Webb, William
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | William |
Surname | Webb |
Gender | M |
Age | 34 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 16-01-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of William Webb and Florence Ann Webb (née Wilson), of Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | NA188 |
Markings | PT-E |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Hanover War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 1. C. 9. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 261 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/38676 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 420 (Snowy Owl) |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside former St. Georges Hotel, Teesside Airport, County Durham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Tablet on Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who served at RAF Croft, 1941-1945 including 420 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial, inscribed Metal Plaque and Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | A memorial, in English & French, to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 420 (RCAF) 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 420 Sqn |
Miscellaneous Information
William was born at Grimsby, Lincolnshire England on 15 March 1910. His father, who was deceased by the time of William's enlistment, was born at Little Clacton, Essex, England and had been a Sea Captain and his mother was born at Leeds, Yorkshire, England. He attended Prep school in England 1916-1918 followed by public school, 1918-1922. He also attended St. James College , Humber, in England at nights, 1922-1927, as well as a Correspondence course in accountancy. William engaged in walking, swimming, golf and riding. He worked as a Junior clerk for the Humber Coal Company 1927-1929 and then moved to Canada where he worked at Maclean’s Publishing Co. as a Clerk 1929-1939. From there he went to J. Walter Thompson Co, an Advertising Agency as a production manager 1939-1942. He enlisted on 10 September 1942. |
After training he was posted to the U.K. and embarked from Halifax on 30 March 1944, arriving at 3 PRC on 8 April. He was at 7(0) AFU 16 May 1944, 22 OTU 17 June 1944, 61 Base 6 September 1944, 1666 CU 20 September 1944 and 420 Squadron 7 December 1944. Sadly William was then to lose his life on 16 January 1945. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1826/24 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1826/23 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 16-01-1945 |
End Date | 17-01-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Tholthorpe |
Day/Night Raid | Night (10% moon) |
Operation | Magdeburg. 371 aircraft, 17 losses (4.6%). Bomber Command claimed a successful area raid with 44% of the built-up area of the town being destroyed. |
Reason for Loss | Thought to have fallen victim to a night-fighter, crashing at Alfeld, Germany |