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Pilot
Officer
David Artur Webb
11 January
1922 - 21 September 1944
Fairmount,
Saskatchewan - Zeeland
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David
Arthur Webb was born on 11 January 1922, in
Kindersley, Saskatchewan. He was the son of John
Arthur and Sarah Edith Webb. They later moved to
Fairmont, Saskatchewan.
David went to McKenzie High School, Kindersley
and took a job at Canada Bank of Commerce on 5th
August, 1940. He enlisted in R.C.A.F. on 25th
August, 1941, and became a Sergeant Pilot on 8
October, 1942. He went overseas in May, 1943.
He was promoted to Flight Sergeant in April,
1943 and to Warrant Officer, Class II, in
January, 1944. His promotion to Warrant Officer,
Class I, followed in May, 1944.
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48 Squadron |
He trained at Brandon, Man., Saskatoon, Sask.,
and Edmonton and Claresholm, Alta. He then was
posted to Coastal Command. He received advanced
training at Summerside, P.E.I. Stationed at
Debert, N.S. David became a Pilot Officer
on 13th July, 1944 and transferred to Transport
Command in September, 1943. Posted in March,
1944 to 48 Squadron, flying Dakotas for
intensive training for D-Day (pulling gliders,
carrying paratroopers, etc.) He and his crew
were involved in dropping paratroopers into
Normandy during D-Day.
During Market Garden, the airborne landings near
Arhnem, Nijmegen and Eindhoven, his Dakota
carried paratroopers to Arnhem on 19th
September, 1944. During the mission, his
aircraft was badly damaged but his crew
uninjured.
David and his crew went missing on second
mission over Arnhem on 21st September, 1944,
when his aircraft was attacked and shot down by
enemy fighters just after supplies had been
unloaded. They crashed near the town of Zeeland.
Pilot Officer Webb and his co-pilot were at the
time believed to have lost their lives, as well
as an Army crew of specially trained un-loaders
(dispatchers). He was officially presumed dead
in May, 1945.
P/O David A. Webb is buried at
Zeeland Roman Catholic
Cemetery.
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