Sergeant James Dempsey was from Kirkcaldy, Fife.

He was an air gunner on a Wellington bomber with 115 Sqn. Beside Sgt. Dempsey, the crew consisted of pilot, PO Reginald Torrance Gerry, from Canada, Co-pilot P/O Ronald William Pryor, Observer, Flight Sergeant Richard James Ruffell - Hazell, DFM, wireless operator, and air gunners Sgt Jack Millen Croft and P/O Sidney Wilde.

In the night of 2/3 August 1940 they took off in Wellington IC R3202 (KO-J). Their mission was to bomb the oil refinery in Hamburg. The plane ditched at 0200 off the island of Rottumeroog.

 

 

    115 Sqn RAF

Sgt. Dempsey's body was found at sea on 23 August 1940 and buried at Delfzijl General Cemetery.

P/O Wilde is also buried in Delfzijl. P/O Pryor, who was found three days earlier, is buried in Uithuizen. P/O Gerry washed ashore the same day Sgt. Dempsey was found at sea. He is buried in Oldebroek General Cemetery.

(Picture by Wim Bastiaanse)

Delfzijl, The Netherlands

 

See Also:
PO Reginald Torrance Gerry
Fl Sgt Richard James Ruffell-Hazell
PO Sidney Wilde
Sgt Jack Millen Croft
PO Ronald William Pryor

Sources:
115 Squadron Roll Of Honour, Mr. Don Bruce, 2003

Acknowledgements:
RAF Squadron crest © Crown Copyright is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office

Directions to Delfzijl General Cemetery

If you have any suggestions, comments or additional information, please contact me.

This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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