Advertisement

James Edward Free

Advertisement

James Edward Free

Birth
Berryton, Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada
Death
9 Jun 1941 (aged 59)
Seeleys Bay, Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada
Burial
Seeleys Bay, Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Suggest Edits
Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Ontario, Monday, June 9, 1941 page 1
Three Killed, Plane Crashes Boathouse - Pilot, Civilian and Grandson, Victims of Seeley's Bay Air Tragedy
KINGSTON, Ont.; June 9. (CP) A light bomber from the Norman Rogers airdrome here sliced through a boat-house at Seeley's Bay today, killing, the pilot, a Fleet Air-Arm student, and the two people in the boathouse. The dead are: W. McCulough, 20, of Paisly, Scotland an acting leading naval airman; James Free, 59, of Seeley's Bay, and his 11-year-old grandson, Harold Battams of Oshawa, Ont. Like a giant projectile, the plane smashed through a total of five boathouses before plunging into the Rideau river. Seeley's Bay is 22 miles northeast of Kingston. The plane flew low over Seeley's Bay, struck a high-tension wire, knocked over a pole on the main street in front of the telephone office and then tore a corner off Bernard McAlonan's house. After hitting the house, the plane bowled over the boathouses as if they were matchsticks. Free, who was a guide and carpenter, was working on his boat inside the boathouse; with his grandson, who had been visiting him since last December. They were said to have been instantly killed. After crashing through the boathouses the plane hit the shore and wreckage was strewn on the docks and on the shore. No trace was immediately seen of any of its occupants.
Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Ontario, Monday, June 9, 1941 page 1
Three Killed, Plane Crashes Boathouse - Pilot, Civilian and Grandson, Victims of Seeley's Bay Air Tragedy
KINGSTON, Ont.; June 9. (CP) A light bomber from the Norman Rogers airdrome here sliced through a boat-house at Seeley's Bay today, killing, the pilot, a Fleet Air-Arm student, and the two people in the boathouse. The dead are: W. McCulough, 20, of Paisly, Scotland an acting leading naval airman; James Free, 59, of Seeley's Bay, and his 11-year-old grandson, Harold Battams of Oshawa, Ont. Like a giant projectile, the plane smashed through a total of five boathouses before plunging into the Rideau river. Seeley's Bay is 22 miles northeast of Kingston. The plane flew low over Seeley's Bay, struck a high-tension wire, knocked over a pole on the main street in front of the telephone office and then tore a corner off Bernard McAlonan's house. After hitting the house, the plane bowled over the boathouses as if they were matchsticks. Free, who was a guide and carpenter, was working on his boat inside the boathouse; with his grandson, who had been visiting him since last December. They were said to have been instantly killed. After crashing through the boathouses the plane hit the shore and wreckage was strewn on the docks and on the shore. No trace was immediately seen of any of its occupants.

Inscription

FREE/ James E. Free/ 1882-1941/ his wife/ Florence M. Bell/
1889-1952/ Too good for earth, God called him home/.

Family Members

Parents
Spouse
Siblings Half Siblings
Children

Sponsored by Ancestry

Advertisement

See more Free memorials in:

Flower Delivery Sponsor and Remove Ads

Explore more

Advertisement

  • Created by: Gordon
  • Added: May 11, 2021
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/226775250/james_edward-free: accessed ), memorial page for James Edward Free (12 Apr 1882–9 Jun 1941), Find a Grave Memorial ID 226775250, citing Olivet United Church Cemetery, Seeleys Bay, Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada; Maintained by Gordon (contributor 47229471).