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Sgt William Gowland Anderson

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Sgt William Gowland Anderson

Birth
Death
28 Apr 1944
Wahlkreis Toggenburg, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Burial
Vevey, District de la Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut, Vaud, Switzerland Add to Map
Plot
92
Memorial ID
View Source
1501026
W.Op./Air Gnr.
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
101 Sqdn.

Son of William and May Anderson, of Murton, Co. Durham.

Eight air crew members of 166 Squadron were on board Avro Lancaster (#LL750) bomber when it took flight from its base at RAF Station Ludford Magna in Lincolnshire; the Lancaster was one of 323 ‘Lancs’ and 1 Mosquito aircraft which had set out on a night operation over Friedrichshaven in Germany. A German night fighter attacked the Lancaster, shooting it down and causing it to burn and crash on a hillside near Gräppelensee (Lake Gräppelen) in the Swiss Alps; six airmen perished in the crash and two others survived (POW).
The casualties of this incident were:-
RCAF Pilot Officer Oscar Jacob ALBRECHT,
RAFVR Sergeant William Gowland ANDERSON,
RAFVR Sergeant Francis Henry BATHMAKER,
RAFVR Flying Officer John Raymond BURTON,
RAF Warrant Officer Bertram Bernard NOBLE and
RAF Sergeant Maurice George SMITH.

A memorial plaque has been placed at the crash site. It reads:-
“Zum Gedenken
An die sechs englischen
Besatzungsmtglieder die am
28. April 1944 beim Absturz
Mit de Avro Lancaster
Den Tod fanden.“
(In memory
of the six English
Aircrew members
Who died on
28 April 1944 in the crash
of their Avro Lancaster.)

(SJ Hearn)
1501026
W.Op./Air Gnr.
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
101 Sqdn.

Son of William and May Anderson, of Murton, Co. Durham.

Eight air crew members of 166 Squadron were on board Avro Lancaster (#LL750) bomber when it took flight from its base at RAF Station Ludford Magna in Lincolnshire; the Lancaster was one of 323 ‘Lancs’ and 1 Mosquito aircraft which had set out on a night operation over Friedrichshaven in Germany. A German night fighter attacked the Lancaster, shooting it down and causing it to burn and crash on a hillside near Gräppelensee (Lake Gräppelen) in the Swiss Alps; six airmen perished in the crash and two others survived (POW).
The casualties of this incident were:-
RCAF Pilot Officer Oscar Jacob ALBRECHT,
RAFVR Sergeant William Gowland ANDERSON,
RAFVR Sergeant Francis Henry BATHMAKER,
RAFVR Flying Officer John Raymond BURTON,
RAF Warrant Officer Bertram Bernard NOBLE and
RAF Sergeant Maurice George SMITH.

A memorial plaque has been placed at the crash site. It reads:-
“Zum Gedenken
An die sechs englischen
Besatzungsmtglieder die am
28. April 1944 beim Absturz
Mit de Avro Lancaster
Den Tod fanden.“
(In memory
of the six English
Aircrew members
Who died on
28 April 1944 in the crash
of their Avro Lancaster.)

(SJ Hearn)

Inscription

FATHER
IN THY GRACIOUS KEEPING
LEAVE WE NOW
THY SERVANT SLEEPING


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  • Created by: mynwent
  • Added: Apr 8, 2013
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/108039515/william_gowland-anderson: accessed ), memorial page for Sgt William Gowland Anderson (unknown–28 Apr 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 108039515, citing Vevey Saint Martin's Cemetery, Vevey, District de la Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut, Vaud, Switzerland; Maintained by mynwent (contributor 47204822).