William Harold Stanley Byers was born in Asansol, Bengal, India. His father, W.P. Byers, was a minister who was stationed there as a missionary.  His mother later lived in Birmingham Street, Stratford, Canada.

William joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on 2 July 1940. He was an wireless operator / air gunner with 57 squadron, operating out of Feltwell.

On 12 October 1941, William and his crew participated in a mission to Nuremberg. His crew consisted of:

57 Squadron

Sgt Arthur William Jeffries
P/O Hilyard Lowell Myers RCAF
Sgt Percy Frederick Meadows Cooke RNZAF
Sgt William Christopher Wood
P/O L. Rickard RCAF
F/S William Harold Stanley  Byers RCAF

F/S Byers and his crew took off at 19.00 from Feltwell in Wellington R1757. Due to unknown circumstances the Wellington crashed into a marschy area near Blankenham, the Netherlands.

Only P/O Pickard managed to survive the crash. He became a PoW. The other crew members died and are buried at Emmeloord General Cemetery. Only P/O Myers is buried at Kuinre.

Newspaper clipping from the Globe and Mail of 18 October 1941, reporting on Myers and Byers being Missing.

F/Sgt William Byers is buried at Emmeloord General Cemetery, Coll. grave 102-105.

Emmeloord, The Netherlands

See also:
Sgt Arthur Jeffries
P/O Hilyard Myers
Sgt Percy Cooke
Sgt William Wood

All casualties of 57 Squadron

Sources:
Martyn, Erroll W., For Your Tomorrow, Christchurch, 1998
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Lostbombers.co.uk
Globe and Mail
RAF Squadron crest © Crown Copyright is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office

Directions to Emmeloord General Cemetery

Posted 9 May 2009

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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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