Dennis, William Lewis
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | William Lewis |
Surname | Dennis |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 16-01-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of George Henry Dennis and Elizabeth Dennis (née Truax), of Brantford, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | NA188 |
Markings | PT-E |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Hanover War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 1. C. 10. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 155 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/39871 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 420 (Snowy Owl) |
Trade | Navigator |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside former St. Georges Hotel, Teesside Airport, County Durham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Tablet on Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who served at RAF Croft, 1941-1945 including 420 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial, inscribed Metal Plaque and Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | A memorial, in English & French, to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 420 (RCAF) Sqn |
Location | Former Control Tower, Tholthorpe Airfield, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 420 Sqn |
Miscellaneous Information
William was born on 31 March 1923 at Brantford, Ontario. His father, who was deceased by the time of William's enlistment, was born at Middleport, Ontario and worked as a Foreman at Cockshutt Plow Company. His mother was born at Muskegon, Michigan, USA. He had a sister Elsie and two half siblings, Eugenie and James. The schools he attended were King Edward at Brantford, 1929-1935 followed by Brantford Collegiate Institute 1937- 1940. His sport interests were tennis, swimming and skating and his hobby was photography. William worked as a Teller at the Bank of Nova Scotia between 1940-1942 when he then enlisted. |
After training he embarked from Halifax on 4 April 1944 arriving at 3 PRC on 12 April. He was then at 1 (0) AFU on 9 May 1944, 22 OTU 13 June 1944, 61 Base 6 September 1944 and 420 Squadron on 7 December.1944. Sadly William then lost his life on 16 January 1945. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1826/24 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1826/23 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 16-01-1945 |
End Date | 17-01-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Tholthorpe |
Day/Night Raid | Night (10% moon) |
Operation | Magdeburg. 371 aircraft, 17 losses (4.6%). Bomber Command claimed a successful area raid with 44% of the built-up area of the town being destroyed. |
Reason for Loss | Thought to have fallen victim to a night-fighter, crashing at Alfeld, Germany |