William Norman Partridge was born on 23 September 1920. He was the son of William and Winifred Partridge and was married to Marjorie Joan Jacques Partridge, of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

William joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on 21 July 1941 in Regina and became a wireless operator/air gunner with 166 squadron, flying Wellington out of Kirmington, Lincolnshire.

On 14 May 1943 Sgt Partridge and his crew were sent out on a mission to Bochum. His crew consisted of:

P/O W.Wahl RCAF
Sgt S.A.H.Davis RCAF
P/O H.W.Newby RCAF
Sgt W.N.Partridge RCAF
Sgt J.A.Wright RCAF
Sgt S.A.H.Davis
P/O H.W.Newby
Sgt J.A.wright

166 Squadron

At 00.01 on 14 May they took off in Wellington HZ280 AS-Q from their base Kirmington. After bombing their target and homebound, they were hit by Flak. Not long after they were attacked by a night-fighter. F/O managed to ditch the Wellington in the
IJsselmeer.

Sgt Partridge did not survive. His body was recovered and buried at Stavoren General Cemetery. F/O Wahl was also killed and is buried at Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Sgt Wright was seriously wounded about the face, chest and knees by cannon shell splinters. He was later repatriated. The others were either unharmed or slightly injured and were take PoW.

Sgt S.A.H.Davis was interned in Camps L1/L6/L4, PoW No.1238. P/O H.W.Newby in Camp L3, PoW No.1349.

Sgt William Partridge is buried in Stavoren General Cemetery, Row I. Grave 30.

(picture by Wim Bastiaanse)

Behind Life's Darkest Cloud

His Love is Always Shining

 

See also:
F/O William Wahl

Sources:
www.lostbombers.co.uk
www.cwgc.org

Acknowledgements:
RAF Squadron crest © Crown Copyright is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office

Directions to Stavoren General Cemetery

Posted 27 January 2007

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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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