大象传媒

I never knew my Uncle Bill as he was killed in action when I was only one year old. I have only a few photos of him with my parents in the family album. My grandmother being proud of her son had kept cuttings from newspapers, magazines and personal letters home, which the family have in their possession today. It is from these cuttings and letters that I have built up this story.
Bill was born and lived most of his short life in Girling Street, Sudbury in the county of Suffolk. He attended St Gregory and St Peter school. One of the pupils who knew Bill said "He lived directly opposite the school and he used to run down the house passageway and cross the road into the school. The nearest pupil but almost the last to school". Like a lot of boys of that day Bill became a chorister at St Gregory church, and had a delivery round for a local newsagent. He left school to become a carpenter before joining the RAF at the age of seventeen. Bill did his square bashing and then trained as a rear gunner in a Sunderland flying boat.

The follwing battle of Sunderland N9046/KG-F of no204 sqn in the skies,earned the Sunderland its German nickname, FLIEGENDE STACHELSCHWEIN (FLYING PORCUPINE. Bill won his D.F.M,and Flt Lt frank Phillips a D.F.C. this is an account of the Sunderland engagement in air to air combat and achieved a victory.
April 3rd 1940

Sunderland flying boat No9046 left Invergordon Scotland, and made its way over the North sea heading towards Norway. It was on another mission to escort a merchant convoy. Skies were clear of enemy aircraft, and no signs of submarines in the sea. The crew settled down to a prospect of another ten hours protection patrol. Then suddenly at mid-afternoon, as the flying boat search the sea away from the convoy two Junkers 88 appeared flying low over the waves coming from the Norwegian coast. Both Junkers circled the flying boat very warily. Then one suddenly came in at the front of the flying boat with its guns blazing. As the Junker came into the range of the Sunderland, the gunners open up in brief burst. The Germans were taken by surprise of the Sunderland's capability of defence and swifly turned away disappearing into the skies.
While the Sunderland continue to search for more Junkers, four more slipped pass them and tried to bomb the convoy. The few anti-aircraft on the convoy fought them off. The convoy and escort knew that they were in for a battle as their position was now known. It was only a matter of minutes when six more Ju88 appeared out of the skies,two headed towards the flying boat. Lt Phillips took action for attack, and took the 25 ton flying boat down to sea level for added protection. Both Junkers follwed the flying boat down, and roar onto it with all guns blazing. The Sunderland gunners responded with cool accurate bursts, and the two Germans pulled out of the battle. The four remaining Junkers decided to attack one after the other from astern. Cpl Lillie in the rear turret cool headed held his fire until one of the attackers were only 100 yds away, then opened fire. The Junker catching the full blast, burst into flames, and plunged straight into the sea. Switching his sights to the second on coming Junker fired a quick burst into his port engine. The German swerved away, smoke pouring from his stricken engine. One of the crew yelled to Lt Phillips to evade above them, he had seen two other Junkers try to attempt to bomb the flying boat. Lt Phillips sharply turned the enormous aircraft up into the sky and watched bombs harmlessly go by. The Germans decided to give the big machine its respect and pull out of any further combat, and head back to Norway. The flying boat was severely damaged and some of the crew were slightly injured. Lt Phillips struggled the next two hours to maintain height with the stricken aircraft before landing safely at Invergordon.
The crew later learned that the second Junker had crash landed in Norway.
Bill's mother was the proudest woman in Sudbury at this practical moment of time.She had just heard as had thousand of other Sudburians the broadcast announcement of the award of the Distinguished Flying medal of her son. Neighbours in the street were popping in with their warmest congratulations and certainly must have shown them Bill's letter she had just received. Here is an extract:
I have been in the Shetlands sometime now, and there has not been any jerries over here yet. From what I can make of it there won't be very often.I suppose I may as well admit though that we did run into a few while we were flying one day last week and believe me in the air they are useless, and nothing to be afraid of. If you listen to the wireless next Monday about nine I believe you will hear the whole story.See if you can recognise the voice of the rear gunner, but remember he has a bit of a cold, so he may be a bit husky.
That voice of the tail gunner was heard by millions of people across the country, when his account of the Sunderland battle with the Junkies was broadcast on the home service programme.
"I was sitting in the tail turret, very cold watching and looking around, suddenly the piolt reported two strange aircrafts on the port side.I saw two approaching very fast on my tail. When they swung round I got a bead on then and recognised the new Junkers. They were 500 yards off and |I was surprised when they opened fire. I let them get to 300 yard and let fly, and they turn away. The pilot reported four more approaching and two turned. The first got in a burst a distance away and turned. I thought it was no good wasting bullets, so I let the second one come to within 100 yards.I gave him damn good burst and it seemed to shake him up. I saw the swastika and gave him another burst, and saw him fall into the sea. Then I saw another Junker come up and I focused a bead on him. he turned away and the enemy machine made a get away faster than they came."
Sudburians were buzzing with excitement
Why?
Because news had gone round the town that their war hero was coming home on leave today. here they were gathered, the town folk, a welcome committee, here at the railway station, with a red carpet and a band to welcome him home. The hero's mother said "Sudbury does not know how to contain itself", as she mingled with well wishers.
Bill had an idea the Sudburians were up to something by what he had read in his mother's letter. Being quite an unassuming young man,did not like all the fuss. He left the train one stop before Sudbury, and got a lift the rest of the way home. When Bill turned into Girling Street he would have seen the street decorated in his honour. Walking pass the premises of the local fruit and vegetable salesman Mr Cole ( a few doors from his home) stood a long board. Written in bold letter in chalk read,
LORD HAW-HAW OF GOEBBELS
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
GERMANS AFRAID OF GIRLING STREET BOY
GOOD LUCK CORPORAL BILL LILLIE
Bill later on would have read Mr Cole's comments in the local paper.
Asked by a local reporter, "What was your experience of the boy". "He was a good lad" replied Mr Cole "Anything mechanical interested him, he's a smart fellow."
As their was no sign of Bill as the train pulled away from the station, his mother told everyone to hold awhile and went on her way home to find out what had happened to him. On her arrival home she found her son sitting in a chair with a cup of drink. "Get your coat on son" she cried, "Ther is a lot of people waiting for you and you are not going to let them down". With that she marched him down to the station.
One of Bill's schoolmasters made this statement to the Daily mail on april 13th 1940

A quiet even temperament, never got rattled,never distinguished himself at scholl, football? Yes, but never a vigorous player. He would wait quietly for an opening then seize his chance in a flash. As in his schooldays he waited quietly for an opening and wait until the attackers were within 100 yards, then seized his chance, and brought one of them down.
Extract from Bill's last letter home.

I was pleased to get your letter and hear that I am popular in good old Sudbury. I hope you do not worry at all about me because there is no need to. It is not every day that we do like we did on that particular day. Well I was told today that I should get some leave early next month, so you better get my bed aired and ready. I am not sure yethow long I shall get, but I am certain that I am going to have a rather busy time but a good time. I got a letter from my old headmaster of North Street School, Mr Southwell. It was sort of a congratulation and I was pleased to get it. I have had lots of letters and telegrams from all sorts of people. I am keeping the best and I will show you them when I get home.
On Monday 21st July 1940
Mr and Mrs Lillie received this official telegram with this message

Dear Sir
In confirmation of my telegram of yesterday date, I regret to inform you that your son No 538981 Corporal William Gray Lillie, D.F.M of No204 Squadron, Royal Air Force is missing. The aircraft of which he is a member of crew failed to return to its base on the 21st July 1940 after an operational flight over the coast of Norway.
Although the telegram above states Bill ranks rank as Corporal, the family have learned since that after April 3rd encounter, he had been made up to the rank of Sergeant.
May 2nd 2005

Sixty five years later, the family of Sudbury's first second world war hero are calling for a street to be named in his honour. His sister Florence Mortimer said, "Bill became one of the first British servicemen to be handed a Distinguished Flying Medal for bravery. The medal he received was dated 1918, and came from the first world war as honours for the second had not been commissioned."
Bill's nephew Tony Mortimer added, "Bill also received other medals including,an Atlantic Star, and a Distinguished Service Medal for his wartime services. I am now hoping to have these medals on display at the War Musuem at Duxford".
Bill's other sister Phyllis Mumford said, "she was with the family in preserving her brother's legacy," she continued "I have in my possession a photo of Bill which hung in the assembly hall of North Street School during the war years".
June 27th 2005
Bill's sister and nephew are overjoyed to learn of the good news that his name will live on. The district authority, and town council have agreed to create the permanent memorial to his heroism.
14th October 2005
Member's of the family gather around the road sign bearing his name 'CORPORAL LILLIE CLOSE',which will be included within a new housing development on the outskirts of the town centre. On a sad note his sister Phyllis had gone to join him a few weeks earlier to watch the proceeding from above. The hero's other sister Florence said, "the whole family is today proud of this achievement", and nephew Tony added, "we are pleased he will be forever on the map of Sudbury".

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