Photo: James Pasby
In Longbenton Cemetery is a family headstone for Wardhaugh which reads:
In loving memory of
our darling daughter Jean Wardhaugh
died 8th Nov. 1934 aged 7
Thomas Wardhaugh our dear son
who died on active service 21st Sept. 1941
aged 27 years, buried at Delden, Holland.
Russell Wardhaugh a devoted son
died 1st Dec. 1962 aged 50 years.
Ann Cummings Wardhaugh
dearly beloved wife and mother
died 11th Feb. 1965 aged 86 years
Edward Wardhaugh born 13th April 1886
passed away 29th January 1980
beloved husband of Anne C. Wardhaugh
dear father of Russell, Tom, Elizabeth & Jean
I know that my redeemer liveth.
Flying Officer Wardhaugh was serving with 103 Squadron. He was a member of the crew of Wellington IC X9609 PM- which took off from Elsham Wolds on a mission to Berlin. The aircraft crashed in Holland. Two crew were killed, four others were taken prisoner. The other crew member who died has no known grave.
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: 1941. W.R. Chorley. 1993; Midland Counties Publication ISBN 0 904597 87 3.
Tony Hibberd has provided the following:
Wellington X9609 PM- had departed Elsham Wolds at 1910 for Ops Berlin
It was intercepted above Bentelo, 5km W of Hengelo by a Night-Fighter captained by Oblt Helmut Woltersdorf (VII/NJG1) and shot down at 2246 for his 13th Abschuss
NachtJagd Combat Archive The Early Years Part 2 Dr Theo Boiten
Thomas Wardhaugh is remembered in Heaton on H91.02
