Joseph Victor Jacques Gravel Pilot Officer J/90084 431 Squadron, RCAF September 26, 1925 Montreal, Quebec April 6, 1943 Montreal, Quebec Montreal, Quebec 17 5 feet, 9 inches Fair Hazel Fair Single Office Clerk Roman Catholic Gratia Gravel (Mother) Montreal, Quebec May 9, 1944 18 Gosselies Communal Cemetery, Belgium Row 2. Coll. grave 29-31.

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: Cemetery: Grave Reference:

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Joseph Victor Jacques Gravel was the son of Joseph Georges Gravel (d 1941) and Gratia Marcotte Gravel, of Montreal, Quebec. Prior to enlistment with the RCAF, he was employed as an office clerk with the Consolidated Paper Corp. He served as an Air Cadet from September 1942, until his enlistment in April 1943. Pilot Officer Gravel trained in Canada until November 1, 1943. He received his Air Gunner Badge on October 15, 1943. He embarked Halifax on December 1 and disembarked in the United Kingdom on November 9, 1943. In England he served with 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit and was taken on strength with 431 Squadron RCAF on January 1, 1944. On the night of May 9, 1944, Pilot Officer Gravel was an Air Gunner on aircraft Handley Page Halifax III SE-X that departed RAF Croff, Yorkshire, England on bombing operations to attack railway installations at Haine St Pierre, Belgium. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter at Rance, and crashed south east of Mons, Belgium. All seven members of the crew were killed. Pilot Officer Gravel is buried in the Gosselies Communal Cemetery, Belgium.