Burial here
I believe this memorial in Canada will be the family's local memorial to Bill, as he was buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany.
Squadron Leader William Harry (Big Bill) Pentland was the son of Mary Agnes and Augustus William Pentland. He was born on May 14th 1917 in Lake Saskatoon, Alberta. He went to Washington State University. He flew Hurricanes, Hurricane Bombers, Spitfires and finally Typhoons for the RCAF, signing up at the age of 23. Bill was promoted to Squadron Leader on 1st December 1943 when he was only 26 years old. He was badly injured during an operational flight shortly before March 1944. He was soon back flying and whilst dropping ordnances on 7th October 1944 in Typhoon MN641, the plane exploded killing him (also nearly taking out the typhoon which was following behind him) over Wesel in Germany. It is believed that either one of his own bombs detonated too early or he was shot down. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross only a few weeks earlier, which was then presented to his parents by the Governor General of Canada in Feb 1946 posthumously. Bill's last deployment was with the Beaver Squadron (440 - Typhoon fighter-bomber squadron) of the RCAF which was adopted by the City of Ottawa.
I believe this memorial in Canada will be the family's local memorial to Bill, as he was buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany.
Squadron Leader William Harry (Big Bill) Pentland was the son of Mary Agnes and Augustus William Pentland. He was born on May 14th 1917 in Lake Saskatoon, Alberta. He went to Washington State University. He flew Hurricanes, Hurricane Bombers, Spitfires and finally Typhoons for the RCAF, signing up at the age of 23. Bill was promoted to Squadron Leader on 1st December 1943 when he was only 26 years old. He was badly injured during an operational flight shortly before March 1944. He was soon back flying and whilst dropping ordnances on 7th October 1944 in Typhoon MN641, the plane exploded killing him (also nearly taking out the typhoon which was following behind him) over Wesel in Germany. It is believed that either one of his own bombs detonated too early or he was shot down. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross only a few weeks earlier, which was then presented to his parents by the Governor General of Canada in Feb 1946 posthumously. Bill's last deployment was with the Beaver Squadron (440 - Typhoon fighter-bomber squadron) of the RCAF which was adopted by the City of Ottawa.
Burial here
I believe this memorial in Canada will be the family's local memorial to Bill, as he was buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany.
Squadron Leader William Harry (Big Bill) Pentland was the son of Mary Agnes and Augustus William Pentland. He was born on May 14th 1917 in Lake Saskatoon, Alberta. He went to Washington State University. He flew Hurricanes, Hurricane Bombers, Spitfires and finally Typhoons for the RCAF, signing up at the age of 23. Bill was promoted to Squadron Leader on 1st December 1943 when he was only 26 years old. He was badly injured during an operational flight shortly before March 1944. He was soon back flying and whilst dropping ordnances on 7th October 1944 in Typhoon MN641, the plane exploded killing him (also nearly taking out the typhoon which was following behind him) over Wesel in Germany. It is believed that either one of his own bombs detonated too early or he was shot down. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross only a few weeks earlier, which was then presented to his parents by the Governor General of Canada in Feb 1946 posthumously. Bill's last deployment was with the Beaver Squadron (440 - Typhoon fighter-bomber squadron) of the RCAF which was adopted by the City of Ottawa.
I believe this memorial in Canada will be the family's local memorial to Bill, as he was buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany.
Squadron Leader William Harry (Big Bill) Pentland was the son of Mary Agnes and Augustus William Pentland. He was born on May 14th 1917 in Lake Saskatoon, Alberta. He went to Washington State University. He flew Hurricanes, Hurricane Bombers, Spitfires and finally Typhoons for the RCAF, signing up at the age of 23. Bill was promoted to Squadron Leader on 1st December 1943 when he was only 26 years old. He was badly injured during an operational flight shortly before March 1944. He was soon back flying and whilst dropping ordnances on 7th October 1944 in Typhoon MN641, the plane exploded killing him (also nearly taking out the typhoon which was following behind him) over Wesel in Germany. It is believed that either one of his own bombs detonated too early or he was shot down. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross only a few weeks earlier, which was then presented to his parents by the Governor General of Canada in Feb 1946 posthumously. Bill's last deployment was with the Beaver Squadron (440 - Typhoon fighter-bomber squadron) of the RCAF which was adopted by the City of Ottawa.
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