Name: Charles Beeching O’Hanley Rank: Pilot Officer Service No: J/5296 Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force, #31 OTU Date of Birth: April 27, 1921 Place of Birth: Yarmouth, NS Date of Enlistment: October 1, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, NS Age at Enlistment: 19 Trade: Student Marital Status: Single Religion: Roman Catholic Next of Kin: Charles John O’Hanley (Father) Yarmouth, NS Date of Death: October 23, 1941 Age at Death: 20 Cemetery: Truro (Immaculate Conception) Roman Catholic Cemetery (Nova Scotia, Canada) Grave Reference: RAF Plot. Grave 1. The 89th name on the WWII list of the Yarmouth War Memorial Commemorated on page 40 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on January 31 Charles was the son of Charles John O'Hanley (1887-1949) and Dora May (Beeching) O'Hanley (1885- 1968), of Yarmouth NS. His father was born in Yarmouth; his mother – in Warren, Worchester, Massachusetts. Charles Beeching had one brother, Roy Walter O’Hanley (1922-2014), and a sister, Doris Mary ‘Mae’ (O’Hanley) Cox. Roy served in the Merchant Navy during WWII. Charles attended Centre School, Yarmouth between 1927 and 1934 and the Yarmouth Academy between 1934 and 1939. During 1939 and 1940, he registered in a Commercial Course at the Yarmouth Academy in typewriting, bookkeeping and filing. He had three years of Cadet training at the Yarmouth Academy, was a licensed car operator for four years in 14 and had won a membership to and completed in the 1939 meet of the Nova Scotia Rifle Association. He enjoyed swimming, hunting, baseball, skating, and boating. Between November 18, 1939 and April 1, 1940, and again between May 3, 1940 and July 25, 1940, he was employed at the Eastern Air Command, Department of National Defence, Yarmouth Aerodrome as a gravel checker. After RCAF enlistment, he completed Initial Training in Toronto, Ontario, his Elementary Flying Course in Windsor, Ontario and Service Flying Course at the No. 8 SFTS in Moncton, New Brunswick. While based in Debert, Nova Scotia at No. 31 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force, Pilot Officer O’Hanley was flying the Hudson aircraft #AM896 and was on a final long-distance exercise prior to being ferried across the Atlantic when it flew into the ground and disintegrated fifteen miles from Debert at Great Village, Nova Scotia. Also killed were: Sergeant Norman Leonard Hornsey (Service No. 570784) 31 RAF Operation Training Unit He was 21; the son of Arthur Leonard and Lily Hornsey, of Fishponds, Bristol, England. Terrace Hill Cemetery, Truro, Plot 378. Grave 3 Sergeant Robert Frederick Kelley (Service No. R/83547) 31 RAF Operation Training Unit, RCAF He was 21; the son of Frederick R Kelley and Lillian V. Kelley of Toronto, Ontario Terrace Hill Cemetery, Truro, Plot 378, Grave 2 Pilot Officer Richard Aubrey Luard (Service No. J/7801) 31 RAF Operation Training Unit, RCAF He was 26; the son of Arthur D. Luard and Mary Luard of Burford, Ontario Terrace Hill Cemetery, Truro, Plot 378, Grave 1

Charles Beeching O’Hanley

Sources and Information: Commonwealth War Graves Commission http://www.debertmilitarymuseum.org/RCAFcasualties.html findagrave.com Canadian Virtual War Memorial – Charles Beeching O’Hanley Canadian Virtual War Memorial – Robert Frederick Kelley Canadian Virtual War Memorial – Richard Aubrey Luard Commonwealth War Graves Commission – Norman Leonard Hornsey

Personnel of #8 SFTS Moncton, May 16, 1941: CD Barnett R64872 of Hillsboro NB, JD Graham R76949 of Yarmouth NS, DK Moores R62970 of Yarmouth NS, CB O'Hanley R62972 of Yarmouth NS, and JA Weary R56378 of Muquodoboit NS