Pilot Officer William Albert Arends was born in Bottineau, North Dakota, USA, the eldest of the eight children of Harm A. Arends (1893-1979) and Pearl Frances Arends née McKeen (1897-1989). The family shortly moved to Tulare, California, USA where he grew up.
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 12280, and served as a Pilot Officer in No.133 Squadron. On 3 April 1942 he was flying a Spitfire aeroplane, serial number P8595, when it collided in mid-air with another Spitfire, serial number P8438. He survived the crash near Epworth, Lincolnshire, although his Spitfire was written off. Unfortunately, the pilot of the other aeroplane, Pilot Officer Samuel Fisk Whedon, baled out and successfully deployed his parachute, but was killed in landing.
On 20 June 1942 he was flying a Spitfire Mk Vb, serial number EP168, on a fighter sweep to St. Omer, France. On the return, he was attacked by half a dozen Focke-Wulf 190's. He managed to shoot down one of their planes before succumbing to the odds and was killed in action, aged 24 years.
He was buried in Row C, Grave 11 in the Pihen-Les-Guines Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
