Date of death:

March 25th, 1945 (Balgoij, Gelderland)

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Cemetery Uden
Plot: 6. Row: F. Grave: 8.

Service number:

415415

Nationality:

New Zealander

Flying Officer William Arthur Kalka
Pilot RNZAF, No. 486 Squadron RAF
He was the pilot of the Tempest fighter NV981. He had taken off from Volkel airfield on a patrol mission to the Rees-Wessel area and suffered damage to his aircraft from German anti-aircraft fire while flying over the target area. On his return flight to base,
air traffic control ordered him to abandon the damaged aircraft, which he managed to do; however, when he landed with his parachute, he ended up in the River Maas near Ravenstein and drowned. A rescue attempt by 18-year-old
Riet Janssen from Nijmegen failed. His aircraft also crashed into the river.
On 13 April 1945, his remains were recovered from the Meuse and buried in a field grave in the river dike between Overlangel and Ravenstein.
Kalka had been shot down before, on 13 January 1945, over the Ardennes by American anti-aircraft fire. On that occasion, he also landed by parachute (in the vicinity of Euskirchen, west of Verviers (B).
He was reburied on 9 September 1946 at the British War Cemetery in Uden.

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• Photo 1: Archief A. Verbakel / Heemkundekring Uden
• - Flying Officer William Arthur Kalka | War Casualty Details 2765833 | CWGC
  - Flying Officer ( Pilot ) William Arthur Kalka (1923-1945) - Find a Grave-gedenkplek
  - Archive A. Verbakel / Heemkundekring Uden

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