Waite, Allan Halford
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Allan Halford |
Surname | Waite |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 21-02-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Alfred Mort Waite and Hilda Waite (née Halford), of Vancouver, British Columbia |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LW390 |
Markings | KW-J |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Monchy-Breton Churchyard |
Grave Reference | |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 258 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/87659 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 425 (Alouette) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside Village Hall, Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of the Canadian aircrew of 425 and 426 Sqns RCAF who served at RAF Dishforth, 1942-1945 |
Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone, inscribed metal plaque and Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | A memorial, in French, to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 425 Sqn |
Location | Former Control Tower, Tholthorpe Airfield, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 425 Sqn |
Miscellaneous Information
Of the rest of the crew, three became PoW and three successfully evaded capture |
Allan was born in Vancouver on 7 April 1923. Both of his parents were born in Bolton, Lancashire, England. His father worked as an assistant buyer for Malkin’s Ltd. in Vancouver. The schools Allan attended were Lord Kitchener 1929- 1935. Point Grey Junior High 1935-1937. Vancouver Tech.1937-1939 (General). West Vancouver College 1940-1941 (Matric Grade X). He was a Private in the 1st Bn. Seaforth Highlanders, Vancouver between September-December 1939 but left when found to be under age. The sports Allan was interested in were baseball, football, tennis and ping-pong and constructing model aeroplanes was his hobby. Allan was a junior clerk during 1941 for the W.H.Malkin Co. for whom his father had worked. For work Allan was a junior clerk during 1941 for the W.H.Malkin Co. for whom his father had worked. |
Enlisting on 18 March 1942 in Vancouver, Allan found himself posted to the U.K. after initial training. He reached 3 PRC on 24 May 1943, 18 (P) AFU 15 June 1943, 24 OTU on 24 August 1943, 1664 CU 4 December 1943 and 425 Squadron on 12 January 1944. He lost his life less than six weeks later. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 20-02-1944 |
End Date | 21-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Tholthorpe |
Day/Night Raid | Night (14% moon) |
Operation | Stuttgart. 598 aircraft, 9 losses (1.5%), excluding losses on return to base, which numbered 5. The minimal losses were due to two successful diversionary raids- one being a North Sea sweep and the other to Munich. Stuttgart was cloud covered and bombing scattered but the local report states that much damage was caused to the centre of the city and in the NE and NW suburbs. The Bosch dynamo, pump and magneto factory was the most strategic hit. 125 killed on the ground and 510 injured. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed at Soustre in the Pas-de-Calais, France. The burial site for F/S Waite is some 30km from the crash site, suggesting that he baled out but his parachute failed to deploy |