen Louise (Cain) Holobow, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He was taken on strength with 119 Squadron at RCAF Station Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, between December 31, 1940 and April 21, 1941. On December 26, 1941 he married Helen Louise Cain, daughter of Staff Sergeant Clyde Cain and Mrs. Cain of Yarmouth, NS, at Truro, NS. At the time, Fred was attached to the Delbert Station. With training completed in Canada, Fred was transferred overseas and assigned to 144 Squadron on May 30, 1942 and to 455 Squadron on February 4, 1943 and to 489 Squadron on February 10, 1943. The Squadron was stationed at RAF Skitten, a Royal Air Force station directly east of the village of Killimster, located 5.1 miles (8.2 km) north east of Watten, Caithness, Scotland and 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north west of Wick, Caithness, Scotland. 489 (NZ) Squadron was formed from pilots of the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 12 August 1941 under RAF Coastal Command as an anti-submarine and reconnaissance unit. An operational flight on April 13, 1943 failed to return to base. Fred Holobow was a member of the crew and presumed dead. Sources and Information: Commonwealth War Graves Commission Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Frederick Michael Holobow