Lawrence Sherman Rank: Flying Officer Service No: J/10591 Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force 162 Squadron (Bomber Reconnaissance) Awards: D F C (Distinguished Flying Cross) Date of Birth: March 25, 1920 Place of Birth: Fort William, Ontario Date of Enlistment: May 29, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Vancouver, British Columbia Address At Enlistment: Vancouver, British Columbia Age at Enlistment: 21 Height: 5 feet, 8 inches Weight: 148 lbs. Complexion: Dark Eyes: Blue Hair: Brown Trade: Student/Aircraft Construction Marital Status: Single [at enlistment] Religion: Roman Catholic Next of Kin: Jack Thomas Sherman [Brother] Winnipeg, Manitoba Mary Georgina Sherman [Wife] Yarmouth, NS [September 1943] Date of Death: June 13, 1944 Age at Death: 24 Memorial: Runnymede Memorial (Surrey, England) Grave Reference: Panel 248. Commemorated on page 442 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance This page is displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on September 24 Not on the WWII list of the Yarmouth War Memorial Lawrence was the son of John and Florence [Julian] Sherman. While born in Fort William, Ontario, he lived in Vancouver from the age of six months. His mother died in 1932. One of four children, he had two brothers, John Thomas, and Lewis, and one sister Loretta [Fontenot]. He attended King George High School, Vancouver, and completed grade XII in 1938. He then took an accountant’s course between 1939 and 1940. He was employed in 1938/1939 as a Deck Hand and Tug Stormer with Preston and Mann Towing Co., and in 1939/1940 as a Logger and Boomman with Merrill, Ring, Wilson Logging Company. In 1941 until his enlistment he was employed with Boeing Aircraft. Lawrence played baseball, basketball and enjoyed swimming. He also boxed, played tennis, badminton and soccer. He married Mary Georgina Sweeney, daughter of Francis Sweeney of Yarmouth, on September 13, 1943 in Toronto, Ontario. Flying Officer Lawrence Sherman trained at No. 4 ITS (Initial Training School) at Edmonton, No.18 EFTS (Elementary Flight Training School) at Boundary Bay, BC and No.7 SFTS (Service Flying Training School) at MacLeod, Alberta. He was stationed in Yarmouth with 162 Squadron. On June 11, 1944 Flight Officer Sherman flying flying Canso 9842/B, sank U-980. Two days later, June 13, he sighted and attacked U-480; however, his plane was shot down by return fire. He was killed in action. Flight Sergeant J. E. Roberts was the only survivor and became a prisoner of war. The Squadron was based at RAF Station Wick, northern Scotland at the time of the attack. “... F/O L. Sherman and crew of F/Os G. W. Besley, J. L. Harrison, F. W. Lawrence and R. R. Ward, FSs M. A. Gislason and F. R. Dreger and Sgt. J. E. Roberts. The victim [U-boat] was first sighted at a distance of some miles and the subsequent attack followed the familiar pattern. An exchange of fire on the approach, while the sub endeavoured to keep stern-on to the aircraft; the dropping of depth charges in a straddle, leaving the U-boat damaged and slowed down; a gun duel (this one lasted about ten minutes) during which the sub gradually sank lower and finally disappeared. On this occasion the claim of one destroyed did not rest wholly on the sometimes doubtful evidence of a large patch of oil, but also on the fact that approximately 35 members of the U-boat’s crew, as well as considerable wreckage, were seen floating on the surface. For this “well executed operation”, Sherman received an immediate D.F.C.“ Sources and Information: Commonwealth War Graves Commission Veterans Affairs Canada http://www.parl.ns.ca/airforce/RCAF.htm http://aircrewremembered.com/rcafnotes-surnames-r-z.html http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/RCAF_Overseas_vol2_e.pdf