Willis, Robert Andrew Grover (Pilot Officer)
Prisoner of War 1940-February-24
Birth Date: 1920
Born:
Parents: Grover Ithamar and Etta Myrtle (nee Beattie) Willis
Spouse:
Home: Aylmer, Ontario
Enlistment: London, UK
Enlistment Date: 1938-November-25
Service
RAF
Unit
99 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Quisque Tenax Each tenacious
Base
Newmarket
Rank
Pilot Officer
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
41766
PoW: 108
Aylmer, Ontario
Bob Willis story as told by Bill Dawson
March to the End of the War Bob Willis account of his final days as POWCrew or Other Personnel
Wellington R3170
Mission
Wellington 1C R3170
Bombing Cologne Germany 1940-February-24 to 1940-February-24
99 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Newmarket
On the evening of July 6, 1940 eight aircraft from 99 Squadron departed Newmarket at 21:45 including Wellington IC R3170 piloted by Bob Willis destined for Cologne Germany. In very poor weather conditions they were forced to abandoned their primary target and, on their return, attempted to bomb Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Their left engine was hit with flak and the aircraft burst into flames. Bob managed to belly-land the aircraft in a field in Haarlem coming to rest partially in a row of farmers cottage on a roadside. The rear gunner Sergeant Sexton died in the crash and subsequent fire, but the remainder of the crew, P/Os Willis and Perkins and Sergeants McArthur and Scanlon survived. Pilot Officer Perkins's foot was injured in the crash so they split up with Bob staying with John Perkins and McArthur and Scanlon able to travel more quickly to the east.
source: The Bob Willis Story, Bill Dawson
Previous Events
1940-February-24 Pilot Officer Interned Prisoner
Wellington Mk. IA |
99 B Sqn RAF |
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Took off from Newmarket at 17.13 on 23rd/24th February, 1940 in Wellington Mark Ic N 3004. Pilot Officer R A G Willis, Flying Officer O L Williams, Pilot Officer J S Trotter, Acting Sergeant A R Mattick, Aircraftman 2nd Class W Cockburn and Aircraftman 2nd Class C G Ashman: interned; Wellington N3004 force landed in Belgium, 24 February 1940. See extract from ORB. 
ORB 99 Sqn,Nickells
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Wellington R3170 1C - Bombing Cologne Germany - 1940-02-24 to 1940-02-24
Squadron: 99 (B) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1940-02-24
Completion Date: 1940-02-24
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Cologne Germany
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Newmarket
Take Off Time: 21.45
Squadron Code:
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Haarlem
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
On the evening of July 6, 1940 eight aircraft from 99 Squadron departed Newmarket at 21:45 including Wellington IC R3170 piloted by Bob Willis destined for Cologne Germany. In very poor weather conditions they were forced to abandoned their primary target and, on their return, attempted to bomb Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Their left engine was hit with flak and the aircraft burst into flames. Bob managed to belly-land the aircraft in a field in Haarlem coming to rest partially in a row of farmers cottage on a roadside. The rear gunner Sergeant Sexton died in the crash and subsequent fire, but the remainder of the crew, P/Os Willis and Perkins and Sergeants McArthur and Scanlon survived. Pilot Officer Perkins's foot was injured in the crash so they split up with Bob staying with John Perkins and McArthur and Scanlon able to travel more quickly to the east.
source: The Bob Willis Story, Bill Dawson