Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Photo of WILLIAM ROBERT ADLARD – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Newspaper clipping – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Memorial – Pilot Officer William Robert Adlard is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Pilot Officer William Robert Adlard is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Photo of WILLIAM ROBERT ADLARD – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Photo of WILLIAM ROBERT ADLARD – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Document – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Letter – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Letter – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

Photo of William Robert Adlard – William Robert served as Pilot Officer Jj88714 (Air Gunner), RCAF, with 429 Sqdn (Bison), (Bradford's Own), RCAF, flying Halifax III's, operating from East Moor and Leeming, N. Yorkshire (6 Group). Halifax III, LV963 AL-V, took off from RAF Leeming at 2247 on 22nd April 1944 for operations over Dusseldorf. Attacked at 21000 ft over Dusseldorf, by a night fighter executing a beam attack, the aircraft was set on fire and abandoned. The five members of the eight man crew who died were buried on 25th April in Dusseldorf Nordfriedhof (North Cemetery) - William was buried in Grave 365. The remaining three survivors: Pilot 1068542 F/O E. L. Harland, USAAF; Nav. R/97899 WO2 Harold H. Findlater, RCAF and W/Op. Air Gnr R/22502 Sgt Ronald Chamberlain, RCAF, were taken PoW. William is now buried in Reichwald Forest War Cemetery, Cleves, Germany, Plot 7, Row A, Grave 13. The other four crew members are buried in the same plot.

Grave Markers – Headstones of P/O W. R. Adlard and Sgt J. O. Young in Reichswald Forest Cemetery.

Headstone of E. A. Goss – Headstones of Sgt E. A. Goss and WO1 D. S. Brillinger, crew members with W. R. Adlard in Halifax III LV963, AL-V, buried in Reichswald Forest Cemetery.

Headstone of H. W. Doiron – Headstone of P/O H. W. Doiron, crew member with W. R. Adlard in Halifax III LV963, AL-V, who is buried in Reichswald Forest Cemetery.

Family photo – Alfred and Jean Adlard and family, of Winnipeg, (taken in 1939) l- r Glenn, Jack, Bill and Jim. Alf. was born at Dunsby, nr. Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. Jean (Alice Jane Georgina Laing) was from Stonewall, Rockwood, Manitoba. Glenn served in the RCAF from 1943 - 1946 as a LAC air mechanic on Dakotas with 437 squadron RCAF at Crickley nr. Swindon, England. Jack served in the RCN as an AA gunner on HMCS Wetaskiwin. Jim was too young for war service.

Photo of William Adlard and his friend – Bill Adlard (right) with his buddy Stan Baker (Stan survived the war).

Photo of William's brothers Jack and Glen – Bill's elder brothers Glenn (RCAF) and Jack (RCN) in wartime garb.

Reichswald Forest Cemetery – A general view of Reichswald Forest Cemetery taken from the left hand (Airforce) end looking towards the southern (Army) end. The poppy posy marks Bill's grave. The structures at the righthand side of the photo are roughly halfway along the cemetery.

Photo 2 of Reichswald Forest Cemetery – A general view of Reichswald Forest Cemetery looking from the right hand (Army) end towards the northern (Airforce) end. The structures near the left hand side are roughly halway along the cemetery - the CWGC's largest in area.