McAlister, William Gordon

Sergeant William Gordon McAlister

McAlister was born on 17th July 1920 to James McAlister and Mary McAlister nee Kennedy. 'Gordon' was not recorded on the birth registration.

In January 1937 William volunteered and enlisted into the Royal Air Force (VR) with service number 749508 and was appointed a Class F Reservist.

Following his education William joined the bank probably around 1938/1939.

William was serving with 51 Squadron RAF (VR) when he was killed in action on 9th September 1940.

Members of the ww2talk.com website give the following pieces of information:

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Monday - Tuesday 9-10 September 1940

51 Squadron

Whitley V P5021

Took off from Dishforth for Berlin. damaged by flak and came down in the North Sea 120 miles East of the Firth of Forth, the survivors were picked up by a naval launch that had been tasked for the rescue following the sighting of the crew in their dinghy by a 220 Squadron Hudson.

Crew:

P/O. A W. Millson, Safe

Sgt. H C G. Brook . Safe

Sgt. W G. McAlister +

Sgt. E A. Young. Safe

P/O. D. Careless. Safe

Source - RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol.2 2nd Edition - W R. Chorley

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1 Whitley was lost as part of a force of 76 Battles, Blenheims, and Wellingtons attacking targets in Germany, Belgium and France.

* other bombers were lost in other attacks, resulting in 15 showing as commemorated at Runnymede.

William [McAllister], however, is the only one from 51 Sqdn so commemorated, therefore it seems as if the aircraft may have come down in the sea and the rest of the crew rescued to fly again.

The pilot was P/O Carter with Sgts Brook and Young.

The Loss Card shows the serial as P5022 whereas elsewhere it seems to be P5021.

Fitting this should come up today RIP

Hmm, strange to have different pilot and an extra crew man!

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Operations Record Card

The Loss Cards generously set up by Fred Wilson show only 4 crew with only McAlister detailed in full.

Crew details as per Loss Card, but Chorley is usually accurate, however the Loss Card SHOULD show the crew they thought was aboard.

As 3 were rescued, perhaps confusion crept in somewhere (and the * obviously should have read "8" other aircraft lost on other operations)

Perhaps "careless"!!

Millson, Brook, Young and Careless don't show as 51 Sqdn casualties...

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The Belfast Telegraph dated 17th September 1940 reported that Sgt-Observer McAllister had been missing since 10th September.

Belfast Telegraph 17th September 1940

McAlister is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey - panel 16.

Runnymede - 2 up from bottom of panel

Air Forces Memorial, Cooper's Hill

Acknowledgements to CWGC.

The NatWest Group Archives website has published this information:

William Gordon McAlister was born on 16 September 1912, the son of Mr and Mrs James McAlister. He was educated at Belfast Royal Academy and joined the staff of Ulster Bank at its head office in Belfast in April 1932. Four months later he transferred to Aughnacloy branch, where he remained for three months until returning to head office in November 1932. Outside work he was a long-standing member of Malone Rugby Football Club, and became a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

As a reservist, McAlister was called up for full-time service at the outbreak of war in September 1939. Sergeant McAlister was reported missing, and later presumed to have been killed, on 9 September 1940. He was 27 years old and left a widow, whom he had married in 1939.

William McAlister is commemorated on two memorials at Ulster Bank’s Belfast head office: its roll of honour for staff who served in the Second World War and its memorial for those who fell.