BOYCE, William George
| Service Number: | 421239 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 January 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | No. 460 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Rylstone, New South Wales, Australia, 22 April 1918 |
| Home Town: | Capertee, Lithgow, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Kandos Intermediate High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Railway Porter |
| Died: | Shot down by German nightfighter during minelaying mission, Gunderup, Ribe, Denmark, North West Europe, 10 April 1944, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery Brande, Denmark Section A, Row 7, Grave 23) |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flight Sergeant, 421239 | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 421239, No. 460 Squadron (RAAF) | |
| 31 Jan 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 421239 | |
| 31 Jan 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman, 421239, 2 Recruit Depot, Joined Citizen Air Force in Sydney | |
| 25 Apr 1942: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, No. 2 Initial Training School Bradfield Park, Mustered as Aircrew V (Gunner) | |
| 12 Nov 1942: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, No. 2 Bombing and Air Gunnery School / No. 3 Air Observers School Port Pirie, Mustering now Wireless Operator Air Gunner (WOAG) on completion of advanced training course. | |
| 12 May 1943: | Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 11 Personnel Depot and Receiving Centre, Promoted whilst at No. 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre, Bournemouth, England. | |
| 4 Feb 1944: | Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, No. 460 Squadron (RAAF), Posted to 460 Sqn (RAAF), based at RAF Base Binbrook, England. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS
William George BOYCE was born on 22nd April 1918 in Rylstone, New South Wales, the second of three children and only son to parents Olive Muriel (nee BLACKETT) and William George BOYCE.
A 22 year old single, railway porter living in Capertee NSW at the time, William (known as Billy) enlisted in the Citizen Royal Australian Air Force in Sydney, on 31st January 1941. He was allocated the service number 421239, and commenced aircrew recruit training with the rank of Aircraftman at No. 2 Initial Training School in Bradfield Park, NSW.
On 13th April 1942, William was assigned the mustering of Aircrew V (Gunner). He commenced training for that role at No. 2 Wireless and Gunnery School in Parkes, NSW, on 30th April, having been promoted to the rank of Leading Aircraftman five days before. On 19th October 1942, William commenced advanced training at No. 2 Bomb and Gunnery School in Port Pirie, South Australia. Upon completion of that training, William was mustered as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner, and promoted to the rank of Sergeant, on 12th November 1942.
The following day, William returned to Bradfield Park, NSW, where he was posted to No. 2 Embarkation Depot. Two months later, on 13th January 1943, he was transferred to No. 1 Embarkation Depot in Ascot Vale, Victoria. William embarked for the United Kingdom from Melbourne two days later.
Arriving in England on 17th March 1943, William proceeded to No. 11 (RAAF) Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre in Bournemouth. Here, he was promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant on 12th May 1943.
On 15th June 1943, William was posted to RAF Station West Freugh, in the south of Scotland. This base was utilised as a bombing range during WW2. On 20th July, William was again transferred to No. 27 Operational Training Unit at RAF Base Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. According to the BirtwistleWiki website, "RAF Operational Training Units were the last stage of training for aircrew before being assigned to an operational unit in the UK or the Middle East. By this stage, individuals had formed and trained as a crew in the aircraft type they were to fly in combat operations. Once formed these crews would often fly together until separated by death, injury, illness or re-posting."
On 19th October 1943, William was transferred to No. 1662 Conversion Unit in Blyton, England, for the final stage of his training. This Unit qualified air crews who had previously only trained in medium bomber aircraft (Wellington and Halifax), to operate in the heavy bombers, such as the Avro Lancaster, once posted to an operational squadron.
On 4th February 1944, William was finally posted to 460 Squadron (RAAF) at RAF Base Binbrook, assigned as Wireless Operator Air Gunner (WOAG) in the crew of Lancaster Bomber JD734.
About 3am on 9th April 1944, William and his crew set out in their Lancaster Bomber on a mine laying operation over the Baltic Sea that was to target Danzig Bay, a Polish city which had been invaded by Germany. Following their failure to return from their sortie, they were reported as missing, which was later upgraded on 10th April to presumed dead. Of the 12 aircraft dispatched on this mission, three were lost to flak or nightfighters, and one crashed on take-off. All the crew aboard William's Lancaster were killed, probably by nightfighter, about 4am. They were:
F/Sgt William George BOYCE (RAAF)
Sgt Sidney EDWARDS (RAF)
Sgt Thomas McKINSTRY (RAF)
F/Sgt Donald Henry MARTIN (RAAF)
F/Sgt Edgar OBERHARDT (RAAF)
P/O Robert John PROUD (RAAF Pilot)
F/O Leonard Myles RYAN (RAAF)
William's remains, along with the rest of his crew, were later recovered from the wreckage, and he was buried in Fourfeldt Cemetery Esbjerg, Denmark (Section A, Row 7, Grave 23). William was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Aircrew Europe Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and the Australia Service Medal.
Lest we forget...
Compiled by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS from historical records kept by the National Archives of Australia, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and Australia @ War website.
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