William Hereward Wake

A Sergeant with 217 Squadron, William died on 30th of September 1940 aged 21.

William was born at Wandsworth, London, on 19 August 1919, a son of William and Helen Alice Wake. He was baptised at Harrow Weald on 25 January 1920 and his family lived at The Cottage, Harrow Weald. In 1921 his family lived at ‘Simplicity’, Old Fort Road, Shoreham-by-Sea. William’s father died and in 1927 his mother married Selwyn Wollaston Humphrey of Oulton Broad Lowestoft.

The details of the relationship between William’s mother and Selwyn Humphrey are unusual. In fact, they were married in 1909 but divorced in 1917 and then Helen lived with William Wake, who was William’s father, but after his death she remarried Selwyn Humphrey. In 1939 Helen and Selwyn lived at Sea View, Broad View, Oulton Broad. 

William was a Sergeant (Pilot) and served with 217 Squadron. On 30 September he was on a training flight in Hudson N7273, of No 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit. The aircraft stalled and crashed near Cummertrees, Annan and is buried in Oulton (St Michael) Churchyard.

CREDIT: Malcolm Barrass for added details