Researching the deaths and RAAF burials, it continues to bring a tear to the eye. From: Caithness CWS - Wings Over Wick - Those Who Did Not Return Young Len Williams Sgt. Pilot flew from Wick with 58 squadron. Sgt Pilot Len Williams was a member of the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) during World War 2 - attached to RAF Squadron 58 Coastal Command. On 25th July 1942, 10 Whitley aircraft and crews from that squadron were temporarily detached from their station at St Eval, Cornwall to Wick for special duty of U-boat reconnaissance. Sgt Williams only flew twice from Wick. The first occasion was on the 4th August 1942 when he was in flight for nearly 11 hours. The Daily Operations Book reports "Saw 3 trawlers, one of which opened fire on aircraft which immediately fired recognition cartridge". The second occasion was two days later on the 6th August 1942 when a Mark VII Whitley aircraft No Z9525, radio call sign "J", with Sgt Pilot Williams and five other crew members took off from Wick airport at 12.15pm, for another anti-submarine patrol over the North Sea. It was Len William's 21st birthday. The plane did not return and there was no radio contact with it after it left. The other crew members were P/0 Gordon J Strutt, Pilot, Sgt G A (Mickey) Morgan, Observer and Sgt E W (Ted) Griffiths, Sgt Albert Hooper and Sgt Edward T Prior, all Wireless Operators/Air Gunners. Len William's death gives us a special chance to see how sad the loss of a single airman from Wick was. All his letters sent home to his mother and some of those sent by his mother to Len which he never had a chance to open are published in a book "Letters To Mother". Extracts from Len's mother's diary are also included in this book. On the day he died, his 21st birthday, Len's mother wrote to him: "My dear boy, You are 21 today, it is a lovely day here. I am sitting on the bed on the front of the verandah where I can look at your photo on the wireless, as I write to you. . . I think I told you in my last letter, every day makes a difference and brings it a day nearer for your coming home. I mustn't say things that will make you homesick, l try not to but I wouldn't like you to think that we don't think of you son, indeed I woke Dad before 2 o'clock this morning, and my thoughts were with you". This letter was one of several, marked "Return To Sender" and sent back to Mrs Williams. The entries in Len's mother’s diary show how much she suffered. "Mother’s Diary. 27th August 1942: 21 days, how long the time seems and no news of our boy. 3rd September 1942: A month today. If only we knew, my boy if I could only see you and be with you. I miss you so. I wonder so much if he's hurt. I spend so much of my time with him in thought 3rd October 1942: I miss my boy more than ever, if only we knew. 21st October 1942: Len's photo and letter came, took them to town and had lunch with Stan : Jeans call up came. 12th November 1942: 14 weeks today - If only we knew, my dear, dear boy. 23rd November 1942: Couldn't sleep, thoughts of Len all night, also very much yesterday. If only we knew, my boy I miss you so and look for your letters. 26th November 1942: Miss my boy more and more as time goes by, 17 weeks today. Where are you son, what happened to you? If you could only let us know. Oh the heartache, day after day and you can't say. " Len Williams' body was never recovered Sgt. Pilot Len Williams of the Royal Australian Air Force (right of the picture) along with other mbers of the Whitley bomber which flew from Wick and was lost over the North Sea on August 6th 1942. Sgt. Pilot Len Williams' navy blue uniform from the RAAF stands out against the RAF uniform of his colleagues. Sgt. Pilot Williams died on his 21st birthday RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS IN WORLD WAR 2 AND MISSING WITH NO KNOWN GRAVE. 403246 Sergeant WILLIAMS, Leonard Stanley Source: NAA : A705, 163/178/378 Aircraft Type: Whitley Serial number: Z 9525 Radio call sign: Unit: 58 Sqn RAF Summary: Whitley Z 9525 of 58 Sqn RAF of RAF Station St Eval, near Wadebridge, Cornwall, took off from the detachment at Wick, Scotland, at 1215 hours on 6 August 1942 to carry out a “Flora” anti sub patrol. The aircraft was due back at 2230 hours, but it failed to return to base. Crew: RCAF Flt Sgt Strutt, G D DFM Captain (Pilot) RAAF 403246 Sgt Williams, L S (2nd Pilot) RAF Sgt Morgan, G A (Observer) RAF Sgt Prior, E T (1st Wireless Operator Air Gunner) RAF Sgt Griffiths, E W (2nd Wireless Operator Air Gunner) RAF Sgt Hooper, A (3rd Wireless Operator Air Gunner) In 1949 it was recorded that the missing crew had lost their lives at sea. In Memory of Pilot Officer Gordon James Strutt D F M J/15635, 58 Sqdn., Royal Canadian Air Force who died on 06 August 1942 Age 25 Son of John Herbert and Mary Ann Strutt, of Shawville, Province of Quebec, Canada. Remembered with Honour Runnymede Memorial In Memory of Sergeant Leonard Stanley Williams 403246, Royal Australian Air Force who died on 06 August 1942 Age 21 Son of Stanley and Ethel Williams, of Earlwood, New South Wales, Australia. Remembered with Honour Runnymede Memorial In Memory of Sergeant Geoffrey Arthur Morgan 1183371, 58 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 06 August 1942 No NOK Listed Remembered with Honour Runnymede Memorial In Memory of Sergeant Edward Thomas Prior 1166112, 58 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 06 August 1942 Age 26 Son of Edward and Rose Prior; husband of Joan Prior, of St. Margarets, Ware, Hertfordshire. Remembered with Honour Runnymede Memorial In Memory of Sergeant Edward William Griffiths 1051151, 58 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 06 August 1942 Age 26 Son of Edward and Jessie Griffiths; husband of Olive Gwendoline Griffiths, of Woolton, Lancashire. Remembered with Honour Runnymede Memorial In Memory of Sergeant Albert Hooper 984904, 58 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 06 August 1942 Age 22 Son of Alexander and Lily Hooper, of Castleford, Yorkshire; husband of Vera Hooper, of Castleford. Remembered with Honour Runnymede Memorial
my granfathers whitley was lost exactly one week after the birth of his daughter(my mother)....very close to home this one.every one a tragedy.a sorrow lasting genetrations.
Thought I would bring this back to the top. My mother died in September 2008 aged 90 and today is her birthday and mothers day is next Sunday in Australia. Time to think of all "The Mothers" who received the terrible news. Go to post #1 Cheers Geoff
It is almost beyond comprehension to think of the mothers and fathers who received two or more of those telegrams.........together! It is estimated that it was between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. that the two brothers, Henry, 25, and John, 21, were killed as part of A Company that attempted to cross Wong Nai Chung Gap via Jardine's Lookout to secure Mount Butler. A total of 65 other Winnipeg Grenadiers gave their lives that day. "The Kelso brothers fought a rear-guard action, at Wong Nai Chung Gap, which means they remained at their posts so that the remaining men could get up a defence at the rear during a withdrawal. They were overrun by the swarm of Japanese, but the remainder of the Grenadiers were saved. I consider them heroic. They were also very good men to be with," stated Ed Shayler, a World War II veteran. Two other Winnipeg Grenadier brothers, Privates Herbert T. and Donald H. Folster, also died that dawn morning at Wong Nai Chung Gap.
As quoted so eloquently in Saving Private Ryan: Executive Mansion, Washington, Nov. 21, 1864 Dear Madam, I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom. Yours, very sincerely and respectfully, Abraham Lincoln
