copyright © Wartime Heritage Association 2012-2024
Website hosting courtesy of Register.com - a web.com company
Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
Remembering World War II
Hedley Charles Cormick Goodyear
Hedley Charles Cormick Goodyear
Flight Lieutenant
J/10281
61 RAF Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
November 10, 1918
Grand Falls, Newfoundland
April 25, 1941
Moncton, New Brunswick
Sydney, Cape Breton, NS
22
5 feet, 9 inches
Fair
Hazel
Brown
Single
Student
United Church
Florence Goodyear (Mother) Sydney, NS
April 24, 1944
25
Hanover War Cemetery, Germany
4.C.1.
Commemorated on Page 164 of the Newfoundland Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 24, July 11, October 22
Hedley Charles Cormick Goodyear was the son of Roland Clement Goodyear and Florence (Cormick)
Goodyear of Sydney, Nova Scotia. He was the brother of Oswald, Roland, David, and Florence Joan. His
brother Oswald Raymond Goodyear also served with the RCAF during WWII as a Flight Lieutenant with
RAF Transport Command, Bermuda. While born in Newfoundland, Hedley lived with his family in Cape
Breton for ten years.
He attended public school in Grand Falls, Newfoundland between 1925 and 1931 and the Sydney, NS
Academy between 1931 and 1935. He attended Upper Canada College in 1939-1940 and immediately
prior to enlistment was a first year Engineering student at Mt. Allison University in Sackville, NB.
Between 1935 and 1940 he was employed in a number of different jobs that included a ledger keeper at
the Bank of Nova Scotia, sales, truck driver ad as a desk clerk in the summer of 1940 at Keltic Lodge,
Ingonish, Cape Breton.
He was a Corporal with COTC program at Mt Allison University, and in the Cadet Corps at Upper Canada
College and at the Sydney Academy.
Following his enlistment, Hedley trained in Canada until March 29, 1942. He arrived in the United
Kingdom on April 4, 1942. While serving with 1660 Conversion Unit he was the pilot of Mancester I
l.7482 aircraft with a crew of seven when on a non-operational flight on January 2, 1943 the aircraft
was caught in a heavy snowstorm. The aircraft had departed Coleby in clear weather; however, was
diverted from returning to base because of the storm. While attempting to land at Waddington and then
climbing though the storm, icing of the aircraft forced the crew to abandon the aircraft. As pilot, Flight
Lieutenant Goodyear gave the order for the crew to abandon the aircraft and he followed. All survived.
He joined 61 RAF Squadron on April 21, 1944. On the night of April 22/23, 1944, Flight Lieutenant
Goodyear was second pilot on Lancaster III LM476, of No.61 Squadron, RAF Skellingthorpe, with a crew
of eight on a bombing operation over Brunswick, Germany. The aircraft failed to return to base. Post-war
it was determined that the aircraft had been shot down by anti-aircraft artillery and crashed near
Dallensen, Germany. The aircraft exploded on contact with the ground. Two members of the crew had
bailed and were taken as prisoners of war. Five bodies were recovered, including Flight Lieutenant
Goodyear and buried in the local cemetery at Lugde. A sixth body was never recovered. In 1949 the five
bodies at Lugde were re-interned in the Hanover War Cemetery,
Name:
Rank:
Service No:
Service:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Date of Enlistment:
Place of Enlistment:
Address at Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
Height:
Complexion:
Eye Colour:
Hair Colour:
Marital Status:
Trade:
Religion:
Next of Kin:
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Memorial:
Reference: