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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Wilbert Henry Oliver Heidman

In memory of:

Pilot Officer Wilbert Henry Oliver Heidman

March 16, 1944

Military Service


Service Number:

J/90753

Age:

18

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

420 Sqdn.

Additional Information


Son of Harry and Bessie Gladys Heidman, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Commemorated on Page 332 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:

Coll. grave 4. H. 13-16.

Location:

Durnbach is a village 16 kilometres east of Bad Tolz, a town 48 kilometres south of Munich. Durnbach War Cemetery is 3 kilometres north of the village Gmund am Tegernsee. Using the A8 from Munich, turn off at the junction Holzkirchen, taking the 318 road in the direction of Gmund am Tegernsee. At the crossroads with the 472, turn left in the direction of Miesbach. The cemetery is situated approximately 500 metres on the left from the 318/472 crossroads.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Pilot Officer Wilbert Henry Oliver Heidman is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Pilot Officer Wilbert Henry Oliver Heidman is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Photo of WILBERT HENRY OLIVER HEIDMAN– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of WILBERT HENRY OLIVER HEIDMAN– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Letter– A letter sent to Winston Churchill by Wilbert's father and ended up in Wilbert's military service file.  Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Letter– A letter sent to Winston Churchill by Wilbert's father and ended up in Wilbert's military service file.  Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Letter– A letter sent to Winston Churchill by Wilbert's father and ended up in Wilbert's military service file.  Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Letter– A letter sent to Winston Churchill by Wilbert's father and ended up in Wilbert's military service file.  Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star March 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of WILBERT HENRY OLIVER HEIDMAN– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of WILBERT HENRY OLIVER HEIDMAN– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– The Toronto Star, March 22, 1945, page 2
Sources for the particulars of the crash of Halifax III LW-426 are: www.lostbombers.co.uk; //rcaf.com/6group:
Th aircraft was airborne 1908 on 15 Mar 44 from RAF base Tholthorpe. It was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed on the eastern edge of Echterdingen Airfield, 12 km SSW of Stuttgart. The bodies of the crew were taken to Neuhausen auf den Fildern for burial. Their graves are now located in the Durnbach War Cemetery. The crew were between the ages of 18 and 21, with P/O Heidman being one of the youngest Canadian officers killed in Bomber Command operations. They were:
F/O (P) Donald H. Calder, age 21, from Calgary, Alberta
P/O (N) Charles A. Ritchie, age 21, from Roblin, Manitoba
F/O (BA) Robert H. Jackson, age 21, from Dalhousie, Ontario
P/O (P) Clarence Elsley, age 21, from Moffat, Ont. (2nd pilot)
P/O (AG) Wilbert H. Heidman, age 18, from Toronto, Ont.
Sgt (FE) William P. Dunbar, age 20, from Biggar, Saskatchewan 
Sgt (WAG) Peter E. Bethell, RAF, age 21, from London, England
Sgt (AG) Ernest Lee, RAF, age 19, from Glamorgan, Wales
(Crew information from book They Shall Grow Not Old, Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon, Man.)
  • Newspaper Clipping– The Toronto Star, March 22, 1945, page 2
  • Document– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Biography– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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