Personnel Index - Detail

Name
COOK
First Names
William Alexander
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
1005936
Crew Position
Bomb Aimer
Age
21
Date of Death
21/04/1943
Cemetery

 

Photographed by Leif Rosenbek Fink
 

Photographed by Leif Rosenbek Fink
 



20/21 April, 1943; STETTIN:

W/Cmdr Johnson led 9 aircraft away from Fiskerton forming part of a mixed force of 339 Bombers. In perfect visibility and with good PFF marking, a tremendous hammer-blow was delivered to the town of Stettin.
100 acres of the centre were destroyed for the loss of 13 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes and 1 Stirling.
By 06.15hrs all of the squadron's Lancasters had returned, with the exception of Sgt Adam Anderson and crew, who on only their 2nd operation were reported missing; the 20 year-old Lancaster pilot and crew had in fact been shot down over Denmark. Light flak had set fire to the incendiaries and the aircraft began to burn furiously. At 23.35hrs, the pilot crash landed his Lancaster (with the bombs still on board) 12 kilometers NNW of Ringkobing. Three crew members were killed in the crash and Sgt Anderson died later in hospital; the remaining three crew members survived to become PoWs. Their comrades rest in Lemvig Cemetery.

Lancaster ED620
Sgt A. Anderson Pilot (Killed)
Sgt A. Telfer F/E (Killed)
Sgt G. Boulton N/AB (P.o.W.)
Sgt G.J. Evans WAG (Killed)
Sgt G. Barclay A/G (P.o.W.)
Sgt W.A. Cook A/B (Killed)
Sgt W.P. Hayworth A/G (P.o.W.)

Crew on their 2nd operation



A rather scratched, but significant photograph of ED620 (EA-K) - seen on a dispersal to the rear of the main hangar at Fiskerton, during the afternoon of Tuesday 20 April 1943. Standing in front of her are members of her groundcrew. 

That night Sgt Anderson and crew flying ED620 failed to return from Stettin; their 2nd operation, the aircraft's first.


German images of the funeral service in Lemwig.

Nephew, Colin Henderson has twice visited the crashsite and the church in Lemwig.

Click this link to view more images and information about this loss.