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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William Alexander Wegenast

In memory of:

Flight Sergeant William Alexander Wegenast

January 14, 1945

Military Service


Service Number:

R/208118

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Additional Information


Son of Alex and Mary Wegenast, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Commemorated on Page 574 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Surrey, United Kingdom

Grave Reference:

Panel 282.

Location:

During the Second World War more than 116,000 men and women of the Air Forces of the British Commonwealth gave their lives in service. More than 17,000 of these were members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, or Canadians serving with the Royal Air Force. Approximately one-third of all who died have no known grave. Of these, 20,450 are commemorated by name on the Runnymede Memorial, which is situated at Englefield Green, near Egham, 32 kilometers by road west of London.

The design of the Runnymede Memorial is original and striking. On the crest of Cooper's Hill, overlooking the Thames, a square tower dominates a cloister, in the centre of which rests the Stone of Remembrance. The cloistered walks terminate in two lookouts, one facing towards Windsor, and the other towards London Airport at Heathrow. The names of the dead are inscribed on the stone reveals of the narrow windows in the cloisters and the lookouts. They include those of 3,050 Canadian airmen. Above the three-arched entrance to the cloister is a great stone eagle with the Royal Air Force motto, Per Ardua ad Astra". On each side is the inscription:

IN THIS CLOISTER ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY THOUSAND AIRMEN WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE. THEY DIED FOR FREEDOM IN RAID AND SORTIE OVER THE BRITISH ISLES AND THE LANDS AND SEAS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE

In the tower a vaulted shrine, which provides a quiet place for contemplation, contains illuminated verses by Paul H. Scott."

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Flight Sergeant William Alexander Wegenast is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flight Sergeant William Alexander Wegenast 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 ALEXANDER WEGENAST– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of WILLIAM ALEXANDER WEGENAST– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Id Card– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Hamilton Spectator c.1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Wegenast– Wegenast, William Alexander - Flight Sergeant. Born 11th August, 1923, at Hamilton, Ont. Educated at High School of Commerce, Hamilton. Entered the service of the Bank 29th April, 1940. Served at King & Wellington and Main & Kenilworth (Hamilton). Enlisted 30th January, 1943, from the latter branch in R.C.A.F. Sergeant in December, 1943; subsequently Flight Sergeant. Trained at Toronto, Guelph, Ont., and Charlottetown, P.E.I.  Overseas in September, 1944.  Reported 29th January, 1945 missing after air operations, together with the six other members of the crew. Officially presumed dead 20th November, 1945. From a memorial booklet prepared by the Canadian Bank of Commerce.
  • Group Photo– Billie Wegenast, bottom row, 12th from left.

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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