Pritchard, William Henry
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | William Henry |
Surname | Pritchard |
Gender | M |
Age | 26 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 02-03-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of William Henry and Mary Ellen Pritchard, of Balham, London. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling I |
Serial Number | EF347 |
Markings | LS-T |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Baarderadeel General Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Grave 2. |
Epitaph | IN EVER LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR HARRY. "I WILL TRUST, AND NOT BE AFRAID" |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 228 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1259008 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 15 (XV) |
Trade | WOp/AG |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/203/54 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/203/53 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 01-03-1943 |
End Date | 02-03-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Bourn |
Day/Night Raid | Night (26% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 302 aircraft, 17 losses (5.6%). PFF had some difficulty recognising parts of the city using the early H2S system (which was still using 10cm wavelength at the time). Most of the bombs fell in the south west of the city. However, the sheer weight of numbers of bombers, together with the larger bomb loads that were possible since previous raids on Berlin made this a successful raid. Much damage to industrial buildings and particularly to a railway repair works. The Telefunken factory was also hit and by a quirk or fate, it contained the H2S set that had previously been recovered by the Germans by a recently downed bomber. The set was completely destroyed but another was recovered from the very force that bombed the first, allowing research to resume unhindered. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Schillard, Holland |