Osborne Victor Nickerson Rank: Leading Aircraftman Royal Canadian Air Force No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School Service Number: R104157 Date of Birth: April 23, 1916 Place of Birth: Summerville, Yarmouth Co., NS Date of Enlistment: June 28, 1941 Place of Enlistment: RCAF Recruiting Centre, Halifax, NS Age at Enlistment: 25 Height: 5 feet, 11 inches Marital Status: Single Trade: Farming Religion: Baptist Next of Kin: Charlotte Nickerson (Mother) Pleasant Lake, Yarmouth Co., NS Born in Summerville, Yarmouth County, Osborne was the son of Frank G. Nickerson and Charlotte (Wood ) Nickerson, of Pleasant Lake. He attended the Sommerville School and completed his Grade 10 in 1932 but took a Refresher Grade 10 correspondence course in 1940-194. He worked on the farm at Home after he finished school until 1939 when he took a job working for Boutilier, Prosser and Prosser of Yarmouth NS, in a lumber mill. Osborne enjoyed boxing, wrestling, hockey. He hunted extensively and was considered a “good shot with a rifle”. At enlistment, he was assessed as being “strong, healthy, cooperative, and determined”. He could qualify for pilot except he did not meet the educational requirement and thus was recommended for wireless operator/air gunner training. From December 22, 1941 through July 6, 1942 he was assigned to No 4 Wireless School, Course 35, and obtained his Wireless Badge at the completion of the course. He then moved to No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School in Dafoe, Saskatchewan. Osborne Nickerson was killed in training at Dafoe, Saskatchewan. On July 23, 1942, at 11;05 am, 100 feet south east of runway No.1 of the Training School, two aircraft, Fairey Battle #1925 and Fairey Battle #2066, were involved in a mid-air collision. Osborne died instantly as a result of his injuries. Also killed in the accident, in the second aircraft (Fairey Battle #2066) were Pilot Sergeant, Eustace Hedley Dunn of Burnham, Saskatchewan and, Leading Aircraftman Joseph Philippe Arthur Bail of St. Lambert, Quebec. Osborne Victor Nickerson’s body was returned to Pleasant Lake where he was buried in the Nickerson family plot. He received the War Metal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Metal and Clasp. Date of Death: July 23, 1942 Age at Death: 26 Cemetery: Pleasant Lake (Nickerson Family), Yarmouth Co., NS The 87th name on the WWII list of the Yarmouth War Memorial Commemorated on Page 102 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on March 4 Sources and Information: Commonwealth War Graves Commission Library and Archives Canada Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave.com

Osborne Victor Nickerson

updated: July 19, 2017

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Photo Credit: Deborah Gray