The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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211651 P/O. Harry Murdoch Stoffer Royal Air Force 106 Squadron (d.24th Apr 1942) My uncle, Pilot Officer Harry Murdoch Stoffer flew Manchester bombers for 106 Squadron, operating out of RAF Conningsby. At 22.00 hours on April 23rd, he took off on a raid on Rostock in Northern Germany. The mission went to plan but on his return, the aircraft was hit by flack over Denmark and the port hand engine caught fire. Harry ordered his crew to bale out and those using the forward hatch had a desperate struggle to open it against the air stream. They finally departed the aircraft at around 2,000 ft and all landed safely. Harry remained at the controls and the aircraft hit the ground at a flat angle before bursting in to flames. Local people could see Stoffer sitting in his seat but had no chance of getting to him due to the intensity of the blaze. Only when the fire had burnt out could the Germans retrieve his remains and he was laid to rest at the Aabenraa Cemetary in Denmark. Touchingly, a German eight man squad fired a volley at the end of the ceremony out of respect for his bravery. His crew were all captured and became POW's. He was just 20 years old and I have a framed photograph of him hanging in my home. Looking impossibly youthful in his RAF uniform, the photo has a handwritten note from him reading 'To Mother, with all my love. Harry'. That photo was the most prized possession of Kitty, his mother and sat as a central shrine in her living room in Streatham, South London. It was then equally prized by his sister who was my God Mother in her home in Dingwall, Scotland. Harry's grandfather (and mine) was Captain Duncan Finlayson who was for many years the Chief Constable for Ross and Cromarty. Ian Dickens Add to this record.  Related Content: No. 106 Squadron Royal Air Force RAF Coningsby Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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