prev. a Joiner and cabinet maker c.1938, with Tiger Moth 'AEWG at Newcastle/Woolsington "He was passionate about flying and like many young enthusiastic would-be flyers who didn't come from well heeled backgrounds he worked extra hard to raise the funds to learn to fly, cycling some considerable distance to get to the airfield. He ended up in ATA as he was unfit for military service due to a pre-war accident at work which left him with a badly damaged foot and leg. I do know he was an accomplished maker of furniture and remember as a child the superb aircraft models crafted from scrap, collected I believe from the Ratcliffe hangars .He was described to me by someone who knew him at Ratcliffe as a quiet unassuming person who got on with the job and was noted for doing a lot of flying."
d. 6 Oct 1944 when his Lancaster I MC918 collided in flight with Blenheim VZ946 (flown by RAF F/O Tucker, with his instructor Flt-Sgt Field) near RAF Spitalgate, Lincs. ATA 3rd Oficer (Flt-Eng) Dennis John Richard Howell in the Lancaster, and Flt-Sgt Field in the Benheim, were also killed in the accident. F/O Tucker escaped by parachute. William was buried in Hollywood Avenue Cemetery, Gosforth, Newcastle-on-Tyne (Section A Grave 80) Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file): |
1936
