Details:
26 October 1955 - F/O RG "Bob" Linklater
Comments by Don Norrie:
F/O Linklater was a pilot with 430 Squadron located at 2 (F) Wing, Grostenquin France. He died when his F-86 Sabre (#23299) jet crashed a half a mile from the runway while coming in for a landing.
Comments by Jim Rittinger:
Bob Linklater was my "Best Man" when I got married in 1954. Bob and I first met on reporting for Officer's School training at London, Ontario. We became fast friends and went all through our pilot training together. After Bob completed his Sabre training at Chatham he got married in Sydney in September 1955 where I was his "Best Man". He went overseas to Grostenquin and was killed on one of his first flights. His new wife, Georgie, had just arrived in Grostenquin and was taken back of to England in a Bristol Freighter to catch the boat home. On the return flight to Europe, the Bristol crashed and more of "Link's" course members were lost. This is a sad memory.
Extracts from 2 Wing Historical Report
25 October 1955
F/O RG Linklater was killed when his sabre crash landed on landing.
29 October 1955
Funeral services were held this morning for the late F/O RG Linklater and burial took place in the Canadian Military Cemetery at Choloy, near Nancy, France.
Calgary Pilot Dies
Grave marker photos courtesy of Malcolm Cromarty - February 2001