Gilbert “Bert” McFadyen was born in London on September 15, 1924, the son of George McFadyen and Isabella McFadyen, of 222 South Mitton Street, Sarnia. After moving to Sarnia at age seven with his parents and his brother Jack, Gilbert received his education in Sarnia public schools and at Sarnia Collegiate. He was an active member of the Young Men’s Christian Association and also took a very active part in Central United Church, having served as an usher. Gilbert was also a member of the Central Century Club, being vice-president of the Club during the year 1942. He was working part time at Zellers when he left school to join the service. Gilbert enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on April 29, 1943. After training at Brandon, Manitoba and enjoying a short leave home in Sarnia, he left for the west coast on May 13, 1943, where he was stationed at No. 3 Repair Depot, Vancouver, British Columbia. He was a member of the RCAF, with the rank of Aircraftman 2nd Class, based at RCAF Headquarters, Western Air Command.

Only three months after enlisting, on July 24, 1943, he was aboard the RCAF vessel the B.C. Star, operating off the British Columbia coast. It was a former fishboat, 67 feet long, and had been under charter to the Royal Canadian Air Force for a year and a half.  They were engaged in the coastal supply of the R.C.A.F., their job being to supply all the Air Force stations along the British Columbian coast. On that day, the vessel sank off Vancouver, British Columbia with a crew of Air Force personnel aboard. In early August of 1943, parents George and Isabella McFadyen in Sarnia would receive a telegram from Royal Canadian Air Force Casualty officials informing them that their son, AC2 Gilbert C. McFadyen, attached to a boat plying coastal waters, was missing after marine operations. Approximately one week later, it was confirmed that Gilbert McFadyen was a member of the crew of the missing boat, and it was believed that all personnel had been lost. Time of the disappearance of the vessel was not disclosed by air force officials, but it was believed to have been sometime during the previous two weeks.

In mid-August of 1943, Gilbert’s father George McFadyen in Sarnia would receive a letter from G. Hollis Slater, whose son, Sergt. J.C. Slater, was among the ship’s crew, saying that they are hopeful that the airmen were still alive. “It would appear,” Mr. Slater said “that the ship left the mainland on July 24 for Cape St. James at the southern tip of the Queen Charlotte Islands and a day’s run away. On August 5 the following message was reported to have been picked up by the radio at Ketchikan, Alaska, B.C. Star – Bread and water. Cumshaw Aliford, repeat.” Reference to Cumshaw and Aliford were not clear, but Mr. Slater interpreted the message as meaning that the men were on Louris Island in the Queen Charlottes and are attempting to travel by land to Sandspit or Aliford Bay on the northeast of Moresby Island.

In March of 1944, Gilbert Campbell’s name would appear on the official casualty list of the Royal Canadian Air Force as, previously reported missing on active service, now presumed dead. Aircraftman Class II Gilbert McFadyan was one of sixteen RCAF airmen lost when the B.C. Star vessel sank. There were no survivors. Also killed were LAC.s F.C. Mack, C.J. Sherlock, G.T. Stead, and H.F. Oakenfold; Sgt.s J.C. Slater, W.H. MacNeil, J.D. Hearfield, and P.E. Olsen; Cpl.s C.G. Glover and T.L. Polec; AC.s T. Vollhoffer, M.D. Onuski, and G.A. Davies; and FS.s R.H. Drouillard, and W.E. Mitchell. Eighteen year-old Gilbert McFadyen has no known grave. His name is inscribed on the Ottawa War Memorial, Ontario, Canada, Panel 2, Column 5.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, S, 2C, 2D