BURPEE, FS (now P/O) Lewis Johnston (R82285/J17115) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.106 Squadron - Award effective 13 May 1943 as per London Gazette dated 18 May 1943 and AFRO 1187/43 dated 25 June 1943. Born 5 March 1918. Home in Ottawa. Attended Elgin Street Public School and Lisgar Collegiate. Further attended Queen’s University for three years (Arts, English, History, Politics) and was a member of COTC. Enlisted in RCAF, Ottawa, 17 December 1940. To No.1 Manning Depot, Toronto, 18 December 1940; to No.1 BGS, Jarvis, 16 January 1941; to No.3 ITS, Victoriaville, 24 March 1941. Graduated 4 May 1941 (promoted LAC); to No.13 EFTS, St. Eugene, 4 May 1941; graduated 20 June 1941; to No.9 SFTS, Summerside, 21 June 1941; graduated 1 September 1941 (promoted Sergeant). Struck off strength of Canada to RAF overseas, 28 September 1941. Taken on strength of No.3 PRC, Bournemouth, 13 October 1941; to No.26 OTU, 4 November 1941; to No.27 OTU, 5 January 1942; to No.25 OTU, 29 January 1942; to No.15 (P) AFS, 30 March 1942; to No.16 OTU, 23 June 1942. Damaged Wellington T2510, 27 August 1942; starboard engine seized and he made a poor forced landing at Church Lawford while avoiding numerous construction obstacles; CO critical of his choice of emergency field. Posted to No.106 Conversion Flight, date uncertain; to No.106 Squadron, 10 October 1942. Posted to No.617 Squadron 29 March 1943. Commissioned 3 April 1943 (J17115). Killed in action with No.617 Squadron, 17 May 1943 (Lancaster ED865); widow in Britain; buried in Holland. Award presented to next-of-kin, 12 December 1944. RCAF photo PL-34566 taken at Government House, Ottawa following presentation to Mrs. L.J. Burpee (widow) and Mr.L.A. Burpee (father). See article by Wayne Saunders, “A Forgotten Ottawa Dambuster”, Airforce Magazine, Volume 35, No.3 (Spring 2012). // This airman has successfully completed a number of operational sorties against targets which include the naval ports of Wilhelmshaven, Bremen and Hamburg and also industrial centres in Italy. He has also taken part in raids on Berlin, Nuremburg, and Stuttgart. He has constantly displayed the utmost determination to complete his allotted task, whatever hardships or dangers are encountered. From raids on Lorient and St.Nazaire he secured valuable photographs. Flight Sergeant Burpee has invariably exhibited coolness and courage and has performed his duties conscientiously and efficiently. // NOTE: Public Records Office has recommendation dated 26 March 1943 when he had flown 26 sorties (205 hours 20 minutes) as listed below; text slightly more detailed than published citation: // 15 Oct 42 - Cologne (5.20) - Flew as 2nd pilot // 22 Oct 42 - Genoa (8.00) - ditto // 24 Oct 42 - Milan (9.50) - ditto, daylight raid // 7 Nov 42 - Genoa (5.35) - First trip as captain; mission abandoned // 16 Nov 42 - Silverthorn (9.30) // 20 Nov 42 - Turin (9.20) - Burst seen in centre of town. // 22 Nov 42 - Stuttgart (7.45) // 8 Dec 42 - Turin (9.00) - Burst seen in built-up area near aiming point. // 9 Dec 42 - Turin (4.25) - Mission abandoned; generators u/s // 20 Dec 42 - Duisburg (5.15) - Shot up on bombing run; navigator wounded. // 3 Jan 43 - Essen (5.00) // 8 Jan 43 - Duisburg (2.55) - Mission abandoned. // 11 Jan 43 - Essen (4.10) // 12 Jan 43 - Essen (4.00) // 17 Jan 43 - Berlin (9.00) // 21 Jan 43 - Essen (4.55) - Successful despite heavy flak which severely damaged aircraft. // 23 Jan 43 - Dusseldorf (5.35) // 27 Jan 43 - Dusseldorf (6.05) - Results not seen owing to cloud. // 30 Jan 43 - Hamburg (7.25) // 11 Feb 43 - Wilhelmshaven (4.00) - Mission abandoned. // 13 Feb 43 - Lorient (6.00) - Bomb fell in dock area. // 14 Feb 43 - Milan (9.50) - Bombs across centre of town. // 16 Feb 43 - Lorient (6.15) - Photograph of aiming point. // 18 Feb 43 - Wilhelmshaven (5.25) // 21 Feb 43 - Bremen (5.45) // 25 Feb 43 - Nuremburg (9.10) - Took photograph of built-up area. // 26 Feb 43 - Cologne (4.35) - Photograph of factory buildings. // 28 Feb 43 - St.Nazaire (6.55) // 5 Mar 43 - Essen (5.05) - Bombs fell on Krupp Works // 8 Mar 43 - Nuremburg (7.30) // 10 Mar 43 - GARDENING (7.40) - Baltic // 12 Mar 43 - Essen (5.10) - Bombs fell on target. // Flight Sergeant Burpee has taken part in 26 operational sorties, successfully bombing many vital targets ranging from the naval ports of Bremen, Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven to the industrial centre of the Ruhr and as far afield as the war centres of Italy. // He has consistently displayed the greatest determination in the execution of whatever tasks were allotted him. Berlin, Nuremburg, Stuttgart, Genoa and Turin are some of the many objectives he has attacked with satisfactory results and in recent weeks he has taken part in the highly successful raids on Lorient (aiming point photograph), S.Nazaire and both of the Essen attacks. He also flew on the daylight attack against Milan in October 1942. // Flight Sergeant Burpee has shown coolness and courage throughout his operational tour and has performed his duties conscientiously and efficiently. // There is a rather touching letter on file, from RCAF Overseas Headquarters to the Commissioner of European Immigration for Canada (Sackville House), 22 May 1943: // This letter will serve to introduce Mrs. L.J. Burpeee, whose husband, Pilot Officer Lewis Johnstone Burpee, J.17115, RCAF, was reported missing after air operations on the 17th May 1943. // It was his desire that should he not return from operations, that his wife be allowed to go to Canada, where she could be with his people. // As Mrs. Burpee expects to have a child in the late fall, she would like to arrange to go to Canada, as soon as possible, in order that the baby may be born there. // Anything you can do to assist her in this connection would be greatly appreciated. // It appears this was done, as correspondence to her in 1944 was to an Ottawa address. // Following the famous Dams Raid, a note was placed on the file of all those killed, as follows. // On the night of the 16th/17th May 1943 this officer/airman took part in the extremely hazardous and highly successful raid on the Moehne, Eder, Sorpe and Schwelm dams, from which operations he failed to return. // The website “Lost Bombers” gives the following on his last flight: Lancaster ED865 coded AJ-S, Operation CHATISE (dams raid), 16/17 May 1943. Aircraft to No.617 Squadron 17 April 1943. Lost on its first operation with a total of 17 hours; one of eight Lancasters lost by No.617 Squadron on this operation; the others were ED864, ED887, ED910, ED925, ED927, ED934 and ED937. Airborne at 0011 hours of 17 May 1943 from Scampton on the third wave of Operation Chastise, setting course for the Sorpe Dam. Strayed off course and still at very low altitude when hit by flak, crashing 0200 hours near Gilze Rijen Airfield, Holland. all are buried at Breda. Crew (all killed; average age of 23) were P/O L.J.Burpee, DFM, RCAF; Sergeant G.Pegler; Sergeant T.Jaye; Flight Sergeant L.J. Arthur, RCAF; P/O L.G.Weller; Sergeant W.C.A.Long; WO2 J.G.Brady, RCAF.