Relatives of fallen Second World War airman found in Winnipeg

A group in the Netherlands holding a ceremony to honour fallen Second World War soldiers has tracked down relatives of a Manitoba servicemen who died in combat.

One day after CTV News Winnipeg published a story about Flight Sergeant John Day White, a distant relative of the airman got in touch with White’s nephew Gregory, who lives in Winnipeg.

“This is kind of an amazing thing for me. This is very recent. It’s kind of shocking in a way,” Gregory said.

Winnipeg blogger Christian Cassidy posted information about John in an attempt to help a group in the Netherlands holding the ceremony track down relatives due to John’s common last name

John, who was from Hartney, Man., died in 1943 when his plane was shot down. He was 21 years old.

His father, Abram James White, was living in Arcola, Sask., when he died in 1982. John had three siblings, Anna Pearl White, Phyllis Vera White and William Robert White, who have all passed away.

Gregory is William’s son, but his information was not listed in the information provided by the group searching for relatives.

He said John was a navigator during the war, and his grandmother told him that he enjoyed playing piano.

“He was damn good at it,” he said.

Gregory said his uncle’s death during service hit his family particularly hard.

“It was tough for my grandmother. My dad said she just wasn’t the same after that,” he said.

A plaque commemorating the airmen is set to be unveiled on April 6.

Gregory says he’s hoping to attend the ceremony in the Netherlands, but is still working out the details.

-With files from CTV’s Kayla Rosen and Carie Willson

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