| 29
Imperial Airways Caribou
land and for the country itself. He
could hardly do otherwise for he
got to know the people and the
country intimately, flying several
hundred hours, many times at
great personal risk in adverse
weather. Most of the flights were
mercy flights to remote, inaccessible settlements carrying medical
supplies and bringing sick or injured people to hospital in Gander.
On one such flight from Gander
to Montreal on May 1st, 1945 the
Norseman aircraft, which he
habitually used in air-sea rescue
missions, crashed in foggy conditions near Peake's Station, Prince
Edward Island. Tragically, both
Joe and his passenger were killed.
When he died, he was mourned
by his pregnant wife, Mary, and
five children.
Joe also had an impressive record of inventions to his credit. He
designed and fitted the air intake
shutters and the carburettor alcohol de-icing on the first Lockheed
Hudsons to fly the Atlantic and
the designs were taken up more
widely. He also designed a fuel
dump system that was used on
BOAC B-24 Liberator aircraft.
For his part in the war effort he
posthumously received the MBE
in the 1946 birthday honours list.
He is the only civilian buried in
the Commonwealth War Graves
Cemetery in Gander. He was
always, however, proud of his
Irish roots.
With thanks to the Gilmore
family, the Ulster History Circle
and the Lecale & Downe
Historical Society.
John Joseph Gilmore
Lockheed Hudsons under maintenance
www.military.ie the defence forces magazine
