Flight Sergeant William George Allingham (1798198) served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during World War Two. He was the son of Robert Allingham and Margaret Hanna Allingham (née Morton) of Belfast, Co. Antrim.
He died on 19th March 1945 aged 25 years old. William was the Mid-Upper Air Gunner on Handley-Page Halifax MZ494 C8-B with RAF 640 Squadron. The crew took off from RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire on a night-time raid on Witten, Germany. During the raid, the bomber came down in heavy flak.
In good conditions, the attack was a success with damage caused to the Ruhrstahl Steelworks and the Mannesmann Tube Factory. The bombing destroyed 129 acres or 62% of the built-up area of the city. The RAF lost 8 bombers of a force comprising 259 Halifaxes, 45 Lancasters, and 20 Mosquitos.
Remembering the crew of Halifax MZ494
| Last Name | First Name(s) | Rank | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allingham | William George | Flight Sergeant | Air Gunner | RAFVR 1798198. Killed aged 25 years old. |
| Barrett | Michael | Flight Sergeant | Air Gunner | RAFVR 1798959. Killed aged 24 years old. |
| Huckle | Alan William | Flight Lieutenant | Pilot | RAFVR 128891. Distinguished Flying Cross. Killed aged 24 years old. |
| McKaig | Samuel | Pilot Officer | WirelessOperator / Air Gunner | RAFVR 196057. Killed aged 23 years old. |
| Ralph | William Edward Charles | Pilot Officer | Flight Engineer | RAFVR 190702. Killed aged 20 years old. |
| Walton | William Archibald | Flight Lieutenant | Navigator | RCAF J/35832. Killed aged 22 years old. |
| Willoughby | James Byron | Flying Officer | Air Bomber | RCAF J/35130. Prisoner of War at Stalag XIB. |
William George Allingham’s grave is in Section 28, Row F, Grave 6 of Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Before 12th June 1947, his grave was in Witten-Annen Cemetery, Witten, Germany. His headstone bears the inscription:
In silence we remember. His loving mother, brothers, and sisters.