• Operation Chastise (Dambusters Raid)

Date of birth:

April 17th, 1919 (Scotch Village/Nova Scotia, Canada)

Date of death:

May 17th, 1943 (Borken, Germany)

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Cemetery Reichswald Forest
Plot: 21. Row: D. Grave: 15.

Service number:

J/16872

Nationality:

Canadian

Floyd Alvin Wile, born on 17 April 1919 in Scotch Village, Nova Scotia, was one of seven children to Harris and Annabell Wile. After attending local schools, he worked in the timber trade before enlisting in the RCAF in May 1941 and training as a navigator, qualifying as an Air Observer by February 1942. Posted to Britain later that year, he joined RAF Kinloss for training.

Initially posted to 9 Squadron, Wile received a commission, but the crew lost their pilot, Max Stephenson, during an operation. Reassigned to 57 Squadron under Bill Astell, they flew their first mission to Lorient in February 1943. Later transferred to the newly formed 617 Squadron, Wile and his crew perished during the squadron’s first operation when their Lancaster was hit by flak and collided with a pylon near Marbeck. Originally buried in Borken, they were reinterred post-war at the Reichswald Forest Military Cemetery.

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• Photo 1: Findagrave
• - CWGC
  - Dambusters

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