Remembering World War II

Ralph Thomas Letts

Ralph Thomas Letts Aircraftman Second Class R/141807 RCAF Detachment, Queen’s University, Royal Canadian Air Force October 18, 1921 Halifax, NS November 4, 1941 Montreal, QC 20 353 Mercille Ave, St. Lambert, QC 5 feet, 8 inches Medium Brown Brown Single Student Roman Catholic Mary Ellen Letts (Mother) St. Lambert, QC January 14, 1942 20 St Lambert Catholic Cemetery, St Lambert, QC “In Loving Memorial of a Good Natured, Kindly Boy Our Tom, Age 20” Commemorated on Page 90 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 26 Ralph Thomas Letts was the son of Ralph and Ellen Mary (Myrick) Letts. The family lived in Halifax at 282 Oxford Street until Ralph was two years old, and then in Quebec. Ralph’s father was born in Cheswick, England, his mother – in Cape Race, Newfoundland. Ralph had one brother, Harry Walter Vincent Letts, and five sisters – Marjorie Mary, Dorothy Julia, Nellie June, Ruth Georgia and Barbara Joan Letts. Prior to enlistment he had an interest in radio operation. As an amateur radio operator his call letters were VE2KB. He worked summer jobs as a clerk for the Canadian Marconi Company in 1939 and the Radio Station CFCF in 1940, and as an elevator operator at the Canadian Steamship Lines office in 1941, all in Montreal, QC. He enjoyed football, hockey and swimming. Under the British Commonwealth Air Training Program (BCATP), activities were managed through 4 Training Commands. Each command was responsible for activities in a region of Canada. Trainees began their military careers at a Manning Depot where they learned to bathe, shave, shine boots, polish buttons, maintain their uniforms, and otherwise behave in the required manner. There were 2 hours of physical education every day and instruction in marching, rifle drill, foot drill, saluting, and other routines. Ralph was assigned to the No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto, ON. The No. 1 was in the Coliseum Building on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, which accommodated up to 5,000 personnel. After 4-5 weeks, a selection committee decided whether the trainee would be placed in the aircrew or ground crew stream. With his radio interests and experience, Ralph was selected to be an Air Mechanic. He was at the in Toronto from enlistment November 4th until December 8th, 1941. During the Second World War, Radio Mechanic training courses were being provided at Canadian universities and Ralph was assigned to the RCAF Detachment at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Transferring from Toronto to Kingston on December 9, 1941, he was first admitted to the Kingston Military Hospital the same day, and transferred to the Kingston General Hospital on December 24th. He died of illness on January 14, 1942. He was returned to St. Lambert Quebec, where his parents resided, for burial.

Sources: findagrave.com Canadian Virtual War Memorial