Flight Lieutenant Lyn Bertram Madden
On the 15th May 1943, 403 squadron R.C.A.F. lost two pilots while escorting a bombing mission to Poix – Circus 297.
Flight Lieutenant Lyn Bertram Madden was born on 21st October, 1919, in Montreal. His Father, Harold Madden, from Nottingham, was working as Treasurer for The Hartt and Adair Coal Co. He was a Great War veteran who had served with the Canadian Grenadier Guards. His Mother, Una Brewer, was born in London, UK. Lyn’s brother, Harold, was serving overseas in the Army.
Prior to joining the RCAF Special Reserve in September 1940, Madden had worked for three years as a bank clerk at Barclays, in Montreal. One of his hobbies was taxidermy! He had no flying or military experience at all, but was assessed as being a “good officer type,” smart and well educated.
Madden received his Pilot’s flying badge on 7th March, 1941, and applied for a commission before being sent to RCAF Trenton, where he completed a Flying Instructor’s course in May, 1941. There seems to be a gap in the records at this point, but it would seem most likely that Madden was retained as an instructor in Canada.
At the end of October, 1942, Madden was sent to No.15 Service Flying Training School, possibly for a refresher course. After that, he was posted overseas to England , where he disembarked on 18th December, 1942. He spent a couple of months at No.61 Operational Training Unit at Heston before joining No.403 squadron, RCAF.
Madden arrived at Kenley on 4th May, 1943, and took off on his first, and last sortie, on the 15th, flying Spitfire Mk.IX, (BS246). He pursued a Me109, which had been damaged by Deane Macdonald, and crashed at Conteville. His aircraft exploded on hitting the ground, which made identification of the pilot problematic.
Rest in Peace Sir and thank you for your service.
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