Ross Edgerton Clark

1939-1945 Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM) and Clasp, 1939-1945 War Medal

Royal Canadian Air Force, 425 Alouette Squadron

WW II

Ross Edgerton Clark was born 4 March 1923 in Point Edward, Ontario to W.E. Edgerton and Margaret E.R. Clark. He was the youngest of six children. His father passed away when Ross was 11 years old. In his youth, Ross enjoyed hockey, swimming and tennis.

At the outbreak of WW II, Ross was employed as an assistant timekeeper with the Canadian Bridge Company in Ojibway, Ontario. Motivated to serve his country, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, (RCAF) on 22 December 1941. Two of his older brothers, Kenneth and Wilbert, also contributed to the war effort in other roles.

Ross was commissioned as a Flying Officer (FO) on 9 October 1942 and served with 425 Squadron, RCAF, as a navigator on Wellington Bomber aircraft. On the night of 6-7 August 1943, during his fourth operational mission, 13 Wellington Bombers, departed Haouaria Aerodrome (approximately 40 km east of Tunis, Tunisia) in North Africa as a part of a bombing operation. Their target, a railroad marshalling yard in Naples, Italy. The mission encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire.

The Wellington (Mk.X HE261) returned to base at 2358 hrs but aborted its initial landing attempt. During a second approach, the aircraft was observed falling into the Mediterranean Sea off Cal Bon, Tunisia. Due to heavy seas, recovery efforts were unsuccessful. FO Clark and two other crew members were presumed drowned, their bodies were never recovered.

FO Clark was 20 years old at the time of his death, less than 8 months after his commissioning. He completed 3 operational sorties. He is officially listed as having no known grave.

Flying Officer Ross Edgerton Clark is commemorated on:

Panel 19, Column 1 of the Malta War Memorial,

Page 146 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Memorial Chamber of The Peace Tower of the Canadian Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Ontario

His medals were presented to the family posthumously. In his memory, one of his great-nephew’s grandchildren bears his name.

Information from family, Library and Archives Canada and 425 Squadron history.