Frederick Daws was born in Sarnia on November 2, 1920, the only child of Frederick Daws (born in Oldham, Lancashire, England) and Annie Elizabeth (nee Graham, born in Oldham, England) Daws. Parents Frederick and Annie were married in Hamilton, Ontario in 1914. The family would move to 333 Wellington Street, and later to Lakeshore Road in Sarnia. Frederick attended Sarnia public school and Sarnia Collegiate. Fred was a member of the Central Century Club, where he played basketball, hockey and softball. While at Sarnia Collegiate, he was active in the Cadets, becoming a Cadet Major in 1940, and was the Master of Ceremonies of the annual school show. For some time while at SCITS, he was a member of gold medal winning bands. He played high school basketball, and would play on the Sarnia Collegiate WOSSA rugby team. Later as halfback, he played both junior and senior O.R.F.U. for Sarnia. Frederick would also be a member of the Sarnia Imperials football team. He was greatly interested in organized boys’ work, acting as chairman of the Boys’ Work Board for three years, and acted as a leader on a number of occasions at the Boys’ Camps at Lamrecton. After leaving Sarnia Collegiate, he was employed at Mueller’s Limited for just over one year, prior to enlisting.

Frederick Daws enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on July 19, 1941, and trained at Toronto, Fingal, Goderich and Number 14 Service Flying Training School, Aylmer where he received his Pilot Wings in July 1942. He obtained the highest marks of his class in flying and received a commission as Pilot Officer. At Summerside, P.E.I. and Debert, Nova Scotia, prior to going overseas on February 8, 1943, Freddie acquired his O.T.U. In early June 1943, his parents Frederick Sr. and Annie would receive a cablegram from overseas stating that their son Frederick had been promoted to the rank of Flying Officer from Pilot Officer. On June 17, 1943, Freddie Daws married Kathleen May Daws (nee Wilson), of Bournemouth, England, in the district of Swindon, Wiltshire, England.

On July 25, 1943, only six months after arriving overseas, and one month after getting married, Frederick Daws lost his life when his Hudson aircraft AM788 stalled and crashed on take-off at Ras El Ma, Algeria. At the end of July in 1943, Fred Sr. and Annie in Sarnia would receive a cablegram informing them that their son, Flying Officer Fred J. Daws, had been killed in action overseas. No other details were made available, though his parents believed that he may have been in action over Sicily. In his last letter home, Frederick had mentioned that he expected soon to be leaving for Africa. Along with Flying Officer-Pilot Frederick Daws, also killed was Flight Sergeant R.H. Jarvis. Frederick Daws would later be officially listed as, Killed in a flying accident, overseas

(Algeria). Twenty-two year old Frederick John Daws was buried in Fez, French Morocco, but later was re-interred at Le Petit Lac Cemetery, Oran, Algeria, Plot E, Row C, Grave 17.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, S, 2C, 2D