LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Gregory Percival WILLIAMS
Service No: 402428
Born: Mosman NSW, 17 July 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 August 1940
Unit: No. 103 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Elsham Wolds
Died: Air Operations: (No. 103 Squadron Wellington aircraft R1213), Netherlands, 29 August 1941, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Flushing (Vlissingen), Northern Cemetery, Zeeland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas James Williams and Daisy Williams, of Dee Why, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wellington R1213 took off from Elsham Wolds at 2301 hours on the night of 29 August 1941, detailed to bomb Mannheim, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was struck by lightning and crashed in the vicinity of Vlissingen (Zeeland), Netherlands. Four of the crew members were killed and two became Prisoners of War.
The crew members of R1213 were:
Sergeant H Dunn (1378581) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner) PoW
Sergeant Arthur Harry Figg (R/60716) (RCAF) (Observer)
Sergeant John Grassom (974494) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Hugh Alphonsus Kelly (971259) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer W R Oldfield (86693) (RAFVR) (Pilot) PoW
Sergeant Gregory Percival Williams (402428) (Second Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/178/186
Bibliography:
Charlwood, D.E.C. (Donald Ernest Cameron) (408794) No Moon Tonight (Angus and Robertson 1956), Penguin Ringwood VIC, 3134, 1991