In Memory of
William James IRWIN
Flying Officer
J/9431
Pilot
268 (R.A.F.) Squadron,
Royal Canadian Air Force
who died on
Friday 30 July 1943. Age 26
Additional Information
Son of Roland J. Irwin and Pearl Irwin ; husband of Doris Violet Irwin, of Woodstock, Ontario, Canada.
Personal inscription
Greater Love
Hath no man like this
Also written in french on a massive
Granite Plate placed on the grave:
‘UN GROUPE DE RESISTANTS
GRANVILLAIS
AU LT AVIATEUR CANADIEN
W.J. IRWIN
TOMBE EN MER LE 30-7-43′
‘ONE GROUP OF THE FRENCH
RESISTANCE MOVEMENT
IN GRANVILLE
TO THE CANADIAN LIEUTENANT
AIRMAN W.J. IRWIN
FALLEN IN THE SEA ON 30-7-43′
Cemetery
GRANVILLE (ST. PAUL) COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Manche, France.
Location
Granville is a town and commune on the west coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula and is the terminus of the Paris-Argentan-Granville railway line. The communal cemetery is on the eastern side of the town, north of the road (D924) to Villedieu-les-Poêles. Access is by Rue du Vieux Moulin. The single Commonwealth war grave is situated 27 metres north-west of the central point of the old stone walled section of the cemetery and approximately 63 metres north west of the stone calvary which is located near the cemetery entrance.
Circumstances (According to documents kept in the National Archives – UK)
On 30 July 1943, Flying Officer Chapman DFC RNZAF in Mustang Mk I serial number AP253 ‘T’ and Flying Officer Irwin RCAF in Mustang Mk I serial number AP232 ‘K’ took off from RAF Odiham at 15.00 hrs for a Popular Operation (*). Both aircraft made landfall 4 miles north of Granville (west coast of the Cherbourg Peninsular), turned and flew south taking photos from Granville to Saint-Léonard (known as the town of Vains Saint-Léonard, just north of the Mont-Saint-Michel). Flying Officer Chapman turned to set course for base. A soon as his turn was completed he noted that Flying Officer Irwin’s aircraft was missing. Flying Officer Chapman then made a weaving search from north of Mont St Michel to south of Guernsey calling his Number 2 on R.T (**). There was no sign of Flying Officer Irwin, so Flying Officer Chapman returned to base.
No Luftwaffe fighter claim was made in this area on 30 July 1943 so AP232 was probably shot down by anti-aircraft artillery from Granville area or from a German patrol ship off the coast of Granville.
(*) Popular: Photo-reconnaissance sortie.
(**) Radio-Telephony
© The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
© The National Archives
© Canada.ca
© RAF WWII 38 Group Squadrons Reunited