A Poppy
A Poppy

Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- Biography -
- John Sterling Hesk -

Unknown person Name : John Sterling Hesk

Son of : Robert Chantry Dawson Hesk and of Ruby Hesk (née Sterling), of Shanklin, Isle of Wight.

Born : 1920 Shanklin.

  Electoral roll information :

1922 : The family are at 1 Bay Cottages, Landguard Road, Shanklin. Robert Hesk also has an electoral entitlement for "Thornton", Newtown.

  Service Details :

Sergeant 570397 John Sterling Hesk, (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner), Royal Air Force.

  Casualty Details :

Died : 7th May 1941 aged 20.

Commemorated at : Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

CWGC Record
  Commemorated on these Memorials :

Shanklin War Memorial
Sandown High School Memorial
  Further Information :

Aircraft :PBY Catalina Mk.I AH536 of 240 Sqn
Other Crew
Pilot :F/O 33552 P C Thomas CWGC record ...
:P/O 78853 H H Hirst CWGC record ...
:Flt/Sgt 755887 W Peebles CWGC record ...
:LAC 942733 H A Cottam CWGC record ...
:Sgt 937611 J L Elwell CWGC record ...
:P/O 88672 K B Fuller CWGC record ...
:P/O 60779 D W Hockney CWGC record ...
:LAC 622400 L R Holmes CWGC record ...
:Sgt 908862 H Wilson CWGC record ...

Image courtesy of RAF Museum

240 Sqn was engaged on coastal duties on anti-shipping and submarines. The aircraft was stationed at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland and crashed at 04.30 while attempting an unlit landing on the lough. All the crew were lost, the only body found being that of LAC Holmes who was buried in Newport (St Woollos) Cemetery in Monmouthshire.

All the crew apart from LAC Holmes are commemorated at Runnymede Air Force Memorial.

John Sterling Hesk's uncle Gilbert Sterling was killed during the First World War.

John Sterling Hesk's uncle Harry Holbrook was killed during the First World War.

  Links :

List of Catalina Flying Boats based at Lough Erne during WWII
  Acknowledgements :

John Bloodworth for Royal Air Force research, Pavel Vancata and Janet Griffin
  Page status :
Page last updated : July 2012



 
 

 
Site designed by Community Internet Services