27th October 1921 - 17th September 2001

Flt/Sgt, William Garvey 432 sqdn R.C.A.F. Eastmoor, nr Sutton-on-Forest,Yorkshire.

Bill was a great friend to all of us at the Thameside Aviation Museum

Motto : "Saeviter ad lucem" (Ferociously towards the fight)

On 14th January 1944 Lancaster 11B M888, coded QO-M was struck by incendiaries jettisoned by another British aircraft over Braunsschweig. Sgt R. Hutchinson, mid-upper gunner and Sgt J. Alpine, wireless operator, were killed. the remainder of the crew survived but they had to bail out on the return journey. Flt/Sgt Garvey came down on a Luftwaffe nightfighter airfield at Bransche and was immediatly captured and sent to Stalag 1VB P.O.W. camp at Muhlberg-am-Elbe, in South East Germany. Bill was released on the night of April 22/23 1945 by advancing Russian Cavalry under Marshal Koniev.

Our Bill Garvey (with his back towards camera), in the museum, explains to Allan Putland, Dave Clark, and Ernie Burton, at our Battle of Britain day September 2000, of his time as a POW in Germany, after bailing out of his Lancaster bomber. in 1943

PHOTO PAGE

A view of Bill's Log Book

On 29th September 2002 the Bomber Command display was officially opened by Alison Garvey, This display is to the memory of Bill and includes personal items such as his POW papers

Bill was a great friend to all of us at the Thameside Aviation Museum we will miss him.

BACK

to main index