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Crash Site of EQ-X (BB-343) 408 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force April 17, 1943 |
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Crash Site of EQ-X (BB-343) 408 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force April 17, 1943 |
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This grey photograph was taken
of the still smoldering remains of EQ-X (BB-343) on the morning of
April 17, 1943, the day it crashed near the town of Guise, Picardie, in
northern France. We can see a bicycle leaning up against on of
the fruit trees in this orchard on a hill called "le calvaire St
Germain". Two people seem to be searching the site near what
appears to be a portion of the fuselage. According to Monsieur
Edgar Guay, brother of the pilot F/O Jacques Guay, the local population
who witnessed the aerial combat considered the crew of EQ-X to be
heroes as they circled the valley, presumably crippled, in order to
avoid crashing into the village. A monument was erected near the
crash site in 1951 on land donated and with moneys raised
locally. In France, they do remember their Canadian cousins and
their RAF friends as true heroes. |
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Lesquielles St Germain Aines Monsieur Georges Dumur indicates to Monsieur Edgar Guay, the spot where the aircraft that his brother Jacques Guay was piloting, plunged to earth. June 1949 |
