Blundell, William James
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | William James |
Surname | Blundell |
Gender | M |
Age | 19 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 30-05-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Charles and Gertrude Florence Blundell, of Chorley, Shropshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington X |
Serial Number | HE212 |
Markings | HD- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
Burial/Memorial Place | Brussels Town Cemetery |
Grave Reference | X. 17. 24. |
Epitaph | IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 132 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1380227 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 466 (Australian) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Oudstrijdersplein 4, Vollezelle (Galmarden), Vlaams-Brabant Province |
Country | Belgium |
Memorial Type | Inscribed marble tablet |
Memorial Text | Ter nagedachtenis van: bemanning van de Britse Wellington bommenwerper (466 Squadron) neergestort te Vollezele in te nacht van 30 mei 1943 |
Location | Normandy Barracks, Leconfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Metal Sculpture Brick Pillars and Inscribed Sqn Badges |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those who flew from RAF Leconfield, including 640 Sqn |
Location | Memorial Gardens, North End Park, Driffield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to the men and women of 462 and 466 Sqns RAAF who served in Bomber Command during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
A memorial plaque was erected to the crew at Vollezele in 1994. The nickname of the aircraft was 'Yvonne Proudbag' after the pilot's favourite cow (he was a farmer back in NZ)! An udder was painted on the fuselage. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1925/12 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1925/11 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 29-05-1943 |
End Date | 30-05-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Leconfield |
Day/Night Raid | Night (16% moon) |
Operation | Wuppertal. 719 aircraft, 33 losses(4.6%). PFF target marking and the resultant main force bombing was especially accurate, leading to what was probably the first instance of a 'firestorm'. Five of the six largest factories in the town, 211 other industrial premises and almost 4000 homes were completely destroyed. Approximately 3400 deaths- five times greater than any other city raid. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed WSW of Brussels, Belgium. |