Robert Joseph Bradley
Robert Joseph Bradley was born May 21st 1921 in Ottawa, Ontario. He lived at 259 Powell with his mother; Mrs Mary Ellen Bradley; his father; Frederick MIchael Bradley: and his four other siblings. Robert was a Roman Catholic, he went to primary school at Corpus Christie School, then attended highschool at Glebe Collegiate Institute. He spent three years at Glebe. Bradley was an average student who took a break part way through grade 11 to attend St Patrick College technical school (1936-1937). After that year was complete he returned to Glebe and graduated in 1940. He then went on to work for the British American Banknote company, where he worked as a printer from 1940-1941. It was listed that Robert played hockey, swimming and skied competitively, as well as occasionally drawing and sketching. He had brown eyes and hair, and a fair complexion. His physique was described as wiry. Through his evaluators at several different training camps, he is said to be a very quiet, serious type, but with the passion to do a good job.
At the time of enlistment Robert Bradley was still working as a printer. Bradley enlisted for the Second World War in Hamilton Ontario on Feb 21 1942. It is not clear why Bradley enlisted but one could presume that enlisted because he was proud of his country and wanted to fight. One of his older brothers John Bradley was also part of the R.C.A.F, he may have been hoping to follow in his brother's footsteps. He was a quiet fellow at school but he was in good health and he was relatively active. After Bradleys extensive training in Toronto he was given the role of leading aircraftman where he then moved on to sergeant in November of 1943. He arrived in England on December 5th 1942. His base camp was Lindhome in Yorkshire, England. Bradley quickly took on the role of flight sergeant in May of 1943. Bradley’s only indicated award was the 1939-1945 Star. The star is given to those spend180 days of operational service or 60 days of operational flying. During his time in the war Bradley spent the majority of his time in the air. He was awarded his highest rank shortly before he went missing. He received his rank as Warrant officer on the 20th of November 1943.
Robert Joseph Bradley was officially reported missing, the 27th of January, 1944. After air operations near Berlin, Germany. Shortly after he was presumed dead. Roberts aircraft, including his crew, were shot down fourteen miles north of Wiesbaden, Germany. He was identified by his name on a bracelet he wore. Robert was buried in the Hannover (Limmer) British Cemetery with the rest of his crew. They flew in a Lancaster II with 7 other young men, Robert was in the trade as an “air bomber”.The objective of this expedition was to drop bombs on Berlin, although there was no direct need, the R.C.A.F decided to drop as many bombs as they could over the German capital, to pay an emotional toll on Hitler. One could say Roberts Joseph Bradley’s death could have been avoided.
We can only imagine the grief his family went through during this time. Joseph's mother and father were not able to bury their son. They didn’t get any information about how he died until late 1945, nor did they know the location of his burial site until January 1948, four years after he died. Although this is the truth it highlights the sad realities of war. Included are the letters addressed to his family.
Newspaper Clipping – Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal
Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal.
Grave Marker
Works Cited
Robert Joseph Bradley - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2198237?Robert%20Joseph%20Bradley . Accessed 1 November 2023.
“Second World War Service Files – War Dead, 1939 to 1947.” Collection Search, http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=kia&id=3744&lang=eng. Accessed 26 October 2023.
The biographies appearing on this website have been written by students, roughly the same age as the soldiers they are studying, using primary source evidence from Library and Archives Canada, in addition to primary source documents from The Virtual War Memorial on veterans.ca. We welcome any corrections or additions you may have to these biographies.
'If we do preserve it, we honour them, and when we in our turn pass on, we will know that behind us lives a generation of free men and of free women to be the keepers of this great heritage of ours - Canada.'
- Ian A. McPhee, former student at GCI, 1937.
Glebe Collegiate Institute
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
