No.1584000, Bombardier, William Edward TURNER
Aged 33
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William Edward Turner was born on 14th October 1912 in Soham (Newmarket Q4-1912 3B:851), baptised in Soham on 5th January 1913, son of Harry and Rose TURNER (née WESTROPE) of Soham.
His father died in 1915 and his mother married Harry STARLING in 1921 At Station House, Soham was William E TURNER [14-10-1912] general labourer and his step father Harry STARLING [17-9-1874] gas stoker and his mother Rose STARLING [2-8-1878]. |
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He was a passenger on board a B-24 Liberator KH125 of 220 Squadron on 3rd December 1945, returning from India to RAK Oakington. Flying through turbulent
cumulo-imbus the right wing broke off, the aircraft crashed near Rochefort sur Mer in France, killing all 28 aboard.
Crew:- 125827 L J SLACK FL/Lt; 153958 E W BEECH Fl/Lt; 153832 A J BALSOM Fl/Lt; 1338852 S J GILLINGHAM W/O;190277 H ROWE F/O Passengers:- 1219314 C C BAKER LAC RAF; 1081474 W R BIRKETT LAC RAF;1439342 B F BLACKBOURN LAC RAF;1188678 H BOLTON SGT RAF;1634687 T G BURCH BSM R A;3607836 C DONALDSON SGT 2nd Bn BORDER RGT; 105294 W G GIBSON Fl/Lt RAF; 4622830 L HAINSWORTH SGT RAOC; 78912 J G HALLIDAY W CDR RAF; 1710457 H D HENDERSON Bombardier RA; 14645018 C J JOHN PTE 2nd Bn BORDER RGT; 1451624 A MITCHELL PTE R. WARWICKS 1st Bn; 1103953 R W NORTON GNR R A; 11423258 F J PARKIN PTE 2Bn BORDER RGT; 889208 S W PEARSON GNR R A; 1494315 I G RICHARDS PTE R.WARWICKS 1ST Bn; 1826728 D ROSS GNR RA; 14427984 CC THOMPSON GNR R A; 1584000 W E TURNER Bombardier RA; 14533035 W VINCENT Crafstman REME; 1494432 D WEST PTE R. WARWICKS 1st Bn; 935591 G WHITEHEAD GNR R A; 5390489 E S WINSLADE CPL WEST YORKS. Liberator transport aircraft were roughly converted for transport, mainly by stripping out all armament and by sealing their bomb-bay doors. The bomb-bay then had a wooden floor fitted, another wooden floor went in the tail behind the entry point which was underneath the fuselage. A simple passenger oxygen system was fitted with about 20 + individual masks, heating was mainly useless because of sealing problems. Sleeping bags pillows and rugs made up the luxury fittings. All passengers had to have full flying kit. Later long wooden benches were fitted. |
A Consolidated Liberator converted for transport
photo; Pierre Vandervelden www.inmemories.com
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