Sergeant Eddie Kerr (left) and Ed Johnson parade down the main street of Vernon, B.C. during training at the Vernon army camp just prior to going overseas. June 1943

Main Street Vernon, B.C.

Son of Herbert and Frances Williams, of Chilliwack, B.C.
Born 1 February 1922 in Kamloops, British Columbia
Educated there and in Chilliwack (1936-1940)
Name changed from &quot;Larson&quot; to &quot;Williams&quot;
  - following his mother's second marriage
He was so keen to enlist that he took a six month 
  - ground course in aviation by correspondence
Enlisted in Vancouver, 24 October 1940
Attended No.2 Manning Depot, Brandon
Trained at 
No.2 ITS, Regina (17 January to 20 February 1941)
No.16 EFTS, Edmonton (21 February to 3 May 1941) &amp;
No.32 SFTS, Moose Jaw (4 May to 16 July 1941)
graduated as Sergeant, 30th in a class of 61
  - (school mates included J.H. Turnbull and H.J. Everard)
Arrived in Britain, 30 August 1941
Trained at 
No.57 OTU, 5 September to 21 October 1941
No.132 Squadron, 21 October 1941 to 30 March 1942
Promoted to Flight Sergeant, 1 February 1942
No.603 Squadron, 30 March to 28 April 1942
No.164 Squadron, 28 April to 9 May 1942
No.249 Squadron, 9 May 1942
Commissioned 22 June 1942
No.2 SPTC, 29 June 1942
No.145 Squadron, 21 July 1942
No.1413 Flight, 8 September 1942
Killed 31 October 1942 in crash of Liberator AL516
  - (No.511 Squadron), Gibraltar ; 
(Buzz Beurling &amp; Gord Farquharson survived)

Known on Malta as &quot;Willie the Kid&quot;

Award presented to next of kin, 18 May 1944

Willie the Kid

Private Fred Cederberg presents arms to no one in particular, showing off his new-found "skill" in Camp Borden, Ontario, a few weeks after enlisting in the Cape Breton Highlanders.