Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- Biography -
- R F Stay -

Name

Richard Francis Stay, Son of Arthur and Florence M. Stay, of 25 Brownlow Road, Lake, Isle of Wight.
 
Service details

Sergeant 1318706 R F Stay (Flight Engineer), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

CWGC record ...

His name is recorded on the Brading War Memorial

Date of Death :	Died 14th September 1942 aged 19
Where buried or commemorated :	Esbjerg (Fourfelt) Cemetery
Aircraft :	Vickers Wellington HE116 of No 21 OTU
Crew
Pilot :	P/O M Holub, RCAF	CWGC record ...
Navigator :	Sgt B L Hancock	CWGC record ...
Flight Engineer :	Flt/Sgt W Pedersen, RCAF	CWGC record ...
Wireless Operator :	Sgt S Davies	CWGC record ...
Air Gunner :	Sgt R S C Plowright	CWGC record ...
Air Gunner :	Sgt R F Stay	CWGC record ...

The aircraft left RAF Edgehill at 23.40 on Ops to Bremen, and was lost over the North Sea. Three bodies which were washed ashore were buried in Holland and Denmark. The others are commemorated at the Runnymede Air Force Memorial. Apparently Sgt Stay had tossed a coin to see which spare gunner went with a new crew on the first trip.

Sgt Stay had lived at Lake, Isle of Wight.

Information provided by : John Bloodworth