FS Sparrow had survived the crash of 424 Squadron Wellington X aircraft HE 369 QB-P at RAF Topcliffe on return from an operation to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Three crew members were killed in that crash
Sparrow, William Albert (Flight Sergeant)
Killed in Action 1943-June-25
Birth Date: 1915-July-22
Born: Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada
Parents: Son of William George and Sadie Louise (nee Caswell) Sparrow, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Spouse:
Home: Toronto, Ontario
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
Skipton-on-Swale
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Position
Air Gunner (Rear)
Service Numbers
R/80605
Home
Toronto, Ontario
Target
Wuppertal Germany
Temporary Burial
Zuylen Catholic Cemetery, Breda, Netherlands
Remains were later exhumed from this location and reburied
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Crew or Other Personnel
Wellington HF572
Mission
Wellington B. Mk. X HF572
Bombing Wuppertal Germany 1943-June-24 to 1943-June-25
432 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Skipton-on-Swale
630 aircraft - 251 Lancasters, 171 Halifaxes, 101 Wellingtons, 98 Stirlings, 9 Mosquitoes. 34 aircraft- 10 Halifaxes, 10 Stirlings, 8 Lancasters, 6 Wellingtons- lost, 5.4 per cent of the force.
This attack was aimed at the Elberfeld half of Wuppertal, the Barmen half of the town having been devastated at the end of May. The Pathfinder marking was accurate and the Main Force bombing started well but the creep back became more pronounced than usual. 30 aircraft bombed targets in more western parts of the Ruhr; Wuppertal was at the eastern end of the area. These bombing failures were probably a result of the recent run of intensive operations incurring casualties at a high level: However, much serious damage was again caused to this medium-sized Ruhr town. The post-war British survey estimated that 94 per cent of the Elberfeld part of Wuppertal was destroyed on this night and Wuppertal's own records show that more bombs fell in Elberfeld than had fallen in Barmen on the last raid. 171 industrial premises and approximately 1000 houses were destroyed; 53 industrial premises and 2,500 houses were severely damaged. Approximately 1,800 people were killed and 2,400 injured.
There was a dramatic incident in Gelsenkirchen, 20 miles north of Wuppertal, when an R.A.F. 4-engined bomber crashed into the hall of a building which had been taken over by the Wehrmacht. The bomber blew up 'with a terrific explosion'. A German officer, 13 soldiers, the caretaker of the building and 5 Dutch trainee postal workers were killed and 2 more soldiers died later.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Wellington BX aircraft HF 572 QO-J missing from operations over Wuppertal, Germany, shot down by night fighter pilot Leutnant Werner Baake of the 1/NJG 1, flying a Bf 110 G-4 from Gilze-Rijen airfield, Netherlands
The bomber crashed at 'Kleine Ipperakker' Kerkdriel, Gelderland, Netherlands. The entire crew was lost
FS WA Sparrow (RCAF), Sergeant N Goldie (RAFVR), Sergeant CK Killick (RAFVR), Sergeant G Liddle (RAFVR) and Sergeant FWN Trowbridge (RAFVR) were all killed in action
The air crew were initially buried at a Cemetery at Breda, later exhumed and reburied at the Canadian War Cemetery, Bergen-op-Zoom, Netherlands
There was a second 432 Squadron Wellington X aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serial HF 572 QO-J for additional information
Daily Operations 6bombergroup.ca
Unit Desciption
432 (B) Sqn Saeviter Ad Lucem ("Leaside")
History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington X, Lancaster II, Halifax III, VII)
The Squadron was the twelfth RCAF bomber squadron to be formed overseas in WWII. It was formed on May 1, 1943 at Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, UK as a unit of No 6 (RCAF) Group of RAF Bomber Command: indeed, it was the first bomber squadron to be formed directly into No 6 Group. Using the squadron identification letters QO it flew Vickers Wellington Mk X medium bombers until it moved to East Moor, Yorkshire on 19th September 1943, when it re-equipped with Avro Lancaster Mk II aircraft. East Moor was part of No 62 (RCAF) Base. The squadron re-equipped with Handley Page Halifax Mk III aircraft in February 1944, and with Halifax Mk VII in July of that year, and continued with them until the squadron was disbanded at East Moor on May 15, 1945.
In the course of operations the squadron flew 246 missions, involving 3130 individual sorties, for the loss of 73 aircraft. 8980 tons of bombs were dropped. Awards to squadron members included 2 DSOs, 119 DFCs,1 Bar to DFC, 1 CGM, 20 DFMs and 1 Croix de Guerre (France). Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1944, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1943.Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin
Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)
Maps for Movements of 432 Squadron 1943-45
MAP 1: 432 Squadron Bases 1943-45 (marked in green). Right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab
432 Squadron History Summary 1943-45
History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Canuck)
The squadron was re-formed at Bagotville, Quebec as an All-Weather Fighter unit on 1 October 1954. The squadron flew Avro CF-100 Canuck aircraft on North American Air Defence until it was disbanded on 15 October 1961.
Previous Events
1943-February-25 Flight Sergeant Survived
Wellington B. Mk. XQB-P |
424 B Sqn RCAF |
| 424 Tiger Squadron (Castigandos Castigamus) RAF Topcliffe, Wellington BX aircraft HE 369 QB-P crashed on the aerodrome at Topcliffe, Yorkshire, returning from an operation to Wilhelmshaven, Germany
FS WA Sparrow (RCAF) survived, injured. Please see Worley, RSB for complete casualty list and flight detail FS Sparrow would be killed 1943-06-25 on 432 squadron Wellington X aircraft HF 572 QO-J on a raid to Wuppertal, Germany |
|
Wellington B. Mk. X HE369
Bombing Wilhelmshaven Germany 1943-February-24 to 1943-February-25
424 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Topcliffe
424 Tiger Squadron (Castigandos Castigamus) RAF Topcliffe, Wellington BX aircraft HE 369 QB-P crashed on the aerodrome at Topcliffe, Yorkshire, returning from an operation to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The cause of the crash was not determined
Pilot Officer RSB Worley (RCAF), FS J Banks (RAFVR) and Sergeant AA Wiles (RAFVR) were killed in action in the crash
FS WA Sparrow (RCAF), Sergeant J Harrison (RCAF) and Sergeant FWN Trowbridge (RAFVR) survived, injured
Wellington HF572 B. Mk. X - Bombing Wuppertal Germany - 1943-06-24 to 1943-06-25
Squadron: 432 (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1943-06-24
Completion Date: 1943-06-25
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Wuppertal Germany
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Skipton-on-Swale
Take Off Time: 23:05
Squadron Code: QO-J
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Netherlands
Crash Specifics: 'Kleine Ipperakker' Kerkdriel, Gelderland
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: fighter
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim: Leutnant Werner Baake of the 1/NJG 1
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group June 24/25, 1943
37 Halifaxes from 408, 419, 427, and 428 Squadrons were joined by 38 Wellingtons from 429, 431, and 432 Squadrons on an attack at Wuppertal. The crews were over the target at between 12,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 96,000 lbs of high explosives and 188,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
630 aircraft - 251 Lancasters, 171 Halifaxes, 101 Wellingtons, 98 Stirlings, 9 Mosquitoes. 34 aircraft- 10 Halifaxes, 10 Stirlings, 8 Lancasters, 6 Wellingtons- lost, 5.4 per cent of the force.
This attack was aimed at the Elberfeld half of Wuppertal, the Barmen half of the town having been devastated at the end of May. The Pathfinder marking was accurate and the Main Force bombing started well but the creep back became more pronounced than usual. 30 aircraft bombed targets in more western parts of the Ruhr; Wuppertal was at the eastern end of the area. These bombing failures were probably a result of the recent run of intensive operations incurring casualties at a high level: However, much serious damage was again caused to this medium-sized Ruhr town. The post-war British survey estimated that 94 per cent of the Elberfeld part of Wuppertal was destroyed on this night and Wuppertal's own records show that more bombs fell in Elberfeld than had fallen in Barmen on the last raid. 171 industrial premises and approximately 1000 houses were destroyed; 53 industrial premises and 2,500 houses were severely damaged. Approximately 1,800 people were killed and 2,400 injured.
There was a dramatic incident in Gelsenkirchen, 20 miles north of Wuppertal, when an R.A.F. 4-engined bomber crashed into the hall of a building which had been taken over by the Wehrmacht. The bomber blew up 'with a terrific explosion'. A German officer, 13 soldiers, the caretaker of the building and 5 Dutch trainee postal workers were killed and 2 more soldiers died later.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Wellington BX aircraft HF 572 QO-J missing from operations over Wuppertal, Germany, shot down by night fighter pilot Leutnant Werner Baake of the 1/NJG 1, flying a Bf 110 G-4 from Gilze-Rijen airfield, Netherlands
The bomber crashed at 'Kleine Ipperakker' Kerkdriel, Gelderland, Netherlands. The entire crew was lost
FS WA Sparrow (RCAF), Sergeant N Goldie (RAFVR), Sergeant CK Killick (RAFVR), Sergeant G Liddle (RAFVR) and Sergeant FWN Trowbridge (RAFVR) were all killed in action
The air crew were initially buried at a Cemetery at Breda, later exhumed and reburied at the Canadian War Cemetery, Bergen-op-Zoom, Netherlands
There was a second 432 Squadron Wellington X aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serial HF 572 QO-J for additional information
Daily Operations 6bombergroup.ca