William Bill Cramer
1939-1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM) and Clasp, 1939-45 War Medal
Royal Canadian Air Force
RAF 144 Squadron
WW II
William (Bill) Cramer was born on a farm at Baldur, Manitoba 02 December 1921 to Edward Albert and Eva Mary (Aitkin) Cramer. Bill was the youngest of 3 children, a sister Jessie and brother Jim. Bill’s brother, Sergeant Jim Cramer, served with the Royal Canadian Service Corps in Africa, Sicily, France, Holland and Germany during WW II.
Bill enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) 14 April 1941. He received his basic training at bases in Manitoba and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, followed by Radio School in Clinton, Ontario. Upon completion of training in Canada he was promoted to Sergeant, presented with his Wireless Air Gunner (WAG) badge and posted to England in March 1942.
As was the case with many RCAF members, Bill Cramer too, was posted to a Royal Air Force (RAF) Squadron (Sqn). He served with the RAF for the next 3 ½ years as a WAG on flight crews of 6 different RAF Squadrons in North and Central Africa, England and Scotland, flying in Vickers Warwick, Short Sunderland Bombers and Bristol Beaufighters. His service records show the following posting assignments;
08 May 1942 – To RAF 32 Sqn, Lyneham Air Base, Wiltshire, England.
17 January 1943 – To RAF Mediterranean Command, Bone, Algeria (Air/sea Rescue & Maritime Reconnaissance).
27 March 1943 – May 1944 – To RAF 95 and 204 Sqns, West Africa Costal Command, Freetown, Sierra Leon and Bathurst, Gambia flying Short Sunderlands (the largest combat aircraft of WW II).
16 May 1944 – To RAF 295 Sqn, Harwell, England. (On the night before D-Day 295 and 570 Sqns dropped the first airborne troops of the invasion force into Normandy).
31 July 1944 – To RAF 144 Sqn of Coastal Command, Strubby, Lincolnshire, England. (Tasked to attack German sea operations in the North Sea and English Channel).
September 1944 – RAF 144 Sqn of Coastal Command moved to, Loissemouth, Banff and Dallachy, Scotland. (New tasking assignment, attack German sea operations in Norway).
09 February 1945 – RAF 144 and RCAF 404 Sqns, flying Bristol Beaufighters, supported by RAF 65 Sqn, flying P-51 Mustangs were assigned to attack German destroyer Z-33, and supporting escort ships sheltered in Forde Fjord, Norway. To engage the ships, they had to fly through heavy Flak, resulting in the loss of 7 Beaufighters and a further 2 Beaufighters and a Mustang were shot down by German Luftwaffe Fw 190’s. Two German ships were damaged and the Luftwaffe lost 4 or 5 aircraft. Due to the heavy losses the survivors referred to the day as “Black Friday”.
03 March 1945 – To RAF 236 Sqn of Coastal Command, North Coates, Lincolnshire, England.
08 August 1945 – Repatriated to Greenwood, Nova Scotia.
12 September 1945 – Discharged.
In early 1946, shortly after his return to Manitoba, Bill became a journeyman electrician with the Manitoba Power Commission (now Manitoba Hydro) in Portage la Prairie. In 1947 he met Roberta Mary Dyer, of Portage, and they married in May 1949. Bill was transferred and the Cramer family relocated to Morden. While living in Morden they had two sons, Gregory, born September 1951 and Garth, born June 1954. They spent their remaining years in Morden and Bill retired from Manitoba Hydro, in 1976, as the District Supervisor.
Bill and Roberta were very much involved in the community and proud lifetime members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 11 in Morden. Bill served two terms as President as well as in several other Executive positions and remained an active member until his death. For his dedication and service Bill was presented with the Meritorious Service Award by Dominion Command, of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Sergeant William (Bill) Cramer passed away, 17 April 2005, at age 82. He is at rest in the Columbarium at the Wiebe Funeral Home, Morden, Manitoba.
Information from family, Wikipedia and Royal Air Force Squadron histories.