Bill Williams and Jimmy Ward VC?

[Dave Homewood]

Who was with Jimmy Ward when he did his daring deeds that saw him awarded the Victoria Cross?

I have a reference to a Dunedin airman called Bill Williams being at Guadalcanal with No. 3 Squadron who was allegedly with Jimmy Ward that night.

I am wondering, is this William Noel Williams DFC, DFM, also of Dunedin?

He was known as Bill, and he was on No. 3 Squadron at Guadalcanal. He was awarded the DFM with No. 105 Squadron (Blenheims) in 1941 and later the DFC with No. 1 (BR) Squadron RNZAF in 1944, the latter being the famous flight where the Ventura flown by Don Ayson was attacked by up to nine Zero fightrs, and the air gunners foguth them off, with Red Hannah shooting down three and two probables.

Was William Noel Williams on that famous flight and the famous Ward VC flight too?

[errolmartyn]

The crew on the night of the VC event comprised S/L R P Widdowson, RAF (Captain); Sgt J A Ward (2nd pilot); Sgt L A Lawton (Observer), Sgt W Mason (W/Opr), Sgt Evans (Front Gunner) and Sgt A J R Box (Rear-gunner).

There is no evidence to suggest that William Noel Williams ever served with No. 75 Sqn.

(with acknowledgement to David Duxbury)

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Errol. I thought that it was too good to be true. I wonder what it was all about.

Does anyone know of another Bill Willimas on No. 75 (NZ) Squadron at that time in 1941? Glen?

[Dave Homewood]

According to By Such Deeds by Colin Hanson, William Noel Williams flew over 600 operations as an Air Gunner. That is flaming amazing. What a guy. And he lived through it all. Ops in Blenheims was pretty dangerous too, I believe.

What a shame he's not still around, I'd love to have met him. And I'd love to read his logbook/s.

[furd]

Nov 20, 2011 9:09:22 GMT 12 errolmartyn said:

The crew on the night of the VC event comprised S/L R P Widdowson, RAF (Captain); Sgt J A Ward (2nd pilot); Sgt L A Lawton (Observer), Sgt W Mason (W/Opr), Sgt Evans (Front Gunner) and Sgt A J R Box (Rear-gunner).

There is no evidence to suggest that William Noel Williams ever served with No. 75 Sqn.

(with acknowledgement to David Duxbury)

Errol

L A Lawton was the Chief Navigator at Air NZ when I joined the company on Electras in early 1970. He retired around 1975.