Blades, William Henry (Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1941-August-30

Sergeant William Henry Blades RCAF

Birth Date: 1920

Born:

Parents: James and Emily Blades

Spouse:

Home: Delburne, Alberta (parents)

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

115 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Despite The Elements

Base

RAF Marham

Rank

Sergeant

Position

W/Op-AG

Service Numbers

R/60725

Home
Google MapDelburne, Alberta (parents)
Target
Google MapMannheim Germany
Final Burial
Google MapMarham Cemetery
War Graves Plot Grave 5

Aircraft D9826 was shot down by an enemy intruder aircraft over Martlesham Heath, England on a return flight from Mannheim Germany.

FS J M Boyce (RCAF) was injured in the crash and died of his injuries in Ipswich Hospital on Sept 1,1941

Killed includes Blades: Flight Sergeant John William Boyce RCAF R/62091 KIA St Mary Churchyard, Blundeston, Suffolk, Grave 21. L. Sergeant Wilfred John Cowell RAF KIA St. Mary's RC Cemetery, Wardley, England. Flight Sergeant Alfred Forse RAF KIA Seaham Cemetery, Durham, England. Sergeant John Kemp Murdoch RAF pilot KIA St. Katherine Churchyard, Canvey Island, England. Sergeant Francis James McGaw RAF pilot KIA Auchencairn Cemetery, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Wellington X9826

Sergeant William Henry Blades RCAF

Sergeant Blades, William Henry (RCAF)
W/Op-AG
Killed in Action
1941-August-30
Marham Cemetery, Norfolk, UK

Flt. Sergeant John William Boyce RCAF

Flt. Sergeant Boyce, John William (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1941-August-30
St Mary Churchyard, Blundeston, Suffolk, UK

Sergeant Wilfred John Cowell RAF

Sergeant Cowell, Wilfred John (RAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1941-August-30
cemetery unknown

Flt Sergeant Alfred Forse RAF

Flt Sergeant Forse, Alfred (RAF)
Navigator
Killed in Action
1941-August-30
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Francis James McGaw RAF

Sergeant McGaw, Francis James (RAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1941-August-30
cemetery unknown

Sergeant John Kemp Murdoch RAF

Sergeant Murdoch, John Kemp (RAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1941-August-30
cemetery unknown

Unit Desciption

115 (B) Sqn Despite The Elements ()

No. 115 Sqn was originally formed on Dec 1, 1917 as a heavy bomber squadron and joined the Independent Air Force of the RAF in August 1918. It was disbanded in 1919, then re-formed in June 1937. It formed part of RAF Bomber Command No. 3 Group in WWII. Starting with Handley Page Harrow aircraft, it transferred to Vickers Wellingtons in 1939, which it flew until March 1943, when it transferred to Avro Lancaster B. Mk. II and later B. Mks I and III. Between April 1940 and September 1942 the squadron was seconded to Coastal Command and based at Kinloss, Scotland. It rejoined Bomber Command and flew from Mildenhall, East Wretham and Little Snoring in 1942 and 1943 before settling at Witchford, Cambridgeshire from November 1943 until the end of hostilities.

In April 1940 the squadron made the RAF's first bombing attack on the mainland of Europe, at Stavanger in Norway. In August of 1941 it participated in the service trials of the new navigational aid, GEE, and as a result of its report the device was put into mass production. Overall, in WWII the squadron flew 5392 sorties and dropped about 23,000 tons of bombs. This was the second-highest tonnage of bombs in Bomber Command. The squadron was 3rd in the number of raids in the course of the war. Since it was active over the whole span of WWI, it lost the greatest number of aircraft of any squadron in Bomber Command: it was the only squadron to lose more than 200 aircraft.