The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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226386 F/O. William J. Mawdsley Royal Australian Air Force 23rd Operational Training Unit from:Nathalia, Victoria, Australia (d.2nd June 1942) Bill Mawdsley was born in 1912 and became a school teacher. In early 1941 he took part in No 9 Course, No 4 Empire Flight Training Scheme at Mascot New South Wales. He was then posted to "Y" Depot, Halifax, Canada leaving his wife Lorna at home in Australia. After arrival in England he was completing his training at the 23rd OTU at Pershore when he was sent with his crew as part of the second "Thousand Force" night raid to Essen in Germany. He was in command of a Wellington 1c bomber - No R1266-GZ and took off from Pershore at 23.05 and did not return from the mission. Nothing was known of them until 8 years later when Dutch bulldozers excavated the plane with its dead crew. They had been shot down over Holland and crashed near the Terwindt Brickyard at Kerkdriel (Gelderland) on the west bank of the Maas and and some 13kms west-south-west of Oss in the neighboring province of Noord Braleant. It was thought that two of the crew had perhaps bailed out but not survived. He is buried with his crew at Uden War Cemetery. Bill Mawdsley at far left of photograph at Halifax, Canada Noel Thompson Add to this record.  Related Content: RAF Pershore No . 4 Empire Flight Training School Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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