Date of birth:

November 18th, 1924 (Toronto/Ontario, Canada)

Date of death:

November 2nd, 1944 (Foyeuru, Jalhay/Liege, Belgium)

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Cemetery Hotton
Plot: 3. Row: E. Grave: 6.

Service number:

J/94171

Nationality:

Canadian

William was born on November 18 1924 in Toronto, the son of Arthur William Lankin and Constance Lankin nee Walford (English) of Toronto. They were married on November 19 1920 in Toronto. His brother was Donald Arthur Lankin and his sister was Margaret Constance Lankin.

He was a lathe operator at the Victory Aircraft Co. and he was member of the Anglican Church. He visited the Duke of Cannaught Public School in Toronto from 1929-1930. His sports were hockey, baseball (extensively) and hunting, swimming and rugby (moderately). His hobbies were woodwork and model aircraft.

He enlisted on December 30 1942 in Toronto and he went on April 2 1944 thereafter overseas to the UK. He received on November 26 1943 The Air Gunner’s Badge in Canada. He took part after the arrival in the UK to the different air operations of his squadron on NW Europe.

William was killed in action on Thursday November 2 1944 age 19 just 16 days before his 20th birthday due to a crash 20 miles southeast of Liege Belgium before or after a night attack on Düsseldorf Germany. He was temporarily buried then at the Henri Chapelle American Cemetery in Plombières Belgium before being reburied on April 24 1947 in Hotton. The other fallen RCAF members were P/O William H. Hanes age 19 in grave 3-E-8, F/O Harold F. Le Noury age 26 in grave 3-E-3, F/O Robert E.B. Pike age 21 in grave 3-E-7, P/O Joseph Judges age 21 in grave 3-E-5 and P/O Vernon J. Lazier age 22 in grave 3-E-9. The other fallen RAF crew member Sgt Edward J. Payne age 21 was buried in grave 3-E 4.
His mother was awarded in August 1946 the Memorial Bar.

Pilot Officer Lankin is also commemorated on the Canadian Memorial of Tigelot in Jalhay, Belgium (since September 21 1951).

He served with The Royal Canadian Air Force 77 (R.A.F) Sqdn.

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• Photo 1: Edwin van der Wolf
• - Pilot Officer William Walford Lankin | War Casualty Details 2726558 | CWGC
  

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