FTO Warren Bretall Mayes was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on March 24, 1921, to Arthur Mayes and Vera Bretall-Mayes, and had a sister and two brothers. His family resided at 1438 South Eleventh Avenue in Maywood, Illinois. He graduated from Garfield School and from Proviso Township High School in 1939. During his time in high school he had 20 hours of aviation training. It appears he was attending college and was a seasonal worker at the Warwick Company, Chicago, from September 1939 to December 1939 when he was laid off. He then worked for Tropic-Aire, Chicago, from June 1940 to September 1940, and left to join the Royal Canadian Air Force.
He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on October 9, 1940, and named his aunt, Erna Bretall, as his next-of-kin. His serial number was J/14770. He was accepted into the Canadian Air Force because of his ham radio experience and knowledge electronics. He trained at Canadian Forces Base, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and at No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario. At Fingal, he qualified as a navigator and commissioned a Flying Officer. He was assigned to 419th Bomber Squadron, No. 3 Group Bomber Command, and assigned to the Royal Air Force Lemming, North Yorkshire, England, and only with the unit for two and a half weeks.
During his first mission with the 419th the plane he was navigator on was shot up by German flak but landed safely. On June 29, 1943, he took part in his second mission with the 419th. His plane was shot down over Waalre, Netherlands. Warren and three other members of his crew died when the plane was hit by enemy. It is possible that that they had bailed out of the plane and their parachutes failed to open or they died in the crash. It is known Warren and three of the other members of his crew were buried in Eindhoven (Wonsel) Cemetery, Plot RE, Graves 35 and 74.
His father received a telegram from the Air Ministry, Ottawa, Canada, on July 1, 1943, telling him that Warren was missing in action. He also received a letter from Warren’s wing commander, dated July 5, 1943, telling him that Warren’s plane was missing and that noting is known about the the plane or crew since the mission. Warren and the other crew members had been buried in the Eidndhovan Cemetery by Dutch civilians.
A confirmation letter from the Canadian Air Ministry was sent to his father.
OTTAWA, CANADA, 10th July 1943
Mr. A.H. Mayes
1638 South 11th Ave.
Melrose Park, Illinois, U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Mayes:
It is my painful duty to confirm the telegram recently received by you which informed you that your son, Pilot Officer Warren Bretell Mayes, is reported missing on Active Service.
Advice has been received from the Royal Canadian Air Force Casualties Officer, Overseas, that your son was a member of the crew of an aircraft which failed to return to its base after air operations on the early morning of June 29th, 1943. There were five other members of the Royal Canadian Air Force in the crew, and they also have been reported missing, Since you may wish to know their names and next-of-kin, we are listing them below:
Flying Officer A.C. Raines
Next-of-kin, Mrs. R.T. Raine. (mother)
108 Queen St. W., Brampton, Ontario.
Pilot Officer H.W. Fowler, AFM.
Next-of-kin, Mr. H.P. Fowler (father)
93 Alma St., St. Thomas, Ontario.
Pilot Officer D. R. Agnew
Next-of-kin, Mr. J.H. Agnew, (father)
Wayburn, Saskatchewan.
Sergeant W.G, Otterholm
Next-of-kin, Mr. Christopher Otterholm, (father)
Dixonville, Alberta.
Sergeant W.A. Hood,
Next-of-kin, Mr. Wilson Hood, (father)
Bras d’Or, N.S.
This does not necessarily mean that your son has been killed or wounded. He may have landed in enemy territory and might be a Prisoner of War. Enquires have been made through the International Red Cross Society and all other appropriate sources and you may be assured that any further information received will be communicated to you immediately.
Your son’s name will not appear on the official casualty list for five weeks. You may, however, release to the Press or Radio that he is reported missing, but not disclosing the date, place, or his unit.
May I join with your and Mrs. Mayes in the hope that better news will be forthcoming in the near future.
Yours sincerely,
(W.R. Gunn)
Flight Lieutenant,
R.C.A.F. Casualties Officer,
for Chief of the Air Staff.
During this time, Warren’s parents wrote several letters to the Royal Canadian Air Force asking for information on him. Another letter was received by Warren’s parents nearly two years later.
OTTAWA, CANADA, 29th March 1945
Mr. A.H. Mayes
1638 South 11th Ave.
Melrose Park, Illinois, U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Mayes:
An official burial list has been received by the Air Ministry which states that your son, Flying Officer Warren Bretall Mayes, was buried in grave number 37, in the Waalre Cemetery, 4 miles south south-west of Eindhoven, Holland.
May I extend to you and the members of your family my deepest sympathy.
Yours sincerely,
(illegible)
R.C.A.F. Casualty Officer
for Chief of the Air Staff,
After the war, a recovery team was sent to the area and when workers were removing the wreckage, remains of another crewman were found in the wreckage. In addition, it was believed remains of still another crew man were found in a ditch near the place where the plane went down. The men were casketed and moved to the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Nijmegen, Netherland, where F/O Warren B. Mayes was buried in Plot 15, Row F, Grave: 2.
On August 14, 1946, his father received another letter from the Canadian Air Ministry, Ottawa, Canada.
Mr. A. H. Mayes,
1438 South 11th Avenue
Maywood, Illinois, U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Mayes:
Advice has now been received from our Overseas Headquarters which states that your son, Flying Officer Warren Bretall Mayes, has now been- re-interred in Grave No. 2, Row F, Plot 15 in the Canadian Permanent Cemetery, at Nijmegen, Holland.
The reverent care of the burial places of all who served in the Forces of the British Empire is the task of the Imperial War Graves Commission. Eminent architects are planning the construction of beautiful cemeteries and each individual grave will be supported and sustained by the nations of the Empire. I hope that it may be of some consolation to you to know that the grave of your gallant son is n sacred care and keeping.
May I again offer you my deepest sympathy. I can hope in the days to come you may see the fulfillment of those ideals for which your son laid down his life..
Yours sincerely,
AHG (signed)
R.C.A.F. Casualty Officer,
for Chief of the Air Staff.
