Sullivan, William Joseph
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | William Joseph |
Surname | Sullivan |
Gender | M |
Age | 25 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 14-01-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Timothy Stephens Sullivan and Josephine Marie Sullivan (née Guerditte), of Port Arthur, British Columbia, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington III |
Serial Number | BK165 |
Markings | OW-F |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 185. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 249 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/106277 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 426 (Thunderbird) |
Trade | WOp/AG |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Village Hall, Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with Inscribed Metal Plaque & Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | In memory of the Canadian aircrew of 425 and 426 Sqns RCAF who served at RAF Dishforth, 1942-1945 |
Location | Outside Village Hall, Linton on Ouse, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Slate Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of Canadian personnel who served at RAF Linton on Ouse during WW2, including 408 and 426 Sqns RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
William was born on 30 April 1917 at Freeport, Illinois, USA. Both parents were born in Iowa, USA, and his father, born Osgood, worked as an Assistant Superintendent with C.N.R. He had sisters Joan and Anita and a brother Robert Timothy who was an LAC R/18677 at Langara. The schools he attended were: Holy Cross, Winnipeg 1925-1930 and St. Andrews, Port Arthur , 1930-1933, followed by Port Arthur Technical 1933-1937 where he studied motor mechanics. His sport interests were hockey, rugby, basketball and tennis and his hobby was reading. William worked for C.N.R. as a Timekeeper 1937-1938, and then for Marshall Wills Co. for three years as a grocery clerk 1938-1940. |
He enlisted at Fort Willliam on 12 June 1941, and after training embarked from Canada on 1 June 1942 for the U.K. and arrived at 3PRC on 13 June 1942. He then went on to 3 AGS 31 July 1942, 22 OTU on 1 September 1942 and 426 Squadron on 7 November 1942. William was to lose his life from 426 squadron on 14 January 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 14-01-1943 |
End Date | 15-01-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Dishforth |
Day/Night Raid | Night (67% moon) |
Operation | Lorient. 122 aircraft, 2 lost. Lorient was being used as a U-boat base and this was the first of a series of attacks on the French port. Target marking was said to be accurate but the bombing by the main force was, for unstated reasons, far from accurate. |
Reason for Loss | Lost without trace |