Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William James MORCOMBE Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted. 

Do you want to proceed?

Cancel

Coming Soon.

MORCOMBE, William James

• Personal Details
• Service History
• Personal Stories

Step 1: Personal Details

Service Number:	415264
Enlisted:	17 August 1941
Last Rank:	Pilot Officer
Last Unit:	No. 622 Squadron (RAF)
Born:	Ceduna, South Australia, 10 January 1923
Home Town:	Armadale, Armadale, Western Australia
Schooling:	Waddy Well State School, Wesley College South Perth, Muresk Agricultural College
Occupation:	Clerk
Died:	Flying Battle, France, 18 November 1943, aged 20 years
Cemetery:	Lachalade Churchyard Collective Grave 2 - 4 Headstone Inscription "SO DEARLY LOVED"
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Carnamah War Memorial, Coorow Honour Roll, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial, Murray Bridge 622 Squadron Honour Board, South Perth Wesley College Lych Gate

Show Relationships

Step 2: Service History

World War 2 Service

17 Aug 1941:	Involvement Pilot Officer, 415264
17 Aug 1941:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 415264, No. 622 Squadron (RAF), Perth, WA
17 Aug 1941:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 415264
18 Nov 1942:	Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 415264, Arrived in the UK, likely via either the US or Canada.
15 Mar 1943:	Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, No. 15 Squadron (RAF), Was first initially sent to No. 15 Advanced Flying Refresher Unit RAF on 15th March 1943, and then No. 26 Operational Training Unit RAF on 4th May 1943.
10 Sep 1943:	Transferred Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, No. 622 Squadron (RAF), On the 10th of September, William had joined No. 622 Squadron RAF that was stationed in Suffolk. This Squadron had only just been created about a month before on the 10th of August 1943.
18 Nov 1943:	Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 415264, No. 622 Squadron (RAF), During the frosty evening of the 18th of November 1943, William and his crew of seven had been assigned to bomb Mannheim, Germany. The crew of the Stirling III EF128, was shot down by a Luftwaffe night fighter ace, Hauptmann (Captain) Helmut Bergmann, who had claimed 36 aerial victories and 135 successful aerial combat missions (Tally from the end of World War Two).

Step 3: Personal Stories

Submit a Story

* Title

* Content

Help us honour William James Morcombe's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Add my story

Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Son of Philip Thomas and Stella Alison MORCOMBE, of Armadale, Western Australia

Son of Philip Thomas and Stella Alison MORCOMBE, of Armadale, Western Australia

Make a Dedication

Showing 1 of 1 image.
Click images to start slideshow.

Upload a Picture

Links and Documents

• Research Links

• Australian War Memorial - Roll of Honour & Circular
• Carnamah Historical Society & Musuem article
• Crew of the Stirling EF128 article
• CWGC
• National Archives Australia - Casualty Repatriation Aircraft
• National Archives Australia - Service Record
• WW2 Nominal Roll

Add a Link or Document

• Add a Link
• Add a Document

* Link text

* URL

Cancel

* File

Choose a file

* Name

Cancel

Date taken Year 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Enter date, or part of, if known.

Caption

Attribution *

That in submitting this image that you confirm that you either own the image, is part of a family collection, can be used under CC license, or that the owner or creator has given permission for upload to the VWMA

Cancel

Please enter a reason for this report below and submit.

Reason for report*

Cancel

Please enter a reason for this report below and submit.

Reason for report*

Cancel