# 417 City of Windsor Squadron RCAF looking for info on James Edward Roland Locke



## tbolt (Oct 26, 2018)

Hi everyone . I'm looking for any information about Flying Officer J. E. R. Locke from 417 RCAF Squadron . He went down in Italy on August 10 1944 and spent 11 weeks with Italian Partisans until he went back to his own lines .My cousin in Italy says that there was a Canadian pilot who stayed with the Partisans in north west Italy about that time . He didn't know who he was but I think it could be Locke. There are some parts of his old Spitfire Mk VIII that was recovered by an aircraft archaeology group .I just like to know if he's the pilot in question . Any help will be greatly appreciated . 

Thanks 
tbolt


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## peter benn (Nov 1, 2018)

There's a fair amount on 417 Squadron on Google Images, including 51 shots on pinterest (which I'm not a member of).

But one of the links led to allspitfirepilots.org, and there's a bit there:

Spitfire pilots and aircraft database - Flying Officer James E.R. Locke RCAF


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## jkurchak (Mar 13, 2022)

tbolt said:


> Hi everyone . I'm looking for any information about Flying Officer J. E. R. Locke from 417 RCAF Squadron . He went down in Italy on August 10 1944 and spent 11 weeks with Italian Partisans until he went back to his own lines .My cousin in Italy says that there was a Canadian pilot who stayed with the Partisans in north west Italy about that time . He didn't know who he was but I think it could be Locke. There are some parts of his old Spitfire Mk VIII that was recovered by an aircraft archaeology group .I just like to know if he's the pilot in question . Any help will be greatly appreciated .
> 
> Thanks
> tbolt


Rollie passed away from cancer a few years ago now at his home in Mount Hope Ontario. Although an avid model railroader, he used to enjoy telling us stories about his time as pilot. The collection of letters sent by the war department to Rollie's Mom when he was shot down (ranging from You son is missing in action, to we believe your son died in action, to we have found your son is with the Italian Partisans and every effort is being made to get him back, etc.) are on display at the Warplane Heritage Museum in Mt. Hope Airport. When the museum was officially reopened around 15 - 20 years ago, Rollie was part of the honour guard greeting political dignitaries to the ceremony. I believe along with the letters are a bit more of Rollie's story, along with photos of the recovery of his spitfire after it was found so many years later, and a story about the priest who was involved in helping Rollie make contact with the Italian Partisans. I think the Hamilton Spectator Archives would have copies of some of the story if you can determine the actual time period.
Unfortunate for Rollie, although he had been shot down behind enemy lines, he was in his 80's before he received any veterans allowances, at which point he had cancer and so they paid for his hospital bed to be put in his house, and paid to have his driveway cleaned during the winter. I can't remember the exact number, but for argument sake lets say a veteran would receive full benefits if they were down or prisoner for 60 days. The partisans rejoined him with allied forces at 59 days, so for the sake of one day, he missed compensation which would have made his life easier.

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