Claridge, William Thomas
Personal Information
Rank | WO1 |
Forename(s) | William Thomas |
Surname | Claridge |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 28-04-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Joseph and Hannah Bell Claridge, of Ashington, Northumberland. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JN954 |
Markings | VR-R |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Maastricht General Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Row 1. Grave 88. |
Epitaph | I WILL BE WITH THEE: I WILL NOT FAIL THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 144 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/11959 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 419 (Moose) |
Trade | WOp/AG |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Claridge Lake, Manitoba; 2km south of Naykow Lake |
Country | Canada |
Memorial Type | Lake |
Memorial Text |
Location | Outside Former St. Georges Hotel, Teesside Airport, County Durham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Memorial Tablet on Stone Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to Nos 419, 420 and 428 Sqns RCAF who flew from RAF Middleton St George during WW2 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1823/8 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1823/7 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 27-04-1944 |
End Date | 28-04-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Middleton St. George |
Day/Night Raid | Night (29% moon) |
Operation | Montzen- to attack railway installations. 144 aircraft, 15 losses (10.4%). Not a particularly successful raid, compounded by very high loss rate. Only one part of the railway yards were hit. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed in the suburbs of Maastricht, Holland |