William Arthur Coleman Ball

Squadron Leader [Navigator]

DFC, MiD (WW2)

Awards

Conflict:

WW2

Additional Information:

Son of William Coleman Ball and Winnie Ball.

References:

CWGC

Martyn (2008)

BDM Online

NZ WAR GRAVES

CONTRIBUTED

Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Richard John Clark

Relationship to casualty: Nephew

Family History Notes William Arthur Coleman Ball Bill was born on September 14 1916 at Carroll Street, Palmerston North, to William & Winnie Ball. The family lived in Palmerston North & Welli...ngton before moving to Featherston when his father acquired a drapery & clothing business in Carterton around 1920. Bill attended Featherston District High School before transferring to Nelson College in 1930 where he was in form 4A & School House. In 1931 he was in the upper fifth, 1932 form 6B, & 1933 form 6A as a boarder in Rutherford House. He was a sergeant in the College Cadets, a House Prefect, & was in the 2nd rugby XV & the 2nd cricket XI. He gained University Entrance Certificate in 1931 gaining distinction in Mathematics & Chemistry. He also gained Higher Leaving Certificates in 1932 & 1933. He was employed on clerical work by Sargood Son & Ewan Ltd in Wellington for 7 months from February 1 1934.He moved to a better position with the Australasian Temperance & General Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd until he entered the RNZAF. In 1938 he resided at 15 Waipapa Road, Hataitai with his mother . He attended Harles College of Accountancy studying Trustee Law, Mercantile Law, Bankruptcy Law & Book Keeping 1 passing exams in November 1939. Bill applied for flying training with the Civil Reserve of Pilots in February 1939, but was unsuccessful in this. In September 1939 immediately after the outbreak of war he applied for services in a ground trade of the RNZAF. He was enlisted at Wigram on October 13 1939, & posted to the Technical Training Wing at Christchurch where he was trained in the Pay accounting section. He became assistant instructor, & was promoted to Corporal before applying in December 1939 for training in the aircrew section. In June 1940 he was posted to Elementary Flying Training School New Plymouth, & when his flying training was terminated, was transferred to Ohakea where he trained as air observer. He was commissioned as Pilot Officer in December 1940. Embarking for the Middle East on December 19 1940 he was posted to NO.70 operational Training Unit Ismailia Egypt & then to NO. 38 Squadron. He flew as an observer & navigator respectively on Wellington bomber aircraft on 83 operational flights with targets in Bengasi, Tripoli, Libya, Sicily & Italy. In February 1942 he flew to Lagos in Nigeria where he travelled to the United Kingdom by sea. He was posted to NO. 15 Operational Training Unit Harwell Berkshire where he was employed for some time as an instructor & flew 3 operational flights to German targets. In December 1942 he was posted to NO 156 squadron Warboys, Huntingdonshire & completed 14 operational flights in Germany, France & Italy. He was mentioned in despatches for meritorious service on January 21 1943, & was awarded the Pathfinders Badge in February1943. He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the citation of which states “This Officer has completed operational flights over many heavily defended targets in Greece, Libya, Italy & Germany. He took part in the “1000” Bomber raids on Cologne & the Ruhr. On all occasions he has displayed navigational ability of a very high standard, & it has been due to his skill & devotion that his many & varied missions have been successfully completed “ He was promoted to Acting Squadron Leader & on the Night of March 8 1943 was the navigator of the crew of 7 of Lancaster bomber W.4856 when he took off on his 101st operational flight. This was shot down from 16,000 feet by a German night-fighter over Germany, crashing in the forest at Hinterwesthang 14kms N.W. of Annweiler. 2 crew survived the crash, but 1 died shortly after, & 6 were buried at Annweiler. The surviving wireless-operator was taken prisoner. He subsequently reported: “Our aircraft was attacked by a fighter at about 16,000 feet some 40 kilometres south of Saarbrucken. The port wing was set on fire & the aircraft went into a steep dive. The captain gave the order to bail out & I myself left when the aircraft was down to 7,000 feet. Just before I left, I saw Squadron Leader Ball in the cabin with his parachute on. I have had no further news about him but the Germans told me that five bodies were recovered in the wreckage of the aircraft & I fear that Squadron Leader Ball must have been one of them.” The 6 crew were subsequently reinterred at Rheinburg War Cemetery Germany. Annweiler was deep in German territory being some 900 k by road from Warboys, Huntingdonshire where the flight commenced. Flying time by todays aircraft is some 1½ hours. His 16 Pathfinder flights were to target 20/12/1942 Duisberg 21/12/1942 Munich 14/1/1943 Lorient 15/1/1943 Lorient 7/2/1943 Lorient 11/2/1943 Wilhelmshaven 14/2/1943 Milan 19/2/1943 Wilhelmshaven 21/2/1943 Bremen 24/2/1943 Wilhelmshaven 25/2/1943 Nurmburg 28/2/1943 St Nazaire 1/3/1943 Berlin 3/3/1943 Hamburg 5/3/1943 Essen 9/3/1943 Munich The first 4 in a Wellington bomber, the others in a Lancaster bomber A record of RAF & RNZAF losses records “Ball was Squadron’s navigation leader. Eighty-three of his ops had been undertaken in the Middle East with 38 Sqn, the remainder with Bomber Command in Europe. His 101 ops is believed to be the greatest number achieved by any New Zealand crew member who died during the war.” The medals awarded to Bill were given to the Airforce Museum at Ohakea, & when it closed in 2011, they were transferred to the Air Force Museum at Christchurch where they are included in the catalogue “Medal group awarded to Squadron Leader William Arthur Coleman Ball, NZ39786. Distinguished Flying Cross, 1939 - 45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939 - 45 with 'Mention in Despatches' emblem, Memorial Cross.” Revised RJC 6/3/20222 [Record since amended - NZWGT] Read More

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Casualty

Service Number:

39786

Name:

William Arthur Coleman Ball

Rank:

Squadron Leader

Additional Rank:

Navigator

Date of Birth:

14 September 1916

Place of Birth:

Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand

Education:

Featherston District High School

Next of Kin:

Mrs W. Herbert (mother), 70 Ava Street, Petone

Date of Enlistment:

13 October 1939

Place of Enlistment:

Wigram, New Zealand

Marital Status:

Single

Occupation on Enlistment:

Clerk

Employer:

T&G Mutual Life Assurance Society, Wellington

Unit:

Royal New Zealand Air Force, 156 (RAF) Squadron

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Killed on air operations

Date of Death:

09 March 1943

Day of Death:

Tuesday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW2

Embarkation Details

Embarkation Body:

Royal New Zealand Air Force

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Rheinberg War Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

18. C. 1.

Cemetery Location:

Germany