Myers, Julian Gilbert Keydell, son of Gilbert Percival Louis Myers (qv); b. 26 Nov. 1914; adm. Sept. 1928 (B); left Dec. 1931; apprentice Furniss Withy Line 1932-5, later asst master Moffats Sch. Hatfield, Herts; Sgt Pilot RAFVR, killed in action 9 Dec 1940.

Julian Gilbert Keydell Myers was born in Capetown, South Africa on the 26th of November 1914 the eldest son of Major Gilbert Percival Louis Myers OW, Army Service Corps, and, Ada Sallie (nee Hutchins) Myers of 83, Vernon Road, Feltham in Middlesex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Busby’s from September 1928 to December 1931. He was a member of the 1st Football XI in 1930 and 1931 where he played as goalkeeper. On leaving school he was accepted as an apprentice with the Furniss Withy Line and worked for them from 1932 to 1935. He later became an assistant schoolmaster at Moffat’s School, Hatfield in Hertfordshire. He was married at Maldon, Essex in 1938 to Frances Ellison (nee Fletcher) of Witham, Essex.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Sergeant.
On the 9th of December 1940 nine aircraft from 115 Squadron were detailed to attack enemy shipping in the harbours of Bordeaux and L’Orient.
Julian Myers and his crew took off from RAF Marham at 5.25pm on the 9th of December 1940 in Wellington Mk IC L7895 KO-G for the operation. Eight tons of bombs were dropped on the target “with good effect”.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer Peter Bois (Pilot)
Sergeant Julian Gilbert Keydell Myers (2nd Pilot)
Pilot Officer Macdonald (Navigator)
Sergeant Livingstone (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Longden (Front Gunner)
Sergeant Pryor (Rear Gunner)
Three aircraft from the Squadron were lost during the operation.
Having completed its mission the aircraft landed safely back at RAF Marham where the crew disembarked and made their way to a van which was to transport them back to the station buildings. While they were doing this a sharp crack was heard and a few moments later a member of the ground crew found the body of Julian Myers who had been hit by the port propeller. His body was taken to the station mortuary.
His funeral took place on the 14th of December 1940.
He is buried at Holy Trinity Church, Marham Grave 56.

Neal, Kenneth Guthrie, son of Lawrence Edward Neal, chairman and man. dir. Daniel Neal & Sons, and Jean Frances Guthrie-Smith, poetess, d. of John Guthrie-Smith, solicitor, of Kelvinside, Glasgow; b. 13 Nov. 1919; adm. Sept. 1932 (H); left July 1938; Magd. Coll. Oxf., matric. 1938; RA in WW2 (Lieut.); killed in action (France) Aug. 1944.

Kenneth Guthrie Neal was born at Glasgow on the 13th of November 1919 the elder son of Lawrence Edgar Neal, chairman and managing director of Daniel Neal & Sons, and Jean Frances (nee Guthrie-Smith) Neal, a poet, of 5, Holland Villas Road, Kensington in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1932 to July 1938. He boxed for the school in 1933. He was a member of the Cricket XI and of the Football XI in 1936, 1937 and 1938 where he played at half back. He was appointed as Captain of the Football XI in 1937. He won the Neale History Prize in June 1938. While at the school he was a keen sportsman, enjoying cricket and middle distance running and was a keen fly fisherman.
On leaving school he and four friends bought an old Sunbeam limousine and drove to Yugoslavia for the summer. He matriculated for Magdalen College, Oxford in 1938 where he was a member of the College Football XI and passed exams for History and Constitutional Law in 1939 and in English in 1940. He did not graduate as he left the College for military service after six terms. He was a poet and a book of his poems, “Poems of This War by Younger Poets” edited by P. Leward was published in 1942.
He attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 2nd of August 1941. He joined 68 Anti Tank Regiment on the 8th of October 1941 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 1st of October 1942. The Regiment trained in Northern Ireland until the spring of 1944 when it moved to England in preparation for the invasion of France.
On the 24th of June 1944 68 Anti Tank Regiment embarked on board the MT7 “Samuel” at the Royal Prince Albert Dock and disembarked at Le Hamel in Normandy on the 28th of June. They were soon involved in heavy fighting in the Caen area and took part in Operation Charnwood and Operation Pomegranate.
On the 25th of July, the Regiment arrived at Les Saullets where they were to support on an attack towards Landelle and Noyers-Bocage and were then to support the crossing of the River Orne by 176 Brigade, codenamed Operation Bluecoat. A bridgehead was established across the Orne on the 6th of August 1944 with Kenneth Neal and E Troop, 270 Battery crossing the river into it. 271 Battery was positioned on the western slope of the near bank with support from 269 Battery covering their flank. A German counterattack later in the day caused E Troop to fall back to the bridge and further counterattacks over the next two days prevented their comrades from joining them. On the 7th of August E Troop reported that they were making a reconnaissance to find suitable positions for the other two batteries and there was no contact from them on the 8th of August. Kenneth Neal’s commanding officer ordered him, a Sergeant and two other ranks to take a carrier and to see if they could capture an enemy prisoner for interrogation and on the 9th of August 1944 E Troop reported that Kenneth Neal had been captured by the enemy. The following day the Regiment advanced to Ronde Fontaine where they found his body and those of three of his men. His carrier had received a direct hit from a German tank.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Magdalen College, Oxford.
He is buried at Bayeux War Cemetery Plot XXII, Row D, Grave 11.

Northcott, Richard Henry, son of Walter Wynne Northcott of Edinburgh and Maude Elsie, d. of Maj.-Gen. Arthur Hill; b. 26 Apr. 1910; adm. Sept. 1923 (R); left Dec. 1927; 2nd Lieut. The Welsh Regt Jan. 1932, Lieut. Jan. 1935, Capt. Jan. 1940, temp. Maj.; m. 7 Apr. 1941 Elizabeth Hope, d. of George Douglas Budge and sister-in-law of George Edric Nee (qv); killed in action (Nor­mandy) July 1944.

Richard Henry Northcott was born at Paddington, London on the 26th of April 1910 the only son of Walter Wynne Northcott and Maude Elsie (nee Hill) Northcott of 27, Craven Road, Paddington, later of Rochester House School, Edinburgh. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1923 to December 1927. He was a member of the 1st Rowing VIII in 1927 where he rowed at stroke. The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1927 season: - “Rather short in the swing, but otherwise an excellent stroke, showing good judgement and an ability to rally his crew.” He served as a member of the Officer Training Corps and was promoted to Lance Corporal in September 1927.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment in the Territorial Army on the 29th of March 1930 before being commissioned with the same rank in the 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment in the regular army on 30th of January 1932. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 30th of January 1935 and to Captain in January 1940. He was married at Kensington on the 7th of April 1941 to Elizabeth Hope (nee Budge).
He was promoted to temporary Major on the 5th of February 1943 and joined the 1/5th Battalion of his Regiment as a company commander on the 29th of July 1943.
On the 16th of June 1944, an advance party from the Battalion left their base at Herne Bay and travelled by road to Canning Town. They were joined there by the main party and entrained for their marshalling area at Lingfield in Surrey. The main group began embarking at Newhaven at 2pm on the 24th of June and landed at the Jig Beach section of Gold Beach in Normandy at 1.30pm on the 26th of June 1944.
By the morning of the 21st of July 1944, the 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment was at the town of Baron. At 3pm that afternoon, enemy smoke and high explosive shells began landing in the Battalion positions with A Company, on the right of the line, soon reporting that they were under attack by four tanks accompanied by infantry. At 4pm a Platoon from B Company, which was positioned on the left of the Battalion and was on a line which ran along the Croie de Filandriers to Le Bon Repos road, was overrun by four enemy tanks supported by infantry. At 7pm two Squadrons of British tanks moved along the Battalion’s left flank in an attempt to bring the Germans under enfilade fire but this failed. At 8pm, A Company reported that the enemy tanks were now within 50 yards of their positions and by 9.30pm they were reported to be within 10 yards, after which there was no further communication from them. At 9.30pm C Company reported that the enemy force attacking them consisted of four Mk IV tanks with infantry and that they had knocked out two of the tanks, one with a PIAT and one with a six pounder anti tank gun. The Company was engaged in heavy fighting throughout the night, during which they were cut off and, with the enemy force within 50 yards of their position, they were ordered to withdraw at 6.30am the following morning.
C Company had suffered casualties of 25 men during the fighting while A Company was assumed to have been wiped out. Richard Northcott was among the dead.
He is commemorated on the Bayeux Memorial Panel 15, Column 3.

Phillips, Godfrey Sidney Philip, son of Morris G. P. Phillips and Gretta Wharton; b. 21 Mar. 1921; adm. from Repton Sch. May 1935 (R); left Apr. 1938; RNVR (A) in WW2; killed in action in HMS Patia 27 Apr. 1941.

Godfrey Sidney Philip Phillips was born at Chelsea, London on the 21st of March 1921 the only son of Morris Godfrey Philip Phillips and Annie Margaretta “Gretta” (nee Wharton formerly White) Phillips of 3, Kensington House, Kensington High Street, Kensington in London.
He was educated at Repton School and at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from May 1935 to April 1938.
He enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as a Leading Naval Airman 1st Class in the Fleet Air Arm before becoming an Ordinary Seaman. He was posted to the 5,500 ton naval auxiliary vessel HMS Paita which had been requisitioned by the Admiralty in September 1940 and had been fitted out as a aircraft catapult ship for the defence of convoys.
On the 27th of April 1941, HMS Patia, under the command of Commander David Marion Burton Baker RNR, set sail on her maiden voyage as part of a convoy. She was on her way to pick up a Hurricane Mk IA aircraft which was to operate from her. After nightfall HMS Patia was sailing near 20G Buoy off Coquet Island, some eight miles off Seaton Point in Northumberland when she was attacked by a Heinkel 111 bomber which dropped two 550lb bombs on her. The aircraft also fired on her with its machine guns, killing four of her crew. Both of the bombs fell short of the ship. Under heavy fire from HMS Patia’s gun crews the Heinkel turned for a second run and, although hit by anti aircraft fire, it dropped more bombs, one of which hit the ship causing a massive explosion. Hit by anti aircraft fire from the ship, the enemy aircraft was forced to ditch into the sea with the crew being taken prisoner.
HMS Patia had been badly damaged with many of her crew having been killed or wounded in the attack. As the stricken vessel began to sink the survivors climbed into lifeboats in the pitch black. The Boulmer lifeboat “Clarissa Langdon” was launched at 11pm and made for the site of the sinking where it found a great deal of wreckage but none of the crew. At daybreak they received a call from the local coastguard that three men had been seen on a life raft and these were rescued by the fishing boat “Primrose”. More men were later rescued and a number of bodies were recovered from the sea during the morning.
One of the lifeboats came ashore at Howick Burn with 41 survivors on board and another landed at Embleton Bay with 40 men on board, both making landfall at around 1am.
The Captain, seven officers and thirty one ratings had been killed during the attack.
He is commemorated on a brass plaque at Boulmer lifeboat station.
He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial 50,2.

Reed, Roland Anthony, brother of Richard Gordon Reed (qv); b. 29 Dec. 1920; adm. Sept. 1934 (G); left Dec. 1938; RMC Sandhurst, 2nd Lieut. Roy. Tank: Regt May 1940, Lieut. Nov. 1941; killed in action (Libya) 31 Dec. 1941.

Roland Anthony Reed was born at Clifton Campville, Staffordshire on the 29th of December 1920 the second son of the Reverend Roland William Reed and Claudia Mary (nee Poore) Reed of The Rectory, Clifton near Tamworth in Staffordshire. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1934 to December 1938. He entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1939 before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Tank Regiment on the 11th May 1940. He was posted to the 8th Royal Tank Regiment and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 11th of November 1941.
On the 30th of December 1941, the 8th Royal Tank Regiment was in camp at Bir Bu Tabel when they received orders at 6pm to make an attack on Bardia Fortress the following morning in support of the 3rd South African Infantry Brigade. A, B and C Squadrons left camp a short time later in three columns and arrived at their assembly point at 8.45pm that night.
The supporting artillery barrage began at 4.15am on the morning of the 31st of December 1941 with C Squadron arriving at the forward assembly area at 5.15am. Their tanks began moving forward though gaps in the minefields, which had been cleared by the Royal Engineers, at 6.30am. A short time later they received a message from B Squadron reporting that the infantry were being held up by enemy machine guns and were requesting assistance. Two tanks, those of Richard Reed and Major Peter Norman Veale, went forward to attack the enemy positions but when they arrived there the enemy appeared to have withdrawn and they returned to rejoin the Squadron. At 9am, it was reported that two of the three main enemy strong points had been silenced but that a third was still active and the infantry could not locate its exact position. A soon as Richard Reed’s tank went forward to assist it received a direct hit from the enemy strong point and caught fire. The tank commanded by Sergeant Barrett met the same fate immediately afterwards. Sergeant Barrett ran across to Richard Reed’s burning tank and managed to rescue the driver and the radio operator before making for cover. The rest of the crew perished. The enemy gun position was knocked out by Peter Veale a few minutes later. With no infantry support available from the South Africans, the rest of C Squadron withdrew.
The Regiment’s objectives were taken by noon but an enemy counterattack began at 12.40pm, which was driven off by 5pm after heavy fighting. The surviving tanks from the Regiment withdrew for the night at 11.30pm.
He is buried at Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Joint Grave 3 E 9.

Patterson, Basil Horace, son of Horace Harvie Patterson, accountant, of Muswell Hill, and Edith Emma. d. of Charles Clement Vyle of Muswell Hill; b. 31 Oct. 1919; adm. Sept. 1933 (H); left. July 1938; a clerk in Lloyds Bank; RASC 1940 (Staff Sgt-Major), served MEF; d. 4 Sept. 1947 as the result of injuries received on active service Palestme 1943.

Basil Horace Patterson was born at Hackney, London on the 31st of October 1919 the only son of Horace Harrie Patterson, an accountant for an insurance company, and Edith Emma (nee Vyle) of “St Albans”, 7, Beechwood Avenue, Finchley in North London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1933 to July 1938. On leaving school he worked as a clerk for Lloyd’s Bank at the Cox’s and King’s Branch, 6, Pall Mall in London before enlisting in the Royal Army Service Corps in 1940. He served in the Middle East and was badly injured in Palestine in 1943.
His engagement to Daphne Margery Hayhow of Rosario, Argentine was announced on the 21st of July 1947.
He died from complications of his injuries.
His funeral took place on the 10th of September 1947.
He is commemorated on the Lloyds Bank 1939-1945 war memorial at 6, Pall Mall, London.
He is buried at East Finchley Crematorium Section Y4, Grave 112.

Mair, John Dunbar, son of George Herbert Mair CMG, asst Dir. League of Nations Secretariat, and Maire O'Neill, actress; b. 23 Dec. 1914; adm. Sept. 1928 (B); left July 1933; a literary critic New Statesman; PO RAFVR Nov. 1941, DFC; m. 12 June 1940 Joan, d. of George Frederick Greenall of Hemsby, Norfolk; killed in a flying accident on active service 4 Apr. 1942.

John Dunbar Mair was born in Dublin, Ireland on the 24th of December 1914 the son of George Herbert Mair CMG, a journalist and an Assistant Director of the League of Nations Secretariat, and Maire Agnes (nee Allgood later O’Neill) Mair, an actress, of 34, Walpole Street in London. He was christened at Holy Trinity Church, Chelsea on the 16th of March 1915.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Busby’s from September 1928 to July 1933. He won the Mitchell Empire Essay Prize and placed 2nd for the Neale History Prize in 1933. On leaving school he became a literary critic for the New Statesman and later for the News Chronicle. He was the author of a biography of William Ireland entitled “The Fourth Forger”, published by Ayer & Company in 1938, and of the novel “Never Come Back” published by Victor Gollanz Ltd. in 1941. He was married in Hertfordshire on the 12th of June 1940 to Joan Marjorie (nee Greenall, later Feisenbergerand) they lived at 6, Caroline Terrace, Sloane Square in London.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where rose to the rank of Sergeant and was posted to No. 8 Service Flying Training School based at RAF Montrose for pilot training.
On the 27th of June 1940, John Mair and Sergeant G. H. Reed took off in Master Mk I N7613 for a training exercise. At the time he had accumulated 74.30 hours of total solo flying time of which 46.20 were on Master aircraft. At 3pm the aircraft crashed at Drumlithie, Kincardineshire seriously injuring both men. They were admitted to Aberdeen Infirmary where John Mair was treated for facial injuries and a broken humerus.
He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 21st of November 1941 and later became an Observer. He was posted to No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit where he was attached to A Flight.
At 8.30am on the morning of the 4th of April 1942, John Mair and his crew were one of two crews which were briefed by Flight Lieutenant Aubrey Richard de Lisle Inniss, the commanding officer of A Flight, for a formation training exercise which was scheduled to last for three hours. The weather was reported as 3/10ths cloud down to 2,500 feet with visibility of eight to ten miles. He and his crew took off from RAF Catfoss in Blenheim Mk I L6975 along with Blenheim Mk I L1125 for the exercise. The two aircraft were flying at 2,000 feet, just off the coast at Skipsea and to the north of the airfield, when they began the exercise. At 9.20am the rearmost of the two aircraft hit the tail plane of the leading aircraft with its port wing. The tail plane became detached and the leading aircraft crashed into the sea killing all on board. The remaining aircraft became briefly inverted before it too crashed into the sea killing all on board.
The crew was: -
Flight Sergeant William Thomas Braun RCAF (Pilot)
Pilot Officer John Duncan Mair (Observer)
Sergeant Frederick Ernest Stanley Warren RAAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
The crew of Blenheim L1125 was: -
Sergeant George Arthur Edmonds (Pilot)
Vernon Gregory Hanrahan Copas RAAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant George Edward Peart (Observer)
His wife received the following letter dated the 17th of April 1942: - “Madam, I am commanded by the Air Council to express to you their great regret on learning that your husband, Pilot Officer John Dunbar Mair, Royal Air Force, lost his life as the result of an aircraft accident on 4th April, 1942. The Air Council desire me to convey to you their profound sympathy in your bereavement.”
John Mair’s body was recovered from the sea the following day but the rest of his crew were never found.
At a subsequent inquiry into the accident a number of statements were taken from witnesses to the accident and its aftermath: -
Statement of Head Observer John McKay Allman, Royal Observer Corps GI Post, Skipsea: - “On the morning of the 4th of April 1942 at 0925 hours, I noticed two Blenheims formating in Vic at 2000 feet on a southerly heading. The one on the right hit the tail plane of the other one with his port wing. The leading aircraft’s tail plane was ripped off and the machine immediately spun and crashed into the sea. The other aircraft went on to its back and flew inverted for a few seconds and then spun into the sea. The aircraft were flying straight and level when they collided.”
Statement of Flying Officer Thomas Primrose MB Ch.B: -
“I am assistant Medical Officer at Royal Air Force Station Catfoss. On the morning of the 4th April 1942 at about 0940 hours, I was informed that a crash had taken place in the sea off Skipsea. I proceeded to the scene of the crash with Squadron Leader Carpenter with three ambulances. On arriving at Skipsea I was directed one mile further up the coast, where I found the wreckage of a Blenheim aircraft lying between high and low water mark. One body, that of Sergeant Peart, was lying on the beach. He was dead. A few minutes later a life saving jacket was seen floating in towards the beach from the wrecked aircraft. This was retrieved, it was found to be attached to the dead body of Sergeant Copas. In an endeavour to discover the body of the pilot, a Corporal waded out to the wreckage and there we found the dead body of Sergeant Edmonds pinned under the wreckage. With assistance the body was got clear and retrieved. In my opinion death in these three cases was due to multiple injuries and to drowning. In the course of the afternoon of Sunday 5th April 1942, having been informed by the police that another body had been washed up on the shore, Squadron Leader Carpenter proceeded to the beach and retrieved the dead body of Pilot Officer Mair. Death in this case was also caused through multiple injuries. An open parachute was found amongst the wreckage.”
His funeral and cremation took place on the 10th of April 1942.
He is commemorated at Hull Crematorium Screen Wall, Panel 4.

Skrender, John Brooke, son of Sigard Anne Skrender, paper merchant, of Kingston, Surrey; b. 25 June 1918; adm. Sept. 1931 (H); left July 1935; City & Guilds Coll. Lond., BSc 1940; RAFVR 1940-2 (FO); killed on night operations July 1942.

John Brooke Skrender was born at Sleaford, Lincolnshire on the 25th of June 1918 the elder son of Sigurd Arne Skrender, a paper merchant, and Gwendoline Ruby (nee Simpson) Skrender of 12, Liverpool Road, Kingston Hill in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1931 to July 1935. He went on to the City and Guilds College, London where he achieved a BSc.
On the outbreak of war he was serving as a member of the Civil Air Guard.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was posted to 150 Squadron.
John Skrender and his crew took off from RAF Snaith at 7.50pm on the 24th of September 1941 in Wellington Mk IC T2960 for an operation on Frankfurt. During the mission the aircraft was badly damaged by anti aircraft fire but was able to return to Snaith where it landed safely at 1.55am.
The crew was: -
Sergeant Wilkinshaw (Pilot)
Sergeant John Brooke Skrender (2nd Pilot) (Killed in action 22nd July 1942)
Sergeant Alfred Wilkinson (Navigator) (Killed in action 28th April 1942)
Flight Sergeant J. C. Leigh
Sergeant Franklin Burton Grundy (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) (Killed in action 28th April 1942)
Sergeant Ronald Marcus Sutton (Air Gunner) (Killed in action 28th April 1942)
He was promoted to Flight Sergeant before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 20th of March 1942.
On the night of the 21st /22nd of July 1942, Bomber Command dispatched 170 Wellingtons, 39 Halifaxes, 36 Stirlings, 29 Lancasters and 17 Hampdens for an operation on Duisburg. The cloud cover was 10/10ths from England to the Dutch coast but cleared over the mainland. Mist and industrial haze covered the target area where the bomber force encountered enemy night fighters and moderate anti aircraft fire. 253 of the returning aircraft reported that they had bombed the target but a number of the bombs had fallen on open country to the west of the city. 94 houses were destroyed with a further 256 being seriously damaged. The Tyssen steelworks and other industrial targets were also hit. 49 people were killed on the ground.
John Skrender and his crew took off from RAF Snaith at 11.25pm on the 21st of July 1942 in Wellington Mk III X3590 JN-L for the operation. The aircraft had completed its mission and was two nearly hours into its return journey and was flying at 11,000 feet when the oil pump in the starboard engine seized. John Skrender force landed the stricken bomber at about 2.30am at Burgervlotbruck in North Holland. He was killed in the crash.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer John Brooke Skrender (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Ronald Watson (Navigator) (POW No. 42826 Stalag 344 and Stalag Luft III)
Sergeant William Edward Grimley (Wireless Operator) (Slightly wounded) (POW No. 25147 Stalag 344)
Sergeant Thomas George Richard “Tommy” Allaway (Rear Gunner) (Died of wounds 22nd July 1942)
Sergeant Donald Rupert Coleman (Front Gunner) (Wounded) (POW - repatriated September 1944)
Theirs was one of twelve aircraft which were lost during the raid.
The following telegram, dated the 11th of September 1942, was sent to Mr. J Morris: - “Deeply regret that according to information received through the International Red Cross Committee Pilot Officer John Brooke Skrender is believed to have lost his life as the result of air operations on 22 July 1942. The Air Council express their profound sympathy. His father is being informed.”
Although John Skrender had been killed in the crash landing, Donald Coleman had survived with a fractured skull as had William Grimley who was suffering from a broken arm.
The navigator, Ronald Watson, who had also survived, later reported that he was lying near the wreckage with the badly injured rear gunner, Thomas Allaway “Probably if we had been found sooner, after the crash Tommy would be alive, but it was about two in the morning and we weren’t found until eleven. I managed to have a few words with him while we were lying together near the machine.”
Donald Coleman made a statement on his repatriation to England in 1944: - “I am very vague as to what happened, but I will give you all I know. After we were hit, we flew very low over the Zuider Zee, when we struck land, and finally crashed. When I regained consciousness P.O. Skrender was lying near me, apparently dead, and for the next two hours I could hear someone moaning which I think was Sgt. Allaway. Later when I was being taken to the ambulance, one of the German orderlies said “Your comrades are dead” so I take it he saw them in the wreckage.”
He is buried at Bergen General Cemetery Plot 1, Row B, Grave 17.

Southworth, Vincent Reginald Woodburn, son of Reginald Edward Southworth, advertisement man. Odhams Press Ltd, and Dorothy Alice Mary, d. of Walter Dillam of Saskatchewan; b. 28 Feb. 1925; adm. Jan. 1939 (B); left July 1942; Sergt RAFVR; killed in a flying accident 17 May 1945.

Vincent Reginald Woodburn “Reggie” Southworth was born on the 28th of February 1925 the son of Reginald Edward Southworth, an advertising executive for Odhams Press Ltd, and Dorothy Alice Mary (nee Dillam) Southworth of Gable End, Bushey Heath in Hertfordshire. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Busby’s from January 1939 to July 1942. While he was at the school he produced one of the house plays. On leaving school he worked at the Gainsborough Film Studios until he was old enough to join the armed forces. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as an air gunner and rose to the rank of Sergeant. He took part in operations on Berchtesgaden and on the Skoda Works at Pilsen.
Vincent Southworth and his crew took off from RAF East Kirkby on the 17th of May 1945 in Lancaster Mk I RF124 LE-S for a training exercise. The crew had recently joined 630 Squadron. The aircraft was flying over Wednesfield near Wolverhampton when it experienced engine trouble. It was seen descending rapidly with smoke coming from its engines and it is thought that the pilot was attempting a forced landing in a large field to avoid some houses. As the aircraft approached the field it struck overhead high voltage cables and crashed onto Lichfield Road, Wednesfield at 5.15pm where it exploded violently, causing a five foot crater and scattering the wreckage over a large area. All on board were killed.
The crew was: -
Flying Officer Bernard Hall (Pilot)
Flying Officer Victor Francis Dobell Meade (Air Bomber)
Flying Officer Ronald James O’Donnell (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Gordon Leonard Rabbetts (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Vincent Reginald Woodburn Southworth (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant John Alfred Sills (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Reginald Harry Smith (Navigator)
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Bushey.
He is buried at Watford North Cemetery Section A, Cons. Grave 1213.