Ernest Joseph Shelling Leading Aircraftman R/258345 No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, Royal Canadian Air Force October 17, 1925 Nakusp, British Columbia July 10, 1943 RCAF Recruiting Centre, Calgary, Alberta Nakusp, British Columbia 17 5 feet, 8 inches Medium Brown Hazel Single Student United Church Enid L. Shelling (Mother) August 19, 1944 18 Legion Cemetery, Nakusp, British Columbia Family Plot

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

Ernest Joseph Shelling was the son of Joseph Shelling and Enid Louise (Wensley) Shelling, of Nakusp, British Columbia, and sister of Alice Louise Shelling. Ernest’s father was a farmer, born in Podbiel, Orava, Czechoslovakia who became a Canadian citizen, and his mother was born in Revelstoke, British Columbia. Ernest’s sister Alice worked as a nurse during WWII at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, British Columbia. Before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in July 1943, Ernest never held a held a full-time job because he was still in school. However, during the summer months when school was not in session, he worked at the Big Bend Lumber Company sawmill in Nakusp, BC, from 1939 to 1942. In his leisure time, Ernest enjoyed reading books and magazines, as well as engaging in various sports such including baseball, basketball, badminton, swimming, and skating. His preferred activities, though, were playing softball and cycling. He noted on his enlistment forms that his reason for enlisting was most importantly to finish the war sooner, [but] also [because] of [his] interest in aviation. Ernest very much wanted to be a pilot. After enlisting in July of 1943, Ernest’s training included the No. 4 Initial Training School (4 ITS) in Edmonton, Alberta, where he was taken on strength on September 19, 1943, where he trained until January 14, 1944. Next, he trained with No. 24 EFTS in Abbottsford, BC, until transfer to the No. 19 SFTS on May 19, 1944. Following that training, Ernest was transferred to the No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School at RCAF Station Mcdonald, northeast of Mcdonald, Manitoba on July 1, 1944. On August 19, 1944, Bolingbroke aircraft No. 10055 was engaged in a gun camera exercise when it crashed then exploded and burned in a stubble field 2 miles south and a ¼ mile east of Mcdonald airport at 3:15 pm. The entire 5-man crew lost their lives in the crash, including Leading Aircraftman Ernest Joseph Shelling.