Hello everyone, My name is John. I am a new member and my initial reason for joining this forum is because I have found it so interesting having been led here on the trail of info on my mother's cousin lost in 1940 while serving with the RAF in Bomber Command. One of my earliest memories as a child (born 1944) is of two large photos on the wall of my granny's house one showing three young men in uniform. One RAF my father, two army both uncles. The other photo showed a handsome young man in RAF uniform. This was Jimmy Dempsey my mother's cousin and the only one of the four who did not return. I was told that he was an air gunner and was lost in 1940 but the family had no idea of where or under what circumstances. The photo still hangs on the same wall and my aunt who still stays in that house and is 91 now has asked me to see if I could find out any information on what happened to Jimmy. She is the last living person who knew him. So far I have found from the CWGC site that he is buried at DELFZIJK in the Netherlands and that he died on 03/08/1940. He was a Sgt W/OP / Air gunner. I am still hoping to find further info.
Hello John, welcome to the forum. I've come up with the following info regarding your mothers cousin, its taken from the publication ' Bomber Command Losses' Vol.1 - W R. Chorley Hope its a help. 2-3 August 1940 115 Squadron. Wellington IC R3202 Op. Hamburg The aircraft took off from Marham at 2124 hrs and ditched at 0200 hrs in the North Sea off the Island of Rottum. Four bodies were later washed onto Dutch beaches, but the names of F/S. Ruffell-Hazell and Sgt. Croft are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Crew. P/O. R T. Gerry CWGC :: Casualty Details P/O. R W. Pryor CWGC :: Casualty Details F/S. Ruffell-Hazell DFM CWGC :: Casualty Details Sgt. J. Dempsey CWGC :: Casualty Details Sgt. J M. Croft CWGC :: Casualty Details P/O. S J S. Wilde CWGC :: Casualty Details
From the Sanguinius set on Flicker Name: DEMPSEY, JAMES Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 115 Sqdn. Age: 21 Date of Death: 03/08/1940 Service No: 640266 Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Dempsey, of Kirkcaldy, Fife. Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot B. Class 2B. Row 21. Grave 287. Cemetery: DELFZIJL GENERAL CEMETERY
From the Sanguinius set on Flicker Name: WILDE, SIDNEY JOHN SCOTT Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Pilot Officer (Air Gnr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 115 Sqdn. Age: 31 Date of Death: 03/08/1940 Service No: 76931 Additional information: Son of Sidney A. and Iris Scott Wilde; husband of Ila Wilde, of Howwood, Renfrewshire. Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot B. Class 2B. Row 21. Grave 285. Cemetery: DELFZIJL GENERAL CEMETERY
Photo taken by Forum Member CL1 Name: RUFFELL-HAZELL, RICHARD JAMES Rank: Flight Sergeant Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 115 Sqdn. Age: 33 Date of Death: 03/08/1940 Service No: 359517 Awards: D F M Additional information: Son of James and Flora Eliza Ruffell-Hazel; husband of Winifred Mary Ruffell-Hazel, of Winchester. Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 11. Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=31123&d=1278969640
Photo taken by Forum Member CL1 Name: CROFT, JACK MILLEN Rank: Sergeant Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 115 Sqdn. Age: 20 Date of Death: 03/08/1940 Service No: 635759 Additional information: Son of Carey and Harriet Ann Croft, of Earby, Yorkshire. Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 13. Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=31128&d=1278970061
Photo taken by Forum Member Philip Reinders Name: GERRY, REGINALD TORRANCE Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 115 Sqdn. Age: 23 Date of Death: 03/08/1940 Service No: 41013 Additional information: Son of Harold Dudley Gerry and Margaret Buchanan Gerry, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 45. Cemetery: OLDEBROEK GENERAL CEMETERY
Photo from the Sanguinius set on Flicker Name: PRYOR, RONALD WILLIAM Initials: R W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 115 Sqdn. Age: 21 Date of Death: 03/08/1940 Service No: 42723 Additional information: Son of Cecil P. and Dorothy M. Pryor of Wallasey, Cheshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Memorial in soutn-west corner. Cemetery: UITHUIZEN GENERAL CEMETERY
Thanks to all who replied. I find it hard to believe that after so many years we have managed to find this information. I look forward to passing it on to my aunt tomorrow. She has given me, for safekeeping, the last letter which Jimmy wrote to her before his last mission. I hope to take her to visit the cemetary later this year. If her health holds out. Thanks again John D Moore
Does anyone know John D Moore (switcher) who started this thread about Sgt James Dempsey. I am interested in making contact with him. I have tried to do this by a private message through WW2Talk without success.
Drailton if you contact Glasgow Power Station they may know him as he is a power station engineer going on his Profile page
Thanks for your reply, Alan. The problem is that he may live in Glasgow but I don't know which of the many (possibly about 100) power stations in Scotland he works at many of which will be in the Glasgow area.
This is another attempt to contact John D Moore (Forum name 'switcher') who started this thread. I would very much like to make contact with John about his relative, Sgt James Dempsey. David
John Wilde is my first cousin, twice removed (according to my research on Ancestry.com). His grandfather is my great-great-grandfather.
Zaisha, You will see from the replies to this topic that I have an interest which is in respect of all of the crew of Wellington R3202 including Pilot Officer Wilde. I will send you a private message through WW2Talk with details. David Railton
Hi David and Zaisha, just resurrecting this thread as yesterday I acquired the service dress jacket of PO SJ Wilde from a militaria dealer. I was Googling his name and amazingly found this thread although I have actually been a member for a while. I thought you might be interested to see a photo. After his death, the jacket was passed on to Wing Commander EPM Fernbank DFC. His name is written inside but underneath that the name of PO Wilde can just be made out.
There is other detail on this crew, including some imagery, at: 115 Squadron If connected members above have a photograph of John Wilde, it would almost certainly be much appreciated by the Friends of the Squadron: friends115squadron@gmail.com Amongst the details at: Wellington R3202 – 3 August 1940 | Lost Over Holland the photo at the bottom shows three officers in front of the attributed Wellington. As there were three P/Os in the crew, might the one on the left be John? Whoever it is, he is wearing a service dress jacket under his Irving jacket. Some coincidence if it was the one mentioned above. Readers will probably be in interested the associated case being presented to the RAF Historical Branch and the CWGC.
