Philip Bosloy J11585

July 26, 1920 - February 24, 1943

Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy Philip Bosloy

Clerk with Dominion Government enlisted to be equipment assistant and became pilot. Aboard Lysander 459, he and his wireless operator were lost between Scoudouc and Sydney. He was rumoured to be the ‘ghost hermit’ near Glace Bay.

Philip Bosloy was the son of Louis Bosloy (aka Boguslavsky) (d. 1948), grocer, and Eva (aka Chewa/Hova) (nee Gosewitz) Bosloy (d. 1968). He had two brothers, Jack and Sydney, plus two sisters, Mary Brewer. The family was Jewish.

Philip had been working for three years at the Department of Finance in Ottawa as a clerk prior to enlistment with the RCAF in November 1940, thinking he might be an equipment assistant. “Quiet and calm type. Slow reaction, fair education, partly technical, with some experience in clerical work. Appears willing and ambitious and will likely. make the grade in training for Aircrew.” The Recruiting Centre Officer felt Philip would be best fitted for pilot or observer.

He liked softball, softball, tennis and skiing. He smoked four cigarettes per day and drank between two and three beers a week. He weighed 148 pounds and stood 5’10 ¾” tall, with green eyes and dark brown hair. “Wiry. Dark mole in right groin about ½ cm in diameter. Feet a bit flat.” Other comments on his attestation papers dated May 1, 1941: “Completed four years technical school when not quite 18. Spent two years at night school taking up commercial work. Quiet, mild, not aggressive, Jewish lad of not more than average intelligence and initiative. Responsible in attitude. Fond of drawing. Emotional stability, general adjustment and self-confidence, not better than average.”

After the war, he hoped to become a cartoonist.

Philip started his journey through the BCAP at No. 4 Manning Depot, St. Hubert, Quebec on June 17, 1941. He was then sent to Debert, NS July 29, 1941 until he was at No. 31 O.T.U. before being sent to No. 3 ITS Victoriaville, Quebec on September 13, 1941. He was 32nd in his class with an 82%.

He was then at No. 11 EFTS, Cap de la Madeleine until January 3, 1942. He was 5th in his class earing 81.7%.

From there, he was returned to St. Hubert to attend No. 13 SFTS until May 8, 1942. He earned his wings and was 3rd in his class.

On May 4, 1942, Philip married Ida Gordon of Ottawa, who the resided in Sydney after their marriage.

Philip was taken on strength with Eastern Air Command, attached to 4 CAC Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He had flown Fleet, Finch, Harvard and Lysander aircraft during his training.

He took out over $1,000 worth of life insurance, Ida being the beneficiary. The premiums were paid back only, amounting to about $200.

Ferrying Lysander 459, he was lost between Sydney and Scoudouc, Nova Scotia, along with WO John Joseph Slabick. In a letter dated June 29, 1944, Ida received a letter from S/L Gunn. “Your husband, F/O Philip Bosloy, J11585, was the pilot of an aircraft en route from Scoudouc, New Brunswick to Sydney, Nova Scotia, leaving Scoudouc at approximately 2 PM on February 24 1943. He and his wireless operator, F/S J. J. Slabick were last seen flying in the immediate vicinity of Sydney, Nova Scotia. Following the disappearance of the aircraft, a very thorough search was made, and every possible clue was immediately investigate. However, no trace was found of the aircraft or of the two personnel who formed the crew, and it was therefore considered most probably that they had been lost at sea. Therefore, on October 18, 1943, as a result of enquiries directed to his next-of-kin and RCAF Station, Sydney, and that no information has been received which would indicate that he was still alive, his death was presumed with effect from February 24th and the attached Presumption of Death Certificate issued. I feel sure that this is the information that you will require and as I informed you by telephone, further enquires can be directed to F/L Berger, Hebrew Chaplain, RCAF, Jackson Building, Ottawa.”

Circumstances of Death: Lost in aircraft Lysander II 459. “Aircraft took off at approximately 1600 hours February 24, 1943 from Scoudouc, NB for Sydney, NS and failed to arrive at its destination. The aircraft and its occupants are missing. The cause is obscure. The probable cause was failure to locate aerodrome or suitable landing place due to bad weather conditions and failure to establish wireless communications with base or other ground station.”

“An examination of F/L Slabick’s logbook shows that he has only made one other cross-country flight since he entered the service, this being from Sydney to Dartmouth and return. This indicates that this NCO being unfamiliar with cross-country procedure.”

For more information, see the Court of Inquiry above where twenty-one witnesses were called, via Heritage Canadiana, reel C5936, image 1703.

“His flight commander considered F/O Bosloy steady and capable but with very little experience in instrument flying. F/S Slabick, WAG had approximately 350 hours flying time and was considered a very good and reliable WAG. He was considered inexperienced on cross country procedure.”

DESCRIPTION OF FLIGHT: “The flight to the Repair Depot In Lysander 459 was carried out as successfully on the 23rd of February, the modification was made on the 24th and completed at 1400 hours that day. The aircraft was then test flown by a test pilot of the depot Maintenance Flight. The test was satisfactory in all respects and on its completion, the aircraft was turned over to F/O Bosloy. F/O Bosloy filed his return flight plans with the clerk operations who was employed as aerodrome control officer at Scoudouc. Weather check had been made by the pilot that afternoon and at about 1550 hours, F/O Bosloy was told that the weather would be favourable enroute, that weather would not close down until dark at Scoudouc, approximately 1900 hours and later at Sydney. Aircraft was refuelled and F/O Bosloy and F/S Slabick took off at 1630 hours for Sydney, estimated time of arrival at base 1745 hours. After the departure of the aircraft, a message was sent to Sydney by aerodrome control officer at Scoudouc by teletype, repeat to Command Flying Control which read as follows: ‘Lysander 459 F/O Bosloy departed Scoudouc 1900 hours ETS Sydney 2045 hours. Call sign D8U A 3 radio frequency 2620.” Weather deteriorated before its forecasted tim. At about 1730 hours, it began to close in. Just before 1800 hours, other aircraft returning to Sydney found it impossible to land there and were instructed to proceed to Charlottetown, PEI. The Lysander never reached base and is still missing with its pilot and crew of one.”

In a memo dated April 12, 1943: “The Lysander took off from Scoudouc at about 1600 hours ADT to return to Sydney after carburettor adjustments. Only one radio call was intercepted and that by Torbay at 1830 hours. The aircraft was also plotted by RDF from 1722 hours to 1822 hours over the Atlantic East of Nova Scotia and at about 1936 hours, ADC, reported the aircraft passed near Sydney. From that time, the aircraft and crew are missing.”

“There is ample evidence to show that aircrew are not making proper use of radio navigational aids that do exist. The WAG of the Lysander had little or no knowledge of cross country procedure. He was operating his radio on the wrong frequency and did not know the call sign of his own base. The pilot of the Lysander had very little experience of instrument flying as No. 4 CAC Detachment have no aircraft on which to practice.”

Mr. Bosloy was not satisfied. He made a trip to Nova Scotia to search for his son. (See newspaper articles above.). He believed that a ghost hermit near Glace Bay, NS was Philip. (See RCAF Investigation Section, Provost and Security Services report above.)

By late October 1955, Ida married Joseph C. Gold, and moved to Toronto. She received a letter informing her that since Philip had no known grave, his name would appear on the Ottawa Memorial. Philip’s medals were returned undelivered and returned to stock.

Philip Bosloy’s name is engraved in marble at the James Street Synagogue, once located in Ottawa’s Centretown as well on the Ottawa Memorial.

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