Letter to Reg MacArthur's Father

Letter to Reg MacArthur's Father

The letter advises that his son is buried at Freulleville, France.

1947-07-16

One typewritten sheet

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J91058(R.O.)

Ottawa, Canada, 16th July, 1947.

Mr. C.A. MacArthur,
19 Melrose Street,
Amherst, N.S.

Dear Mr. Macarthur:

It is with regret that I again refer to the loss of your son, Pilot Officer George Reginald MacArthur, but you will wish to know of advice received from our Overseas Headquarters, which states that your son is buried in the Freulleville Communal Cemetery, ten miles South East of Dieppe, France. Your son’s resting place has been registered as Grave No. 4 and not No. 5 as previously advised, in the Military Plot.

The reverent and perpetual care of the burial places of all who served in the Royal Canadian Air Force is the task of the Imperial War Graves Commission (of which Canada is a member). The Commission will also erect a headstone at the grave. Unhappily, there are great numbers of these headstones to be erected, and it will quite naturally take considerable time. It is not necessary to write to the Imperial War Graves Commission, as you will be contacted by them before the stone is prepared.

May I again offer to you and the members of your family my deepest sympathy in the loss of your gallant son.

Yours sincerely,
[signature]
R.C.A.F. Casualty Officer,
for Chief of the Air Staff.

GWC:GB

Letter dated 16 July 1947 from RCAF Casualty Officer, Ottawa, to Reg MacArthur’s father

It is known that the RAF erected crosses as grave markers in the churchyard at Freulleville after the war ended. It is not clear from this letter whether the RCAF provided a similar marker. The documents relating to Reg MacArthur’s estate were signed by his mother, Elsie Margaret, and witnessed by his sister Veronica Margaret’s husband, Edwin Grose, of London, Ontario. He is shown as having another sister, who had died on 31 March 1934. His employment before enlistment is shown as “R.C.A.F. Stores, Canada Car & Foundry Co Ltd.” His mother was named as the beneficiary of two life insurance policies with a total value of $389.