Canadian War Veterans Memorial Project
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Leading Aircraftman Charles Arthur Wattie

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

Biography General Links Ranks Awards Chronology Print

Service Biography

Charles Arthur Wattie was born at Glenelm, Quebec, on 6 December 1908. A mechanic with additional farming and line-work experience, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal on 16 August 1941 as an Aircraftman Second Class, service number R-127162. He trained and served at several Canadian RCAF stations, including Trenton, St. Thomas, Sydney and Moncton, and qualified in airframe and aero-engine mechanical work. In October 1944 he went overseas to the United Kingdom, where he continued to serve as an aircraft mechanic, including service associated with RAF Odiham. He returned to Canada in December 1945 and was honourably released at Lachine, Quebec, on 1 February 1946 as a Leading Aircraftman. His service totalled 1,651 qualifying days, including 446 days overseas.

General Information

Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
R-127162
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Air Force
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Air Force
Battalion:
No. 164 Squadron / No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre / 4437 Servicing Echelon
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Glenelm, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
32 years 8 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
37 years 1 month
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
78 years 1 month
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Mechanic
Next of Kin:
Mary Wattie, mother, Glenelm, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Glenelm, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.0 in / 170 cm
Weight:
146 lbs / 66 kg
Chest:
35.0 in / 89 cm
Expansion:
2.0 in / 5 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Lachine, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Resigned from service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1630 days in service
Buried at:
Ancestry.com

Ranks

Conflict Rank Regiment Branch Unit Company Date From Date To
WW2 Leading Aircraftman Royal Canadian Air Force Air Force No. 164 Squadron / No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre / 4437 Servicing Echelon
WW2 Aircraftman First Class Royal Canadian Air Force Air Force RCAF Station Sydney
WW2 Aircraftman Second Class Royal Canadian Air Force Air Force No. 1 Manning Depot / RCAF Station Trenton / Technical Training School, St. Thomas

Awards

Conflict Award Action Date of Award Date of Citation Source
WW2 Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp Awarded / recorded
WW2 War Service Badge, General Service Class Issued — no. 813486

Service Chronology

1908-12-06 — Born
1941-08-16 — Enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force as Aircraftman Second Class, R-127162
1941-08-20 — Posted from recruiting/manning organization to RCAF Station Trenton
1941-09-12 — Posted to technical training establishment
1942-03-25 — Admitted to RCAF Station Hospital with common cold
1942-03-27 — Discharged from hospital to duty
1942-04-11 — Advanced to Aircraftman First Class
1942-11-04 — Admitted to RCAF Station Hospital with coryza
1942-11-11 — Discharged from hospital to duty
1943-01-01 — Advanced to Leading Aircraftman
1943-01-16 to 1943-01-17 — Absent without authority from 1700 on 16 Jan to 2200 on 17 Jan; also absent from duty 2200–2359 on 17 Jan
1943-03-16 — Absent from duty from 2130 to 2359, a period of 2 hours 29 minutes
1943-07-03 — Charged with drunkenness while on active service and conduct prejudicial to good order and Air Force discipline after becoming unfit for duty through previous indulgence in alcoholic stimulants
1943-10-14 — Found in a drunken condition at 2050 in the hangar and charged with drunkenness and conduct prejudicial to good order and Air Force discipline
1943-11-22 — Found in a drunken condition at 1615 in the hangar and charged with drunkenness and conduct prejudicial to good order and Air Force discipline
1944-01-12 — Absent from parade at 1900
1944-01-15 — Canadian Volunteer Service Medal recorded
1944-07-31 to 1944-08-14 — Authorized pass/leave in the United States
1944-10-04 — Embarked from Canada for overseas service
1944-10-12 — Disembarked in the United Kingdom
1944-10-13 — Taken on strength of No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre after arrival overseas
1944-10-25 — Posted from No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre to 4437 Servicing Echelon
1945-09-10 — Serving with 4437 Servicing Echelon at RAF Odiham when a laboratory specimen was sent to Cambridge Military Hospital; Kahn reaction later reported negative
1945-12-10 — Canadian Volunteer Service Medal clasp recorded
1945-12-22 — Posted for return to Canada
1946-01-01 — Taken on strength for repatriation/release processing
1946-02-01 — Honourably released from active service as Leading Aircraftman; transferred to RCAF Reserve, General Section, Class E
1947 — Department of Veterans Affairs rehabilitation/out-of-work allowance records document postwar residence and employment assistance

Notes

Civilian experience recorded in the service file includes five years of farming, nine years as a mechanic and three years of line work/carpentry-related employment. His last pre-enlistment employer was W. Harvey of Huntingdon, Quebec. The enlistment medical examination recorded height 5 ft 7 in, weight 146 lb, chest 35 in with 2 in expansion, medium complexion, green eyes and brown hair. He had a laceration/scar at the right wrist from July 1941 but was otherwise accepted for service.

[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]

Charles Arthur Wattie BIRTH 06 DECEMBER 1908 • Huntingdon, Québec, Canada DEATH 17 JANUARY 1987 • Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York
Name Charles A. Wattie Birth Date 6 Dec 1908 Birth Place Huntingdon, Monteregie Region, Québec, Canada Death Date 17 Jan 1987 Death Place Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York, United States of America Cemetery Riverside Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York, United States of America
Request confirmation number EA2026_0173334

Additional Service Notes

Enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Montreal on 16 August 1941 as Aircraftman Second Class, service number R-127162. He advanced to Aircraftman First Class on 11 April 1942 and to Leading Aircraftman on 1 January 1943. He served as an airframe/aero-engine mechanic. His Canadian service included No. 1 Manning Depot, Toronto; RCAF Station Trenton; Technical Training School at St. Thomas; RCAF Station Sydney; and No. 164 Squadron at Moncton. He embarked from Canada on 4 October 1944, disembarked in the United Kingdom on 12 October 1944, passed through No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, and on 25 October 1944 was posted to 4437 Servicing Echelon. A September 1945 medical form places him with 4437 Servicing Echelon at RAF Odiham. He returned to Canada in December 1945 and was honourably released on 1 February 1946 as a Leading Aircraftman. Postwar records credit 1,651 days of qualifying service, including 446 days of overseas service.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

At enlistment he was single. His mother, Mary Wattie of Glenelm, Quebec, was recorded as the person to be informed of casualties and as legal next of kin.

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-20 03:13:41 by: marc