Gravestone

Obituary

David Ellis Williams was born in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion on the 21st November 1908 to David and Jane Williams.

David married Bridget A. Gallagher on the 18th June 1938 in London and they had three children David, Patricia and Stephen.

During wartime he joined the Royal Air Force and was a member of the 97 Squadron based out of Station Bourn in South Cambridgeshire, England. The 97 squadron were Pathfinders whose responsibility was to locate targets and release flares which the main bomber force could then use as navigation aids.

David was a wireless operator and a member of the Avro Lancaster ED928 OF-B, captained by George Wesley Armstrong. On the night of the 22nd/23rd June 1943, they took part in a mission to Mulheim during which the plane was attacked and subsequently exploded in mid-air. The plane crashed in into the city of Utrecht in Holland, killing all but two of the crew. For further information regarding the crew, see the Crew page. David was thirty one years of age and left behind a very young family. There was David (3 ½ yrs), Patricia (1 ½ yrs) and Stephen (4 weeks).

Some of the original letters sent to Bridget from the Government can be found on the Archives page.

He was buried in Soestbergen General Cemetery in Utrecht alongside the other crew members. The headstone can be seen on this page.

David's wife Bridget never remarried and passed away in 2011, but always had great love and fond memories of "her Bill".

Lest we never forget these great brave heroes of the past who gave their lives for what we have now.