Personnel Index - Detail

Name
WALKER
First Names
Alfred Cole
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
905129
Crew Position
Pilot
Age
23
Date of Death
29/09/1941
Cemetery

 



Sgt A C Walker flew 20 operations with 49Sqn......9 as pilot, 11 as 2nd pilot.

28/29 September, 1941; FRANKFURT:

With a gap of nearly two weeks since the previous operation, 49 Squadron was asked to provide 14 Hampdens for a small scale attack on Frankfurt. 4 aircraft were scrubbed from the trip, and just before take-off a fifth suffered tail wheel collapse at the taxiing point.
At 22.50hrs the squadron started to launch the first of 9 aircraft. For one unfortunate crew disaster struck early; 11 minutes after take-off, Sgt Walker and crew (AE376) struck the ground whilst in a shallow dive; tragically all the crew were killed. Their Hampden, E-Echo, came down in Burton Park just north of Lincoln at 6 minutes past midnight.
 

Hampden AE376 (EA-E)
Sgt A.C. Walker Pilot (Killed)
Sgt A. Raine W/Ag (Killed)
Sgt R.E. Greenhalgh A/G (Killed)
Sgt T.H. Smith O/Bs (Killed)




The headstone is very difficult to read but the inscription says......

In dear and loving memory of 
Alfred Cole Walker
Sergeant Pilot 49th Squadron
Killed on active service
29th September 1941
Aged 23 years
Per Ardua ad Astra