William Charles JAMES

William Charles JAMES Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

JAMES, William Charles

Service Number:	429965
Enlisted:	10 October 1942
Last Rank:	Flying Officer
Last Unit:	No. 186 Squadron (RAF)
Born:	Rosefield, South Australia , 9 November 1923
Home Town:	Rosefield, South Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Railways Clerk
Died:	Aircraft shot down by night fighter - Dresden, Dresden Germany, 14 February 1945, aged 21 years
Cemetery:	Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery Plot 8. Row C. Grave 11
Memorials:	Adelaide South Australian Railways WW1 & WW2 Honour Boards, Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial

World War 2 Service

10 Oct 1942:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 429965, No. 4 Initial Training School Victor Harbor
11 Oct 1942:	Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 429965, Aircrew Training Units, Empire Air Training Scheme
11 Nov 1944:	Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 429965, No. 186 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45
11 Nov 1944:	Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 186 Squadron (RAF)
11 Dec 1944:	Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 186 squadron (RAF)
15 Feb 1945:	Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, No. 186 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45, Operation Thunderclap - Bombing of Dresden. Aircraft shot down by enemy night fighter
Date unknown:	Involvement

Help us honour William Charles James's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Graham Padget

William Charles James was the son of John Rodda James and Mary Margaret James, of Rosefield Adelaide, South Australia

Flying Officer James Lancaster NG353 took off from RAF Stradishall at 2203 hours on the night of 13 February 1945, detailed to bomb Dresden on Operation Thunderclap. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research and Enquiry team later reported: “The aircraft was attacked by an enemy night fighter and crashed at Dresden on 14 February 1945.” All the crew members were killed.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia