Cemetery: Sage War Cemetery
Country: Germany
Area:
Rank: Pilot Officer
Force: Royal Air Force
Official Number: 425 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn.
Unit: 190352
Country of Service: British
Details: 05/01/45 Age 19 5. E. 11. Son of Edgar and Ina Moore, of Bradford, Yorkshire. Account of Stanleys death by Vince Brimicombe (Pilot) who was flying the aircraft at the time. I never knew what happened to Stanley (we knew him as Ginger!) except that he was killed by cannon fire from the German fighter ME110 who shot us down. Knowing that his body was recovered from our Halifax and has been properly remembered in the Sage War Cemetery helps restore my peace of mind.We were a crew of seven from R.C.A.F. 425 (Alouette) Squadron, based in Tholthorpe, England. Ginger was our flight engineer (R.A.F.) On January 5th ,1945 we were returning from a raid on Hannover. Our aircraft was a Halifax III – W-William (Willie the Wolf). This was our 23rd bombing raid on Germany and one of our longest. There was heavy action with lots of “flak” and enemy night fighters. We were just starting to relax after dropping our bombs on Pathfinder sky markers when a German ME110 attacked from below. There was instant chaos amongst the crew on the flight deck of our Halifax when the incendiary cannon fire ripped through the belly of the aircraft. The exploding cannon shells also wrecked the inner starboard engine and the whole right wing. The interior of the aircraft became a raging inferno. Ginger was standing beside me adjusting the instruments and was hit by the incendiary bullets. He probably never knew what happened! The aircraft was now out of control so I gave the order to bail out. I tried to raise Ginger’s body but with the raging fire and upheaval of the spinning aircraft, I could do nothing. The rest of the crew parachuted to safety and were captured near the town of Halle, Germany. By the time I exited the burning aircraft I too was on fire about my face and arms. I landed outside the town and managed to avoid capture for 3 days en route back to the western front. Hungry at this point, I was discovered milking a cow by a local farmer and turned over to the German police. At the interrogation camp in Frankfurt I was reunited with the rest of my crew. We became prisoners of war in Stalag 1, Barth, Germany until liberated by the Russians in May 1945. Ginger was a good flight engineer and a good friend. He was the youngest of our crew (19 years old). He was from Bradford, England… the only Brit in the group, but fitted in well with the Canadian crew. I visited his family when I was repatriated from POW camp in May 1945 and met them for the first time. His father thought Ginger might still be alive. I of course had to explain to the family how he was killed. It was most difficult. I have had no contact with Stanley’s family since that time. I would appreciate any contact information (address?) for the family if you have it in your records. If anyone reading this page should know the family please contact steve@twgpp.org
Photograph by David Milborrow / Martin Shilton