William Allen Hobson Sergeant R/222664 Royal Canadian Air Force September 23, 1925 Sterco, Alberta March 23, 1943 Edmonton, Alberta Rochester, Alberta 17 5 feet, 8½ inches Medium Blue Dark Brown Single Truck Driver United Wilbert Hobson (Father) Rochester, Alberta January 30, 1944 18 Stratford-Upon-Avon Cemetery Warwickshire, UK Grave 4193

Name: Rank: Service No: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Address at Enlistment: Age at Enlistment: Height: Complexion: Eye Colour: Hair Colour: Marital Status: Trade: Religion: Next of Kin: Date of Death: Age at Death: Cemetery: Grave Reference:

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William Allen Hobson was the son of Son of Wilbert Vinton Hobson and Emiline Elvira Hobson, of Rochester, Alberta and the brother of Wilbert Vinton Hobson and Mary Elizabeth Hoben. His father, born in Missouri, US served as an American volunteer in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in England during WWI and with the Veterans Guard in Canada during WWII. William was at school between 1931 and 1942 completing Grade ten and then worked as a truck driver until his enlistment with the RCAF. He participated in hockey and baseball. He completed training in Canada, receiving his Air Gunner Badge on September 17, 1943. He went overseas disembarking in England on October 16, 1943. On November 16, 1943 he was assigned to No 22 Operational Training Unit at RAF Wellesbourne Mountford, Warwickshire. Sergeant William Allen Hobson was killed on January 30, 1944, when Wellington DF566 of 22 OTU, on a bombing practice operation, caught fire in the air soon after take off and crashed at Ladbroke, a village about two miles south of Southam in Warwickshire, UK. All seven members of the crew were killed in the crash.