William John Anstey
Memorial: Chipping Sodbury - School
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Pilot Sergeant
Parents: Howard and Eleanor Anstey
Marital status: Married
Home address: No 2 Council Houses Doynton
Pre-war occupation: Manual worker at colour factory
Date of birth: 21/12/1915
Date of death: 14/10/1941
Buried/Commemorated at: Holy Trinity Churchyard Doynton. Commemorated at Holy Trinity Church and at Chipping Sodbury High School.
Age: 25
Further information:
William was the eldest of 3 brothers. He attended Chipping Sodbury High School between 1926 and 1927. Married to Freda Ruby Rawlings with whom he had two sons: John and Philip.
He was stationed at RAF Raynham in Norfolk where he died with 2 others on a training exercise. He was piloting a Bristol Blenheim MKIV on a low-level training flight when he crashed on Clifton Farm, Clenchwarton, Norfolk. He died along with the observer and the wireless operator.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/114_wwII.html accessed 27th July 2018
20 October 1941 - Western Daily Press - Bristol, Bristol, England