Personnel Index - Detail
Sgt H G Williams is in the centre of the photograph........an extract from the 1941 Squadron photograph
14/15 April, 1942; DORTMUND:
The squadron contributed 7 aircraft to the main force attack on Dortmund. Of these, 3 returned early with engine failure, 3 attacked alternative targets and 1 aircraft failed to return. The raid itself was very scattered with bombs falling over a wide area of the Ruhr. Bomber Command suffered the loss of 5 Wellingtons and 4 Hampdens.
The missing 49 Squadron Hampden was piloted by P/O Williams. It is thought that he and his crew were caught by a night fighter, which brought their aircraft down in Germany. The pilot and Sgt Ralph, an air gunner, survived to become POW's. Sadly Sgt Horace Brown and Sgt Leslie Webbe were killed; they rest along side each other in the Reichswald Forest Cemetery at Kleve in Germany.
Hampden AD931 (EA-X)
P/O H.G. Williams Pilot (P.o.W.)
Sgt H.S. Brown W/Ag (Killed)
Sgt L.W. Webbe A/OB (Killed)
Sgt W. Ralph A/G (P.o.W.)
Earlier in the war, Sgt Williams was involved in a crash landing.....details shown below:
12/13 July, 1941; WILHELMSHAVEN/BREMEN:
Sgt Batchelor (AD910) and crew could not pin point Bremen nor Wilhelmshaven due to heavy flak and searchlights. They located Cuxhaven and bombed from 12,000ft; 2 bursts were seen in the docks area.
On return, they encountered navigational problems and with petrol desperately low, the pilot made a forced landing 5 miles N/E of Pocklington.
Fortunately the crew survived unhurt but the aircraft was wrecked; the crash occurred at 07.45hrs.
All other 49 Squadron aircraft returned safely.
AD910 (EA-Y)......(written off).
Sgt G S Batchelor Pilot (Unhurt)
Sgt H G Williams (Unhurt)
Sgt R J Calvert (Unhurt)
Sgt L R Betts (Unhurt)