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W. T. "Bill" Alsbury 1918 - 1944

Bill Alsbury of United Kingdom was born in 1918 in England, and died at age 25 years old on August 13, 1944 at Wasserliesch, Germany.

Bill Alsbury

RAF Warrant Officer 156th sq.

United Kingdom

1918

England, United Kingdom

August 13, 1944

Wasserliesch, Germany

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W. T. "Bill" Alsbury Bill Alsbury (1918 - 1944)

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Bill Alsbury's History: 1918 - 1944

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Introduction

W.T. "Bill" Alsbury On joining the airforce, he trained as a wireless operator/air gunner, doing his radio training at Yatesbury followed by the gunnery course at RAF Kinloss in Scotland. His first tour of operations (normally twenty five flights over enemy territory) was with a Wellington squadron before returning to Yatesbury as an instructor. He then went on to complete a second tour (normally twenty operations but in this instance it may have been more) with a Lancaster squadron based in the Doncaster area, before another spell of instruction. His third tour, which was extended to 30 operations, was with 156 Squadron, flying Avro Lancaster bombers. 156 Squadron formed part of the Pathfinder Force, and was one of the squadrons whose job it was to mark the enemy target for the main force. This was an exceptionally dangerous mission which involved remaining over the target area for some time dropping marker flares. It was on just such an operation on the night of 12th/13th August 1944 following a raid deep into the Ruhr Valley industrial area, that Lancaster PB209 (coded GT-E) went missing, shot down after only eighty-three flying hours since its arrival with the squadron in July. It was also Bill's 97th operational flight. Geoff Dunham added (by email October 2016) "Lancaster PB209 was shot down at 0048 hrs over Wasserliesch (Trier-Saarburg) in the Rhineland by Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, the ‘greatest’ ace of all time (find him on Wikipedia). The plane was observed on fire, partially broke up presumably on impact. The Wasserliesch Fire Brigade extinguished forest fires and recovered the remains of 5 crew from the plane. The bodies of deceased Bill Alsbury and Robert Valencia were found about 500 yards away with burnt parachutes. The crew were buried in Wasserliesch Cemetery by the Germans, later in Rheinberg British War Cemetery. The raid had been on the Opel plant at Russelsheim which was thought to be making wings for V1 bombs." Rainer Clemens (Germany) November 2017 sent photos relating to the crashed Lancaster in which Bill Alsbury died, and the new Memorial set up in Wasserliesch in 2017. Sincere thanks to Rainer Clemens for his efforts & kindness. M.B. Alsbury
1918

Birthday

1918

Birthdate

England United Kingdom

Birthplace

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Military Service

Warrant Officer William Thomas(Bill) Alsbury Wireless Op./Gunner (Instructor) R.A.F. 156th squadron (Pathfinders) Lancaster Avro Mark III Strategic bomb group. Bill had completed 2 full tours & volunteered for 3rd tour during WW2, average survival rate for these airmen was only 2 weeks.
08/13

1944

Death

August 13, 1944

Death date

Killed in Action

Cause of death

Wasserliesch, Germany
Death location

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4 Memories, Stories & Photos about Bill

Royal Air Force, Upwood 156 squadron, Avro Lancaster MKIII Bomber #PB209, Warrant Officer: W. T. "Bill" Alsbury

Michael Alsbury

189 favorites

03/21/2024

Royal Air Force, Upwood 156 squadron, Avro Lancaster MKIII Bomber #PB209, Warrant Officer: W. T. "Bill" Alsbury

W.T."Bill" Alsbury & RAF Lancaster #PB209 WW2 photos. M.B. Mike Alsbury family records collection.

Date & Place: in Europe, Grevenmacher County, Rhineland-Palatinate/ Upwoood Germany/England

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R.A.F. War/Officer: William Thomas Alsbury

Michael Bruce Alsbury

170 favorites

11/29/2023

R.A.F. War/Officer: William Thomas Alsbury

RAF, 156th squadron, Warrant Officer: William Thomas "Bill" Alsbury, photo of RAF Officers WW2 hat. Bill Alsbury was killed in action during his voluntary 3rd tour. The 156th squadron was sent on night bombing of V-rocket factory, after bombing the target Bill's Avro Lancaster Mark III ws shot down near Wasserliesch, Germany 13-August-1944. Shot down by German fighter ace.

Date & Place: August 13, 1944

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Michael Bruce Alsbury

170 favorites

11/29/2023

William Thomas Alsbury

These personal items along with many other items recently recovered during a careful excavation at the crash site of RAF 156th squadrons Lancaster bomber #PB209 . Warrant officer William Thomas "Bill" Alsbury and 6 other crew members were killed in action when they were shot down during a night bombing mission over Germany by a German fighter ace 13-Aug-1944.

Date & Place: 2022 in Wasserliesch, Grevenmacher County, Rhineland-Palatinate 54332, Germany

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