Date of birth:

January 11th, 1922 (Fairmount/Saskatchewan, Canada)

Date of death:

September 21st, 1944 (Volkel, the Netherlands)

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Graves Roman Catholic Cemetery Zeeland
Grave: Joint 1.

Service number:

J/90424

Nationality:

Canadian

David Arthur Webb was the second son in the family of John and Sarah Edith Webb nee Banter (American). They were married on November 3 1915 in Fairmount. His sister was Marjorie Ann Webb and his brother John Baxter Webb was deceased in 1937 at age 17 due to infantile paralysis.

He was born on January 11, 1922 in Fairmount, Saskatchewan, Canada. He received his education at the country school of Ealingford and McKenzie High school in Kindersley. After graduating, he joined the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Kindersley on august 1, 1941.

He was a clerk and member of the Anglican Church. His sports were ball sports, swimming and hockey.

On August 25, 1941 he voluntary enlisted in the RCAF to be trained as a pilot. He was trained in Brandon Manitoba, Saskatoon Saskatchewan, Edmonton Alberta and Clareshome Alberta. He was then transferred to the Postal Command in Summerside PEI and Debert N.S.. In May 1943, David was transferred to Europe to participate in the war. In September 1943 he was transferred to Transport Command. In March 1944 he followed as many service men an intensive training on a British RAF-station to prepare for an upcoming invasion. The training consisted of pulling gliders, carrying paratroopers and other military supplies. On July 13, 1943 he was promoted to Pilot Officer (P/O). His first job in enemy territory was to carry gliders. On September 19, 1944, during the Battle of Arnhem, he carried paratroopers to the frontline and returned safely to England in a badly damaged aircraft.

David was killed in action on Thursday September 21 1944 age 22 due to a crash south of the runway 06-24 of the Volkel Airfield during operation Market Garden. The other fallen RAF crew member was F/Sgt Denis H. R. Plear age 26 in grave 1. The other fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew member was buried then at the Uden War Cemetery: P/O Gordon Birlison age 24 in grave 1-I-13 as well as the other fallen RASC crew member L/Cpl James Pilson in grave 1-H-5 and both were killed on parachuting by German fighters. The other RAF crew member R.C. Clarke survived the crash and he retuned safe after the war as well as the other RASC crew members Dvr. I. Everett, L/Cpl J. Harrabin and L/Cpl J. Moorcroft.

They were temporarily buried in a field grave and were later reburied in the cemetery in Zeeland, where they are resting till today.

On his headstone: EVER REMEMBERED EVER LOVED

He served with the 48 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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• Photo 1: Family D.A. Webb
• Photo 2: TracesOfWar.com
• - BOEIJEN. W.F.J., Vliegen en Vechten bij de Maas 1940-1945, Van Gruting, Schaijk, 2004.
  - Family D.A. Webb
  - Edwin van der Wolf
  - Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  - Forces War Records
  - SGLO crash database
  

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