Climie, William Benzie Forbes
Personal Information
Rank | WO2 |
Forename(s) | William Benzie Forbes |
Surname | Climie |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 23-08-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Adam Climie, and of Mary S. F. Climie, of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax V |
Serial Number | ED255 |
Markings | IP-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
Burial/Memorial Place | Heverlee War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 10. C. 6-8. |
Epitaph | AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 145 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/141625 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 434 (Bluenose) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Other Memorials
Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Metal Plaque and Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RCAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 434 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Former Control Tower, old Tholthorpe airfield site, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RCAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 434 Sqn RCAF |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 22-08-1943 |
End Date | 23-08-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Tholthorpe |
Day/Night Raid | Night (47% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 727 aircraft, 56 losses (7.9%)- the greatest loss in a single raid so far in the war. Sequential marking was used to keep the main force on course. A Master Bomber approach was also used (W/C J E [Johnny] Fauquier). PFF were unable to locate the centre of Berlin using H2S and instead marked the southern suburbs. The main force arrived late and many cut a corner, making their arrival point incorrect. As might be expected for Berlin, the flak and fighter defences were formidable. Nevertheless, this was the most serious raid on Berlin so far in the war. Much of the government district was badly damaged and 20 ships were also sunk. 854 people were killed, many of whom had failed to take refuge in air raid shelters. |
Reason for Loss | Believed to have been shot down by a night-fighter and crashed near Tongeren, Belgium |