THE LAST CREW
Captain Arthur Stanley Elliott. Photo kindly provided by Becky Saunders.
Sergeant Percy James Waghorn
COXWAIN
Born in Keston, Kent on 30 March 1893. Percy was a carpenter employed at Heath & Co., Crayford, makers of scientific and navigation equipment. He enlisted in the RNAS as an Air Mechanic 1 on 21 November 1914. His parents were William and Rebecca Waghorn of the Star Beerhouse, Crayford.
With a trade as an Airship Rigger he was promoted to Leading Mechanic on 1 August 1915. He was a Corporal on the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918 and had been promoted to Sergeant by July 1919.
Percy lost his life with the rest of the crew of N.S11 on 15 July 1919. He was 26. His body was never found.
Waghorn left effects to the value of £125 12s 6d to his father William Waghorn who was keeper of The Star Beerhouse, Capel Hill, Crayford, Kent.
Service numbers: F2161/202161
Percy Waghorn’s service history. Image: The National Archives
Percy Waghorn in flying gear from the Eltham & District Times, Friday 25 July 1919. British Newspaper Library
Percy is commemorated on the Hollybrook Memorial in Southampton. Photo: Helen Wallbridge.
One objective of this site is to put faces to the names of the crew. While this often seems an impossible task we have got closer with the help of Becky Sanders and a fantastic photograph Percy Waghorn, her great uncle and a coxwain of NS11 when she was lost.