Date: 29th September 1939 (Friday)
Unit: No. 144 Squadron
Type: Hampden I
Serial: L4132
Code: PL-?
Base: R.A.F. Hemswell, Lincolnshire.
Location: Between Heligoland and Wangerooge
Pilot: P/O: R.M. ' Gonga" Coste R.C.A.F. POW No: 20 Camp
Pilot/Obs: Fl/Sgt. Siriol Williams 366471 R.A.F. Age ? Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: A/C. 2. Stanley Isherwood 621052 R.A.F. Age 19. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Charles George Williams 580687 R.A.F. Age 19. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Hampden Aircraft preparing for a mission.
Aircraft took-off at 06:40 hrs. Hemswell, Lincolnshire to bomb German warships in the Heligoland area. 11 Hampdens were sent in two formations - the first 6 attacked 2 destroyers but missed the target, the second wave of 5 were intercepted and all were shot down by Luftwaffe Me. 109's. Of the 16 aircrew who were lost 12 were killed 4 became P.O.W.'s.
144 Squadron lost 4 other aircraft this day they were as follows -
Hampden L4121 F/O. John T.B. Sadler, Hampden L4126 F/O. Baughan, Hampden L4127 F/O. Norman C. Beck and Hampden L4134 W/Cmdr. James C. Cunningham.
Hampden L4132 is thought to have been shot down at 10:03 hrs by Uffz. Pollack of I./ZG26.
AC2. Stanley Isherwood 2nd row from the top, fifth from left. (Bill Gould)
Castle at Spangenberg where many early R.A.F. prisoners including P.O. Coste were held.
Sage War Cemetery, Grossenkneten Lower Saxony
Burial details:
Fl/Sgt. Siriol Williams. Sage War cemetery Grave: 4.E.6.
Husband of Florence Maud Williams
A/C. 2. Stanley Isherwood. Sage War cemetery Grave: 4.E.4.
Son of Stanley and Catherine Isherwood, of Tong Moor, Bolton, Lancashire, England.
Sgt. Charles George Williams. Sage War cemetery Grave: 4.E.5.
Son of Charles and Evelyn Williams, of Westbury-on-Trym, Gloucestershire, England.
Researched for Bill Gould and his wife, relatives of Stanley Isherwood and dedicated to all the crew.
Acknowledgements: Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol. 1", Tom Kracker, Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
