Person

Louie, Quan Jew

1921-1945

Quan Jew Louie (J38242) was born in Vancouver, B.C. in 1921, the son of influential Chinatown businessman, H.Y. Louie. Louie attended the University of British Columbia and was an outstanding student as well as an all-round athlete. Louie enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in November, 1942. He was trained as a bomb aimer and posted to No. 6 Group RCAF Bomber Command, No. 420 (Snowy Owl) Squadron at Tholthorpe, England. Louie flew almost 30 missions over Europe.

On a mission over Madgeburg, Germany on January 16/17, 1945, Louie’s Halifax bomber was hit by enemy flak and caught fire. An eyewitness to the carnage, a German farmer, later described the plane as out of control and a ball of fire before it crashed in a field. Quan died in the crash along with four other crew mates. Louie was only 23 years old. He and his crew mates were buried in Collective Grave No. 5 in the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery located in Charlottenberg, Germany.

Description supplied by collector/curator