Bill's Story
A young Canadian's journey from home to hero
The Young Volunteer
Bill McCollum was just 20 years old when he left Canada for Britain in December 1942. His service file paints a picture of an exceptional young man - intelligent, well-educated, quiet, and a deliberate thinker with a strong sense of responsibility.
He was considered officer material and had passed to PNB (Pilot, Navigator, Bomb Aimer) standard. But Bill was eager to get into the fight. Rather than wait for officer training, he volunteered as an air gunner - one of the most dangerous positions on a bomber crew - to get into combat as quickly as possible.
- From his service records
As a rear gunner in the Lancaster's isolated tail turret, Bill held the loneliest and most vulnerable position. Separated from his crew, exposed to freezing temperatures, and the primary target for enemy fighters attacking from behind, the rear gunner's life expectancy was measured in weeks, not months.
In Memory
A portrait would be displayed here
The Funeral
French villagers' ceremony photos
A Hero's Farewell
The French villagers of Loches-sur-Ource gave Bill and his crewmates a hero's burial. It was described as "a most moving ceremony attended by all villagers and local dignitaries who clearly wished to express their sorrow and gratitude to this brave crew who had fallen in their parish fighting for the liberation of France."
The entire village turned out to honor these seven young men who had given their lives for French freedom. Despite the German occupation, the villagers risked their own safety to ensure these Allied airmen received a proper burial with full honors.
This detail - that Bill was found intact in the tail section with minimal injuries - provided some small comfort to his family. It suggested his end came quickly, without suffering.