Hello, First off im a first time poster so please forgive me if this is in the wrong place. Im just wondering if anyone can help me track down anymore information on a Sgt W.Antcliffe. My grandma tends to a memorial to him in our local grave yard, and as i have an interest in World War Two RAF i thought id do some digging about him! All ive found out is that he was listed as missing/killed on the 23/24 may 1943, Id love to be able to put a face to the name if thats at all possible? Many thanks in advance! Joe
Hi Joe and welcome to the forum. A quick search on Google suggests that he was a crew member of of Vickers Wellington III BK489 see page 40 on the pdf file from this link; http://www.euppublishing.com/userimages/contenteditor/1227546275361/annexe_i_part_2.pdf I cross referenced this information with Bomber Command Losses 1943 Vol 4 and Vol 7 by W R Chorley and it would appear to be correct.
Nicks, Thanks for the info I'd just come across abit about him being a w.op/air gnr and that they had been on a nickels (Not sure what that is) raid to the Paris area when they were lost! Joe
A Nickel raid was the dropping of propaganda leaflets over enemy occupied Europe, mainly carried out by OTU crews by this stage of the war I believe.
Once again, many thanks! Any other information anyone on here has would be greatly appreciated! It's strange I only found out about the man two days ago yet I really want to find out more about him and the crew he was with on that fatal night!
Hi Joe, You said your grandma "tends to a memorial to him". Is this a family headstone or memorial plaque in which he is included as he is listed on the Runnymede Memorial. Cheers Geoff
Just looking through a bit further and it seems they were just married in the 1st qtr of 1942 and their son was born 1st qtr of 1943, He could not be more than five months old and his wife not yet 21. A sad reminder of those that are left behind. Geoff
Hi Geoff, The memorial for him is a little marble vase that people buy to put flowers in on top of graves! It's sat on another Antcliffe family grave but unfortunately you can only just read the surname of the grave the vase is sat on! Also thank you for the additional info! Joe
Panel attached from Runnymede ANTCLIFFE, WILLIAM Rank: Sergeant Trade: W.Op./Air Gnr. Service No: 1187326 Date of Death: 24/05/1943 Age: 27 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 27 O.T.U. Panel Reference Panel 140. Memorial RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Antcliffe; husband of Sylvia Antcliffe, of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1082867/ANTCLIFFE,%20WILLIAM