William Granger McCron

“Sergeant Grainger, 20, a wireless air gunner in a Stirling bomber, was reported missing last night after operations over Flensberg, Germany on Oct. 1. An appendicitis operation aboard the ship taking him to England kept Sergeant McCron out of action for some time after his arrival---his brother-in-law James Mitchell said last night. McCron enlisted in December 1940. He received his wings at Brandon, Manitoba and went overseas in January 1942. He attended Balmy Beach and Williamson Public Schools, Toronto and the Barrie Collegiate. He was employed by Loblaws Groceries, Newmarket. His father, S.H. McCron lives in Barrie. A brother, Albert, is with R.C.A.F. at Uplands, Ont.”

William was son of Samuel Hyslop and Florence May Ingram and brother to Samuel Lorne (RCAF killed in WW2), Albert George (RCAF WW2), Wallace, Paul, Ruth and Eleanor. William was born in Manitoba, the family moving to Ontario, living in various places, including Acton (address unknown).

The Handley Page Halifax II (nicknamed “Ruhr Valley Express”) was discovered as having crashed at Liehasu, NNW of the target close to the German Danish border and as a result William’s status was changed from Missing to Killed in Action. Of the 27 Halifax sorties that flew that night, 44.4% were lost. So many families would be left to mourn the loss of their sons, brothers, husbands and fathers.

Flight Sergeant Air Gunner McCron was buried in the Friedenshugfel Military Cemetery at Flensburg, Germany, exhumed, and reburied in the Kiel War Cemetery, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

William is commemorated on the Acton Cenotaph, at Knox Presbyterian Church, Acton and on a street sign in Barrie.

Truly a Canadian Hero. His story lives on.

*Information taken from losses.internationalbcc.co.uk, Findagrave.com and Ancestry.ca

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