For more than 10 years, I have been researching and writing about “our boys and our ladies” who served in military conflicts. In most cases, I have been able to find out a lot about them from before and during their service.
BUT this week, I discovered one who may or may not have been one of our boys, but for sure he did spend some part of his life here in our town, before he joined the RCAF in WWII and went missing on an air mission. Today, he remains “Missing in Action, and presumed dead”.
John Ballantyne Kennedy, was born in Brussels, Ontario, on May 22, 1921. In 1938, he graduated from Norwich High School with his Senior matriculation. He was very sports minded, and participated in Football, Bowling, and Hockey. He was 6” 3” and had an athletic build.
From 1939 to 1941, he studied banking at Queens University in Kingston and joined the Royal Bank in Chippewa, Ontario, following graduation.
About the same time, his parents and younger brother had moved to Southampton. His father was Reverend Thomas Elmer Kennedy. He was the pastor at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church during part of the war and after for a period of time.
On January 13, 1942, John reported to #10 Recruiting Centre in Hamilton and went through the interview process to join the Royal Canadian Airforce. On October 23/42, following months of intense training, he was recommended for a Commission, with the following remarks: ABOVE AVERAGE – Very good type of Navigator. Thorough and efficient, and very well liked amongst the fellows.
His medical officer reported; “Nice, clean cut lad. Large frame. Bank clerk, living a sedentary life. I consider him physically fit, but is out of training. Should make good as aircrew. Possibly, as an observer. Pulse is fast due to nervousness”.
He had been on a whirlwind training tour that saw him in Toronto, Victoriaville, Moncton, and Halifax. He received the Air Navigators Badge.
The irony of his service is that he was assigned to serve as the Navigator on the twin engine, Mosquito Fighter Bombers. These small bomber aircraft had only two crew members; pilot, and navigator. Many of the components for this plane were manufactured right here in Southampton at Dominion Plywoods.
On the night of April 4, 1945, John and his pilot took off on a night intruder mission to the German aerodrome at Altenberg in West Germany. They left their British base at 11:30 p.m. and were to patrol the enemy aerodrome, from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. When the time had passed that their return was expected, radio contact was attempted, but without success. They were reported as “MIA” that day, April 5, 1945.
A few days later the words “presumed dead” were added to his and his pilot, Flight Lieutenant Thomas William Trewin’s records. Trewin was from Hamiota, Manitoba.
There were searches undertaken in 1945 and 1946 to find the aircraft and the bodies. But they all were to no avail.
There are two letters below that tell us how serious the search was to find those who made the supreme sacrifice.
One, is a letter of sympathy from the Chief of the Air Staff on November 12, 1945.
The second letter is from the R.C.A.F. Casualties Officer from 1952, officially apologizing for finally having to add the words “no known grave” to the military record of their son.
For larger view, click on image
Today, both Flight Lieutenant Kennedy and F/L Trewin are honoured on the panels of the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, England, north of London.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
Researched and written by G. William Streeter February 27, 2026.
