Stanley James McIlrath

Police Cadet, Toronto Police Department | Flight Sergeant, No. 425 (Alouette) Squadron, RCAF

Stanley James McIlrath was born to James and Fanny McIlrath of Toronto, on August 10th, 1921. In his late teens, he joined the Toronto Police Department as a Police Cadet at Traffic Division, in April 1939. McIlrath came from a police family – his father James McIlrath was the Inspector of No. 5 (Belmont St) Police Station. The single young man lived with his parents at 516 Windermere Ave.

After two years of service on the Toronto Police Department, Cadet McIlrath enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, on June 9th, 1941. Posted to the No. 4A Manning Depot in St Hubert, Quebec, McIlrath was selected for pilot training. After numerous training schools in Canada, McIlrath was posted to No. 22 Operational Training Unit RAF in Warwickshire, England. He passed selection as night bomber pilot and was promoted to Sergeant. In March 1943, McIlrath was posted to No. 425 (Alouette) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, at RAF Dishforth in North Yorkshire, England, where he continued in a training role. In June 1943, McIlrath and his squadron redeployed to North Africa, advancing to Kirouan Airfield in Tunisia, in anticipation of the Allied invasion of Fascist Italy.

On the night of June 29th, 1943, at 9:21pm, McIlrath set off as the pilot of a Wellington bomber, identification number MS496 “Q”, on a bombing run to Messina, Sicily. It was to be his third mission over enemy territory. After take-off, McIlrath’s flight failed to meet up with the rest of the squadron and was never heard from again. After some time listed as Missing in Action, McIlrath was later officially presumed to have been killed on June 30th, 1943. With no known grave, Police Cadet Stanley James McIlrath is commemorated on the Malta Memorial in Floriana, Malta.

Research Sources:

  • D. Draper – Annual Report of the Chief Constable of the City of Toronto for the Year 1943, Pages 16 and 26. Toronto: The Carswell Co Ltd City Printers, 1944.
  • Library and Archives Canada. Service File of No. R112735 Stanley James McIlrath.
  • Library and Archives Canada. Operations Record Book of No. 425 Squadron, RCAF.
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Casualty Details for No. R112735 Stanley James McIlrath.
  • The Toronto Daily Star (1943, August 12th), Page 12 . “Four Killed, 36 Missing in RCAF Overseas List”.
  • The Globe and Mail (1943, August 12th), Page 7. “Three of Bomber Crew Missing in Middle East”.