Name: Charles Curtis Merril McCann Rank: Flying Officer Service No: J/9780 Service: Royal Canadian Air Force 218 RAF Squadron Date of Birth: February 4, 1910 Place of Birth: Wallace, NS Date of Enlistment: February 27, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Moncton, NB Address At Enlistment: Pugwash, Cumberland Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 31 Trade: School Teacher/School Principal Marital Status: Single Religion: Church of England Next of Kin: Jessie Ann McCann (Sister) Halifax, NS Date of Death: December 17, 1942 Age At Death: 32 Cemetery: Hanover War Cemetery Cemetery Reference: 2. D. 14. Commemorated on Page 95 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 1 Charles Curtis Merril McCann was the son of Arthur Wellesley McCann (1856-1926) and Mary Jane McCann (1869-1930). His father was born in Wallace, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. His mother was born in Prince Edward Island. Charles’ half brother Sergeant Wellesley McCann (Service No. 229304) was killed in France serving with the 44th Battalion during WWI on November 1, 1918. He was 29 and is interred at the Aulnoy Communal Cemetery in France. Charles graduated from Acadia University in 1933 with a major in English, and attended the Toronto University (Ontario College of Education) in 1939/1940. Just prior to enlistment he was employed with the Pugwash School Board. Charles McCann first applied to the RCAF on August 9, 1940, but was rejected as his qualifications at that time were not suitable. Following his RCAF acceptance in 1941 and training in Canada, he proceeded overseas on February 19, 1942. He was assigned to 218 RAF Squadron on July 23, 1942. He was serving as an Air Observer when, on the night of December 17, 1942, he was one of three killed when his aircraft, Short Stirling W7 614 (HA-J), flying from RAF Downham Market in Norfolk, England, on air operations (Bomber Command) to Fallersleben, Lower Saxony, Germany, crashed near Langenhagen, Germany. Also killed were the Flight Engineer, RAF Sergeant Michael William Lavelle (Service No. 530012), of Lancashire, England, interred in Section 2, Row D, Grave 16, of the Hanover War Cemetery and the Air Bomber, RCAF Warrant Officer Class II Joseph B. Nault (Service No. R/69378), of Ansonville, Ontario, interred in Section 2, Row D, Grave 15 of the Hanover War Cemetery. The other four crew of the seven onboard became prisoners of war: RAF Sergeant William Cameron Fraser (Service No. 966737), sent to Stalag 344 Lamsdorf RAF Flying Officer Robert Marshall (Service No. 413445), sent to Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria RCAF Sergeant Henry Richard George Whittall (Service No. R/77343), sent to Stalag Luft L6 Heydekrug RAF Sergeant Samuel Wilson (Service No. 656088), sent Stalag 344 Lamsdorf Charles Curtis Merril McCann was interred at the Hanover War Cemetery in Germany along side his two comrades in Section 2, Row D, Grave 14.

WWII Index

McCann, September 15, 1940

Remembering World War II

Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial