Bigoray, William Walter (Pilot Officer)

7 Squadron (Per Diem Per Noctum), Pathfinder Force. Aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Reichenbach, Germany. No Survivors. On 1942-12-03, Pilot Officer Bigoray was flying Wellington aircraft DV 819 for 192 Squadron on a special trip to act as a decoy and to determine the radio frequency that the JU-88 night fighter aircraft were using. The operation was successful but Bigoray was wounded and paralyzed from the waist down, he was put into a parachute and pushed out of the aircraft. W/O1 Bigoray landed on the roof of a church in Deal, Kent, England, recovered and was assigned to another squadron. Addendum: - Distinguished Flying Medal - No 1474 Flight, RAF - Award effective 29 December 1942 as per London Gazette dated 12 January 1943 and AFRO 232.43 dated 12 February 1943. Cited with Pilot Officer E.A. Fulton (RCAF), DFC. Award presented 13 April 1941 The citation reads - "Pilot Officers Jordham and Paulton and Flight Sergeant Bigoray have displayed great gallantry, fortitude and devotion to duty in exceptionally hazardous circumstances." Detail provided by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.