Aircrew Remembered RAF Battle of Britain Database

RAF Battle of Britain Consolidated Database
3094+ Entries in Database

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Allied Losses Nordic RAAF Losses RNZAF Losses USAAF Battle of Britain Paradie RCAF Archiwum Polish War Graves Runnymede Kracker Luftwaffe
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THIS DATABASE IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT
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NOTE: KIA = Killed In Action. WIA = Wounded In Action. KIFA = Killed in Flying Accident.

= Jewish as per jewishvirtuallibrary.org
Fate In Battle is date of incident between July 10 1940 and October 31 1940. Fate After Battle is date of death after the Battle

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The Battle of Britain clasp (worn on the 1939-45 Star – or a silver gilt rosette if medal ribbons only are worn) is restricted to aircrew from 71 defined units
of RAF Fighter Command, Coastal Command or the Fleet Air Arm, who flew at least one operational sortie between 00:01 July 10 1940 and 23:59 October 31 1940.

To see a larger database covering the entirety of WWll, refer to our Allied Losses and Incidents database. This database is the result of research into all known sources of information on the crews which fought the Battle of Britain on the Allied side. It is surprising that for the most significant air battle of WW2, and even after 80+ years, there remains any uncertainty at all about who took part and in some cases, what they did. We have made it our objective to develop this database into a most comprehensive and accurate record which brings to life those heroic deeds. You can help: send corrections and additional information via our Helpdesk.
We believe this database to be among the most useful records extant in terms of its searchability: for example, it is easy to determine all Blenheim crews, or losses on a specific date or the members of a particular squadron.

Readers are referred to the following sites which we have used to cross-check information and we acknowledge and thank them as respected sources for some of the material in this database:
VintageWings.ca: comprehensive listing of artworks
bbm.org: Comprehensive listing of RAF personnel and service records
Wikipedia: Life stories of leading pilots and crew
AircrewRemembered Paradie Canadian Archive Database: 45,000 Service Records of RCAF personnel
AircrewRemembered Allied Losses and Incidents Database: Covering 120,000+ Allied aircrew 1939 - 1945
AircrewRemembered Archiwum: specialist database with details of Polish personnel (in Polish)
AircrewRemembered Kracker Luftwaffe Archive: 31,000 Luftwaffe pilot and crew details
AircrewRemembered LOST: Rob Philips Memorial Archive: Dutch losses in Europe
bel-memorial.org: Comprehensive site on Belgian aircrew

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You searched for: “nelson and william”

#	Name SORT (↑)	First Names	Rank	Service No.	Air Force	Country of Origin*	Squadrons	Awards	Aircraft	Victories	Fate in Battle	Fate After Battle	DateOfDeath	************Notes************	Photo
1	Mitchell	Herbert Robert	Sgt (RNAF)	391843	RNZAF	New Zealander	3Sqn		Hurricane	1 shared destroyed, 1 shared damaged		MIA	1942-05-12	Whilst serving with 603 Sqd in Malta, aged 25, Malta Memorial Panel 5 Column 1 Read Archive Report Born on the 13th March 1917 in Deer Creek, Havelock. Worked as a stonemason for Samsons Funeral Directors in Greymouth. A RNZAF Civil Reserve Pilot with West Coast United Aero Club. 29 flying hours logged). Enlisted at Levin on the 17th December 1939 as a pilot under training. With No. I Elementary Flying Training School on the 16th January 1940. No. 1 Flying Training School on the 11th March 1940. Pilot badge awarded on the 07th May 1940. Promoted to sergeant on the 28th June 1940. Embarked for England on RMS Rangitane 12th July 1940. With No. 1 Personnel Reception Centre on the 27th August 1940. 60 Training Unit 10th September 1940 flying the Hurricane. Joined 3 squadron on the 04th October 1940 where he carried out 13 operational sorties. 615 squadron on the 18th November 1940 carrying out a further 5 operational sorties. 260 squadron on the 01st December, 19 operational sorties. 41 squadron 15th May 1941 flying the Spitfire, a further 105 operational sorties. Awarded commission on the 05th January 1942. With 603 squadron carried out at least 9 operational sorties. With the squadron on the escort carrier USS Wasp for Malta in early April 1942. Flew a Spitfire off the carrier in the Mediterranean to Malta 20th April 1942. A total of 566 flying hours logged and had carried out over 128 operational sorties.A Battle of Britain veteran. Son of William (died 02nd June 1958, age 77) and Edith Mitchell (née Patterson - died 13th February 1964, age 77), of Reefton, Nelson, New Zealand,	Courtesy Auckland Library Heritage Collection
2	Nelson	William Henry	Fg Off (later Flt Lt)	39675	RAF	Canada	74Sqn	DFC	Spitfire	5	MIA		1940-11-01	Ace Born in Montreal, Canada 1917-04-02, son of Henry and Sarafina Nelson of 4885 Cote St, Catherine Rd. Educated at Baron Byng High and Strathcona Academy. Joined the RAF in 1937 after working his way to England. On September 8/9 1939 he took part as Captain of a bomber in the RAF’s earliest operation, with 8 Whitleys dropping leaflets in NW Germany. After other operations he also took part in raids on Sylt and over Dunkirk during the evacuation. DFC by the King at Buckingham Palace 1940-06-04. First Canadian Jew decorated in WW2. His citation read 'Nelson carried out many flights over enemy territory, always showing the greatest determination and courage. After one attack on Stavanger, Norway, he encountered a balloon barrage and sent a report to base HQ in time to warn following aircraft. He wrote home that “ I thank God that I shall be able to help to destroy the regime that persecutes the Jews…..” Volunteering for Fighter Command and returning before his leave expired, he flew Spitfires from Hornchurch with 74 Sqd , shooting down a Bf 109, Bf 110 and damaging another Bf 110 on August 11 1940 when he took on six Bf 109s singehanded; damaging a Do 17 on the 13 August and destroying three more Bf 109s on October 17, 27 and 29. Killed 1940-11-01 by a Bf 109 attack over Dover in Spitfire P7312 at 1400 hrs. and crashed into the Channel. Listed as missing on the 52nd RAF casualty list on Nov 14 1940 but officially presumed killed on May 26 1941. He was 23 years old, left a wife (Marjorie Isobel) and young son and his name is inscribed on the Runnymede memorial, panel 4. Battle of Britain Spitfire Ace, the Life and Loss of One of the Few, Flight Lieutenant William Henry Nelson DFC, by Peter J. Usher

Name
SORT (↑)

First Names

Rank

Service No.

Air Force

Country of Origin*

Squadrons

Awards

Aircraft

Victories

Fate in Battle

Fate After Battle

DateOfDeath

**************Notes**************

Photo

Mitchell

Herbert Robert

Sgt (RNAF)

391843

RNZAF

New Zealander

3Sqn

Hurricane

1 shared destroyed, 1 shared damaged

MIA

1942-05-12

Whilst serving with 603 Sqd in Malta, aged 25, Malta Memorial Panel 5 Column 1

Read Archive Report

Born on the 13th March 1917 in Deer Creek, Havelock. Worked as a stonemason for Samsons Funeral Directors in Greymouth. A RNZAF Civil Reserve Pilot with West Coast United Aero Club. 29 flying hours logged). Enlisted at Levin on the 17th December 1939 as a pilot under training. With No. I Elementary Flying Training School on the 16th January 1940. No. 1 Flying Training School on the 11th March 1940. Pilot badge awarded on the 07th May 1940. Promoted to sergeant on the 28th June 1940.

Embarked for England on RMS Rangitane 12th July 1940. With No. 1 Personnel Reception Centre on the 27th August 1940. 60 Training Unit 10th September 1940 flying the Hurricane. Joined 3 squadron on the 04th October 1940 where he carried out 13 operational sorties. 615 squadron on the 18th November 1940 carrying out a further 5 operational sorties. 260 squadron on the 01st December, 19 operational sorties. 41 squadron 15th May 1941 flying the Spitfire, a further 105 operational sorties. Awarded commission on the 05th January 1942. With 603 squadron carried out at least 9 operational sorties. With the squadron on the escort carrier USS Wasp for Malta in early April 1942. Flew a Spitfire off the carrier in the Mediterranean to Malta 20th April 1942. A total of 566 flying hours logged and had carried out over 128 operational sorties.A Battle of Britain veteran.

Son of William (died 02nd June 1958, age 77) and Edith Mitchell (née Patterson - died 13th February 1964, age 77), of Reefton, Nelson, New Zealand,

Courtesy Auckland Library Heritage Collection

Nelson

William Henry

Fg Off (later Flt Lt)

39675

RAF

Canada

74Sqn

DFC

Spitfire

MIA

1940-11-01

Ace

Born in Montreal, Canada 1917-04-02, son of Henry and Sarafina Nelson of 4885 Cote St, Catherine Rd. Educated at Baron Byng High and Strathcona Academy. Joined the RAF in 1937 after working his way to England. On September 8/9 1939 he took part as Captain of a bomber in the RAF’s earliest operation, with 8 Whitleys dropping leaflets in NW Germany. After other operations he also took part in raids on Sylt and over Dunkirk during the evacuation. DFC by the King at Buckingham Palace 1940-06-04.

First Canadian Jew decorated in WW2.

His citation read 'Nelson carried out many flights over enemy territory, always showing the greatest determination and courage. After one attack on Stavanger, Norway, he encountered a balloon barrage and sent a report to base HQ in time to warn following aircraft. He wrote home that “ I thank God that I shall be able to help to destroy the regime that persecutes the Jews…..” Volunteering for Fighter Command and returning before his leave expired, he flew Spitfires from Hornchurch with 74 Sqd , shooting down a Bf 109, Bf 110 and damaging another Bf 110 on August 11 1940 when he took on six Bf 109s singehanded; damaging a Do 17 on the 13 August and destroying three more Bf 109s on October 17, 27 and 29. Killed 1940-11-01 by a Bf 109 attack over Dover in Spitfire P7312 at 1400 hrs. and crashed into the Channel. Listed as missing on the 52nd RAF casualty list on Nov 14 1940 but officially presumed killed on May 26 1941. He was 23 years old, left a wife (Marjorie Isobel) and young son and his name is inscribed on the Runnymede memorial, panel 4.

Battle of Britain Spitfire Ace, the Life and Loss of One of the Few, Flight Lieutenant William Henry Nelson DFC, by Peter J. Usher

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