Showing 1032 results

Kidner, Richard Daymond, brother of Roger Wakely Kidner (qv); b. 20 Dec. 1920; adm. Sept. 1933 (A, non-res. KS); left July 1939; Ch. Ch. Oxf., matric. 1939; RA 1941-6 (Capt.); d. after a traffic accident in Trieste 15 Feb. 1946.

Richard Daymond Kidner was born at Bexley, Kent on the 30th of December 1920 the son of Arthur Richard Kidner, Director of Postal Services at the Royal Mint, and Mabel (nee Wakely) Kidner of “The Oaks”, Station Road, Bexley in Kent, later of “Starfell”, Southdown Road, Seaford in Sussex. He was christened at Holy Trinity Church, Bexley on the 15th of February 1921.
He was educated at Merton Court School, Foot’s Cray and at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham as a non resident King’s Scholar from September 1933 to July 1939. He won both the Ireland Prize for Latin Verse and the Ireland Prize for Greek Verse in 1938. He matriculated for Christ Church, Oxford in 1939 on a Weston Exhibition and was there for two years. He was awarded a BA. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 18th of October 1941.
On the 15th of February 1946, Richard Kidner left the Regiment’s base at Gradisca by car to attend a course at Perugia. During the journey he was seriously injured in a traffic accident at San Giorgio. He was taken to the British General Hospital in Trieste where he died from his injuries during the evening.
His funeral took place the following day.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Christ Church, Oxford and on the memorial at Merton Court School.
He is buried at Udine War Cemetery Plot III, Row D, Grave 12.

Marchand, Roy Achille, son of René Marchand, co. director, and Constance Jane, d. of Evan William Dean of Bromley, Kent; b. 24 Aug. 1918; adm. May 1932 (A), (B) May 1934; left July 1936; PO RAF May 1939; m. 4 May 1940 Jean Angela Cullen; killed in action over the Thames estuary 15 Sept. 1940.

Roy Achille “Dim” Marchand was born at Bromley, Kent on the 24th of August 1918 the only son of Rene Marchand, a company director, and Constance Jane (nee Dean) Marchand of 6, Hayes Road, Bromley in Kent. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from May 1932 and up Busby’s from May 1934 to May 1936. He went on to King’s College, London University to study Medicine but he met a Squadron Leader while on holiday in the South of France in 1938 which inspired to him to join the Royal Air Force in March 1939. He was posted to No. 30 Elementary Flying and Reserve Flying Training School based at Burnaston for pilot training before going on to No. 15 Flying Training School based at RAF Lossiemouth. He was commissioned as an Acting Pilot Officer on probation on the 27th of May 1939 and was awarded his Wings in August 1939. He was promoted to Pilot Officer on probation on the 18th of November 1939. He was then posted to No. 11 Group Pool for further training after which he was attached to No. 2 Ferry Pilot Pool at Filton in December 1939 as a reserve pilot for service in France. He was offered the opportunity to go to Canada as an instructor but declined it, preferring instead to join a fighter Squadron. In early 1940 he was posted to 73 Squadron based at Rouvres and was confirmed in his rank on the 17th March 1940.
Roy Marchand took off from Rouvre at 11.50am on the 23rd of March 1940 in a Hurricane as Blue 2 with two other aircraft from the Squadron for a patrol at 20,000 feet over the Metz area. He intercepted and attacked two Messerschmitt Bf109s over Herzig and claimed to have damaged both of them. On his return to base at 1.10pm he filed the following combat report: -
“Sir, I, Pilot Officer Marchand, have the honour to report that at 11.50 hours on 23.3.40, I took off after blue leader to intercept enemy aircraft above Metz. I lost blue leader on the way so headed for these 4 streaks. Arriving at 22,000 feet to the north of Metz I circled trying to see these enemy aircraft also blue leader and blue 3. During my circling I suddenly saw a 4 Do17s at 24,000 feet east of the Moselle. I chased after them, but was very slow in overtaking them. I eventually caught up a little on a tight turn as they changed direction turning north at the same time changing formation from wide Vic to line astern. Eventually when I was almost in range I saw two Me109’s on my port slightly behind and level with me. I immediately executed a climbing turn to the right and eventually succeeded in getting on their tails. They retained a fairly close formation and altogether I put two bursts into each of them, using deflection. Their avoiding action was medium turns to the right and left. I was about to continue the action, being still on their tails, when I noticed two more Me109’s about 500 feet above me on my tail. I broke off the attack and dived towards some cloud and flew back to the aerodrome. The action took place over Herzig.”
Roy Marchand took off at 3.40pm on the 21st of April 1940 in a Hurricane with two other aircraft from the Squadron as part of B Flight for a standing patrol over the French lines. They were flying at a height of 26,500 feet when they encountered enemy aircraft. During the engagement he attacked a Messerschmitt 110 and fired five bursts atit of between 2 and 4 seconds before it went down. He landed at 5.50pm when he claimed the enemy aircraft as having been destroyed. He filed the following combat report: -
“Sir, I have the honour to report that on the afternoon of the 21st instant at about 16.30 hrs I observed a Messerschmitt 109 falling in flames. At about 16.55 the patrol encountered 6 Me110s about 10 miles N. of Trier. The leading section turned to attack them and I singled out the rearmost Me110. He did a turn to the right and I tried a deflection shot from about 250 yards. I gave it too much for I saw the bullets going ahead of the E/A. I gave it another burst with less deflection and hit the starboard engine which immediately gave out clouds of white smoke. The E.A. straightened up and I gave him another burst on the port engine. This was hit and also gave out clouds of white smoke. The E.A. then went into a shallow dive. I closed to within 100 yards following it down giving it short bursts. During this the rear gunner took a shot at me and I saw tracer going over my starboard wing. I gave it another burst in the middle of the fuselage and the gun was silenced. As I finished all my ammunition it went into a vertical dive with the smoke still pouring from both its engines.”
On the 21st of April 1940, Roy Marchant took off in a Hurricane as one of nine aircraft from the Squadron to patrol between Konisenaoken-Bouzonville at 26,500 feet. The weather was partly cloudy. At 12.20 pm they were flying over Herzig when they sighted twelve enemy aircraft flying at 13,000 feet and they dived to attack four of them. He opened fire on one of these from a range of 200 yards firing a three second burst of fire at it from astern before engaging two more and firing two more bursts of three seconds at one of these from astern and causing black smoke to come from it. Having lost sight of the enemy aircraft and coming under anti aircraft fire from a nearby enemy airfield he dived into cloud and flew back to base
On his return to base he filed the following combat report: -
“Sir, I have the honour to report that on the 21st instant, I was in a section of a flight of 9 aircraft, patrolling Konisenaoken-Bouzonville at 26,500 feet when we engaged 12 enemy aircraft in an indefinite formation, flying north. I singled out one Me109 and gave him a burst. He turned to the right and on following him I saw another Me109 much nearer to me so attacked that one instead. At the same time I saw another Hurricane closely following an Me109 from which something came out from the cockpit and twisted round the tail. The Me109 spun out of my line of vision. After a long burst, he climbed straight up and fell on his right side as if he was doing a stall turn to the right. He spun off that and I followed him down to 10,000 feet firing all the time until I observed a continuous stream of black smoke coming from his underside. This continued and I stopped following him at 10,000 feet for I thought another enemy aircraft might be following me. After satisfying myself that there were none, I looked round for the Me109 but lost it. I was over the top of Saarlautern Aerodrome ad experienced a certain amount of indifferent anti aircraft fire. I observed another Hurricane flying south west so followed it back and landed.”
He returned to England on leave where he was married at Bromley on the 4th of May 1940 to Jean Angela (nee Cullen, later Pelham-Jones); they had a daughter, Carol.
Roy Marchand took off from Rouvres at 5.55am on the 13th of May 1940 in Hurricane Mk I L1673 TP-P with three other aircraft from the Squadron for a patrol. While flying near Reims they engaged a formation of Messerschmitt 110s and Dornier 17s. During the action he claimed to have shot down a Dornier 17 but in the attack his aircraft was hit by return fire from one of the enemy aircraft and was hit by a tracer bullet through the flesh of his left shoulder and received a wound from shattered Perspex splinters under his left eye. With his oil and glycol tanks hit he was to crash land the aircraft near the village of Betheniville at 6.30am. He was evacuated to England for treatment.
His father received the following telegram dated the 17th of May 1940: - “Sir, I am directed to inform you that your son Pilot Officer Roy Achille Marchand was slightly wounded in action on 13th of May 1940. As his injuries are not serious no further reports are expected, but should any be received you will be notified as quickly as possible.”
While on sick leave after his release from hospital, he was treated at the Royal Cornwall Infirmary for treatment for a lacerated elbow when he and his wife were involved in a car accident at Mawes Road, near Truro on the 4th of June 1940. He rejoined his Squadron at RAF Church Fenton, North Yorkshire in July 1940.
On the 5th of September 1940, 73 Squadron flew south to RAF Debden and a moved the satellite airfield at RAF Castle Camps.
The following day, the 6th of September 1940, Roy Marchant took off from RAF Castle Camps at 8.50am in a Hurricane with orders to patrol “Monkey” at 15,000 feet. He was flying in as Blue 2 in B Flight. At 9.21am they spotted 80 to 100 Messerschmitt Bf109s flying in Vic formation and circling at various heights between 15,000 and 25,000 feet
At 9.30am Blue Section attacked 9 of the enemy fighters which were circling at 22,000 feet and made a beam attack in lines astern on the enemy formation which developed into an astern attack. Roy Marchant picked out one of the enemy aircraft some 10 miles to the north east of Maidstone and fired two bursts of three seconds each at it. He saw black smoke pouring from it and followed it down to 10,000 feet by which time flames were coming from its engine and the fuselage had also caught fire. He was forced to break away from the combat when another enemy aircraft attacked his but he managed to shake it off and, running short of fuel, he landed at Penshurst near Tonbridge. On his return to Castle Camps he filed the following combat report: - “I was Blue 2 and my section sighted E/A at 9.21 flying in vic formations and in circles. No unusual markings or camouflage. I picked out three E/A which appeared to be straggling a little and I attacked one Me109 using deflection (22 degrees approx.). No enemy fire experienced. Range 200 yds. Two bursts of 3 secs. each. Clouds of black smoke almost immediately came from engine and E/A went into steep dive. I followed him down to 10,000 ft, by which time flames as well as smoke were coming from underneath the engine. I did not follow further down, in case other E/A were on my tail, but after stopping – satisfying myself thatn o other E/A were about I tried without success to find my victim. My R/T was very poor and I was not receiving and was getting short of fuel. Landed at Penshurst Landing Field. No A.A. fire seen.”
The Squadron diary recorded the following on that date: - “... P/O Marchand destroyed a 109, 10 miles N.E. of Maidstone, thus opening the Squadron’s score in that category. He landed at Penshurst having run short of petrol and rather lost his way. He got back in the evening his smiles even as large as if his wife had walked suddenly into Freddie 1. It was a tonic to see him but when he came to make out his individual combat report, the I.O. noticed that he had only claimed a “probable”. Even more pleased was he when told it obviously came into the “destroyed” class.
Roy Marchand took off from RAF Castle Camps at 5.38pm on the 11th of September 1940 as one of twelve aircraft from the Squadron with orders to rendezvous over Debden where they were to join aircraft from 17 Squadron and then to patrol over Rochford at 15,000 feet. He was flying with Blue Section as Blue 2. At 4.15pm they spotted 12 to 15 Messerschmitt Bf110s in a straggling formation flying to the east of them near Herne Bay at 10,000 feet. The Hurricanes descended a little and began circling the enemy aircraft. Roy Marchand spotted two of the Me110s flying towards Margate and attacked one of them from astern with two to three second bursts fire from a range of 300 yards closing to 100yards. He hit the port engine which gave out white smoke clouds with intermittent black clouds. This turned into a stream of black smoke and the enemy aircraft dived into cloud to evade him where it executed as series of diving turns to escape from him. He followed it three miles out to sea off Margate when he saw black smoke pouring from the middle of the enemy aircraft. He abandoned the chase five miles further on and thought it was unlikely that the Me110 made it back across the Channel.
He landed back at base at 4.55pm and filed the following combat report: -
“Enemy sighted about 1615. Saw 2 Me110s proceeding towards Margate from Sheerness. Me110s were light gray on top and greenish blue underneath, black crosses on white background. Enemy was flying straight and level, and an astern attack was delivered. E/A’s port engine was hit, and gave out white smoke in which were intermittent puffs of black smoke until ultimately the whole port engine was giving a stream of black smoke. No enemy aircraft fire was experienced. The E/A dived into cloud for evasive action, and executed steep turns. Result of combat was E/A’s port engine was giving out black smoke which the E/A was diving, and flying level and diving again. Attack was stopped about 8 miles off Margate with the E/A still going down. Last observed E/A’s height at 4,000 feet. Weather was one large patch of 8/10th cloud over Herne Bay. Sun was in the west. Took off 1540. Landed 16.55. Shellbursts assisted in intercepting enemy aircraft but burst too close to our aircraft for comfort. Fire was opened at 300 yds closing to 100yds. Bursts of 3 seconds.
Roy Marchand took off from RAF Castle Camps at 11.05am on the 15th of September 1940 in Hurricane Mk I P3865 TP-K as one of ten aircraft from A and B Flight with orders to rendezvous with 19 Squadron over Debden and then to patrol over Chelmsford at 15,000 feet. He was flying with Yellow Section.
With large numbers of enemy aircraft reported to be crossing the English coast the formation was vectored to the south of the Thames estuary to intercept them on their approach to London. At 12.05pm they spotted 12 Messerschmitt Bf109s flying at 18,000 feet with 10 more above them at 22,000 feet. The enemy aircraft were flying in a south easterly direction at 230 mph in a scattered formation over Medway near Canterbury.
The enemy aircraft were engaged over Maidstone with the Squadron pilots claiming to have destroyed 3 Me109s and to have damaged one other.
During the dog fight a fellow pilot from his Squadron saw Roy Marchand’s aircraft shot down. It crashed at Nouds Farm, Lynstead near Sittingbourne where it burned out, killing Roy Marchand. His body was taken to Sittingbourne Mortuary.
His pregnant wife was on the airfield in the dispersal area to await news of him from the returning pilots when she was told of his death by Flying Officer Michael Beytagh (acting Commanding Officer) and Pilot Officer Hoole, the Squadron Intelligence Officer.
She received the following telegram dated the 17th of September 1940: - “Deeply regret to inform you that your husband Pilot Officer Roy Achille Marchand is reported to have lost his life as the result of air operations on September 15th 1940. Letter follows. The Air Council express their profound sympathy.”
His funeral took place at St Mark’s Church, Bromley.
The Squadron diarist wrote that night: - “P/O Marchand was an excellent pilot and a charming and unassuming boy who was never ruffled by anybody or anything. We will sorely miss him.” The record for the day was closed with the words, “The Squadron feels that to some extent the death of gallant Marchand today has been avenged by the day’s good work.”
His mother wrote of him: -“He was the loveliest and most precious gift that God could bestow on any mortal on earth, and I, his mother, shall mourn him all the rest of my days.”
He is commemorated on an obelisk at Nouds Farm, Lynsted, Kent.
He is buried at Bromley Hill Cemetery Block I, Grave 230.

Matthews, Michael Harrington, son of Very Rev. Walter Robert Matthews KCVO DD, Dean of St Paul's, and Margaret, d. of William Bryan; b. 26 Apr. 1914; adm. Sept. 1927 (A); Capt. of the school 1932; left July 1932; Ch. Ch. Oxf., matric. 1933, played cricket against Cambridge 1936 and 1937, BA 1937 (1st class hons Litt. Hum. 1937, Jurisprudence 1939); an accomplished pia­nist; Sub-Lieut RNVR; m. 2 Dec. 1939 Loveday, d. of Evelyn Robins Abbott CIE JCS, of Moulsford, Berks; killed in action May 1940.

Michael Harrington Matthews was born at Wandsworth, London on the 26th of April 1914 the elder son of the Very Reverend Walter Robert Matthews KCVO DD, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, and Margaret (nee Bryan) Matthews of the Deanary, St Paul’s in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1927 to July 1933. He won the Vincent Junior Prize in 1930. He played the piano solos “Reminiscence” and “The Stranger” by Schumann at an informal concert at the school in 1928 and the piano solo “Intermezzo”, his own composition, in an informal concert in 1931. He also played the viola solos “Rondo l’agreable” and Le Basque” by Marais in the same concert. He played cricket at Lord’s for C. F. Tufnell’s XI on the 26th of August 1929 when he scored 27 in the first innings and 8 in the second and his team won by six wickets. He was a member of the 1st Football XI from 1930 to 1933 where he played at left back and was awarded School Colours in 1930. The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1930/1931 season: - “Lack of years and stamina has handicapped him, but his position play is sound, and the defects will remedy themselves next year. But if he is to be a really good back he must develop a longer and less erratic kick.” They wrote the following at the end of the 1931/1932 season: - “His methods are somewhat crude, but he is a player of indomitable perseverance and pluck, and was a most valuable member of the side.” They wrote the following on his 1932/33 season: - “A really good positional player and possessed of a fine determination. Had many good wingers to cope with and always did it well. Used his head well (in both senses), but never acquired the art of kicking a football properly. Understood the game probably better than anyone else on the side.”
He was runner up in the Long Distance race on the 8th of March 1932.
He was a member of the Cricket XI from 1930 to 1933, kept wicket in his last two years and was appointed as Captain in September 1930, winning his School Colours in the following year . The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1931 season: - “(Captain) He was very young for his job, and had, as I have explained, an almost impossible task; but the experience will have been of great value to him, and he will approach next season with much more confidence. His Wicket keeping was of a high order, but was sometimes, not unnaturally, affected by his responsibilities. We shall look to him to make more runs too, next season.” They wrote the following on his 1933 season: - “I have already referred to his wicket keeping and captaincy. His batting was too impetuous to be successful.” He was appointed as a Monitor in September 1931 and as Editor of the Elizabethan in September 1932. He played the piano solo “Menuet”, from “Sonatine” by Ravel at an informal concert at the school in early 1933. He was appointed as Head of Ashburnham and as Captain of School in September 1932 and was awarded the Knapp Fisher Music Prize in 1933. He matriculated for Christ Church, Oxford in 1933 on a Westminster Classics Scholarship and was a member of the Oxford University Cricket XI making twenty three first class appearances for the university from the 9th of May 1934 to 5th of July 1937 and playing against Cambridge as wicket keeper in 1936 and 1937. His highest score with the bat was a score of 68 against the Minor Counties and his batting average while playing for the university was 13.10. He was awarded a “Blue” in 1936. He was awarded a Second in Classical Moderations and a First Class in Litterae Humanories in 1937 and achieved a First Class in the Honour School of Jurisprudence in 1939. He read for the Bar at Gray’s Inn. He was an accomplished pianist.
Following the outbreak of war he was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on the 10th of November 1939.
He was married at Wallingford, Oxfordshire on the 2nd of December 1939 to Loveday Elizabeth (nee Abbott later de Manio) of Moulsford, Berkshire.
He was posted to the destroyer HMS Greyhound (H05), under the command of Commander Walter Roger Marshall-A’Deane DSO DSC AM RN on the 2nd of January 1940 and saw action with her during the Norwegian campaign.
On the 20th of May 1940, HMS Greyhound was deployed to Dover for duties in the Channel and in the North Sea. On the 25th of May she and the destroyer HMS Grafton provided gunfire support against a German artillery battery to the east of Sangatte near Calais.
At 2pm on the on the 27th of May the two destroyers established a patrol between Fairy Bank and the Kwinte Buoys. During the night HMS Greyhound received orders from Dover Command to assist in the evacuation of troops of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches at La Panne as part of Operation Dynamo. At 1am on the 28th of May, she sent boats ashore to begin picking up troops and by 6.15am the beaches had been cleared. She then returned to Dover, with around 700 troops on board, where she docked at Admiralty Pier and unloaded the men at 12.30pm. As soon as the troops were ashore she set sail again for Dunkirk where she embarked 681 men from alongside the pier there and returned to Dover at 12.30am the following morning.
At 4.30am on the 29th of May 1940, HMS Greyhound set sail for Dunkirk once again and arrived off the beaches at La Panne where she sent her whaler and other small boats ashore to evacuate more troops. At 4pm she came under attack from enemy aircraft and, on the fourth attack, the bombers achieved two near misses which sent shell splinters across the ship, killing twenty of the men on board and wounding seventy others. Michael Matthews was among the dead.
She attempted to sail towards North Goodwin but the Captain was concerned about losing all the fresh water on board due to a cut steam pipe and there was some flooding in the third boiler room. She requested the assistance of a tug when she arrived at North Goodwin and was taken in tow by tugs and by the Polish destroyer Blyskawica. She docked at Admiralty Pier at 2.45am on the 30th of May where 432 men were disembarked. She was later repaired at Chatham dockyard.
His father later wrote: - “‘I now come to the great sorrow of our lives, the event after which nothing was quite the same. Our eldest child, Michael Harrington Matthews, Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R. was killed on H.M.S Greyhound, the destroyer which was the first to reach Dunkirk, on May 28th, 1940. The little boy who had clung to his mother Margaret in 1916 during a Zeppelin raid crying, “But you aren’t frightened, Mummy, are you?” was shattered by a bomb from a German plane as he stood on the bridge of H.M.S Greyhound in 1940. Margaret and he were close together. They were in many ways alike and understood each other. Her words when the telegram of death came were characteristic of both: ‘Well, poor boy, he can’t disappoint himself now’. “
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Christ Church, Oxford and on the memorial at Gray’s Inn.
He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial Panel 44, Column 2.

Montefiore, Denis, brother of Leslie Montefiore (qv); b. 22 June 1910; adm. May 1924 (A); left Apr. 1927; HM Treasury in WW2; d. 1984.

Montefiore, Neville, brother of Leslie Montefiore (qv); b. 26 Jan. 1906; adm. Jan. 1920 (A); left July 1923; RAFVR 1940-5 (Flt Lieut.), AFC Jan. 1943; an hotelier; m. 1st 6 Apr. 1929 Gladys Margaret Frances, d. of John Henry Mortimer Rogers of Esher, Surrey; 2nd 16 Apr. 1945 Con­stance May, d. of Thomas Cecil Gaunt; d. 23 Feb. 1968.

Namias, Richard Henry, son of Lea Namias of Streatham and Hilda, d. of Robert Diaz of Paris; b. 29 Oct. 1921; adm. Jan. 1935 (A); left July 1939; RAFVR 1941 (Flt Lieut.); killed in action 20 Sept. 1941.

Mayer Henry Richard “Dickie” Namias was born at Streatham, London on the 29th of October 1921 the only son of Lea Namias, manager of the Argonaut Marine Insurance Company, and Mathilda (nee Diaz) Namias of 27, Woodfield Avenue, Streatham, London SW16. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from January 1935 to July 1939. He was a member of the 1st Rowing VIII in 1939.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Leading Aircraftman before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 13th of April 1941.
On the 28th of August 1941, 18 aircraft from 21, 88, 110 and 226 Squadrons were dispatched for a low level attack on enemy shipping in the docks at Rotterdam.
Mayer Namias and his crew took off from RAF Wattisham at 5.20pm for the attack. One of the Blenheims from his Squadron crashed on takeoff. Two squadrons of Spitfires joined them a short time after takeoff to act as their fighter escort. The formation crossed the Dutch coast and came under heavy anti aircraft fire as it approached the Nieuwe Waterweg, the canal leaving to the docks at Rotterdam. Having passed through the flak they were attacked by enemy fighters but these were chased away by the fighter escort. The Blenheims reduced their height to between 20 and 50 feet as they approached the docks, flying just above the rooftops in line abreast, all the time under machine gun fire and fire from light flak guns. Mayer Naimias dropped a bomb on a 10,000 tom ship which missed, bounced off the dockside and exploded under its stern, sinking it.
Seven aircraft failed to return from the raid.
On the 20th of September 1941, Bomber Command dispatched 48 Blenheims and 6 Hampdens for a series of daylight sweeps across the sea and for escorted attacks on targets just behind the French coast.
Mayer Namias and his crew took from RAF Wattisham on the 20th of September 1941in Blenheim Mk IV Z7310 with seven other aircraft from the Squadron for an anti shipping patrol. The aircraft was carrying two 500lb bombs and four 25lb incendiaries. During the mission they were flying off the coast of Holland when they spotted an enemy convoy of fourteen merchant ships, flying protective barrage balloons. Mayer Namias was the second aircraft to make its attack, the first having been lost when it was destroyed by the explosion of one of its own bombs. As the aircraft made its run towards one of the enemy ships, and was a quarter of a mile from the vessel, it was hit in the starboard engine by anti aircraft fire and it caught fire. Despite this, he dropped his bombs before ditching the aircraft into the sea. Although the aircraft appeared to make a “good landing” on the sea, and floated for a while, none of the crew or the aircrafts dinghy was seen.
The crew was: -
Sergeant Kenneth Frederick Hood (Observer)
Flight Lieutenant Mayer Richard Henry Namias (Pilot)
Sergeant John Joseph Robson (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
When the six remaining aircraft left the scene four of the merchant ships were seen to be emitting smoke with one having broken its back.
Theirs was one of three aircraft which were lost during these operations.
His father received the following letter dated the 27th of September 1941: - “Sir, I am commanded by the Air Council to express to you their great regret on learning that you son, Acting Flight Lieutenant Mayer Richard Namias, Royal Air Force, is missing as the result of air operations on 20th September, 1941. The only information available is that your son was captain of a Blenheim aircraft which was engaged by the enemy whilst over the sea off the coast of Holland and has failed to return. This does not mean that he is killed or wounded, and if he is a prisoner of war he should be able to communicate with you in due course. Meanwhile enquiries will be made through the International Red Cross Society and as soon as any definite information is received, you will be at once informed. If any information regarding your son is received by you from any source you are requested to be kind enough to communicate it immediately to the Air Ministry. The Air Council desire me to convey to you an expression of their sincere sympathy with you in your present anxiety.”
The bodies of Kenneth Hood and John Robson were recovered from the sea later that day and were buried at Crooswijk Cemetery, Rotterdam.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 29.

Scott, Charles William Anderson, son of Charles Kennedy Scott, musician, conductor of the Philharmonic Choir, by Mary Donaldson, of Glasgow; b. Feb. 13, 1903; adm. Sept. 21, 1916 (A); left July 1919; served in R.A.F. 1922-7, attaining the rank of Flight-Lieut.; an air mail pilot in Australia; in April 1931 and again in May 1932 he held the record for a flight from England to Australia; A.F.C. 1931; British Gold Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Society for winning the England to Australia Air Race 1934; winner of the heavy-weight and cruiser­ weight boxing championships of the R.A.F.; served in Great War II as Lieut. R.N.V.R., taking part in the Dakar landing, as an Atlantic Ferry pilot, and as operation manager of an air observer school; author of an autobiography Scott's Book (1934); d. at UNRRA H.Q., Germany, April 15, 1946; unm.

Charles William Anderson Scott was born on the 13th of February 1903 the son of Charles Kennedy Scott, founder and conductor of the Philharmonic Choir, and Mary (nee Donaldson) Scott of Glasgow. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from the 21st of September 1916 to July 1919. On leaving school he worked on a sugar plantation in British Guiana for a short time but returned to enlist in the Royal Air Force.
He was granted a short service commission as a Pilot Officer on probation in the Royal Air Force on the 9th of December 1922. He was posted to No. 2 Flying Training School based at RAF Duxford for pilot training where he made his first solo flight in an Avro 504. He was confirmed in his rank on the 9th of June 1923 and was awarded his Wings on the 15th of December 1923. He was posted to 32 Squadron based at RAF Kenley and was promoted to Flying Officer on the 9th of July 1924. On the 1st of November 1924 he was posted to the Armament and Gunnery School at Eastchurch but this appointment was cancelled a short time later and he returned to 32 Squadron. He boxed for the Royal Air Force in the Inter Services team Championships of 1923, 1924 and 1925. He was the Royal Air Force heavyweight boxing champion in 1923 and 1924. He transferred to the Royal Air Force Reserve of Officers on the 9th of December 1926 and relinquished his commission on completion of his service on the 9th of December 1930.
In 1927, he emigrated to Australia where he flew for the airline Qantas. On the 4th of September 1928 he took off in bad weather from Parafield Airfield in de Havilland 50 G-AUHI “Hermes”. He was flying in cloud at 1,800 feet some six miles to the north east of the airfield when the aircraft entered a spin, crashed and caught fire. He escaped from the burning aircraft and pulled his injured flight engineer, George Nutson, clear of the wreckage. Nutson died from his injuries in hospital later in the day. A court of inquiry concluded that Charles Scott had made a serious error of judgement by taking off in such poor weather. He returned to flying duties with the airline at the end of January 1929.
He was married at Scots’ Church, Melbourne on the 26th of April 1929 to Kathleen (nee O’Neill) and they had a daughter Rosemary Barbara born on the 9th of February 1930. He broke the solo record for a flight between Brisbane and Melbourne in a de Havilland DH 60 Gypsy Moth in order to be present at the birth of his daughter. The couple returned to England where they lived at “Belle Vista”, St Peters Road, West Mersea in Essex.
In 1931, he established a new record for a solo flight between England and Australia while flying in a de Havilland DH 60 Gypsy Moth. For this feat he was awarded the Air Force Cross: - “In recognition of the distinguished services rendered to aviation by his recent flights between England and Australia”, which was announced by the Air Ministry on the 30th of June 1931. He broke his own record for the flight in the following year.
In 1934 he and Tom Campbell Black were selected to compete in the MacRobertson London to Melbourne Air Race where he flew in one of three purpose built de Havilland DH 88 Comets. He and Black set a new record for a flight from England to Australia of 52 hours and 33 minutes, smashing the old record by more than 100 hours and they arrived at Melbourne in a time of 71 hours. He was awarded the British Gold Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Society for winning the race.
His wife filed for divorce on the 21st of January 1935 on the grounds of his adultery with Greta Bremner which had allegedly taken place on more than one occasion at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane from the 14th of December 1934. She was granted a Decree Nisi on the 19th of December 1935.
He was remarried at Caxton hall, Westminster on the 17th of September 1936 to Greta Constance (nee Bremner); she was granted a divorce on the 8th of October 1940.
In September 1936, he entered the Schlesinger Air Race from England to South Africa. He and Charles Guthrie took off from Portsmouth in Vega Gull G-AEKE and landed at Rand Airport, Johannesburg on the 1st of October in a time of 52 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds, winning the first prize of £10,000. They were the only aircraft to complete the race from the fourteen aircraft which started it.
On the outbreak of war he approached the Royal Air Force to offer his services but was offered the rank of Pilot Officer and the opportunity to fly as a ferry pilot which he was insulted by and so withdrew his offer. Instead he worked as an ambulance drive with the Air Raid Precautions Service and later served for a time with the Royal Navy before joining the Atlantic Ferry Service as a pilot. After making seven Trans Atlantic ferry crossings he was forced to stop due to his failing health. He was appointed as the operations manager of No. 10 Observer School, Royal Canadian Air Force based at Chatham, New Brunswick.
He was remarried once again in Montreal on the 28th of August 1941 to Kathleen Barnesley (nee Pritchard).
In May 1942 he was badly injured in the crash landing of an aircraft while he was taking an injured student to hospital, after which he was no longer fit to fly. Following his recovery he went to work for De Havilland in Toronto but after five months he left to join Fairchild Aircraft as an inspector of aircraft at their Montreal factory; he also lectured to Sea Cadets. He suffered a nervous breakdown in early 1944 and returned to Fairchild on his recovery.
He returned to England after the end of the war in Europe and joined the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in November 1945, serving at their Headquarters in Germany. While he was there he took his own life by shooting himself in the chest with his service revolver.
His death is not recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as he was not serving in the military at the time of his death.
He is buried at Mengeringhausen.

Shearman, John, son of John Shearman (adm. 1899, qv); b. 24 Dec. 1912; adm. Sept. 1926 (A); left Apr. 1931; LMS Railway 1931-40; RAFVR (A & SD) 1941-5 (Sqdn Ldr); a documentary film director and producer; worked for British Transport Films 1950-2 and 1963-74, in Iraq and Iran 1952-61; hon. sec. Kipling Soc. 1977-85; author of The Land and People of Iran 1962; m. 1 Oct. 1938 Elizabeth, d. of Robert Noel Bradley, civil servant, of Chester; 8 Nov. 1996.

Stewart, Charles Duncan Stuart, son of Col. Charles Victor Stewart OBE MC RE, architect, of Sidcup, Kent; b. 19 Apr. 1918; adm. Sept. 1931 (A); left July 1932; Sgt Pilot Bomber Command RAF; killed in action Jan. 1942.

Charles Duncan Stuart Stewart was born at Kensington, London on the 19th of April 1918 the elder son of Colonel Charles Victor Stewart OBE, MC, Royal Engineers, later an architect, and Doris Stuart (nee Kettelwell) Stewart of 12, Cottesmore Gardens, Kensington. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1931 to July 1932.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Sergeant.
On the night of the 25th/26th of January 1942, Bomber Command dispatched 61 aircraft to attack enemy warships in Brest Harbour. 49 Squadron dispatched seventeen aircraft for the raid and they began taking off at 4.50pm. When they arrived over the target it was found to be covered by 10/10th cloud with most of the aircraft attacking alternate targets in the area of the docks, while eight returned without making an attack at all. All the aircraft returned to base.
Charles Stewart and his crew took off from RAF Scampton at 5.12pm on the 25th of January 1942 in Hampden AT129 EA-O for the operation. The aircraft was carrying a load of bombs and pyrotechnics. At the time, he had accumulated 238.20 hours of total solo flying time of which 159.20 were on Hampden aircraft. Two minutes after lifting off the aircraft crashed to the west of the airfield at the hamlet of Bransby, between the villages of Sturton and Saxilby at 5.10pm killing the entire crew.
The crew was: -
Sergeant Charles Duncan Stuart Stewart (Pilot)
Sergeant Albert Hibbet (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Kenneth Edward Northrop (Observer)
Sergeant Leonard Arthur Jardine (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
It is thought that the cause of the crash was due to ice having collected on the flying surfaces.
His funeral took place on the 31st of January 1942.
The crew are commemorated on a memorial in a wooden shelter at the Bransby Equestrian Centre.
He is buried at Sutton Cemetery, Section B, Grave 35.

Strain, Alan Gordon, brother of John Loudon Strain (qv); b. 1 Dec. 1914; adm. Jan. 1928 (A); left July 1933; Caius Coll. Camb., matric. 1934, BA 1937; Sgt Army Educational Corps; d. on active service 10 Aug. 1943.

Alan Gordon Strain was born at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey on the 1st of December 1914 the fifth and youngest son of Dr. William Loudon Strain MD CM and Dorothy Maud (nee Savory) Strain of 4, Hove Court, Raymond Road, Wimbledon in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from January 1928 to July 1933. He matriculated for Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in 1934 and was awarded a BA in 1937. On leaving university he went to work as a school teacher at Collington Rise Preparatory School, Bexhill-on-Sea in Sussex.
He enlisted in the Army Educational Corps where he rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was taken ill and was in a hospital at Epsom for three months before he died.
His brother, Captain John Loudon Strain OW, Royal Garrison Artillery, was killed in action on the 31st of July 1917.
He is buried at Putney Vale Cemetery and Crematorium Block I, Grave 363.