Brown, William
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | William |
Surname | Brown |
Gender | M |
Age | 28 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 30-07-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Brown, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire. Husband of Elizabeth Brown, of Burnbank, Hamilton. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JB956 |
Markings | KN-O |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Kiel War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 1. B. 7. |
Epitaph | UNTIL THE DAY BREAK |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 137 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1340249 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 77 |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Holy Trinity Church, Elvington, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window & Roll of Honour |
Memorial Text | Memorial windows and Roll of Honour for 77 Sqn. R.A.F. |
Location | Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Marble Column with Metal Sculpture and Plaques |
Memorial Text | Memorial to 77 Sqn. R.A.F. City of Lancaster's own |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/656/33 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/656/32 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 29-07-1943 |
End Date | 30-07-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Elvington |
Day/Night Raid | Night (4% moon) |
Operation | Hamburg. 787 aircraft, 17 losses (2.2%). For the second consecutive raid, Brig. Gen. Anderson, the commander of the American 8th Air Force, flew as an observer on this operation. PFF used H2S to mark the target but were approximately 3km east of the centre of the city but was at least concentrated, leading to concentrated bombing with little creepback. This raid caused a firestorm resulting from very high summer temperatures and low humidity following a particularly dry spell. Most of the fire crews were in the west of the city following the raid of three nights earlier and few could make the journey to the new fires due to rubble blocking roads. The fires quickly joined into one mass of fire, drawing so much oxygen into the area that it caused storm-force winds. The fire raged for over three hours after the raid and only subsided when all combustible material was consumed. Approximately 40000 civilian deaths mostly from asphyxiation resulting from lack of oxygen. The raid led to an exodus of over 1.2 million people fearing another raid. |
Reason for Loss | Believed shot down by a night-fighter |