Ralph, William Edward Charles
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | William Edward Charles |
Surname | Ralph |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 19-03-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of William Charles and Doris Rachel Ralph, of Margate. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | MZ494 |
Markings | C8-B |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Reichswald Forest War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 28. F. 3. |
Epitaph | AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM (Laurence Binyon - For the Fallen) |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 229 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 190702 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 640 |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Normandy Barracks, Leconfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Metal Sculpture Brick Pillars and Inscribed Sqn Badges |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those who flew from RAF Leconfield, including 640 Sqn |
Location | Memorial Gardens, Beverley, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone, Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those of 640 Sqn who were killed during WW2 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2216/30 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2157/29 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 18-03-1945 |
End Date | 19-03-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Leconfield |
Day/Night Raid | Night (31% moon) |
Operation | Witten. 324 aircraft, 8 losses. A successful raid carried out in good conditions. 1081 tons of bombs were dropped, destroying 62% of the built-up area according to a British port-war survey. The Ruhrstahl steelworks and the Mannesmann tube factory were severely damaged. |
Reason for Loss |