Advertisement

David Ernest Hornell

Advertisement

David Ernest Hornell Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada
Death
24 Jun 1944 (aged 34)
At Sea
Burial
Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
In 1921 he, his parents, two sisters, and his father's sister Elizabeth lived on Lake Shore Road (now Lake Shore Boulevard West) in Mimico, ON. His father worked as a clothing manufacturer.

World War II Victoria Cross Medal Recipient. He served as a Flight Lieutenant in the 162 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force. On June 24, 1944, his flight command was deployed to Wick, Scotland, in the North Atlantic Ocean, to seek German submarines en route to Normandy. After spotting an enemy sub, Flight Lieutenant Hornell's twin-engine amphibian aircraft was badly damaged by German U-boat fire. Nevertheless he succeeded in sinking it and then with much effort managed to bring his aircraft down on the heavy swell, blazing furiously. There was only one serviceable dinghy which could not hold all the crew so they took turns in the water. By the time the survivors were rescued after 21 hours, Flight Lieutenant Hornell was blinded and weak from exposure and cold. He died shortly after being picked up. For extreme valour, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross Medal in July 1944.
In 1921 he, his parents, two sisters, and his father's sister Elizabeth lived on Lake Shore Road (now Lake Shore Boulevard West) in Mimico, ON. His father worked as a clothing manufacturer.

World War II Victoria Cross Medal Recipient. He served as a Flight Lieutenant in the 162 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force. On June 24, 1944, his flight command was deployed to Wick, Scotland, in the North Atlantic Ocean, to seek German submarines en route to Normandy. After spotting an enemy sub, Flight Lieutenant Hornell's twin-engine amphibian aircraft was badly damaged by German U-boat fire. Nevertheless he succeeded in sinking it and then with much effort managed to bring his aircraft down on the heavy swell, blazing furiously. There was only one serviceable dinghy which could not hold all the crew so they took turns in the water. By the time the survivors were rescued after 21 hours, Flight Lieutenant Hornell was blinded and weak from exposure and cold. He died shortly after being picked up. For extreme valour, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross Medal in July 1944.

Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith



Advertisement

Advertisement

How famous was David Ernest Hornell ?

Current rating: 4.14286 out of 5 stars

49 votes

Sign-in to cast your vote.

  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: The Silent Forgotten
  • Added: Nov 19, 2003
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8105832/david_ernest-hornell: accessed ), memorial page for David Ernest Hornell (26 Jan 1910–24 Jun 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 8105832, citing Lerwick New Cemetery, Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland; Maintained by Find a Grave.