Remembering Today 6/6/44 P.M.Williams Civilian

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by CL1, Jun 6, 2012.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    WILLIAMS, PERCY MONTAGUE
    Rank:
    Civilian
    Date of Death:
    06/06/1944
    Age:
    59
    Regiment/Service:
    Civilian War Dead

    Reporting Authority
    GILLINGHAM, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
    Additional Information:
    of 63 Corporation Road. Died at 63 Corporation Road.
     
  2. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    WILLIAMS, PERCY MONTAGUE
    Rank:
    Civilian
    Date of Death:
    06/06/1944
    Age:
    59
    Regiment/Service:
    Civilian War Dead

    Reporting Authority
    GILLINGHAM, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH
    Additional Information:
    of 63 Corporation Road. Died at 63 Corporation Road.

    Details of the above loss.


    On June 6, 1944 two B-26 Marauder Bombers which were stationed out of Station No.161 located in Boreham, Essex while on route to a mission the 42-96263 was involved in a mid air collision with the 42-96050 of the 587th Bomber Squadron, 394th Bomber Group Medium, IX BC Ninth AF over Gillingham, Kent, England at 5:05 am. The planes were part of a larger group also flying that D-Day on a mission. Poor weather was said to have been the cause of the accident. Weather at the time of the accident was reported as: Vis 7 mi, wind 8 mph, 7/10, light rain. The pilot of the 263 was not flying on instruments at the time of the crash. Heresay testimony of civilians in the vicinity on Gillingham, Kent - as noted on the accident report - indicates that one aircraft was flying around beneath the overcast. The other aircraft came down out of a large black cloud and the two collided. No actual eyewitnesses were found.

    The 42-96050 jettisoned some of its bombs then crashed into homes on Corporation Road in Gillingham, killing the entire crew and four civilians. Six homes were demolished. The 42-96263 crashed into an orchard at the East Court Farm in Gillingham, Kent also killing all the crew.


    The crew of the 42-96050 was:
    -Witcher Terrell Berger
    -Ltd Warren D Rodgers
    -Sgt Edward H Monaghan
    -Sgt George S Knight
    -Sgt Alffred M Zussa
    -Cpl Forrest W Pafenberg

    The 42-96263 Crew was:
    -Lt Claude Wallace Kline
    -Lt Emil F Ostowsky
    -Sgt George S Rogers
    -Sgt Raymond F Sablatura
    -Sgt Joseph Amato
    -Sgt James F Bechtler

    The civilians killed in Gillingham were:

    Fanny F Whittingham
    Joan Beatrice Ada Taylor Neice of Fanny
    Percy Montague Williams
    George Thomas William Gandon

    Plane crash on Corporation Road, Gillingham, Kent 1944 Family History Local History
     
  3. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Percy Montague Williams




    [​IMG]



    Percy Montague Williams was born in January of 1883 in Peckham, London, England. He was the son of William Henry Williams and his wife Mary Eliza Rashleigh. On the 19th of May 1907 he married Florence Adeliade Tyrrell. Florence was the daughter of Alfred William & Frances Eliza Williams. Percy's grave stone incorrectly states that he was killed by enemy action when in fact he was killed when the allied American B26 crashed into his home.

    The Gillingham & Battle B-26 Crashes of 1944 - Home
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

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