Leonard Meere was born in Birmingham, England on September 5, 1924, the son of Thomas W. Meere and Edith Meere, of 386 South Brock Street, Sarnia. Leonard had two older brothers: Arthur Ernest Meere and Jonathan F. Meere. The family was originally from Birmingham, England and arrived in Canada on May 14, 1927 aboard the passenger ship Aurania. Leonard was only two years old when he arrived. Upon arriving in Canada, Father Thomas Meere listed his occupation as labourer-bricklayer. After arriving, the Meere family first resided at Thomas’ mother’s residence at 385 King Street, Toronto. The Meere family moved to Sarnia in 1928. Leonard Meere graduated from Sarnia Collegiate, and prior to enlisting, was employed by the Union Gas Company of Canada Limited in Sarnia. He also met, fell in love, and had plans to marry Gwen Robinson of Wallaceburg.
Leonard enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on February 16, 1943, training at both Brandon, Manitoba and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, before attaining the rank of Leading Aircraftman-Pilot. On September 23, 1943, while part of RCAF #6 Elementary Flying Training School in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Leading Aircraftman – Pilot Leonard Meere lost his life while training in his Tiger Moth aircraft 1168. He had been carrying out a routine exercise alone in the plane at the flying training school where he was a student pilot, when it crashed accidentally ten miles north-west of the aerodrome at Prince Albert.
Not long after the crash, parents Thomas and Edith Meere in Sarnia would receive a cable informing them that their son Leonard Raymond Meere had been killed in a flying accident at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. At the time of Leonard’s death, both his brothers were also in the military. Arthur Meere was a Corporal of the RCAF, Dunnville, and Jonathan Meere had been overseas with an armoured tank corps for two years. Upon his death, Leonard was also survived by his grandmother, Lucy Denton of Toronto, and his uncle, Albert Meere of Toronto, the only other living relatives in Canada.
Two days after his death, Leonard’s mother received the birthday present her son had sent her. It was a small green leather prayer book with a golden cross on the front. On the outside cover was printed “Common Prayer Hymn Book of Canada”, and inside was his hand written message, “Happy Birthday, Love – Len”. One day later, the family would receive a communication from the commanding officer of the flying training school at Prince Albert. It read,
“I would like you to know, that as an honor to one who sacrificed his life in the course of duty, the remains were enfolded in the Royal Canadian Air Force ensign, before being placed in the casket. With sincere sympathy, yours very truly, A.T. Chesson.”
Leading Aircraftman-Pilot Leonard Meere and Pilot Officer Hugo Farner (who died September 24 on an instruction flight in Quebec and is included in this Project) were buried barely a wingspan apart in Sarnia’s first double military funeral. Hundreds of relatives and friends attended both services, which drew thousands who lined the routes of the funeral march to the Lakeview Cemetery. Pallbearers, honorary pallbearers and a firing party came from R.C.A.F. flying school at Centralia and the Sarnia Air Cadet Squadron band played at both funerals and also provided an escort party. The service for both began at the Robb Funeral Home; then the service for Leonard Meere was continued at St. George’s Anglican Church where it was officiated by Rev. F.G. Hardy. The service for Hugo Farner was led by Rev. J.M. Macgillivray at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. From the churches, led by the firing party, the band and the escort party, the corteges started for the cemetery at a slow march. At Lakeview, they again slow-marched to the gravesides, with the band playing Handel’s “Dead March in Saul”. After the services at the gravesides conducted by the ministers, the firing party delivered three volleys, with the band playing “Abide With Me” between them. Then the two buglers who accompanied the firing party from Centralia, stepped to the end of the graves and sounded the “Last Post”.
One of those in attendance at the funeral of Leonard Meere was his young fiancée, Miss Gwen Robinson. Nineteen year-old Leonard Meere is buried at Sarnia (Lakeview) Cemetery, Sarnia, Ontario, Section E. Lot 141. On Leonard Meere’s headstone are inscribed the words, Rest in Peace.
SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, 2C, 2D