Baxter, William
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | William |
Surname | Baxter |
Gender | M |
Age | 31 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 22-05-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of William Baxter and Alice Baxter (née Straughan), of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | JB672 |
Markings | LE-F |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Bergh (Kilder) Roman Catholic Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Grave 5. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 7 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/87720 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 630 |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to former Main Guardroom, LAHC, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone, Memorial Plaques & Metal Sculpture |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who gave their lives with 57 Sqn & 630 Sqns 1939 - 1945 |
Location | The Chapel, Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Wooden RoH |
Memorial Text | In proud memory of the men of No 630 Sqn who lost their lives operating from RAF East Kirkby 1943 to 1945 |
Miscellaneous Information
William was born on 11 August 1912 at Edmonton, Alberta. His father, a merchant, was born at Castle Douglas, Scotland and his mother at Whitley Bay, England. He had a brother, Gordon and two sisters, one of whom was married and the other, Margaret, was a nursing sister in the RCAF. He attended Oliver School 1918-1926 (grade 8) and Victoria High, 1926- 1931 (grade 11), both in Edmonton. His sport and hobby interests were hockey, golf, skating, fishing and shooting. He worked at home doing various jobs between 1931-1932, was a Service Station attendant for Oram & Tucker, 1932-1935, and was an Order Clerk for Royal Fruit 1935-1939. Between 1939-1942 he was a Salesman at McBride & Jackson and then worked for Oram & Tucker again at the Service Station during 1942. |
He enlisted on 6 May 1942 and after training was posted to the U.K. where he arrived at 3PRC on 5 April 1943. He went on to 9(0) AFU 31 May 1943, 14 OTU 29 June1943, 1654 CU 12 October 1943, 51 Base 1 February 1944 and then 630 Squadron on 3 May 1944. Less than three weeks later William very sadly lost his life from 630 Squadron on 22 May 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2155/10 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2152/13 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 21-05-1944 |
End Date | 22-05-1944 |
Takeoff Station | East Kirkby |
Day/Night Raid | Night (0% moon) |
Operation | Duisburg |
Reason for Loss | Attacked by a night fighter over Holland and crashed at Kilder, near Arnhem |