Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op./Air Gnr.) 625669 Willie Thornton

Family details:
Son of Joseph and Annie Thornton, of St. Helens.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately Willie is redacted. Widowed mother Annie Thornton born 11/07/1880 an Unpaid Domestic, brother Joseph Thornton born 28/02/1907 a Brakes Man Locomotive Shunter, sister Agnes F Lyon (Thornton) born 01/09/1909 a Glass Grinder Glass Works, brother Alfred Thornton born 16/11/1916 a Motor Bus Conductor ( TV Driver) and brother Harold Thornton born 09/04/1919 a Capper In Glass Works Cuts Caps From Glass Shades are living at 90 Knowsley Road, St Helens. Father Joseph died 03/04/1923 (see headstone)

Notes:
[url=lmem.php?lmem=28]Remembered on St Lukes War Memorial, Knowsley Road.[/url]

[b][pic]imgs/sppics/hampden_L4055.jpg[/pic] [b][caption]Hampden L4055 and Crew[/caption][/b][/b] Hampden L4055[b][i], (83rd Squadron) [/i][/b]Holme[b], West Yorkshire.[/b] Near the village of Holme, West Yorkshire, Handley Page Hampden L4055 crashed on May 23rd 1940 with the sad loss of all crew members. L4055 was returning from a bombing raid on railway targets in Monchengladbach, only the crew couldn't identify the target and they returned still carrying the bomb load. At this early stage, before the tactics of total war were employed, it was routine for crews not to ditch their bombs just anywhere. Some of the bombs remained unexploded which led to the Royal Engineers having to detonate them on the moors. On the return leg, L4055 overshot their base at RAF Scampton in foul weather, and Sgt Jenkins descended through cloud thinking he was over Lincolnshire, not Yorkshire. Crew - Sgt Stanley William Jenkins, pilot Sgt Alan Marsh, observer Aircraftman [b]William Thornton[/b], wireless operator Sgt Peter W Josse, air gunner According Guy Gibson's account of things, see ('enemy coast ahead") they were probably badly shot up as they had been attempting to blow up railway tunnels to help the B.E.F. - (British Expeditionary Force). [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/Thornton_W_zps96a2ca08.jpg[/pic][caption]The headstone of Aircraftman 1st Class (W. Op./Air Gnr.) Willie Thornton at St Helens Cemetery (Photo courtesy of Jeff Keenan)[/caption]