The Missing Man of World War 2!

Eugene Dunlop Vanier:

b. 14th February 1916, Charlestown, Nevis, British West Indies - d. 1st September 1942, Libya/Egypt.

It would appear that the name of Flying Officer, Eugene Dunlop Vanier, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has not been included on the 1939-1945 plaque of the St. Kitts Memorial. His aircraft a Bristol Beaufighter, T4881 of 252 (RAF) Squadron and was reported missing whilst on strafing operations behind enemy lines around the Libyan/Egyptian border. His aircraft with one other on the operation failed to return to base on 1st September 1942 and the crew were  presumed to have been killed in action. His body was never recovered and his name is remembered on the Alamein Memorial in Egypt.

Pilot Officer Eugene Vanier

As recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) web site he was the son of the Revd. John George William Vanier, B.A., and Mary Annie Vanier, of Basseterre, St. Kitts, British West Indies.

Revd. John Vanier was also an Anglican Priest living at the Rectory, The Valley, Anguilla in 1913, just prior to the commencement of World War 1. He was described as a Priest in Holy Orders at St. Mary's Church and that he was 'Coloured'.

From Anglican missionary reports in 1916/17 the diocese of Antigua had adjusted to the war, but Rev John Vanier of St Thomas, Nevis, stressed that trouble among the labouring classes was coming to a head with the formation of a trade union (June 1917).

So it would appear that Eugene's father the Revd. John Vanier had served as an Anglican priest in Anguilla, Nevis and St. Kitts. Eugene also spent time in Antgua being educated at Antigua Grammar School, working for the Post Office in Antigua and George W. Bennett Bryson & Co., Ltd, In 1939 he went to McGill University from 1939 until joining the RCAF in August 1940.