Robert Orlando Peterson, RCAF

[daretodiscover]

Hi again,

I am trying to find the final fate of the a/m RCAF airman. He was born 19 April, 1914 in Banff, Alberta. He enlisted in the RCAF on 21 September 1941. Prior to war service he had worked as a newspaper printer for both the Hanna Herald (Hanna, Alberta) and the Crag and Canyon (Banff, Alberta). But according to the RCAF casualty list (no next of kin given) at the time his aircraft was lost his family was in Revelstoke, British Columbia. I have already searched the BC Museum site for a death certificate and there isn't one.

He was a member of a No. 148 Sqn Halifax crew shot down on 4/5 August 1944, while delivering supplies to Polish partisans. He and fellow RCAF crewmate, Phillip James Anderson, were able to successfully evade and returned to the UK in March of 1945.

Grateful for any leads.

DTD

[RunKitty]

Looks like this is him.... entry into the USA at Idaho in 1939 (in transit to BC).

Says he was born in Sudbury, Ontario in 1919.  (But he says he is 25 years old...so that would make his birth year 1914).  He is printer.  Last permanent residence is Banff Alberta.  Father is Frank L (I think that is an L).   He lived in New York City for 2 years when he was a child.

Here is the image from family search (number 6303 of 6693)
 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897Q-71M4?i=6302&cc=2072140

RK

[LindaGW]

There is a reference to him on this French language website, a little over halfway down.  The writing is dated 1969 and although I didn't read it all , it seems to deal with the Polish uprising during WWII.  It says that after they were shot down, Robert Orlando Peterson and navigator Philip Anderson fought with them (presumably the Polish partisans) and then they were evacuated to England via Odessa on the Black Sea.  The writer then goes on to say: "Twenty three years later I met Orlando and . . . we recognized each other immediately." 
This would suggest that Peterson may have still been alive 23 years after 1944, in 1967.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lpy/

[*Sandra*]

Canada Voters List - 1945 - Robert O Peterson - Airman, Revelstoke    Kamloops, British Columbia.
Mrs A H Peterson - (housekeeper)

Sandra

[mcadamsd]

In looking for RCAF info I have found Pierre Lagacé  who manages the site for 403 squadron very helpful.  While Robert O Peterson was not with 403, Pierre has many contacts.

 https://rcaf403squadron.wordpress.com/

[eileenwilson]

This may be him (page 9)

old.cgs.ca/cgsdocuments/Heritage%20Archives/.../081230-pioneers-ottawa-1997.pdf

[daretodiscover]

Many thanks all.

I've made enquiries with a Polish colleague to find out how a Polish book, published in 1976 made use of his flying log and letters sent to his family by the RCAF, once he was missing.

I wish I knew what the "O" in the geologist Peterson's name stood for.

Following from Eileen's link I found another with a fuller bio and photo. I don't think this is the right fellow. If it was it would mean he gave up his profession as a printer and got into Harvard.

https://www.cgs.ca/pdf/memoirs/LL%20Peterson,%20R%20Jan%202017.pdf

DTD

[bbart]

You may have seen the site http://aircrewremembered.com/mccall-james.html  which has the following line:

Sgt. Peterson, one of the survivors, has written about his experiences during this mission in the publication 'Canadian Airmen in Poland' 11, 1962

I'm having no luck finding that publication, however.  There is also a picture of him on that site.

(I'm thinking your are already aware of all this, as it states family is searching for info on him).

[daretodiscover]

Thanks bbart.

I'm not related to anybody on this Halifax. It occurred to me a few years ago that all the information available on this crew came from evader reports from Kew. There's a very good chance there is further information in the files of the two RCAF members of this crew. Anything I find I will be passing on to the daughter of one of the lost airmen.

That "book" has thrown me off for years. I believe, but have not been able to prove yet, that it is an English translation of a Polish book or article which I trying to obtain via a colleague there.

Can anybody tell if Peterson appears in any voter's lists after 1945?

DTD