Ferris, Henry William
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Henry William |
Surname | Ferris |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 27-10-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of William George Ferris and Winnifred Rebecca Ferris (née Corbett), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Husband of Florence Leotta Ferris (née Bates), who he married in Toronto on 28 November 1943. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | HR723 |
Markings |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Chester (Blacon) Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Sec. A. Grave 1063. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 163 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/92696 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 1666 HCU |
Trade | Wireless Operator |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Gregory Minster, Kirkdale, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH |
Memorial Text | A memorial to the Canadian Airmen who flew from RAF Wombleton during WW2, including 1666 HCU |
Location | Roadside location, Wombleton, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed stone pillar and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial to the Canadian Airmen who flew from RAF Wombleton during WW2, including 1666 HCU |
Miscellaneous Information
Henry was born on 21 February 1921 at Toronto, Ontario. His father, who was born in Plymouth, Devon, England worked as a labourer and his mother was born in Guernsey, Channel Islands. He had a brother George John and a sister Ruby Winnifred. He attended the R.H. MacGregor School between 1927-1935. He then went to East York Collegiate 1935-1939 where he studied Shorthand, Typing etc. The sports Henry took part in were baseball, hockey and basketball. He had also had some training on machine guns. Henry worked as a clerk for Township of East York from January 1939 onwards and enlisted on 18 September 1941. |
After enlistment and training, Henry embarked from Halifax for the U.K. on 25 March 1944 where he arrived at 3PRC on 3 April 1944. He went on to 22 OTU 13 June 1944 and then 61 Base on 6 September 1944. He was to lose his life the following month, 27 October 1944 from 1666 H.C.U. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 27-10-1944 |
End Date | 27-10-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Wombleton |
Day/Night Raid | Day |
Operation | Training- cross-country flying exercise |
Reason for Loss | Encountered severe icing at 15000'. The order to bale out was given as the situation worsened. P/O Ferris did not secure his parachute correctly and he fell to his death. The aircraft crashed at Llandudno, Caernarfon |