Flight Sergeant, Wireless Operator Air Gunner 1817057, Royal Air Force Volunteer reserve died 4 March 1945 aged 27. Son of William and Ellen of South Wingfield, derbyshire Buried at All Saints churchyard, South Wingfield, Derbys∼FLIGHT SERGEANT
WILLIAM BRIDDON
Service Number: 1817057
Regiment & Unit/Ship
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
214 Sqdn.
Date of Death
Died 04 March 1945
Age 27 years old
Son of William and Ellen Briddon, of South Wingfield.
William, was born in South Wingfield in Derbyshire at Hollywells Farm, the fourth and youngest of his family. He had many interests growing up. A religious man, he was a local preacher in the chapel at South Wingfield and also a keen musician. He was involved in Sunday School and being born on the farm a keen farmer. When they would be out in the fields working he would get everyone gazing into the skies at the sound of an engine. This passion got him into the ATC, where he was at the outbreak of war. Classed as Land Army he was told not to sign up, but to carry on working the land. This he did until he couldn't take not being involved any more, and in 1943 he signed up for aircrew RAF.
He trained at various RAF establishments: Madeley, Walney, Yatesbury, Bruntingthorpe, Wigtown, HCU Stradishall. In November 1944, he was posted to 214 Squadron at RAF Oulton, Norfolk, flying B-17G Flying Fortress' at the time.
He started operational flying in December, and flew 10 ops doing Jostle and Window patrol including Xmas Eve without incident. However into the New Year things were to change.
On 7th February 1945 he and his crew set off on a Jostle patrol to Ladbergen, this was the first real encounter with the horror of war.
He was engaged to be married in May 1945 to Marjorie Bancroft, a WAAF from Bruntingthorpe.
William's aircraft was coming in to land at Oulton at 00.50 hours when it was hit by fire from a Junkers Ju88G-6 of Luftwaffe unit 10/NJG.3 based at Jever. The German pilot flew beneath this aircraft, recognised it as a B-17 Fortress from its tail shape, and attacked it with upward firing cannons. The B-17 crashed just short of the Drem lights in 'a large cloud of dust but with no fire.'
The crash was witnessed by William's Flight Commander, Squadron Leader Bob Davies who was approaching Oulton in another Fortress; it was his damaged aircraft that was given priority to land; Leslie's Fortress had to make another circuit, which led to it being attacked.
WILLIAM BRIDDON
Service Number: 1817057
Regiment & Unit/Ship
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
214 Sqdn.
Date of Death
Died 04 March 1945
Age 27 years old
Son of William and Ellen Briddon, of South Wingfield.
William, was born in South Wingfield in Derbyshire at Hollywells Farm, the fourth and youngest of his family. He had many interests growing up. A religious man, he was a local preacher in the chapel at South Wingfield and also a keen musician. He was involved in Sunday School and being born on the farm a keen farmer. When they would be out in the fields working he would get everyone gazing into the skies at the sound of an engine. This passion got him into the ATC, where he was at the outbreak of war. Classed as Land Army he was told not to sign up, but to carry on working the land. This he did until he couldn't take not being involved any more, and in 1943 he signed up for aircrew RAF.
He trained at various RAF establishments: Madeley, Walney, Yatesbury, Bruntingthorpe, Wigtown, HCU Stradishall. In November 1944, he was posted to 214 Squadron at RAF Oulton, Norfolk, flying B-17G Flying Fortress' at the time.
He started operational flying in December, and flew 10 ops doing Jostle and Window patrol including Xmas Eve without incident. However into the New Year things were to change.
On 7th February 1945 he and his crew set off on a Jostle patrol to Ladbergen, this was the first real encounter with the horror of war.
He was engaged to be married in May 1945 to Marjorie Bancroft, a WAAF from Bruntingthorpe.
William's aircraft was coming in to land at Oulton at 00.50 hours when it was hit by fire from a Junkers Ju88G-6 of Luftwaffe unit 10/NJG.3 based at Jever. The German pilot flew beneath this aircraft, recognised it as a B-17 Fortress from its tail shape, and attacked it with upward firing cannons. The B-17 crashed just short of the Drem lights in 'a large cloud of dust but with no fire.'
The crash was witnessed by William's Flight Commander, Squadron Leader Bob Davies who was approaching Oulton in another Fortress; it was his damaged aircraft that was given priority to land; Leslie's Fortress had to make another circuit, which led to it being attacked.
Flight Sergeant, Wireless Operator Air Gunner 1817057, Royal Air Force Volunteer reserve died 4 March 1945 aged 27. Son of William and Ellen of South Wingfield, derbyshire Buried at All Saints churchyard, South Wingfield, Derbys∼FLIGHT SERGEANT
WILLIAM BRIDDON
Service Number: 1817057
Regiment & Unit/Ship
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
214 Sqdn.
Date of Death
Died 04 March 1945
Age 27 years old
Son of William and Ellen Briddon, of South Wingfield.
William, was born in South Wingfield in Derbyshire at Hollywells Farm, the fourth and youngest of his family. He had many interests growing up. A religious man, he was a local preacher in the chapel at South Wingfield and also a keen musician. He was involved in Sunday School and being born on the farm a keen farmer. When they would be out in the fields working he would get everyone gazing into the skies at the sound of an engine. This passion got him into the ATC, where he was at the outbreak of war. Classed as Land Army he was told not to sign up, but to carry on working the land. This he did until he couldn't take not being involved any more, and in 1943 he signed up for aircrew RAF.
He trained at various RAF establishments: Madeley, Walney, Yatesbury, Bruntingthorpe, Wigtown, HCU Stradishall. In November 1944, he was posted to 214 Squadron at RAF Oulton, Norfolk, flying B-17G Flying Fortress' at the time.
He started operational flying in December, and flew 10 ops doing Jostle and Window patrol including Xmas Eve without incident. However into the New Year things were to change.
On 7th February 1945 he and his crew set off on a Jostle patrol to Ladbergen, this was the first real encounter with the horror of war.
He was engaged to be married in May 1945 to Marjorie Bancroft, a WAAF from Bruntingthorpe.
William's aircraft was coming in to land at Oulton at 00.50 hours when it was hit by fire from a Junkers Ju88G-6 of Luftwaffe unit 10/NJG.3 based at Jever. The German pilot flew beneath this aircraft, recognised it as a B-17 Fortress from its tail shape, and attacked it with upward firing cannons. The B-17 crashed just short of the Drem lights in 'a large cloud of dust but with no fire.'
The crash was witnessed by William's Flight Commander, Squadron Leader Bob Davies who was approaching Oulton in another Fortress; it was his damaged aircraft that was given priority to land; Leslie's Fortress had to make another circuit, which led to it being attacked.
WILLIAM BRIDDON
Service Number: 1817057
Regiment & Unit/Ship
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
214 Sqdn.
Date of Death
Died 04 March 1945
Age 27 years old
Son of William and Ellen Briddon, of South Wingfield.
William, was born in South Wingfield in Derbyshire at Hollywells Farm, the fourth and youngest of his family. He had many interests growing up. A religious man, he was a local preacher in the chapel at South Wingfield and also a keen musician. He was involved in Sunday School and being born on the farm a keen farmer. When they would be out in the fields working he would get everyone gazing into the skies at the sound of an engine. This passion got him into the ATC, where he was at the outbreak of war. Classed as Land Army he was told not to sign up, but to carry on working the land. This he did until he couldn't take not being involved any more, and in 1943 he signed up for aircrew RAF.
He trained at various RAF establishments: Madeley, Walney, Yatesbury, Bruntingthorpe, Wigtown, HCU Stradishall. In November 1944, he was posted to 214 Squadron at RAF Oulton, Norfolk, flying B-17G Flying Fortress' at the time.
He started operational flying in December, and flew 10 ops doing Jostle and Window patrol including Xmas Eve without incident. However into the New Year things were to change.
On 7th February 1945 he and his crew set off on a Jostle patrol to Ladbergen, this was the first real encounter with the horror of war.
He was engaged to be married in May 1945 to Marjorie Bancroft, a WAAF from Bruntingthorpe.
William's aircraft was coming in to land at Oulton at 00.50 hours when it was hit by fire from a Junkers Ju88G-6 of Luftwaffe unit 10/NJG.3 based at Jever. The German pilot flew beneath this aircraft, recognised it as a B-17 Fortress from its tail shape, and attacked it with upward firing cannons. The B-17 crashed just short of the Drem lights in 'a large cloud of dust but with no fire.'
The crash was witnessed by William's Flight Commander, Squadron Leader Bob Davies who was approaching Oulton in another Fortress; it was his damaged aircraft that was given priority to land; Leslie's Fortress had to make another circuit, which led to it being attacked.
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