Green, William Henry
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | William Henry |
Surname | Green |
Gender | M |
Age | 32 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 02-12-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Benjamin Green and Emily Elizabeth Green (née Cook), of Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Husband of Mary Green (née Ollybuck), whom he married at Eskimo Point, Nunavut, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster II |
Serial Number | LL618 |
Markings | QO-F |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Joint grave 4. C. 13-14. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 173 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/225224 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 432 (Leaside) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Green Rapids, Manitoba; Southern outlet from Rink Lake |
Country | Canada |
Memorial Type | Rapids |
Memorial Text |
Location | Village Centre, Sutton on the Forest, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone & Metal Sun Dial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to all those who served at RAF East Moor and in particular 415 Sqn RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
William was born on 24 November 1911 at Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England. His father was a sailor, born at Kings Lynne, Norfolk and was deceased by the time of William's enlistment, and his mother was born at Grimsby. (He is believed to have had two brothers and two sisters). The schools he attended were South Parade school, Grimsby, 1922-1926, Grimsby High 1926-1928, followed by Grimsby School of Art 1928-1929 where he studied Drafting and Design. The sports he took part in were football, baseball and he was a keen boxer. His hobbies drawing and navigation. |
William worked as a Seaman between 1929 and 1930 before emigrating to Canada. He was then a farmhand 1930-1933 for A. J. Arnold at Boissevain, Manitoba, and then an Apprentice, clerk for HBC Fur Trade at Eskimo Point 1933-1935. Between 1935-1938 William worked for himself in the North West Territories as a Trapper and finished off 1938-1939 working as a farmer for J. H. Timlick at Greenridge, Manitoba following which he joined the army. His occupation is shown as his enlistment papers as Clerk and Fur Trader. |
He enlisted on 16 October 1942 and after training was posted to the U.K. His last few movements were: 9 (O)AFU 24 April 1943, 22 OTU 7 June 1943, and 432 Squadron 1 August 1943. William is shown as sadly losing his life on 2 December 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1860/16 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1860/15 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 02-12-1943 |
End Date | 03-12-1943 |
Takeoff Station | East Moor |
Day/Night Raid | Night (34% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 458 aircraft, 40 losses (8.7%). No diversionary raids and the force took a direct route to Berlin. The German controller anticipated Berlin as the target 18 minutes before zero hour and had amassed a considerable number of night-fighters in good time. An incorrect weather forecast caused difficulties in marking the target and the unexpectedly high winds also scattered the main force, allowing many to be picked off by the night-fighters, particularly on the home leg. Nonetheless, two Siemens factories were badly damaged along with a ball-bearing factory and some railway assets. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed at Mahlow, south of Berlin, Germany |