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WILHELM GEORG KOCH N13548/47/T, Sailor, German Navy Died
14.6.1944 Age 23
WILHELM GEORG KOCH, German Navy, was died 14th June 1944, during the allied liberation of France. He was a crewmember aboard one of the fast
E-Boats, which were ordered to attack the myriad of shipping off the Normandy coast. The E-Boats, were based at Le Havre, just across the Seine Bay. Their presence cost a lot of casualties amongst the
allied forces, until the port of Le Havre was finally taken some six-weeks later. It was during one such attack, that the E-Boat upon which Seaman Koch was serving. Was attacked from the air by two
allied aircraft. Between them, the two aircraft racked the hull of the fast patrol boat. One of the torpedoes exploded. Seaman Koch, who had been manning the weapon, was blown overboard by the explosion.
The E-Boat sank near enough immediately afterwards, as ammunition caught fire and also started to explode. With the threat gone, the bodies of the crew were retrieved from the sea. Seaman Koch was found
to be still alive. Although his wounds were severe.
He was transferred to a hospital ship, and brought to this country for surgery He never made it. The burns and injuries he had received became
infected, and he died before reaching these shores. WILHELM GEORG KOCH was buried on Tuesday 20th June 1944, in the German Plot of the War Graves Section, (see plans on back pages), Row 3 Grave 5, and is
commemorated by a CWG headstone.
Chief Stoker PERCY WILLIAM LANGFORD, R.N. Formerly P/K 62050, Chief Stoker, Royal Navy. Age 46 Died 5.6.1947
Chief Stoker PERCY WILLIAM LANGFORD, Royal Navy, was the son of Henry Thomas and Faith Langford. He was the husband of Gertrude Maud. They lived
at, No. 94, Shaftsbury Road, Gosport. He passed away on Tuesday 5th June 1947, at his home. The cause was as a result of injuries received during his war service. It is thought, that Percy Langford, was
yet another of the former Japanese prisoners of war, who had to endure terrible treatment at the hands of their captors. Chief Stoker PERCY WILLIAM LANGFORD, was laid to rest on Thursday 7th June 1947,
Plot 60 Space 14, and his final resting place is commemorated by CWG headstone.
Lieutenant JOHN BASIL ROBERT LANGLEY, R.A.F. Lieutenant, Royal Air Force Age 29 Died 15.5.1918
Lieutenant JOHN BASIL ROBERT LANGLEY, Royal Air Force, was the son of the Reverend John Langley of North Wraxall Rectory, Wiltshire. He was
husband to Lorna Leslie Langley, and their home was at ‘Sky’ Amesbury, Wiltshire. Joining the Army, at the outbreak of the war with Kaiser Willhem II's Germany, he served with the 19th
Alberta Dragoons (Canadian Contingent). He made numerous flights over the Western Front observing fall of artillery fire, for his enthusiasm of flying, he was posted back to Gosport for flying
instruction, gaining his pilot's wings.
With the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service, forming the Royal Air Force, he was one of the many who found
themselves under a different regime. On the 15th of May 1918, aged 29, he took off in a Camel aeroplane, service No. B 847 from Fort Grange, Gosport, during the flight in which he was practising aerial combat, his plane entered a spin, from which it never recovered and plunged to the ground. Lt. Langley, was instantly killed by the impact, suffering a broken neck, leaving a widow, Lorna Leslie Langley and a young family, their home was at Amesbury, Wiltshire. Lieutenant JOHN BASIL ROBERT LANGLEY, R.A.F. was buried on the 19th of May 1918, and is laid to rest, Plot 50 Grave 93, a CWG headstone commemorates him.
Sapper JAMES LAUGHLAND, R.E. 519422, Sapper, 406th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Age 27 Died 24.6.1918
Sapper JAMES LAUGHLAND, Royal Engineers, was serving in France. He was one of those tasked with designing and digging the tunnel mines which the
allied forces, were excavating. The purpose was to burrow deep under the German front lines, place huge quantities of high explosive underneath the lines, and explode the charge from the safety of their
own lines, thus killing or burying the enemy forces, and providing a diversion for a frontal attack across ‘no man’s land’. The point of the exercise was to break the stalemate of the
‘trench warfare’. Sapper Laughland was taken ill, due the terrible conditions under which he was working. He was brought back by hospital ship, to Netley Hospital, where the ships could moor
alongside, in Southampton Water, at a specially built pier at the front of the hospital.
His condition worsened and he developed double pneumonia, shortly afterwards he passed away on the 24th June 1918. Sapper
JAMES LAUGHLAND, R.E., was brought back to Gosport, where he was buried on the 26th of that month, he is laid to rest, Plot 17b (old cemetery plot) Space 13/15 (large family plot), and is commemorated by
a Family Memorial.
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