Clague, William Francis Collister
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | William Francis Collister |
Surname | Clague |
Gender | M |
Date of Death | 30-05-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of William and Helena Clague. Husband of Constance Gertrude Clague, of Tenby, Pembrokeshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | W4985 |
Markings | AR-O |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 9. C. 18. |
Epitaph | AND NOW, LORD, WHAT IS MY HOPE; TRULY MY HOPE IS EVEN IN THEE (Psalm 39:7) |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 20 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1070408 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 1 |
Squadron | 460 (Australian) |
Squadron Motto | Strike and return |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Clubhouse, Breighton Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those who served at Breighton during WW2, including 460 Sqn RAAF |
Location | Junction of Kirmond Rd (B1203) & Orford Rd, Binbrook, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to 460 Sqn RAAF which operated from Breighton and Binbrook 1941-1945 |
Location | Church of St. Mary & St. Gabriel, Binbrook, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window, RoH and Sqn Badge |
Memorial Text | Memorial to 460 Sqn RAAF which served at Binbrook between 1941 and 1945 |
Location | Former ATC Signals Square, Brookenby Industrial Estate, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | Memorials to the aircrew and groundcrew of 460 Sqn RAAF who served at Brookenby, 1942-1943 |
Location | Church of St. Michael & All Angels, Brookenby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | Memorials to the aircrew and groundcrew of 460 Sqn RAAF who served at Brookenby, 1942-1943 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1908/10 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1908/9 |
Fellow Servicemen
Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 29-05-1943 |
End Date | 30-05-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Binbrook |
Day/Night Raid | Night (16% moon) |
Operation | Wuppertal |
Reason for Loss | Aircraft took off. Due to unknown reason crashed near Koblenz. In a later statement Sgt Kirk said “The aircraft was badly damaged by flak. The outer port and starboard engines, tail plane, wing and fuselage were damaged. I abandoned the aircraft and landed on the east bank of the Rhine. Captured after two hours. Taylor and Gordon were wounded. The aircraft crashed into the Rhine near Koblenz.” |