Howson, William Johnson Died

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Personal Information

Rank W/O
Forename(s) William Johnson
Surname Howson
Gender M
Age 25
Date of Death 03-02-1945
Next of Kin Son of John and Eva May Howson, of Kendal, Westmorland.
HOWSON WJ 392

Aircraft Information

Aircraft Avro Lancaster I
Serial Number PD221
Markings BQ-R

Memorial Information

Burial/Memorial Country Netherlands
Burial/Memorial Place Oploo (Westerbeek) Roman Catholic Cemetery
Grave Reference Row 1. Grave 5.
Epitaph OF KENDAL, WESTMORLAND, ENGLAND "HE RESTS CONTENT AND SO MUST WE

IBCC Memorial Information

Map
Directions to panel 52
HOWSON WJ 392

Location

Row -
Panel 52
Column -
Line -

Directions From the Chadwick Centre, take the central path towards The Spire.

Phase 1
Panel Number 52

Enlistment Information

Service Number 949392
Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Group 1
Squadron 550
Squadron Motto Per ignem vincimus (Through fire we conquer)
Trade WOp/AG
Country of Origin United Kingdom

Other Memorials

Location Kerkstraat, Westerbeek, Noord-Brabant Province
Country the Netherlands
Memorial Type Stencilled composite information board
Memorial Text 3rd Februari 1945 om 1956u Lancaster PD221 BQ-R 550 Sqn Op de trugweg van een bombardment in brand geschoten en stortte neer Allen kwamen om het leven
Translation "3rd February 1945 at 1956hrs Lancaster PD221 BQ-R 550 Sqn Caught fire and crashed on the way back from a bombardment. All were killed."
Location Kerkstraat, Westerbeek, Noord-Brabant Province
Country the Netherlands
Memorial Type Metal sculpture & information baord
Memorial Text Op 3 Februari 1945 bombardeerde de RAF het Prosper-benzinedepot in Bottrop (Duitsland). Tijdens deze aanval verloor de RAF acht Lancasters. Eén daarvan werd neergeschoten en stortte neer in Westerbeek. Dit monument is onthuld ter nagedachtenis aan de zeven bemanningsleden, maar ook aan alle andere oorlogsslachtoffers
Translation "On 3rd February 1945, the RAF bombed the Prosper petrol depot in Bottrop (Germany). During this raid, the RAF lost eight Lancasters. One of which was shot down and crashed in Westerbeek.This monument has been unveiled in memory of the seven crew members, but also all other war victims"
Location Lancaster Approach, North Killingholme, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Memorial Stone & Info Board
Memorial Text A memorial to 550 Sqn RAF which flew from RAF North Killingholme; Jan 1944 - Oct 1945
Location Church of St. Deny's, North Killingholme, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Stained Glass Window, RoH and inscribed Metal & Wooden Plaques
Memorial Text Several memorials to the men and women who served with 550 Sqn at RAF Killingholme during WW2
Location In front of the mess esplanade, Mailly-le-Camp, 10 - Aube Prefecture
Country France
Memorial Type Stone memorial sculpture, inscribed marble tablets and inscribed metal plaque
Memorial Text En souvenir des heros de la RAF. Qui ont participe au bombardment du camp de Mailly. Unites de la RAF engagees dans le raid sur Mailly-le-Camp, la nuit du 3 au 4 May 1944. N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617- 619-625-626-627-651
Translation "In memory of the RAF heroes who took part in the bombing of Mailly Camp. RAF units engaged in the raid on Mailly-le-Camp, the night of 3-4 May 1944. Squadrons that took part: N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617-619-625-626-627-651"
Location Bawtry Hall, Bawtry, South Yorkshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Marble Tablet
Memorial Text In memory of those who did not return 1939 - 1945

The National Archives

Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2037/32
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2037/32

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.

Name Outcome
Cook W H (F/S) Died
Holding J (Sgt) Died
Moyle J F (Sgt) Died
Nye R G (F/O) Died
Stuart C (Sgt) Died
Taerum L C (F/S) Died

Last Operation Information

Start Date 03-02-1945
End Date 04-02-1945
Takeoff Station North Killingholme
Day/Night Raid Night (63% moon)
Operation Bottrop- Prosper Benzol plant
Reason for Aircraft Loss Whilst bombing the Prosper benzol Plant, shot down by a night-fighter and crashed near Westerbeek (Noord-Brabant), 9 km SW from the small Dutch town of Boxmeer
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Casualty Pack

IBCC is delighted to introduce a unique facility to link the Losses Database to the relevant RAF Casualty Pack on the National Archives website. This project is the result of on-going collaboration between IBCC, the MOD Records Office and National Archives, Kew. This document describes what Casualty Packs are, when they were created, the process of making them available to the public and then goes on to describe the process by which you can view the contents of the packs. Casualty Packs (CPs) were created by the RAF whenever there was serious injury or loss of life associated with operational activity within the RAF. This includes operational flying losses, enemy action due to air raids, road accidents either on station or even off-station if they involved RAF vehicles. Deaths due to natural causes in service or accidents that did not involve RAF vehicles did not generally give rise to a CP.

CPs were originally given a unique reference number by the RAF. Each begins with the letter ‘P’ and is followed by six digits, then an oblique (forward slash) and the finally the year in which the incident took place- for example P396154/42.

The CPs are in the process of being made available to the general public as they are passed from the MOD Records Office, Portsmouth to National Archives, Kew. This process requires some rework to the files which is very time consuming, so the process of making them all available to National Archives will take several years. They are being made available in increasing date order.

Once CPs arrive at National Archives they are assigned a unique AIR81 number, so each CP has both a P-number and an AIR81 number. Both are searchable on the National Archives website under ‘Search the catalogue’ and both are included on the IBCC website.

The AIR81 reference on the IBCC website is a link to the file on the National Archives website. When you click on it, the relevant page will open in a new tab on your browser.

There is currently no plan to digitise AIR81 files, partly because they are fragile and partly because the information they contain can at times be sensitive, even harrowing, since they may contain exhumation reports and even photographs of corpses. Family members wishing to read the AIR81 files relating to their ancestors are advised to exercise caution and be guided by National Archives warnings where appropriate.

There are two means for accessing AIR81 files- to attend in person or to order a copy by post.

To attend in person, the attendee should first create a Reader’s Ticket. This can be done online by following this link: https://secure.nationalarchives.gov.uk/login/yourdetails. Then click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and click Order in Advance. Enter your Reader’s Ticket number and state the date on which you intend to visit. National Archives will have the file ready for you when you arrive, saving you time. When you visit Kew, you must quote the Reader’s Ticket number and take along two forms of ID- one bearing your signature and one bearing your address. When you view the files, you are permitted to take photographs of each page, should you wish.

Alternatively, if you wish to order a copy by post, please be aware that there is a charge for this service based on the number of pages in the file. Click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and then click Request a Copy. There is an £8.40 charge for National Archives staff to access the file and give you a quotation for the copying service. The process takes around 24 days to complete and can be expensive.

IBCC wishes to thank the staff at the MOD Records Office and National Archives for their engagement and assistance in making this facility available to our website users.