Williams, J W W (John Walter William)

Williams, J W W (John Walter William)

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Lieutenant John Walter William Williams was the son of Walter Henry Williams, and of Doris Violet Williams, of Hassocks, Sussex.

Around 10 o’clock during the morning of the 2nd of March 1946, two Supermarine Seafires[1] were performing attacking manoeuvers over the city of Londonderry. When they seemed to have finished, the two fighter planes turned together and flew north from the city along the River Foyle.

At this stage, a third plane approached from behind the others, it closed in at a slight dive and came underneath one of the other Seafires, obviously doing another attack manoeuvre. Unfortunately, he came too close, and the right-wing tip hit the left wing of the other fighter plane. Both planes lost control, one of them doing a complete somersault and then both began spinning and plummeting towards the ground, exploding on impact around 400 yards apart in two different fields. The crash was only a few hundred yards from where Amelia Earhart had landed after completing her lone Atlantic flight in 1932.

The crash sent fire, plane and body parts throughout the impact zone and surrounding areas. One of the pilots was found entangled in his burning parachute.

As the third plane circled overhead, dozens of people were seen arriving on the scene to help, but it was obvious that the pilots were beyond any help, and when the flames were out the fire brigade arrived. All they could do is assist with the recovery of the planes., the bodies and their parts from around the fields.

The two pilots that lost their lives were Sub-Lieutenant, Thomas Morgan Hannan and Sub-Lieutenant, John Walter William Williams. Both men received a full military funeral and were laid to rest in Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard a few days later.

Date of Death: 02/03/1946 (Aged 23)

Service: Lieutenant (A), 794 Squadron H.M.S. Gannet. Royal Navy

Service Number: Burial Location: Faughanvale (Saint Canice) Church of Ireland Churchyard, Grave 22.


[1] The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. It made its first flight during January 1942. It would remain in production until 1949.

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