Elder, William John
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | William John |
Surname | Elder |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 16-01-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of William Napier Elder and Rose Elder (née Lindsay), of York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington IC |
Serial Number | R1759 |
Markings | BU- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 103. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 160 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/65845 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 214 (Federated Malay States) |
Trade | WOp/AG |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside former Officers Mess, Stradishall, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Memorial with Inscribed Marble Tablets |
Memorial Text | To commemorate 32 years of service by the men and women of R.A.F. Stradishall 1938 - 1970 |
Location | All Saints Church, Chedburgh, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Plaques and RoH within wooden case |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and scroll remembering the members of the Royal and Polish Air Forces who served at RAF Chedburgh 1942 - 1946 |
Miscellaneous Information
William was born on 23 May 1919 at York, Toronto, Ontario. His father was born in Toronto and worked as a buyer for T. Eaton Co. and his mother was born in Godalming , Surrey, England. He attended King Edward school 1926-1934 and Northern Vocational 1934-1936. He also went to Harbord 1936-1937 (Toronto). His sport interests were basketball and swimming and his hobby was reading. William worked for T. Eaton as a Salesman between 1937-1939 and then enlisted on 8 June 1940. |
After training he was posted to the U.K. where he arrived on 2 March 1941. He then went to 20 OTU 14 March 1941, 1 S.S. 3 April 1941, 11 OTU 10 May 1941 and 214 Squadron on 19 August 1941. William very sadly lost his life on 16 January 1942. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1321/2 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1321/1 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 15-01-1942 |
End Date | 16-01-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Stradishall |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Hamburg |
Reason for Loss | Presumed crashed into the sea off Whitby |