Pilot Officer Henry Albert Partridge, J/16966 went missing on 5th March 1943, when his plane the Lancaster W4847 of 83 Squadron went missing on a sortie to Essen, Germany.

The plane was shot down probably by a nightfighter and crashed in the Ijsselmeer.

Of the seven crewmembers only the body of four where recovered, the Pilot Pilot Officer Partridge, the Bomb Aimer Sergeant H. Fell and the Wireless Operator Sergeant Freshwater are missing since.

On 27 November 1943, the body of any unknown Royal Canadian Airforce Officer washed up on the beach at Hindeloopen. According to the Germans he probably held the rank of 1st Lieutenant.

(Pilot Officer rank which was 1 stripe on the sleeve was the lowest Commissioned rank then.)

The airman was buried on 29th November at Hindeloopen Cemetery, grave D.1.3 where it still rest.

In August 1945, a Canadian from Kelowna, came to the Townhall, claiming that this was the body of his friend Flying Officer William Wahl who was killed on 14-5-1943 but this was incorrect as he was buried at Amsterdam General Cemetery.

Could it possible be the remains of Pilot Officer Henry Albert Partridge, as two of his crew members Sergeant R.O. Fulton and Sergeant J.L. Organ also washed up at Hindeloopen, Flying Officer L.W. Sprackling some miles north at Workum and Sergeant A.D. Dinnis a few miles further north at Gaast.