Obituary Sunday-Estelles Wickenkamp

Grandson of Casperites Killed In Patrol Duty Over North Sea

Capt. Estelles Wickenkamp, 27, Dies When Bomber is Shot Down

 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wickenkamp received word yesteday of the death in action on April 7th of their grandson, Captain Estelles Wickenkamp, aged 27, while on patrol duty with the British Royal air force over the North sea. The British government reported to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wickenkamp of Steenan, Sask., that Captain Wickenkamp was leading an eight-plane patrol in a scouting flight near the Orkney Islands. Two of the planes were shot down by enemy pursuit ships, one of them the Wellington bomber in which Wickenkamp was directing operations. All of the seven men in the Wellington plane were believed instantly killen. No trace has been found or the plane or its occupants. Captain Wickenkamp was born in Nebraska, but his parents moved to Saskatchewan about 15 years ago. Besides his grandparents, other relatives living in Casper include two uncles, H.F. and W.G. Wickenkamp, and aunt, Mrs. Alma Sehnert West, and six cousins.

 

 

Estelles was born 3 November 1912 in Dorchester, Nebraska to Frank and Emma (Hettler) Wickenkamp. He had a twin sister, Esther, and a brother, Richard. In 1920, the family moved to Canada and settled in Steenan, Saskatchewan. Estelles wrote letters home to his family  while he was in the Royal Air Force, which I will be sharing in upcoming blog posts as a tribute to this very brave man.