Identity
Person No.
20234
Service No.
80222
Last Name
First Name
William James
Initials
W J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
21
Military Service
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Killed in action, in 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
Grave Reference
Location
Country
Locality
Cemetery
Coordinates
Additional Information
Notes
Son of John and Jean Picken, of Que Que, Southern Rhodesia.
Citation
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."
External Source
Unknown
South African War Graves Project