Remembering World War II

Name: Samuel Feinstein Rank: Flight Sergeant Service No.: R/104215 Service: 12 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force Date of Birth: February 22, 1921 Place of Birth: Inverness, Inverness County, Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: July 7, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, Nova Scotia Age at Enlistment: 20 Address at Enlistment: Inverness, Inverness Co., NS Height: 5 feet, 5 inches Complexion: Medium Eye colour: Blue Hair colour: Dark Brown Occupation: Clothing store [employee] Marital Status: Single Religion: Hebrew Next of Kin: Fannie Feinstein, (Mother) Toronto, Ontario Date of Death: September 30, 1942 Age: 21 Cemetery: Bergen General Cemetery, Netherlands Grave: Plot 1, Row A, Grave 21 Commemorated on Page 72 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 17 Samuel Feinstein was the son of Isidor (1892-1937) and Fannie (Wener) Feinstein (b. 1892) of Toronto, Ontario. His parents were married in Sydney, NS, June 13, 1916. Samuel had three brothers - Nathan, Joseph (Johnnie) and Bernard; and two sisters – Edith and Rachel. Samuel’s brother Nathan Feinstein, died November 2, 1944, while serving in the Canadian Army in Europe with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. From November 1940 to February 1941, Samuel served in the Merchant Navy. He noted at enlistment that his hobbies included skiing and fishing and that he played basketball, football, and golf. After enlisting in July 1941, Samuel initially trained to be a pilot, but remustered as an air gunner during his training. Departing Canada in the spring of 1942, he disembarked in the UK March 9, 1942, joined Operational Training Unit #26 on June 2nd until September 12, 1942, when he transferred to 12 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, stationed at RAF Wickenby in Lincolnshire, England. 18 days later, on September 30, 1942, the Wellington III aircraft, serial number BJ964, in which Samuel served as the Air Gunner, embarked on another mission. Their twin-engine long-range medium bomber took off from RAF Wickenby at 6:23 pm. The objective was to lay mines in a sea lane region situated south of Texel Island in the Dutch Wadden Islands and north of Den Helder in the Netherlands (codenamed 'Trefoils' by Bomber Command). Unfortunately, Samuel and the rest of the BJ964 crew did not return from their sea mining mission. The aircraft crashed at 9:10 pm on the Nesdijk road, located south of Den Helder and Bergen (Noord Holland). The Bergen General Cemetery is their final resting place. Also serving on Wellington BJ964 when it was lost, were the following four airmen: RAF Pilot Officer Laurence James Alexander Graham (Service No. 120447) was the Navigator, interred in Plot 1, Row A, Grave 23 RAF Sergeant Harold James Kendrick (Service No. 1382039) was the Observer, interred in Plot 1, Row A, Grave 22 RAF Sergeant George William Arthur Mitchell (Service No. 1334834) was the Pilot, interred in Plot 1, Row A, Grave 20 RCAF Flight Sergeant Raymond Lloyd Wakelin (Service No. R/91255) was the Wireless Operator, interred in Plot 1, Row A, Grave 19 Also interred at the Bergen Cemetery in the Netherlands, Samuel is memorialized with an inscription chosen by his family for his grave: "He gave his life that others might live in peace.” Samuel Feinstein is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, Alberta.

Samuel Feinstein

Source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial Canadian Jewish Heritage Network Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Commonwealth War Graves Commission