Robert Dubeau
| Date and Place of Birth: | May 29, 1922 Penetanguishene, Ontario Canada |
| Date and Place of Death: | January 14, 1945 Sutton Bank, Yorkshire England |
| Baseball Experience: | Amateur |
| Position: | Unknown |
| Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Military Unit: | 425 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Area Served: | European Theater of Operations |
Robert J. Dubeau was born in Penetanguishene, Ontario on May
29, 1922. He was very active in baseball and hockey in his hometown.
He entered military service with the RCAF in 1943 and graduated as a
navigator bomb-aimer at Winnipeg in December of that year. By early
1944, Flying Officer Dubeau was in England with 425 Squadron based at
Tholthorpe in Yorkshire.
Dubeau was flying nighttime bombing missions against Nazi targets in a
Handley Page Halifax bomber. On January 14, 1945, at 18.51 hours, Flying
Officer Walsh, with a crew of six including Robert Dubeau, took off from
Tholthorpe for a nighttime cross-country navigation exercise. As the
plane returned to base following the exercise it descended into cloud
and the pilot became disorientated. At some time after 21.00 hours the
Halifax struck the high ground near White Mare Crag. It catapulted onto
the snow covered fields with the tail section breaking off and much of
the plane disintegrating. Six of the crew, including Flying Officer
Robert Dubeau, were killed instantly. Only Flight Sergeant Octave
Custeau survived but with serious injuries and multiple fractures.
Robert Dubeau is buried at Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery in North
Yorkshire, England.
Thanks to John Dubeau at www.dubeaufamily.com for help with this biography. Information relating to the crash was obtained from Richard Allenby's website North Yorkshire Moors Aircraft Crashes.
Date Added February 6, 2013 Updated July 10, 2013
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