Bickford, Peter William

Date of birth:: July 16th, 1920 (Bristol, United Kingdom)
Date of death:: September 17th, 1944
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Protestant Cemetery Strijen
Grave: 5.
Service number:: J/25920
Nationality:: Canadian (1931-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

Biography

Peter was born on July 16 1920 in Bristol England, the son of William Colston Spencer Bickford and Elsie Bickford nee Chapman (both British) of Monongahela USA. They were married in Bristol England. His brother was Barrie Spencer Bickford (also with the RCAF) and his sister was Barbara Laura May Bickford.

He was a newspaper sports editor and member of the Episcopalian Church. He spoke English and slightly French. His hobby was photography and he had a private pilot’s license of flying and his sports were tennis and skiing.
He enlisted on April 7 1942 in Hamilton Ontario and he went thereafter on July 1 1943 overseas to the UK.

Peter was killed in action on Sunday September 17 1944 age 24 due to a crash on September 16 1944 about 11.00 PM between the RAF Avro Lancaster LM169 during an attack on the Moerdijkbrug during operation Market Garden and they crashed very close to each other in and around the Mariapolder in Strijensas. The other fallen RCAF crew members were P/O Douglas Dawson age 19 in grave 2, F/Sgt Donald George Flood age 20 in grave 3, F/O Arnold N. Johnston age 28 in grave 6 and F/O Wilfred G. Scanlan age 21 in grave 7. The other fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew members were P/O Peter L. Dooley age 19 in grave 8 and F/Sgt Uriah B. Butters age 21 in grave 4.

His name is mentioned with the other fallen crew members at a monument on the church in Strijen.

He served with the 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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