| Stanley Cockerell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 February 1895 Wood Green, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 29 November 1940 Sunbury on Thames, England |
| Allegiance | England |
| Service/branch | Aviation |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | No. 24 Squadron RFC, No. 50 (Home Defence) Squadron RFC, No. 112 Squadron RAF, No. 78 (Home Defence) Squadron RAF, No. 151 Squadron RAF |
| Awards | Belgian Order of the Crown and Croix de Guerre |
Captain Stanley Cockerell (9 February 1895–29 November 1940) was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.[1]
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Cockerell was granted his Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate No. 3271 on 21 July 1916.[1] He was originally a sergeant with 24 Squadron. He used an Airco DH.2 on 14 September 1916 to share a victory with Arthur Gerald Knight, when they set a Fokker D.II aflame.[2] He scored again on 30 September, again setting his enemy afire.[1] Cockerell was wounded on 10 October. By the time he recovered and rejoined the squadron, he was commissioned.[2] He then took a break until 4 February 1917, when he shared in the fiery destruction of a reconnaissance plane. Two days later, he was the sole arsonist of another recce plane. On 2 April 1917, he burned an Albatros D.III for his fifth victory. He upgraded to an Airco DH.5 on 25 May for his sixth kill, when he burned another Albatros D.III.[1] Cockerell was then withdrawn to England to serve in Home Defence squadrons. He returned to France in July 1918 with 151 Squadron. On 4 August, while flying a Sopwith Camel in the squadron's night intruder role, he bombed the German aerodrome at Guizancourt. A Gotha bomber subsequently attempted a recovery at the field, and Cockerell bushwhacked it for his seventh consecutive flaming victory.[2]
Cockerell and his six year old daughter were killed in the German bombing of Sunbury on Thames on 29 November 1940. His six surviving children were thus orphaned.[3]