Person Page - 1569

Predeceased by his parents: Alexander Ristow and Elizabeth Ristow. Predeceased: Dorothy Rheaume, June, Grace, Shirley MacDonald, Rita Mitchell, Ray Ristow and Betty Byrne.¹

Survivor(s): Dorothy, June, Grace, Shirley, Rita, Kenneth Ristow and Betty. Predeceased by his parents: Alex Ristow and Elizabeth Lisk.¹

Predeceased: Thomas White and Gladys White.²

Determine the parents of Shirley Ristow's grandchildren:
an unknown person.²

His parent(s) were listed as Eddie Rheaume and Lillian Palmer. Her parents were listed as Alix Ristow and Elizabeth Lisk.¹

Two Ottawa airmen and one form the district were reported missing on active service after air operations in the latest R.C.A.F. casualty list. The list also contained the name of another Ottawa flyer who was reported a prisoner of was in Germany...

Sgt. Rheaume, son of Mrs. Lillian Rheaume and the late E. S. Rheaume, was first reported missing June 122, according to word received by his wife. He enlisted in the R.C.AA.F. in June 1940, and received his air gunner's badge at Fingal a year later, In June 1942, he was sent overseas where he participated in several raids on enemy territory.

Born in Ottawa, he was married in the city to the former Dorothy Ristow eight years ago. He has a son, Earl, age 2, at home. Prior to enlisting, he was employed by Clark's Dairy and Ferris Transfer.⁵

Sgt. Earl Rheaume Now Presumed Dead In R.C.A.F. List
     Names of on Ottawa and three district airmen were included in the official casualty list released last night by R.C.A.F. headquarters.
     Sergeant Air Gunner Earl Stewart. Rheaume, husband of Mrs. Dorothy Rheaume, 121 Sherbroke street, previously reported missing on active service oversea, is now for official purposes presumed dead.
     Flying Officer Lester Lyle Whitham, son of Harry Whitham, 390 Main street west, North Bay, is reported lulled on active service overseas.
     Sgt Robert Allan Barr, son of Selby Bant Douglas, is reported missing on active service after air operations overseas.
     The third district man. Pilot Officer Oliver Hanton Mennie, son' of R. A. Mennie, 163 Spruce street north, TImmins, is reported seriously ill as a result of injuries sustained on active ' service overseas.
     Sgt. Earl Rheaume was the son of Mrs. Lillian Rheaume, who lives at 184 Bayswater avenue, and the late Mr. Rheaume. He was born in Ottawa In 1814, and attended Devonshire Public School, obtaining his secondary education at Glebe Collegiate. After graduation he was employed by Clark Dairy Ltd and later by Ferris Transfer, marrying Mrs. Rheaume, the former Dorothy Ristow, in 1935. He Joined the R.CAT. In June, 1941, training at Toronto, Camp Borden, Montreal, Trenton and Fingal, where re (sic) received his air gunner's wing (sic) in June, 1942. He arrived overseas i month later.
     Sgt. Rheaume was the father of one son, Earl who is 2 1/2 years old.
     PO. Oliver Mennie, who is reported seriously ill, was one of a group of R.C.A.F. flyers who survived a crash into the sea off Newfoundland last Spring. The crew of his aircraft spent 30 hours floating on a small ice floe while awaiting rescue.
     He is an observer.¹⁶

Sgt. Earl S. Rheaume Buried in Holland
     Missing since June, 1944, and listed as presumed dead since last November. Sgt. Earl S. Rheaume has been buried in Holland, according to word received by his wife, the former Dorothy Ristow, who with their little son. Earl, resides at 121 Sherbrooke avenue.
     Son of Mrs. E. G. Rheaume of Toronto and the late Mr. William Rheaume, he was educated at Devonshire public school and Glebe Collegiate. He received his gunner's badge at Fingal in June, 1942, and went overseas shortly afterward. His mother is visiting her daughter, Mrs, George E. Cody of 184 Bayswater avenue.¹⁷

Earl Rheaume
     On February 20, 1914 my dad was born in Ottawa Ontario, to Lillian and Eddie Rheaume.
     Dad attended Devonshire Public School, where he was awarded the Certificate of Honour, after completing his third year in 1926-27. Dad graduated with honours, from Glebe Collegiate in 1932.
     Dad met his later to be wife, at a Saturday evening church dance. Dad asked the then, Dorothy Ristow for a dance, she agreed, and they danced together, the remainder of the evening.
     Their courtship eventual led them to elope and marrying in a civil ceremony on January 31, 1936. Their two best friends attended. The four celebrated with dinner, drinks and dancing.
     Those were the depression years where rationing, unemployment and tough times touched most families, including dad and moms.
     Dad would take on any employment that he could find. He was happy to do so, and worked at the Clark Dairy Limited and later the Ferris Transfer.
     Their first son Graham, was born on August 10th 1936 at the Salvation Army Grace Hospital. Graham died at 4 ½ years, of End Stage Nephritis, on March 23rd 1941.
     I (Earle) their second son, was born some three months later, on June 27th also at the Salvation Army Grace Hospital.
     Dad applied for enlistment in the RCAF on November 28, 1940. He met all qualifications for Aircrew duties – either as a Pilot, Observer or Wireless Operator Air Gunner. He enlisted in June 1941, receiving his training at No. 1 Wireless School at Montreal; Manning Pool, Toronto; Camp Borden and Fingal, where he received his air gunner’s wing in June 1942. He arrived overseas one month later joining up with RCAF Squadron 431 (Iroquois).
     June 12 1943 at 2:45 AM – Wellington HE 392 Crashed:
While returning to home base at Burn Yorkshire, England, from a bombing raid on Dusseldorf, Earl and his four crew members aboard their Wellington HE 392 bomber, were attacked by a German Night Fighter. The Wellington was last seen in flames and diving toward the earth. It crashed on the land of Mr. Komen at Schagen Netherlands.
     The remains of only one of the five-member crew was recovered and buried the same day: Dad (Grave #183, Row 10, in Petten, District Zype). The bodies of the other four-crew members were not recovered.
     Royal Netherlands Air Force Aircraft Recovery Team (ARG):
     On September 10, 1991 the Royal Netherlands Air Force Aircraft Recovery Team (ARG) began carrying out excavations at the crash site, and discovered the remains of the four missing crew.
     Together again after fifty years:
     On June 16, 1993 a full military funeral honours, including British, Netherlands and Canadian military and officials, reunited the four-crew members with my dad, after fifty years of separation.
     L C Scott Flt/Lt. CHAPLAIN:
“I knew the whole of this crew well, as it is my custom to see them off at night and very often meet them on their return in the morning. Earl, I knew particularly well, as he very often played the piano for me at my church services and was always very ready and willing to do so. Also his gift for playing the piano was a valuable asset to us here, both in the Concert party and also at dances”.
     Members of the crew of Wellington HE 392
Squadron Leader W E Mulford RAF (Pilot)
Flying Officer C A MacDougal RCAF (Navigator)
Warrant Officer 11 J G Breen RCAF (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant E S Rheaume RCAF (Air Gunner)
Sergeant J R Bell RAF(VR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
     ~ Earle Rheaume.³