Whitney, William John
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | William John |
Surname | Whitney |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 22-10-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of John Whitney and Jessie Colton Whitney (née Middleton), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | EE175 |
Markings | EM-R |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 14. D. 13. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 115 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/164046 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 207 |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Mary the Virgin Church, Bottesford, Leicestershire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Tablet and Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 207 Sqn RAF who served at RAF Bottesford during WW2 |
Location | X, Great Steeping, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed group of Memorial Stones with adjacent info board |
Memorial Text | In memory of 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Spilsby and of 10 Sqn Armourers killed in an accident on 10th April 1944 |
Location | All Saints Church, Great Steeping |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet and Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 207 Sqn RAF who served at RAF Spilsby during WW2 |
Location | Stn Church, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Waddington between 1 November 1940 and 18th November 1941 |
Location | Harby Rd, Langar, Nottinghamshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | A memorial to 207 Sqn RAF which served at RAF Langar during WW2 |
Location | St. Andrew's Church, Langar, Nottinghamshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Brass Plaque & Roll of Honour within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and a memorial to the personnel of 207 Sqn RAF who were killed flying from RAF Langar during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
William was born at Toronto , Ontario on 25 October 1922. His father was a manufacturer, born in The Hague, Holland and his mother was born in Scotland. He had a brother Stewart Alexander. The schools he attended were Ontario Street school. 1930 -1937, the Prince of Wales, Windsor, 1937 - 1938 and then Patterson Collegiate, Windsor 1938-1942. After school and on Saturdays he undertook General deliveries for John Whitney of Windsor (his father). The sports he enjoyed were hockey, basketball and football and his hobbies were model aircraft and commercial art. |
William enlisted on 5 May 1942 and after training was posted to the U.K. . He embarked from Halifax on 28 March 1943 arriving at 3PRC on 5 April . He then continued to 1660 CU on 30 July 1943 and 207 Squadron on 8 September 1943. The following month on 22 October 1943, William sadly lost his life, just three days before reaching 21 years of age. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1234/20 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1234/19 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 22-10-1943 |
End Date | 23-10-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Spilsby |
Day/Night Raid | Night (32% moon) |
Operation | Kassel |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Nettersheim |