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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William Harry Hamilton

In memory of:

Flying Officer William Harry Hamilton

October 4, 1943

Military Service


Service Number:

J/21291

Age:

21

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

419 Sqdn.

Citation(s):

1939-45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, General Service Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.

Additional Information


Born:

December 26, 1921
Windsor, Ontario

Enlistment:

October 28, 1940
Hamilton, Ontario

Son of Dewey John and Zelma Marion (née Rapley) of Windsor, Ontario. He was a student and single. He was the brother of Rapley Hamilton. He attended Prince Edward School from 1928 - 1935 and Walkerville Collegiate from 1935-1940. He was the financée of Margaret Meyer of The Manor, Weybridge, Surrey. He enjoyed football, hockey, swimming, track and building model planes.

Commemorated on Page 167 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

20. B. 28.

Location:

Rheinberg is 24 kilometres north of Krefeld and 13 kilometres south of Wesel, in the locality of Kamp Lintfort, Nordrhein-Westfal. The cemetery is 3 kilometres south of the centre of the town of Rheinberg on the road to Kamp Lintfort. From the motorway 57, turn off at Rheinberg and at the T junction follow the 510 in the direction Kamp Lintfort. The cemetery is a short way along this road on the right.

The site of Rheinberg War Cemetery was chosen in April 1946 by the Army Graves Service for the assembly of Commonwealth graves recovered from numerous German cemeteries in the area. The majority of those now buried in the cemetery were airmen, whose graves were brought in from Dusseldorf, Krefeld, Munchen-Gladbach, Essen, Aachen and Dortmund; 450 graves were from Cologne alone. The men of the other fighting services buried here mostly lost their lives during the battle of the Rhineland, or in the advance from the Rhine to the Elbe.

There are now 3,326 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated at Rheinberg War Cemetery. 156 of the burials are unidentified. There are also nine war graves of other nationalities, most of them Polish.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Memorial– Flying Officer William Harry Hamilton is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flying Officer William Harry Hamilton is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Bill in middle. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– 3rd from right in front row. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Harry Hamilton– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Group Photo– The crew of Halifax JD 204, from 419 Sqdn RCAF, was lost 4 October 1943 on the crew's 15th mission.  Takeoff was from Middleton St. George at 1740 Hrs, for target FRANKFURT.  Expected return 01:26 Hrs October 5th. Hamilton, Dale, Griffin and Bortolussi were killed in the crash.  Riley, McEwan, and Reay bailed out and were POW's.
Hamilton is standing in the rear 2nd from the left beside his friend Jack Dale.
Source of information: Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
Source of photograph: Mr. Robert E. Dale via R. Whitehouse
  • Group Photo– This picture of the Hamilton crew was taken in July/August of 1943 and sent home to their parents in Canada.  The crew names have be digitally added.  The four on the left; Bortolussi, Hamilton, Dale and Griffin are killed in the crash.  The other three; Riley, Reay and McEwan all parachuted to safety and were POW.

Source:  Photo from the Dale Family Archives via R. Whitehouse
            Crew information Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
  • Letter (October 28, 1943) Page 1– Page #1 
Letter from the parents of the pilot Hamilton  to the parents of the Bomb Aimer, the Dales.

Source:  Photo from the Dale Family Archives via R. Whitehouse
            Crew information Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
  • Letter (October 28, 1943) Page 2– 28 Oct 43 Letter Page #2 
Letter from the parents of the pilot Hamilton  to the parents of the Bomb Aimer, the Dales.

Source:  Photo from the Dale Family Archives via R. Whitehouse
            Crew information Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
  • Letter (October 28, 1943) Page 3– 28 Oct 43 Letter Page #3 
Letter from the parents of the pilot Hamilton  to the parents of the Bomb Aimer, the Dales.

Source:  Photo from the Dale Family Archives via R. Whitehouse
            Crew information Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
  • Letter (October 28, 1943) Page 4– 28 Oct 43 Letter Page #4 
Letter from the parents of the pilot Hamilton  to the parents of the Bomb Aimer, the Dales.

Source:  Photo from the Dale Family Archives via R. Whitehouse
            Crew information Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
  • Letter (November 27, 1943) Page 1– 27 Nov 43 Letter Page #1 
Letter from the parents of the pilot Hamilton  to the parents of the Bomb Aimer, the Dales.

Source:  Photo from the Dale Family Archives via R. Whitehouse
            Crew information Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
  • Letter (November 27, 1943) Page 2– 27 Nov 43 Letter Page #2
Letter from the parents of the pilot Hamilton  to the parents of the Bomb Aimer, the Dales.

Source:  Photo from the Dale Family Archives via R. Whitehouse
            Crew information Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
  • Letter (November 27, 1943) Page 3– 27 Nov 43 Letter Page #3
Letter from the parents of the pilot Hamilton  to the parents of the Bomb Aimer, the Dales.

Source:  Photo from the Dale Family Archives via R. Whitehouse
            Crew information Library & Archives Canada via R. Whitehouse
  • Cemetery– Entrance - Rheinberg War Cemetery - May 2015
Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Cemetery– Cross of Sacrifice - Rheinberg War Cemetery - May 2015
Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Cemetery– Rheinberg War Cemetery - May 2015
Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Grave Marker– Grave marker - Rheinberg War Cemetery - May 2015
Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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