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People & Organisations
Grant's

Clark, Charles Peter, 1909-1944

  • GB-2014-WSA-04872
  • Person
  • 1909-1944

Clark, Charles Peter, son of Charles Harold Clark of Clairac, Lot-et-Garonne, France, and Gladys Mary, d. of Rev. James Morell Blackie of Cheltenham; b. 5 June 1909; adm. Sept. 1922 (G); left Dec. 1926; man. Charles and William Clark & Co, Clairac; RAFVR 1941 -5 (acting Flt Lieut.), despatches (posth.) June 1945; m. 27 June 1936 Cynthia Loveday, d. of Arnold Leslie Thackhall Browelt, solicitor, of Coventry; killed in action 29 Sept. 1944.

Charles Peter Clark was born on the 5th of June 1909 the son of Charles Harold Clark, a director of a catering company and a prune manufacturer, and Gladys Mary (nee Blackie) Clark of Clairac, Lot-et-Garonne in France and of “Eastwood”, 77, Red Road, Barnet in Hertfordshire. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1922 to December 1926. He later became the manager of the family firm of Charles and William Clark & Co of Clairac in France. He was married at Leamington, Warwickshire on the 4th of July 1936 to Cynthia Loveday (nee Browett) of Beauchamp Avenue, Leamington Spa. They had a daughter, Caroline, born on the 15th of June 1939.
Following the outbreak of war he returned to England from France where he enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and rose to the rank of Sergeant before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 1st of September 1941, with seniority from the 28th of July 1941. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 1st of September 1942, with seniority from the 28th of July 1942 and was later promoted to Acting Flight Lieutenant.
He was posted to the Air Ministry in 1943 and joined the headquarters of the Special Operations Executive at Baker Street where he worked in supporting resistance operations in occupied Europe. He was later attached to 161 (Special Duties) Squadron.
Charles Clark took off from Le Bourget, Paris at 1.15pm on the 29th of September 1944 as a passenger in Lysander Mk IIIA V9749 MA-M for a flight to his home base of RAF Tempsford. The aircraft failed to arrive and is thought to have come down into the sea killing all on board.
The passengers and crew were: -
Flight Lieutenant James Alan Lamberton (161 Squadron) (Pilot)
Squadron Leader Anthony Wilfred Alwyne Compton (161 Squadron)
Major John Walter Saunders MBE (Royal Corps of Signals)
Flight Lieutenant Charles Peter Clark (161 Squadron)
He was Mentioned in Despatches, which was announced by the Air Ministry on the 14th of June 1945.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 201.

Dearmer, Anthony, 1920-1943

  • GB-2014-WSA-06014
  • Person
  • 1920-1943

Dearmer, Anthony, son of Percy Dearmer (qv) and his second wife; b. 23 June 1920; adm. Sept. 1933 (G); left Apr. 1936; Sgt RAFVR, killed on active service Apr. 1943.

Anthony Dearmer was born at Streatham, London on the 23rd of June 1920 the youngest son of the Reverend Dr Percy Dearmer DD OW, Professor of Ecclesiastical Art at King’s College, London, and his second wife, Nancy “Nan” (nee Knowles) Dearmer of 48, Jubilee Place, Chelsea in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1933 to April 1936.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner and rose to the rank of Sergeant.
Anthony Dearmer took off on the 7th of April 1943 with his pilot, Flying Officer Taylor, in Beaufort Mk I DX114 for a training exercise. During the flight the aircraft was forced to ditch into the sea off the coast of Ayr. His body was recovered from the sea some 2 miles to the North East of Ailsa Craig. Flying Officer Taylor survived the accident.
He is buried at Greenock Cemetery Section CCC Grave 1333.

Doswell, Algernon Michael, 1918-1941

  • GB-2014-WSA-06296
  • Person
  • 1918-1941

Doswell, Algernon Michael, son of Algernon George Doswell, accountant, of Sydenham, Kent; b. 1 June 1918; adm. Sept. 1931 (G); left July 1936; Univ. of Lond., fenced for the University 1939; MN radio officer, lost in the Norwegian SS Polyana, sunk by enemy action Apr. 1941.

Algernon Michael Doswell was born at Torquay, Devon on the 1st of June 1918 the only son of George Algernon Doswell, an accountant for a railway company, and Hilda Elizabeth (nee Fortune) Doswell of 17, Crescent Wood Road, Camberwell in Kent, later of 22, Ingleby Road, Ilford in Essex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1931 to July 1936. He was a member of the Fencing team in 1934 and 1935, winning the Foil Medal in 1935, and was appointed as Captain. He represented the school in the Public Schools Fencing Championship in April 1934. He went on to the University of London where he studied Architecture and fenced for the university in 1939.
He trained as a wireless operator with the General Post Office from the 6th of May 1940 before enlisting in the Merchant Navy. He was posted to the steam merchant SS Polyana.
The SS Polyana, under the command of Master Karl Jacobsen, set sail from Sutherland on the 22nd of March 1941 bound for Oban where she was to join a convoy. She set sail from Oban on the 7th of April 1941 as part of Convoy OG-58 but detached from the convoy on the 14th of April 1941 and sailed on unescorted bound for Freetown where she was due to arrive on the 30th of April.
At 11.57pm on the 24th of April 1941, the SS Polyana was sailing alone, about 250 miles to the west south west of Cape Verde Island, when the U Boat U-103, under the command of Korvettenkapitän Viktor Schütze, fired a torpedo at her which missed. At 12.38am on the 25th of April 1941 U-103 fired a second torpedo which struck her close to the bridge and she sank about one minute later with the loss of her entire crew of twenty five.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record the date of his death as having occurred on the 23rd of April 1941 but all other records have the loss of the SS Polyana as having occurred on the 25th of April 1941.
He is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial Panel 82.

Evans, David Christopher, 1922-1942

  • GB-2014-WSA-06860
  • Person
  • 1922-1942

Evans, David Christopher, son of Charles Evans, publisher, of Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, and Rose Elizabeth, d. of William Callaghan of Leytonstone, Essex; b. 28 Mar. 1922; adm. Sept. 1935 (G); left July 1940; PO RAFVR Mar. 1942; killed in action in a raid on Bremen June 1942.

David Christopher Evans was born at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey on the 28th of March 1922 the fifth and youngest son of Charles Seddon Evans, a publisher, and Rose Elizabeth (nee Callaghan) Evans of Bilders Farm, Ewhurst in Surrey.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1935 to July 1940. 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 7th of March 1942. He was posted to No. 15 Operational Training Unit as an instructor.
On the night of the 26th/26th of June 1942, Bomber Command dispatched 472 Wellingtons, 124 Halifaxes, 96 Lancasters, 69 Stirlings, 51 Blenheims, 50 Hampdens, 50 Whitleys, 24 Bostons, 20 Manchesters and 4 Mosquitos for an operation on Bremen. The force was intended to be a “1,000 bomber raid” but, in the event, 960 aircraft were sent, which included some aircraft from Operational Training Units to make up the numbers. The force was to attack the Focke Wulf factory, the A.G. Wesser shipyard, the Deschimag shipyard as well as other areas of the town and its docks. 572 houses were destroyed during the raid with a further 6,108 damaged, the vast majority of which were in the southern and eastern quarters of the city. 85 people were killed on the ground with another 497 injured and 2,378 were bombed out of their homes. Six buildings at the Focke Wulf factory were seriously damaged and one assembly shop was completely destroyed. Damage was also caused to buildings at the Atlas Werke, the Vulcan shipyard, the Norddeutsche Hutte and the Korff oil refinery.
David Evans and his crew took off from RAF Harwell at 10.41pm on the 25th of June 1942 in Wellington Mk IC DV737 for the operation. While flying in the target area at a height of 7,000 feet at 1.45am the aircraft was hit by anti aircraft fire and exploded, killing the entire crew. Parts of the wreckage fell on to the house of Frau Hoeber at 37, Stoeversand Strasse in Sebaldsbruck with the rest falling into the garden of the house where it burned out.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer David Christopher Evans (Pilot)
Sergeant Ronald Idris Coffin (2nd Pilot)
Sergeant Thomas Phillip Morgan (Observer)
Sergeant Alfred George Leyland (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Michael Sweeney (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant John McRewin Kennedy (Air Gunner)
Theirs was one of forty eight aircraft which failed to return from the raid.
His father received the following telegram date the 25th of September 1942: - “Deeply regret to inform you that according to information received through the International Red Cross Committee your son Pilot Officer David Christopher Evans is believed to have lost his life as the result of air operations on 26th June 1942. Letter confirming this telegram follows. The Air Council express their profound sympathy.”
David Evans’ body and those of two of his crew were found on the road in front of the house, with another being recovered from the bottom of the garden. Another body was found near to the air raid shelter. The bodies of the crew were collected by the local undertaker, Herr Stubbe.
The crew was buried with full military honours at Waller Cemetery near Bremen on the 2nd of July 1942. Their bodies were exhumed by No. 4 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit, Royal Air Force on the 23rd of January 1947 and were moved to their present location.
He is commemorated on his parent’s grave
He is buried at Becklingen War Cemetery Plot 26 Row G Grave 13.

Fevez, David Gronow Eugene, 1919-1940

  • GB-2014-WSA-07084
  • Person
  • 1919-1940

Fevez, David Gronow Eugene, son of Eugene Leon Fevez of Esher and his second wife Ethel Gronow, d. of Frederick William Oliver (qv); half brother of Derek John Fevez (qv); b. 12 Jan. 1919; adm. Sept. 1932 (G); left July 1936; PO RAF, killed in action over France June 1940.

David Gronow Eugene Fevez was born at “Eversleigh”, Addlestone, Chertsey, Surrey on the 12th of January 1919 the elder son of Eugene Leon Fevez OW, a director of a wholesale textile company, and his second wife, Ethel Gronow (nee Oliver) Fevez of “Eversleigh”, Addlestone, Chertsey, later of 24, Woodville Road, Bexhill-on-Sea in Sussex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s’ from September 1932 to July 1936. He attended the Flying School at Gatwick airfield on the 8th of August 1939 and was commissioned as an Acting Pilot Officer on probation in the Royal Air Force on the 9th of October 1939. He was posted to No. 3 Initial Training Wing at Hastings, Kent on the 9th of October 1939 for pilot training and to No. 3 Service Flying Training School at RAF South Cerney on the 21st of October 1939. He was promoted to Pilot Officer on probation on the 28th of April 1940 and was posted to No. 1 School of Air Cooperation on the same day. He was posted to 26 Squadron on the 29th of May 1940, who had been based at Authie airfield in France before moving to RAF Lympne on the 20th of May 1940.
David Fevez and his Observer/Air Gunner, Sergeant Robert Donald Keiler Cochrane, took off from Boos near Rouen on the morning of 5th of June 1940 in Lysander Mk II N1211 for a reconnaissance of the Somme area. The aircraft was flying to the south west of Abbeville when it was attacked and shot down by Hauptmann Muller of 4./JG3. The aircraft crashed near Ercourt at 12.10pm killing both men.
His mother received the following telegram dated the 6th of June 1940: - “Regret to inform you that your son Pilot Officer David Gronow Fevez is reported missing as the result of air operations on 5th June 1940. Letter follows. Any further information received will be immediately communicated to you. Should information reach you from any source please inform this department.”
One of the bodies of the crew was found by the Germans close to the wreckage of the aircraft and was buried at the crash site. Two months later another body was found in a wood some 200 yards from the crash site and was wearing an unopened parachute. He was buried with his comrade. In 1941 some locals moved them to the village cemetery and marked them both as unknown airmen. In 1946 No. 1 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit, Royal Air Force exhumed the bodies, identified them and reburied them at the same location.
His brother, Captain Robin Louis Gronow Fevez OW, 2/5th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) was killed in action on the 10th of September 1943.
He is buried at Ercourt Churchyard Cemetery, France.

Fevez, Robin Lewis Gronow, 1920-1943

  • GB-2014-WSA-07088
  • Person
  • 1920-1943

Fevez, Robin Lewis Gronow, brother of David Grunow Eugene Fevez (qv); b. 7 Nov. 1920; adm. Sept. 1934 (G); left Dec. 1937; King's Coll. Lond. 1938, enlisted Aug. 1939; The Queen's Regt, served Iraq 1942, Eighth Army 1943 (Capt.); killed in action (Italy) Sept. 1943.

Robin Louis Gronow Fevez was born at “Eversleigh”, Addlestone, Chertsey, Surrey on the 7th of November 1920 the younger son of Eugene Leon Fevez OW, a director of a wholesale textile company, and his second wife, Ethel Gronow (nee Oliver) Fevez of Radley Cottage, Church Road, Addlestone, Chertsey, later of 24, Woodville Road, Bexhill-on-Sea in Sussex. He was educated at St George’s College, Weybridge and at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1934 to December 1937. He went on to the Faculty of Science at King’s College, London University from 1938 to 1940 where he was a member of the London University Officer Training Corps. He had planned to become a research chemist but the outbreak of war intervened.
He enlisted as Private 6464127 in The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) on the 25th of September 1939 and was posted to No. 162 Officer Cadet Training Unit on the 22nd of November 1940. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Regiment on the 15th of March 1941. He was posted to the 2/5th Battalion of his Regiment and served in Iraq in 1942. He served as Acting Adjutant and as Battalion Itelligence Offier before being appointed to the command of D Company
On the 9th of September 1943, the 2/5th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal Regiment was in the leading wave of the Allied landings at Salerno for the invasion of Italy. The troops were loaded onto assault landing craft just after midnight and they headed for shore under a curtain of supporting fire from the naval guns offshore. The enemy returned fire and as the two leading landing craft approached the shore both were hit and damaged. Although there were a number of casualties in Robin Fevez’s boat, he was unhurt and landed on the beach shortly after 4am. The Battalion’s task was to land on the right of the 4,000 yard stretch of beach, to secure the beachhead and to advance a further 3,000 yards inland by first light. D Company, on the left of the Battalion’s attack, crossed bogs and ditches as they made their way inland where they secured their objective, a large agricultural college at Piccola a mile behind the beach. They had taken the position with few casualties and were in high spirits when a German tank was spotted some 300 yards to their front which heralded a counterattack by the 16th Panzer Division. C Company, which was the lead Company, suffered heavy losses but, with support from the other Companies the enemy attack was eventually driven off. At midnight on the 9th/10th of September the Battalion’s commanding officer received orders to resume the advance in order to attack before the Germans were able to reorganise.
A and D Companies began the advance in darkness with D Company moving up a road on the left. They moved forward for about an hour before they saw what looked in the gloom like an enemy tank in the middle of the road. A PIAT was ordered forward and knocked out what turned out to be an enemy self propelled gun and its half-track. A Platoon was then dispatched to investigate a nearby house on their right when the whole line came under heavy fire. Robin Fevez met Lieutenant Whitfield at a cross roads where the two men had to shout to hear each other due to the noise of the gunfire and of the tracer bullets whipping over their heads. He was ordered to dig in and to hold his position in preparation for an expected counterattack at first light. As daylight came it became clear that the Battalion was sited in the middle of an encampment of enemy tanks and the noise of their engines starting, coupled with heavy fire in all directions added to the confusion. Robin Fevez quickly realized that he and his men were about to find themselves in a desperate position with tanks attacking them from short range. He ordered his men to break out “as best as they could” but they were almost completely cut off from the rest of the Battalion. Only 20 men managed to get back to the Battalion with Robin Fevez being killed during the fighting withdrawal. The Battalion was relived the following day.
His brother, Pilot Officer David Gronow Eugene Fevez OW, 26 Squadron Royal Air Force was killed in action on the 5th of June 1940.
He is commemorated on the London University Roll of Honour
He is buried at Salerno War Cemetery Plot III, Row A, Grave 10.

Forbes, Peter Fraser Lestock, 1918-1943

  • GB-2014-WSA-07275
  • Person
  • 1918-1943

Forbes, Peter Fraser Lestock, son of Sidney Lestock Forbes of Putney; b. 20 Mar. 1918; adm. May 1932 (G); left Dec. 1934; 2nd Lieut. Rajputana Rifles IA 1942; d. of wounds in Burma Feb. 1943.

Peter Fraser Lestock Forbes was born at Bournemouth, Hampshire on the 20th of March 1918 the younger son of Sidney Lestock Forbes, an engineer, and Edith Lizzie (nee Goodwin) Forbes of Putney, later of “Beggars Roost”, Seven Hills Road, Cobham in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from May 1932 to December 1934. He won the Pancake Greaze in 1933.
He enlisted in the army where he rose to the rank of Lance Corporal before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Indian Army on the 28th of May 1942.
His funeral took place on the 27th of February 1943.
He is buried at Kirkee War Cemetery Plot 8, Row K, Grave 15.

Gammon, Frederick David, 1921-1940

  • GB-2014-WSA-07623
  • Person
  • 1921-1940

Gammon, Frederick David, son of Sidney Gammon, HM Penge CS, Kent, and Olive Mary Gam­mon; b. 12 Nov. 1921; adm. May 1935 (G); left Mar. 1940; killed in an air raid Oct. 1940.

Frederick David Gammon was born in Northamptonshire on the 12th of November 1921 the only son of Sidney Gammon MA, Headmaster of Beckenham County School for Boys, and Olive Mary Ulph (nee Woollard) Gammon of 9, Foxgrove Avenue, Beckenham in Kent. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from May 1935 to March 1940.
Following the outbreak of war he served as a member of a First Aid Party in the Civil Defence. He and both of his parents were killed when their home was hit by a high explosive bomb during an enemy air raid.
A memorial service w held in their memory on the 28th of October 1940.
He is buried at Beckenham Cemetery.

Grosvenor, Randolph Lea, 1867-1940

  • GB-2014-WSA-08327
  • Person
  • 1867-1940

GROSVENOR, RANDOLPH LEA, eldest son of George Fox Grosvenor MD MRCS, Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London, and Eliza Frances, eldest dau. of Thomas Lea, London; b. 29 Jul 1867; adm. (G) 27 May 1880; left May 1884; Clare Coll. Cambridge, adm. 10 Oct 1805, matr. Mich. 1885; BA 1888; St. Mary’s Hospital; MRCS LRCP London 1896; practised in London; killed in air raid 14 Sep 1940.

Randolph Lea Grosvenor was born at Notting Hill, London on the 29th of July 1867 the eldest son of Dr George Fox Grosvenor MD and Eliza Frances (nee Lea) Grosvenor of 121, Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill in London. He was christened at the Church of St John the Evangelist, Notting Hill on the 2nd of November 1867. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 27th of May 1880 to May 1884. He matriculated for Clare College, Cambridge on the 10th of October 1885 where he achieved a BA in 1888 and a MA in 1926. He attended St Mary’s Hospital, Chelsea and achieved MRCS LRCP in 1896. He practised medicine at 75, Oakley Street, Chelsea.
On the 14th of September 1940 the Luftwaffe continued operations against London at was by now the height of the Battle of Britain. A number of separate raids, made up of small formations, crossed the south coast of England during the later afternoon flying at heights of between 17,000 and 20,000 feet. Although many were turned back by Royal Air Force fighters in a running battle, some got through and were able to drop their bombs on London.
Randolph Grosvenor had heeded the sound of the sirens as the enemy raiders approached the city and, having no air raid shelter in his own house, he and his brother Edward and their housekeeper, Mrs. Elizabeth Parke, walked to 5, Upper Cheyne Row, Chelsea. It was the home of Mrs. Mabel Price-Jones and her daughter where she had constructed a small air raid shelter in the basement which was strengthened with sandbags. At around 6.30pm a high explosive bomb struck the house and passed through all of its floors before exploding in the basement. All five of those sheltering there were killed instantly.
Those who died were: -
Randolph Lea Grosvenor
Edward Moberley Grosvenor
Elizabeth Sarah Parke
Mabel Edith Price-Jones
Eileen Price-Jones
His place of burial is not known.

Gwilt, Charles Evelyn, 1858-1940

  • GB-2014-WSA-08382
  • Person
  • 1858-1940

GWILT, CHARLES EVELYN, eldest son of Charles Gwilt, Icklingham, Suffolk, solicitor, and Frances, dau. of Edward Thompson; b. 12 Oct 1858; adm. 23 Sep 1871 (G); left Aug 1875; adm. solicitor Apr 1882; practised in London; m. 15 Jun 1904 Florence Fraser, youngest dau. of George Pimm, Wandsworth, Surrey, miller; d. 25 Oct 1940.

Charles Evelyn Gwilt was born at Chelsea, London on the 12th of October 1858 the eldest son of Charles Gwilt, a solicitor, and Frances (nee Thompson) Gwilt of 18, Markham Street, Chelsea and of Ickenham in Suffolk. He was christened at the Church of St Mary’s Le Strand on the 4th of December 1859.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 23rd of September 1871 to August 1875. He qualified as a solicitor in April 1882 and practiced in London. He was initiated as a Freemason and as a member of the Old Westminster’s Lodge on the 1st of February 1893. He was married at St Luke’s Church, Battersea on the 15th of June 1904 to Florence Fraser (nee Pimm) and they lived at 39, Dryburgh Road Putney and later at 42, Park Hill Road, Wallington in Surrey. He was killed when his house was hit by a bomb during an air raid.
His place of burial is not known.

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