Not much is known about Ralph Patrick Campell. He was born in 1920 and from St Peters, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Ralph went overseas on 11 November 1941 and participated in many missions to Germany and Italy. He was the sole survivor of a crew which crashed into the North Sea in the summer of 1942.

Later he became a pilot with 101 Sqaudron, operating out of Holme-on-Spalding.

On 31 January 1943, Ralph and his crew were sent on a mission to Hamburg. Ralph's crew consisted of

101 Squadron

Sergeant  Wilfred Eric Debeurier (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant John Charles Jacques (Navigator)
Sergeant John Leslie Enery Barden  (Observer)
Frank James Belanger RCAF
Sergeant  Samuel David Wall (Air Gunner)
Warrant Officer Gordon James Hutchinson RCAF  (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)

They took off in Lancaster ED447 SR-Q. They were airborne at 00.20 on 31 January 19343. On their way to target, they encountered German anti aircraft fire and were shot down by Kriegsmarine Flak (Naval anti aircraft fire)crashing at Rijk (Noord Holland) in the Haarlemmermeer polder, South West of Amsterdam.

The whole crew died in the crash and are now buried at Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery.

WO Class II Ralph Patrick Campbell is buried at Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery, Plot 69. Row C. Coll. grave 5.

 

Amsterdam

 

Sources:
CWGC
 

See Also:
Sergeant Wilfred Eric Debeurier
Sergeant John Charles Jacques
Sergeant John Leslie Enery Barden
Frank James Belanger RCAF
Sergeant  Samuel David Wall
Warrant Officer Gordon James Hutchinson 
 

Directions to Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery

Posted 13 November 2011

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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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