Dries, Paul William
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | Paul William |
Surname | Dries |
Gender | M |
Age | 29 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 23-11-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Raymond Dries and Isabella Dries (née McGrady), of Rochester, New York, USA. Husband of Kathleen Dries (née Pugh), of Derby. Marriage 15 June 1943 in Derby, England. Father of Pauline Dries (born 1 January 1944, a little over a month after Paul's death). |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | JB218 |
Markings | OF-Y |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 181. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 157 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/152345 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 8 |
Squadron | 97 (Straits Settlements) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Other Memorials
Location | Church of the Holy Spirit, RAF Coningsby, Coningsby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window |
Memorial Text | A stained glass window remembering 97 Sqn in the Church of the Holy Spirit, RAF Coningsby |
Miscellaneous Information
Paul was born at Avoca, New York on 8 December 1913. His father worked as a Stationary Engineer and was born in Pennsylvania and his mother was born In Plattsburgh, New York. He had a brother Donald and a sister Ruth. Another sister Margaret had died in 1922. The schools he attended were in Rochester: No. 3 Public School. 1920-1927 ( Collegiate Entrance); Edison Tech. School 1927-1933 ( Graduate Welder). His sporting interest was football. Paul worked at ACME Welding Co. Oakland, California 1932-1935 then returned to New York. He then worked at Sponze Welding Co. in Rochester as a welder 1935-1938 then went to Buffalo. He worked at the Gridder Restaurant, Charlotteville, Virginia as a cook 1940-1942. He just carried out odd jobs between 1938-1940 when he went to Buffalo. |
He enlisted on 24 January 1942 and embarked from New York on 9 March 1943. Arriving in the U.K. at 3PRC on 18 March 1943 he went on to 81 OTU 30 March 1943, 1662 CU 16 June 1943, and 97 Sqn 3 August 1943. Sadly Paul lost his life on 23 November 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/767/22 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/767/21 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 23-11-1943 |
End Date | 24-11-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Bourn |
Day/Night Raid | Night (15% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 764 aircraft- the largest raid on Berlin so far and the last to include Stirlings which had not fared well in recent raids on the city. Bad weather again kept the night-fighters at bay and as a result 26 aircraft were Lost (3.4%). The target was completely cloud-covered but despite the weather, this was the most successful raid on Berlin of the war. An unseasonably dry spell led to several firestorms and there was an immense area of destruction. At least 3000 houses were destroyed along with 23 industrial premises. 175000 people were bombed out and the list of municipal buildings damaged or destroyed is too long to include. The famous Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was hit this night- it is a famous landmark in Berlin to this day because it was deliberately only part-restored. Five Siemens factories and the Alkett tank works were destroyed, the latter having been moved to Berlin from the Ruhr after its destruction earlier in the conflict. |
Reason for Loss |