Hencke, Werner Charles
Personal Information
Rank | WO2 |
Forename(s) | Werner Charles |
Surname | Hencke |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 27-04-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Werner Charles Hencke and Katharine Pearl Hencke (née Beeson), of St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Husband of Patricia Violet Hencke (née Ashwin)- marriage on 22 August 1942 in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, England. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington X |
Serial Number | HZ365 |
Markings | NA-U |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Reichswald Forest War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 2. B. 1. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 180 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/98354 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 428 (Ghost) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to fomer St. Georges Hotel, Teesside Airport, County Durham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed slate tablets |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to all who served on 428 (RCAF) Sqn at Middleton St. George during WWII, especially those who made the supreme sacrifice |
Miscellaneous Information
Werner was born on 18 November 1921 at St.Louis, Missouri. His father was a Foreman plumber, born in St. Louis and his mother was born in O’Fallon, Missouri. The schools he attended were Lindenwood, 1927-1935 (General) and Roosevelt High 1935-1941, both in St, Louis. Between 1937-1941 Werner worked in the offices of Emerson Electric Co. St. Louis. The sports he enjoyed were football, softball and badminton and his hobby was target shooting. |
He enlisted on 23 May 1941 and after training embarked for the U.K. on 28 February 1942 and arrived at 3 PRC on 10 March 1942. He then went to 7 AGS 24 May 1942, 22 OTU 7 July 1942 and 428 Squadron on 20 March 1943. Werner was to lose his life the following month on 27 April 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1849/8 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1849/7 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 26-04-1943 |
End Date | 27-04-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Dalton |
Day/Night Raid | Night (54% moon) |
Operation | Duisburg. 561 aircraft, 17 losses (3.0%). PFF claimed accurate marking but most of the bombs fell in the north east of the city. More than 300 buildings destroyed and 130+ fatalities |
Reason for Loss | Crashed near Dulmen, Germany |