In Memory Of

PICKEN, WILLIAM JAMES

Service Details
Age:
 21
Date of Birth:
 -0001-11-30
Service No:
 80222
Rank:
 Flight Lieutenant
Unit:
 106 Sqdn.
Regiment:
 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Date of Death:
 1943-03-05
Cause of Death:
 Killed in action, Lancaster #W4918 ZN-D, crashed around 21.30 hrs, west of Boenninghardt, near the farms of the families Grootz and Schlootz. The high capacity bomb destroyed the farm of the Schlootz family and killed all five members except a six-month old baby girl
Commemoration
Grave Reference:
 8. G. 17.
Cemetery:
 REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY
Localitly:
 Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen
Country:
 Germany
Additional Information
Decorations:
 D F C
Citations:
 LG Sup 11 August 1942 pg. 3498 - "This officer has acted as Captain on Hampden, Manchester and Lancaster aircraft. He is a pilot of great skill and resource who has achieved much success. He has many times attacked targets in the Ruhr and on several occasions bombed the naval yards of Hamburg, Kiel, Bremen and Brest. He took part in the attack on the Renault armament, factory, scoring hits from 3.000 feet. He invariably presses home his attacks whatever the opposition. His courage and determination have been of a high standard."
Son of John and Jean Picken, of Que Que, Southern Rhodesia.