Truman, Wilfred Cyril
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Wilfred Cyril |
Surname | Truman |
Gender | M |
Age | 26 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 25-05-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Tom and Sarah Bertha Truman, of Rochdale, Lancashire. Husband of Mabel Truman, of Sudden, Rochdale. Father of Robert Truman, born 12 August 1943, the same day that Wilfred volunteered for the Pathfinder Force. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | ND816 |
Markings | 6O-O |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 6. A. 7. |
Epitaph | REST IN PEACE |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 256 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 999898 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 8 |
Squadron | 582 |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to former Airfield Site, Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to RAF Little Staughton, including 109 Sqn |
Location | All Saints Church, Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet & Sqn Badge |
Memorial Text | In memory of 109 and 582 Sqns. At R.A.F. Little Staughton |
Miscellaneous Information
Wilfred had become an instructor by the time he lost his life and was only on board to cover for a friend, whose father was seriously ill in Glasgow. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2101/22 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2052/3 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 24-05-1944 |
End Date | 25-05-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Little Staughton |
Day/Night Raid | Night (9% moon) |
Operation | Aachen- to attack two railway yards. 442 aircraft, 25 Lost (5.7%). Because this raid was on German railway infrastructure rather than French of Belgian, the bomber force was considerably larger. The inevitable result was that the bombing was not as concentrated, with many bombs falling in Aachen itself. 207 people were killed, 121 seriously injured and 14800 bombed out of their homes. Nevertheless, much damage was caused to the railway yards, particularly those to the east of the town. The local report states that 288 bombs were duds, this being approximately 10% of the total dropped for the night. |
Reason for Loss | Hit by flak and crashed into the centre of Aachen, Germany |