Crew list of Ships hit by U-boats
William Brears
RAF. British
| Born | 22 Sep 1918 | Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire | |
| Died | 26 Jan 1986 | (67) | Sheffield, Yorkshire |
Roster information listed for William Brears
| Ship | Type | Rank / role | Attacked on | Boat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Duchess of Atholl | Steam passenger ship | Passenger | 10 Oct 1942 | U-178 (1) |
Personal information
Son of William and Jane Ellen Brears; husband of Elsie Brears, of Sheffield. He was returning from South Africa as passenger aboard Duchess of Atholl following RAF crew training at No. 42 Air School, Port Elizabeth. He later recounted that everyone was tearing off stripes when the U-boat surfaced so that the Germans could not identify them as RAF personnel.
Photo courtesy of Sylvia Langan
Sources
- Personal communication