It is believed Sergeant Tomkins ordered his crew to abandon the stricken aircraft and stayed in control of the Stirling while his crew bailed. Sadly, Sergeant Tomkins was not able to get free of the aircraft himself before the bomber crashed
Tomkins, Fred (Sergeant)
Killed in Action 1942-May-20
Birth Date: 1920-December-24
Born:
Parents: Son of Percy and Annie Tomkins, of Halifax, Yorkshire
Spouse:
Home: Halifax, Yorkshire, England
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
7 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Per Diem Per Noctem By day and by night
Base
RAF Oakington
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
1376539
Target
Mannheim Germany
Temporary Burial
Mannheim Cemetery, Germany
Remains were later exhumed from this location and reburied
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.comCrew or Other Personnel
Stirling N6073
Mission
Stirling Mk. I N6073
Bombing Mannheim Germany 1942-May-19 to 1942-May-20
7 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Oakington
#7 Squadron RAF (Per diem, per noctum) RAF Oakington. Stirling I aircraft N 6073 MG-Y was shot down by night fighter pilot Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Engel of the 8/NJG 4, who was flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110. The Stirling crashed in the Rheinland-Pfalz area of Germany
Pilot Sergeant F Tomkins (RAFVR) was killed in action
FS JH Watson (RCAF), Sergeant RG Brook (RAFVR), Sergeant J Fisher (RAFVR), Sergeant FG Fueggle (RAFVR), Sergeant BVG Lewis (RAFVR) and Sergeant E Townsend (RAFVR) all survived to become Prisoners of War
Aviation Safety NetworkStirling N6073 Mk. I - Bombing Mannheim Germany - 1942-05-19 to 1942-05-20
Squadron: 7 (B) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1942-05-19
Completion Date: 1942-05-20
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Mannheim Germany
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Oakington
Take Off Time: 23:05
Squadron Code: MG-Y
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Germany
Crash Specifics: Rheinland-Pfalz area
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: fighter
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim: Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Engel of the 8/NJG 4
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
#7 Squadron RAF (Per diem, per noctum) RAF Oakington. Stirling I aircraft N 6073 MG-Y was shot down by night fighter pilot Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Engel of the 8/NJG 4, who was flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110. The Stirling crashed in the Rheinland-Pfalz area of Germany
Pilot Sergeant F Tomkins (RAFVR) was killed in action
FS JH Watson (RCAF), Sergeant RG Brook (RAFVR), Sergeant J Fisher (RAFVR), Sergeant FG Fueggle (RAFVR), Sergeant BVG Lewis (RAFVR) and Sergeant E Townsend (RAFVR) all survived to become Prisoners of War