Search results Next record Previous record English Māori Henry Cumberland Stapleton Cotton Born 15 June 1920 - Died 19 July 1942 PDF Key details Service numberNZ401202 AWMM WWII 401202 AWMM Also known asFilo Cotton AWMM Armed force / branchAir Force AWMM Last rankWW2 Pilot Officer AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force, 159 Squadron, RAF AWMM WarWorld War II, 1939-1945 AWMM Enquire Lay a poppy Portrait, Weekly News, awarded the DFM - This image may be subject to copyright View gallery Hide sources Show empty fields Identity About Contribute › Title ForenamesHenry Cumberland Stapleton AWMM SurnameCotton AWMM Ingoa Also known asFilo Cotton AWMM Service numberNZ401202 AWMM WWII 401202 AWMM GenderMale AWMM Iwi Hapū Waka Rohe Religion Images and documents Images Contribute › Report › Documents Contribute › Civilian life About birth Contribute › Birth15 June 1920 AWMM Apia, Western Samoa AWMM Date of birth Place of birth Birth notes Address before enlistment Post war occupation Next of kin on embarkation Relationship status Service Wars and conflicts Contribute › WarWorld War II, 1939-1945 AWMM Campaign Armed force / branchAir Force AWMM Service numberNZ401202 AWMM WWII 401202 AWMM Military service Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers Military decorations Contribute › Medals and AwardsDistinguished Flying Medal (DFM) AWMM Henry Cotton was awarded the DFM on 18 September 1941. Citation: 'This airman has consistently displayed good work as wireless operator/air gunner. Since January 1941 he has participated in operations over enemy and enemy occupied territory, including one flight to Turin, which was his first operational venture and occupied 10 flying hours.' AWMM Training and Enlistment Contribute › Military training Branch Trade Proficiency EnlistmentWW2 7 May 1940 AWMM Occupation before enlistment Age on enlistment Embarkations Contribute › Embarkation detailsWW2 Royal New Zealand Air Force, 75 (NZ) Squadron, RAF AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM Prisoner of war Contribute › Capture details Days interned Liberation date Liberation Repatriation POW liberation details POW serial number Medical history Contribute › Medical notesKilled in Action, Cause of Death AWMM Last known rank Contribute › Last rankWW2 Pilot Officer AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force, 159 Squadron, RAF AWMM Biographical information Biographical information Contribute › Pilot Officer Cotton joined 75 Squadron (a New Zealand squadron attached to the Royal Air Force) for his first tour on 20 December 1940. His targets included Wilhelmshaven, Hanover, Cologne, Berlin, Kiel, Bremen, Mannheim, Dusseldorf, Essen, Munster, Boulogne, Brest, Dunkirk and Turin. He served his 'rest' tour with No. 18 Operational Training Unit from August 1941 joining 159 Squadron in June 1942. With this squadron his targets included Benghazi, Tobruk and enemy transport concentrations and shipping. At the time of his death he was flying with 159 Squadron (Royal Air Force) on his 42nd operational sortie.According to his first cousin's husband:'Shortly after Filo's death, his mother (deceased 13 May 1975) had what jewellery she owned melted down and incorporated in a remembrance wall plaque mounted in St Aidan's Church, Remuera, as well as funding the making and hanging of an everlasting remembrance lamp in that Church. A few years back the wall plaque was stolen.Mrs Cotton visited the UK in about 1947 and had hoped to visit Haifa as a side trip, but because of entry problems or inability to arrange travel, she was unable to.'Auckland War Memorial Museum displays Cotton's medals and memorial cross in the diplay 'Scars of War' of 'Scars on the Heart'. AWMM Read more Death About death Contribute › Death19 July 1942 AWMM Age 22 AWMM Caesarea, Palestine AWMM Date of death Age at death Place of death Cause of deathKilled in Action AWMM Death notes CemeteryKhayat Beach War Cemetery, Haifa, Israel AWMM A.F. 14 AWMM Cemetery name Grave reference Obituary Memorial name Memorial reference Memorials Memorial Contribute › Memorial nameMeadowbank School World War 2 Memorial, Waiatarua Road, Remuera, Auckland AWMM St. Aidans Church, 5 Ascot Avenue, Remuera, Auckland 1050 AWMM St. Aidans Church, 5 Ascot Avenue, Remuera, Auckland 1050 AWMM Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM Roll of Honour Remember Henry Cumberland Stapleton Cotton by laying a poppy. George William Cotton Henry Cumberland Cotton Henry Cumberland Stapleton Cotton Henry Malby Cotton Herbert Winston Cotton Lay a poppy for 2021 Leave a note Leave a tribute or memory of Henry Cumberland Stapleton Cotton Leave a note Contribute › Processing Related objects Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945 Library / Pictorial › manuscripts and archives MS-1993-139 Sources Sources Contribute › External linksCommonwealth War Graves Commission record https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1155433 Sources Used DocumentsMartyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM Cowan, Erica. Meadowbank School WW II memorial: biographies. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-94/27 AWMM Hanson, C. (2001). By such deeds: honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999. Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM Contributors Processing Command item Command item Add new record Refresh DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact 06 October 2015Robert EdwardTurramurra NSW AustraliaSibling The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided. Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Search results Next record Previous record