William Morgan – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Aircraftman 1st Class William Morgan – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

William Morgan

Aircraftman 1st Class William Morgan served with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, one of the wartime branches formed to support Britain’s rapidly expanding air operations. Information about his early life is limited, but surviving records confirm that he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Morgan, and that he had married Winifred Williams, a union tragically cut short by his sudden death.

Before entering RAF service, William worked for Armour & Co. and was well known in Swansea Market, where he was employed as a butcher. His family were long associated with Swansea’s livestock trade: William was the third son of Mr. W. Morgan, a butcher and cattle dealer of Verig Street, Manselton, and Mrs. Morgan, whose household was well‑known in the local community.

William’s death was widely reported in the local press. He was living at Lon Coed Bran, Swansea, and had been married to Winifred Williams for only ten months, making the loss especially poignant. The accident occurred on the Isle of Man, where he was stationed. An aeroplane flying unusually low across a roadway struck the roof of an underground garage and then collided with a lorry. Although the aircraft landed undamaged, two airmen who were beneath the canvas of the lorry — including William Morgan — were killed instantly. The unusual circumstances of the incident made it one of the more striking aviation accidents reported during the war.

His funeral took place in Swansea, with a service conducted by Rev. Basil Snelling. Officers and men of the Royal Air Force attended, paying formal tribute to a comrade lost in the line of duty. William was mourned as a devoted husband, a respected tradesman, and a serviceman whose life ended far too soon. He was laid to rest at St Peter’s, where he is remembered among the parish’s wartime dead.