Forth, William Norman
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | William Norman |
Surname | Forth |
Gender | M |
Age | 32 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 04-05-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of William Wilson Forth and Lily Harriet Helena Forth. Husband of Mildred Forth, of Morden, Surrey. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling III |
Serial Number | BF505 |
Markings | HA-Z |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Dantumadeel Protestant Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Plot E. Row 7. Grave 6. |
Epitaph | ONE OF THE BRAVEST, ONE OF THE BEST, GOD GRANT OUR LOVED ONE ETERNAL REST |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 165 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1329885 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 218 (Gold Coast) |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Mary's Church, Bexwell, Norfolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of the squadrons based at R.A.F. Downham Market and those who have their lives during the 1939 - 1945 war |
Location | All Saints Church, Chedburgh, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH and Sqn Crest |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and scroll remembering the members of the Royal and Polish Air Forces who served at RAF Chedburgh 1942 - 1946 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1351/10 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1351/9 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 04-05-1943 |
End Date | 05-05-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Downham Market |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Dortmund. 596 aircraft,- the largest 'non-1000' raid of the war so far and the first major attack on Dortmund. 31 losses (5.2%) with a further 7 crashing due to bad weather at their bases, taking the total loss rate to 6.4%. PFF marking was accurate but backup marking was not. Also, decoy fires attracted many of the bombs. Severe damage was nevertheless caused to much of the central and northern areas of the city, including the Hoesch and Dortmunder Union steelworks. At least 693 people were killed, including 200 PoWs. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Murmerwoude, south of Dokkum, Holland |