Williams, William John
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | William John |
Surname | Williams |
Gender | M |
Age | 24 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 04-07-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of John James Williams and Alice Williams, of Shepherd's Bush, London. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling III |
Serial Number | BF530 |
Markings | OJ-B |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
Burial/Memorial Place | Heverlee War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 3. A. 4. |
Epitaph | OUR BELOVED BILL. HIS LIFE A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY HIS DEATH A SILENT GRIEF. MUM & DAD |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 266 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 637252 |
Service | Royal Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 149 (East India) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Hulsbeekstraat 130, Geetbets, Vlaams Brabant Province |
Country | Belgium |
Memorial Type | Stencilled information board |
Memorial Text | Op 3 juli 1943 een RAF Stirling bommenwerper (BF 530) van het 149 Squadron stortte hier neer naast de Hulsbeekstraat en de Heirbaan |
Location | St. George's Church, Methwold, Norfolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Roll of Honour & inscribed window |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour of 149 Sqn RAF and a window remembering the men and women of all Nations who served at RAF Methwold, 1939-1945 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1003/14 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1003/13 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 03-07-1943 |
End Date | 04-07-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Lakenheath |
Day/Night Raid | Night (2% moon) |
Operation | Cologne- region on the east bank of the Rhine where most of the industry was located. 653 aircraft, 30 losses (4.6%). Accurate ground marking by Oboe equipped Mosquitoes leading to another very significant blow to this Ruhr city. 20 industrial and 2200 homes completely destroyed and 588 people killed. A further 72000 people were bombed out. This was the first time the 'Wild Boar' technique had been used, in which the flak height was limited to allow night-fighters to fly over the main force and pick out aircraft in silhouette against the fires below. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down from 14000' by a night-fighter on the outbound leg and crashed NE of Tienen, Belgium |