English Māori William Harcourt Coleman Born 29 November 1916 - Died 25 July 1940 PDF Key details Service number397811 AWMM NZ2526 AWMM Also known as Armed force / branchAir Force AWMM Last rankFlying Officer (Pilot)/Military AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force, 75 (NZ) Squadron, RAF AWMM WarWorld War II, 1939-1945 AWMM Enquire Lay a poppy Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright View gallery Hide sources Show empty fields Identity About Contribute › Title ForenamesWilliam Harcourt AWMM SurnameColeman AWMM Ingoa Also known as Service number397811 AWMM NZ2526 AWMM GenderMale AWMM Iwi Hapū Waka Rohe Religion Images and documents Images Contribute › Report › Report › Documents Contribute › Civilian life About birth Contribute › Birth29 November 1916 AWMM Christchurch, Canterbury AWMM Date of birth Place of birth Birth notes Address before enlistment Post war occupation Next of kin on embarkationMrs Arthur Walton (mother), 12 Derby St, Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM Relationship status Service Wars and conflicts Contribute › WarWorld War II, 1939-1945 AWMM CampaignEurope (Air) AWMM Armed force / branchAir Force AWMM Service number397811 AWMM NZ2526 AWMM Military service Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers Military decorations Contribute › Medals and AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross (DFC) AWMM London Gazette September 1940 AWMM Training and Enlistment Contribute › Military trainingAerial navigation while in the RAF AWMM Received early air training, Mangere from Squadron Leader D. M. Allen. AWMM Branch Trade Proficiency EnlistmentInter War 1937 AWMM England, United Kingdom AWMM Occupation before enlistment Age on enlistment Embarkations Contribute › Embarkation detailsWW2 Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM Prisoner of war Contribute › Capture details Days interned Liberation date Liberation Repatriation POW liberation details POW serial number Medical history Contribute › Medical notesKilled in Action, Cause of Death AWMM Last known rank Contribute › Last rankFlying Officer (Pilot)/Military AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force, 75 (NZ) Squadron, RAF AWMM Biographical information Biographical information Contribute › Mr. V. H. Coleman (his father) was deceased when he enlisted.Educated at Christchurch, William Coleman belonged to the Christchurch Gliding Club at the age of 15. Went to England privately in 1937, before the Government air training scheme came into operation. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1937 and transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in July 1939. He joined the first New Zealand Air Force Unit (75 Squadron) to be established in Britain. He served in several stations throughout Great Britain. About the time of his death he had been in command of a Wellington bomber flying over Germany, Norway and the Low Countries. One non-stop flight of 1500 miles was included in his exploits.The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website lists his next of kin as Mrs C.M. Walton of Christchurch.The National Office of the RNZRSA has a photograph of his headstone. AWMM Read more Death About death Contribute › Death25 July 1940 AWMM Age 23 AWMM The Netherlands (Holland), Europe AWMM 26 July 1940 Allan Steel Cemetery Project Age 23 AWMM Date of death Age at death Place of death Cause of deathKilled in Action AWMM Death notes CemeteryAmsterdam New Eastern Cemetery, Noord-Holland, Netherlands AWMM Plot 69. Row A. Grave 21 AWMM Andersons Bay General Cemetery, Dunedin City Council AWMM Block 81, Plot 17 AWMM Cemetery name Grave reference ObituaryNew Zealand Herald (?), July or August 1940. AWMM Memorial name Memorial reference Memorials Memorial Contribute › Memorial nameMemorial Drive, 1939-1945, Devonport Memorial Drive, Auckland AWMM Memorial Drive, Lake Road, Devonport, Auckland AWMM Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM Roll of Honour Remember William Harcourt Coleman by laying a poppy. Walter Robert Coleman William George Coleman William Harcourt Coleman William Howell Coleman William John Coleman Lay a poppy for 2021 Leave a note Leave a tribute or memory of William Harcourt Coleman Leave a note Contribute › Processing We honour your bravery. Vern and Shannon Coleman Public - Vern and Shannon - Other Relative - 27 April 2015 Report Related objects Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945 Library / Pictorial › manuscripts and archives MS-1993-139 Sources Sources Contribute › External linksDunedin City Council Cemetery Record (Father's headstone has reference to Flying Officer William Harcourt Coleman). http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries_search?recordid=5801&type=Burial Further Reference Commonwealth War Graves Commission record https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2619546 Sources Used DocumentsChorley, W. (1992). Royal Air Force Bomber Command losses of the Second World War: Aircraft and crews lost during 1939-1940 (Vol. 1). Leicester, England: Midland Counties Publications. AWMM The New Zealand Herald AWMM Thompson, H. (1956). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vols. 1-3). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM pp. 33, 35, 108. AWMM Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM The New Zealand Herald AWMM (?), July or August 1940. AWMM By Such Deeds by C.M.Hanson ISBN 0-473-07301-3 Public - Terry - Other relative - 13 October 2020 - Book Contributors Processing Command item Command item Add new record Refresh DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact 13 October 2020TerryAucklandOther relative 27 April 2015Vern and ShannonAucklandOther Relative The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided. Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
