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May 15, 2013

Airman's Alpine navigation feat


Seventy years ago, a Llandudno airman received a medal after bringing a crippled RAF bomber from Italy to England ...

using only the stars to guide him between the mountains. Navigator William Ernest Williams also had to take an indirect route, around neutral Swiss airspace. The plane touched down more than five hours after Sgt Williams had helped to extinguish the fuselage fire. Another fire, in the port engine, was stopped by putting the plane into a steep dive. The following month, Sgt Williams was killed during a test flight in England. To read his amazing story, scan the QR codes either side of Llandudno war memorial (on the low wall), choose "SWW Surnames N-Z" then click the icon next to Sgt Williams' entry. Or click here