Bright, Vernon Maxwell, son of Arthur Sydney Bright, HM Inspector of Schools; b. 9 Apr. 1916; adm. Sept. 1929 (R); left July 1932; RAF 1938-42 (Sqdn Ldr); m. 12 Oct. 1940 Monica, d. of A. P. Richards; killed on active service 24 Sept. 1942.

Vernon Maxwell Bright was born at Kenilworth, Warwickshire on the 9th of April 1916 the younger son of Arthur Sydney Bright, HM Inspector of Schools, and Jessie Elizabeth France (nee Carter) Bright of Graybrook Castle Road, Kenilworth, later of 14, Grove Terrace, St Pancras in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1929 to July 1932.
He was granted a short service commission as an Acting Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force on the 29th of October 1938 and was confirmed in his rank on the 29th of August 1939. He was posted to 229 Squadron based at RAF Digby on the 6th of October 1939 where the Squadron was being reformed following the outbreak of war.
Vernon Bright took off in a Hurricane on the 29th May 1940 as Yellow 3 in A Flight for a patrol over the evacuation beaches at Dunkirk. While flying over Dunkirk at 9,000 feet at 5.10pm the Squadron encountered 45 Messerschmitt Bf109s which attacked them. He attacked one of them at a height of 6,000 feet, firing some 200 rounds from a range of 100 yards and claimed the enemy aircraft as having been destroyed. He was attacked by other enemy aircraft and his Hurricane was damaged but he managed to return safely to base. On his return he filed the following combat report: -
“At 1715 hours approx. Enemy attacked one wave of 25 from starboard ahead, second wave of about 20 from starboard astern. At 6,000’ I fired two bursts of short length into one Me109 inside which I was turning and he appeared to fall away. On completing the turn I could only see a dark puddle. One other Me109 dived straight past me into the sea. I was then chased at first by a section of three and later by only one enemy a/c for some considerable time, until I had eluded him. By then I had lost contact and returned to base, with two bullets in the port wing.”
On the 31st of May 1940 Vernon Bright took off in a Hurricane as part of A Flight for a patrol over Dunkirk. At 5.13pm the formation spotted 25 Messerschmitt 110s and a Ju 87 some three miles off Furnes at a height of 4,000 feet. He engaged one of the Me110s and fired a number of long bursts at it from a range of 150 yards which exhausted his ammunition. On his return to base he filed the following combat report: - “Anti aircraft fire located enemy fighters at 1715 hours between Dunkirk and Furnes. A Ju 87 was sighted at 1,000 feet soon after doing low dive attacks on a cargo ship. I chased this one but the ship or our own planes hit him since he burst into flames and hit the sea. I then found two Me110s turning for me as I climbed. The first one turned away and was shot down; the second one and myself circled for a long time until I got a quarter attack from above when he appeared to fall out of control. I did not see him hit the sea. The first one hit the sea near the Ju87. I then made for cloud and home as my ammunition was exhausted.”
He was promoted to Flying officer on the 3rd of September 1940. On the 9th of September 1940 229 Squadron received orders to move from their base at RAF Wittering and to continue operations from RAF Northolt to better protect the London area.
Vernon Bright took off from RAF Northolt at 3.20pm on the 11th of September 1940 in Hurricane Mk I P3710 RE-H as Red 2 with eleven other aircraft from the Squadron for a patrol over Biggin Hill. At 4pm they were flying at 20,000 feet near Reigate when they engaged a formation of 30 Heinkel 111s, 20 Messerschmitt Bf110s and their fighter escort of 40 Messerschmitt Bf109s. During the ensuing dog fight he destroyed a Heinkel 111. Pilot Officer Ravenhill from the Squadron was forced to bail out of his aircraft and Flight Rimmer suffered facial injuries when his windscreen was shattered by machine gun fire. On his return to base at 4.35pm he wrote the following combat report: -
“I was No. 2 Red section when enemy formation of HE111s with ME110’s behind and Me109s above and behind; Section attacked in line astern, making beam attacks on starboard side. I fired a burst of 5 seconds from 300 yds, closing to 100 yds. An Me110 attacked the CO who was leading, and a second Me110 came across my bow, firing from rear gun. I fired at him, turned right and down with a Me110 on my tail and shook him off. I then circled round one of our men who was descending by parachute until he was safe. Then I noticed a Hurricane in a steep dive with a He111 beneath him and I executed a vertical quarter diving attack on the He111 with a 3 second burst. The other Hurricane then made a dead beam attack. After breaking away I returned and carried out No. 1 attack from astern and E/A went down. I broke away and two minutes later saw E/A in flames on the ground just S.E. of Redhill between two railway lines, probably at Outwood. E/A flew straight and level throughout.”
Vernon Bright took off from RAF Northolt at 2pm on the 15th of September 1940 in Hurricane Mk I P3710 RE-H with eleven other aircraft from the Squadron for a base patrol. At 2.35pm he engaged a Heinkel 111 at 20,000 feet over south east London with another aircraft from No. 1 Canadian Squadron. He was credited with a one third share of the victory. On his return to base at 3.10pm he filed the following combat report: -
“After making beam attack on formation of 30 HE111’s at 20,000 ft I dived in an astern attack on a lone HE111 below me. After 5 second burst from 250 yds closing to 30 yds, I saw starboard engine stop. I broke away and finished off my ammunition in a quarter attack by which time about half a dozen Hurricanes and Spitfires had joined the fight. I went on doing dummy attacks and saw his port engine stopped by another fighter, before he crash landed on West Malling Aerodrome. This machine had three vertical pink stripes on the rudder. “
The enemy aircraft was Heinkel IIIH-I (2771) AI+AN of 5/KG53. During its forced landing at West Malling Obergefreiter E. Sailler and Gefreiter H. Lange were killed with Unteroffizier O. Zilling, Feldwebel R. Lichtenhagen and Feldwebel K. Behrendt being taken prisoner.
Vernon Bright took off from RAF Northolt at 2.55pm on the 27th of September 1940 as Red 2 in A Flight in Hurricane Mk I P3710 RE-H with eleven other aircraft from the Squadron for an the interception of an incoming raid on London by enemy bombers. They were accompanied by No. 1 Canadian Squadron. At 3.15pm they encountered an enemy formation flying at 16,000 feet over south east London and during the ensuing engagement he destroyed a Junkers 88 and shared in the destruction of a Heinkel 111 as well as probably destroying a Messerschmitt Bf109. During the engagement, Flight Lieutenant Reginald Frank Rimmer, flying Hurricane Mk I V6782 was shot down and killed while Flight Lieutenant William Alexander Smith was forced to crash land at Lingfield following damage to his aircraft during combat.
On his return to base at 4.05pm he filed the following combat report: -
“I was red 2 in Hurricane REH. We attacked the main enemy formation – 15 He111 bombers near London, and I went for one. He which was about 800 ft below me and a quarter of a mile behind the others. It had glycol coming from starboard engine. I gave him a two to three second burst from 300 yds closing to 50 yds from astern, followed by another two second burst. His port engine burst into flames – one man baled out and the aircraft dived steeply and crashed with an explosion in some trees by a house on the outskirts of London. (Croydon?). I returned to the main formation, and a Spitfire came down followed by a Me109. I turned to his port beam with three second burst from 150-100 yds. He went down on his back with brown and white smoke pouring from the engine about 10 miles south east of the first crash. I caught up with the remains of the bomber formation near the coast, consisting of three bombers, with twelve of our fighters attacking. I picked out a Ju88 which was attacked by one Hurricane and one Spitfire. I made two attacks from 150 – 50 yds from astern – pieces broke off and came past me, also oil from the engine. The Hurricane and Spitfire continued attacking then I made a final attack, and he crashed into the sea about 15 miles out from Bexhill. 2,580 rounds fired.”
The Junkers 88 was A-1 (7112 of 5/KG77. The enemy crew of Hauptman G. Zetsche, Feldwebel W. Mahl, Gefreiter A Burkhardt and Obergefreiter A Kuhn were all killed when the aircraft hit the sea.
Vernon Bright took off from RAF Northolt at 8.10am on the 29th of September 1940 for a weather test. While flying at 16,000 feet near Maidenhead at 8.50am he spotted a Dornier 215 aircraft flying below him at 9,000 feet. He attacked it, setting its port wing on fire and claimed it as probably destroyed. On his return to base at 9.10am he wrote the following combat report: -
“I left Northolt on a weather test at 0810 hours and after climbing to 16,000 ft near Luton when I was vectored north west from base. There was 10/10 cloud at 6,000 ft and I sighted a Do215 at 9,000 ft, when I was at 11,000 ft. I began with a quarter attack out of the sun, giving a 5 second burst from 300 to 200 yds. E/A went down to cloud level, and did S turns into the sun just above cloud. I stalked him just in cloud and opened fire from astern at 250 yds with another 5 second burst. Accurate tracer fire from the rear gunner forced me to take evasive action, but I renewed the attack until all my ammunition had gone. The rear gunner ceased firing – the port engine and wing were in flames and the starboard engine was covered in brownish black smoke. E/A fell into cloud apparently out of control in Maidenhead district. 2,640 rounds fired.”
Vernon Bright took off from RAF Northolt at 9.30am on the 15th of October 1940 as Yellow 3 in Hurricane Mk I P3710 RE-H with four other aircraft from the Squadron for a patrol. At 10am he was flying over Canterbury at 20,000 feet when he engaged a Messerschmitt Bf109 and damaged it. On his return to base at 10.50am he filed the following combat report: -
“I was Yellow 3 in Hurricane REH. After the first contact with the enemy I was behind seven other Hurricanes when two groups of Me109s came by and I made a climbing turn to attack the last one on the port side of second formation. Delivering a stern quarter attack from 250 yds for two seconds I noticed glycol followed by dirty brown smoke pour from the engine, and a piece break off the port wing. The Me109 went into a steep right hand turn and a warning shout over the R/T caused me to break off. 160 rounds of ammunition fired.”
Vernon Bright took off from RAF Northolt at 10.45am on the 12th of December 1940 at White 1 in Hurricane Mk I P3710 RE-H with five other aircraft from his Squadron for a patrol. He was flying at 19,000 feet over the Maidstone area at 11.50am when he attacked and shared in the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf109. On his return to base he wrote the following combat report: -
“I was White 1, weaving, and saw a Hurricane on the tail of an E/A and bits falling from the E/A as the Hurricane fired. The Hurricane was one of the first two to go into the attack. I followed, and when the Hurricane broke away I fired two short bursts at the E/A from about 250 yards. I then lost the E/A which was climbing into the sun. I picked up another travelling south well below me and dived down on it. I fired a 4 second burst from astern at about 150 yards followed by several further bursts. I saw large pieces of the E/A fall away belonging apparently to the tail unit. The E/A turned over on its back, the hood fell off, and the pilot baled out. 1,440 rounds fired.”
The enemy aircraft was Messerschmitt Bf109E E-4 W.Nr 3708 of 7./JG26 and was flown by Unteroffizier Rufolf Lindemann who was wounded and taken prisoner. His aircraft was destroyed when it crashed at 12.10pm at Abbey Farm near Leeds Castle in Kent.
He was credited with a half share of the victory with Pilot Officer Ron Bary, also of 229 Squadron.
He was married in London on the 12th of October 1940 to Monica Alin Theodosia (nee Richards) of Regent’s Court, London; they had a daughter, Sandra Frances Monica born on the 26th of September 1942.
In March 1941 he was posted to No. 55 Operational Training Unit at RAF Aston Down as an instructor. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the 3rd of September 1941 and was later promoted to Squadron Leader.
On the 24th of September 1942, Vernon Bright and Leading Aircraftman Robert Francis Brown took off from RAF Boscombe Down in Beaufighter Mk VIC EL329 “G” to undertake rocket (8 x 3.5 inch) projectile trials over the Compton Ranges. They were unable to complete the trial and as they flew over Bulford Camp they rocked their wings to indicate to those on the ground that they were returning to Boscombe Down due to low oil pressure. The aircraft was seen to head in the general direction of the airfield but was then seen to roll and dive into the camp parade ground at Bulford where crashed, killing both men.
An inquiry into the accident concluded that: - “Low oil pressure had caused the tests to be aborted but on the flight back to Boscombe Down No.5 cylinder seized causing the aircraft to swing and roll into the ground at low altitude”.
He is commemorated at Southampton Crematorium Panel 1.

Burke, Edmund Seymour, son of Edmund Burke, of Kingston Hill, Surrey; b. 11 Aug. 1916; adm. Sept. 22, 1931 (R); left July 1935; Pembroke Coll. Oxon., matric. Michaelmas 1935; Sub-Lieut. (A) R.N.V.R.; killed in action 30 Jul. 1941.

Edmund Seymour Burke was born at Rathdown, Ireland on the 11th of August 1916 the elder son of Edmund “Edo” Burke, a company director, and Sylvia Jayne (nee Hardy) Burke of the Glenridge Hotel, Virginia Water in Surrey and of the Granby Court Hotel, 88/89, Queen’s Gate, Brompton in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1931 to July 1935. He played the part of Jane West in the Rigaud’s House Play of “The Fourth Wall” in 1934. He matriculated for Pembroke College, Oxford on the 15th of October 1935.
On leaving university he worked as an assistant tea buyer. He appeared as an extra in “A Yank at Oxford”, released on the 18th of February 1938 and was credited for his role as the First Officer in the play “The Infinite Shoeblack”, which was released in 1939.
He was enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a pilot and was later commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant (A). He was posted to 800 Naval Air Squadron based on board the aircraft carrier HMS Furious.
On the 30th of July 1941, the Royal Navy launched Operation EF, an attack on enemy merchant shipping in the Norwegian port of Kirkenes and on the Finnish port of Liinakhamari in Petsamo. The aircraft on board the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious would attack the Norwegian port while those on board HMS Furious would attack the port at Petsamo. The operation was intended to catch the enemy by surprise but the fleet was spotted by a German aircraft and their presence was relayed back to the two ports. When the formation arrived over Petsamo little shipping was present in the port. Instead the aircraft attacked the harbour installations, hitting jetties, a warehouse and an oil tank, which was set on fire. They met enemy fighter opposition and heavy anti aircraft fire in the target area.
Edmund Burke and his Observer, Leading Airman Arthur James Beardsley, took off from HMS Furious in Fulmar Mk II N4029 one of six aircraft from the Squadron which were to form the fighter escort for the operation on Petsamo. On its way to the target the aircraft was flying over the Barents Sea when it suffered an engine failure and was forced to crash land on to the sea. The two men were seen to swim clear of the aircraft and pull themselves into their life raft. HMS Furious was unable to pick the two men up due to the presence of enemy aircraft and submarines in the area.
Theirs was one of sixteen aircraft which were lost during the two operations.
His father received the following telegram: - “From Admiralty. Deeply regret to inform you that your son Sub Lieutenant (A) E.S. Burke is reported missing on active service.”
In 2017 a Russian journalist contacted the British Consulate in Moscow to say the he had found two graves marked “two unknown English airmen” on the Rybachy Peninsular in Northern Russia. It was discovered that the two bodies had been found in their dingy by nomadic travellers who had buried them on the beach. It is believed that they had died from hypothermia. Their bodies were exhumed, identified and reburied at their present resting place in July 2017 with an honour guard made up of British and Russian servicemen.
His brother, Pilot Officer Ian Campbell Burke OW, 142 Squadron, Royal Air Force, was killed in action on the 20th of September 1941.
He is buried at Vaida Bay Military Cemetery Grave 5.

Buttar, Charles Philip, son of Charles Buttar (q.v.); b. Jan. 26, 1902; adm. April 29, 1915 (G); left Dec. 1918; Midshipman R. N. Jan. 8, 1922; Sub-Lieut. Dec. 15, 1923; Lieut. (E) Feb. 15, 1926; Eng.-Lieut.-Cdr. Feb. 15, 1934; Commander June 30, 1938; m. July 17, 1930, Margaret Elaine, daughter of Major William Stanford; lost in the sinking of H. M. S. Dorsetshire by Japanese aircraft in the Bay of Bengal, April 5, 1942.

Charles Philip Buttar was born at Bayswater, London on the 26th of January 1902 the son of Dr Charles Buttar MD OW and Georgianna Isabel (nee Syrett) Buttar of 10, Kensington Square Gardens in London. He was christened at Bayswater on the 7th of April 1902. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 29th of April 1915 to December 1918.
He entered the Royal Navy on a Special Entry Cadetship on the 8th of September 1920 and was appointed as a Midshipman on the 8th of January 1922. He joined the battleship HMS Valiant for engineering training on the 15th of January 1922 and went on to the Royal Naval Engineering College, Keyham for further engineering training on the 4th of May 1922. He was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant on the 15th of December 1923. He was promoted to Acting Lieutenant (E) on the 15th of February 1926 and to Engineer Lieutenant Commander on the 15th of February 1934.
He was married at St Philip’s Church, Kensington on the 17th of July 1930 to Margaret Elaine (Goodfellow, nee Stanford) and they lived at 131, Banbury Road, Oxford. They had a daughter, Susannah, born on the 15th of August 1933. He was serving on board HMS Coventry at the time and was later posted to the heavy cruiser HMS Dorsetshire (40). He was promoted to Commander (E) on the 30th of June 1938.
At the beginning of April 1942, HMS Dorsetshire, under the command of Captain Augustus Willington Shelton Agar VC, DSO RN, was undergoing a refit at Colombo, Ceylon, in order to increase her anti aircraft armament, when she was ordered to put to sea as British Intelligence had warned her that a Japanese battle fleet was approaching Ceylon from the east.
At 10pm on the evening of the 4th of April 1942, HMS Dorsetshire, and the heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall (56) set sail from Colombo and headed towards the Maldives where they were to rendezvous with other ships at 4pm the following day. At dawn on the 5th of April 1942 they were sailing in waters some 300 miles to the south west of Ceylon when action stations were sounded.
At 1pm a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft was spotted which was followed a short time later by 53 Japanese “Val” dive bombers which had been launched from enemy aircraft carriers and began to attack the ship from out of the sun at 1.40pm. In spite of fierce resistance from the crew, HMS Dorsetshire was struck ten times by 250lbs and 500lbs bombs and had several near missies. Her magazine was struck during the attack and she sank in just eight minutes. HMS Cornwall was also sunk. Captain Agar survived the sinking but Charles Buttar was one of two hundred and twenty-seven of his crew who did not. The survivors of both ships were in the water for some thirty hours before being picked up by the cruiser HMS Enterprise and the destroyers HMS Paladin and HMS Panther.
He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial Panel 63, Column 1.

Casper, Alexander Carl Peter, son of Lieut.-Col. Emil Hans Casper and Una Margaret, d. of Sir Edward Parrott MP LLD, of Edinburgh; b. 23 Aug. 1923; adm. Jan. 1937 (A); left Apr. 1941; RM 1942-5 (Lieut.), 45th Commandos BLA; killed in action at the crossing of the Weser 6 Apr. 1945. Castellain, Geoffrey Charles, son of E. L. F. and Anne Castellain of Chelsea; b. 19 Feb. 1920; adm. Sept. 1933 (KS); left July 1938; Ch. Ch. Oxf., matric. 1938; 2nd Lieut. 16th/5th Lancers 1941, transf. SASR Apr. 1944; killed in action (W. Europe) Oct. 1944.

Alexander Carl Peter Casper was born on the 23rd of August 1923 the son of Lieutenant Colonel Emil Hans “Bill” Casper, Royal Artillery, and Una Margaret (nee Parrott) Casper of 11, Acacia Grove, Dulwich, London SE21. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from January 1937 to April 1941.
On leaving school he was commissioned in the Royal Marines and was posted to No. 45 Royal Marine Commando.
At 4.30am on the morning of the 6th of April 1945, No. 45 Commando assembled at Stolzenau where they were briefed for an assault crossing of the River Weser where they were to pass through a weakly held bridgehead on the far side of the river and were to push on to capture the village of Leese, one and half miles inland. Once they were across the river a bridge was to be constructed across it to allow more British forces to cross the river. At 1.15pm, nine assault landing craft began crossing the river supported by artillery and machine gun fire. Although the landing craft were under continuous enemy fire during the crossing they suffered no casualties. Once they had landed on the far side the Commandos advanced south along the river bank under the cover of its steep banks. The German positions, which were held by the 12th SS Training Battalion, were set back some one hundred yards from the river bank across open ground which made it impossible to make a direct attack on them. After hand to hand fighting the men of D Troop gained a foothold in the enemy trenches nearest to the river after which A Troop passed through them and pressed on against “fanatical” opposition. At the same time, B Troop, with a Section of E Troop, made their way towards the cover of a nearby railway embankment but, by 4pm, the bulk of the Commandos were still pinned down and forward progress was painfully slow. It was decided to recall the men of B and E Troops from their forward position and to consolidate the positions on the river bank to await reinforcements. They came under heavy fire through the evening and into the night when they were told that there would be no fresh troops coming forward to support them. After midnight they received orders to fall back to the bridgehead area but while they were doing this they came under an attack from the SS at 3am which they drove off with heavy casualties among the enemy. They held the bridgehead for the remainder of the 7th of April.
Captain John Day of No. 45 Commando later wrote: - "At one of our brief pauses as we moved along the river bank I found myself crouching beside a young subaltern, Peter Casper, whose men were endeavouring to provide us with some covering fire. During a lull in the firing we heard shouting from the German positions. Peter said "They want to surrender", leapt to his feet, took off his beret, and waved it at the enemy. Two or three bullets cracked at us and Peter Casper fell dead at my feet."
He is buried at Hanover War Cemetery Plot 7, Row K Grave 7.

Benn, Hon. Michael Julius Wedgwood, son of Rt Hon. William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate, PC DSO DFC, and Margaret, d. of Daniel Turner Holmes MP; b. 5 Sept. 1921; adm. Sept. 1934 (H); left July 1940; RAFVR 1941 (Flt-Lieut.); a fighter pilot, DFC Aug. 1943; d. of wounds received in action June 1944.

Michael Julius Wedgwood Benn was born in Sussex on the 5th of September 1921 the eldest son of Air Commodore the Right Honourable William Wedgwood Benn DSO, DFC MP, 1st Viscount Stansgate, and Vicountess Stansgate, Margaret Eadie (nee Holmes) Benn of 40, Millbank, Westminster and of Stansgate Abbey in Essex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1934 to July 1940. He was a member of the 3rd Rowing VIII in 1937 and of the 2nd Rowing VIII in 1939. He was elected as Secretary of the Boat Club in 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 16th of August 1941. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 16th of August 1942 and to Flight Lieutenant on the 16th of August 1943. He was serving with 153 Squadron when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was announced by the Air Ministry on the 20th of August 1943.
Michael Benn and his navigator, Flying Officer William Alec Roe, took off from RAF Thorney Island at 2.10am on the 23rd of June 1944 in Mosquito FB Mk VI NS837 YH-G for a patrol. It was to be his final operation before he was to take up a post as Aide de Camp to the Air Marshal commanding the Far East. Soon after taking off he noticed that the air speed indicator was malfunctioning and he called the base to say that he was returning. When he arrived over the airfield he found that the runway lights had been turned off. With no way of judging his landing he was afraid of landing short of the runway but instead he landed too far down it and struck a nine foot sea wall at the far end of it. The aircraft crashed through the wall, across the beach and into the sea beyond. Michael Benn had broken his back in the crash and William Roe, although injured himself, had to hold Benn’s head above water until the two men were rescued. They were taken to St Richards Hospital, Chichester for treatment. Margaret Benn rushed to the hospital to visit her son and was able to speak to him before he died twenty minutes later at 3.40pm
He had left a letter to his parents, which was to be opened in the event of his death and read as follows: -
“So may I now take my leave of you, Father, from whom I inherited those qualities which I hoped would play their part later in my life and who was always a friend I could trust and who was everything a friend could be. If he knew how true his first words had come. Mother, from whom I inherited the precious gift of religion, time alone would have shown what I intended to do with that. James (Anthony) who would have been a helping friend and who shared so many interests with me. We might have done great things together. The little Prof (David) to whom I am devoted. Take care of him. Last, but by no means least, Nursey, who has contributed to the family more than she can ever realise. To you all I say au revoir. It was my dearest wish to settle down to do what I could to prevent the suffering of another war from descending on the lives of our children. How I longed to see a world when people could be as free and happy as we were in our family. The toast is then, “The Future”. God Bless you all, my family”
His funeral was held at Golders Green Crematorium on the 28th of June 1944, but his father and brother, Anthony, were unable to attend.
He is commemorated on a memorial in St Lawrence’s Church, Steeple in Essex.
He is commemorated at Golders Green Crematorium Panel 1.

BeuteII, Robert Gerard, son of Alfred William Beutell MIEE, of Streatham, and Ida Augusta, d. of Augustus Combe Locke; b. 1 Mar. 1918; adm. Sept. 1931 (A); left July 1934; a lighting engi­neer; RAFVR 1943 (Flt Lieut.), met. branch; lost on air operations (N. Atlantic) 21 Jan. 1945.

Robert Gerard Beuttell was born in London on the 1st of March 1918 the younger son of Alfred William Beuttell MIEE, an electrical engineer and inventor, and Ida Augusta (nee Locke) Beuttell of 42, Prince of Wales Mansions, Battersea Park in London and of Malmesbury in Wiltshire. He was christened at St Paul’s Church, Chiswick on the 11th of May 1918.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1931 to July 1934. He won the Junior Toplady Prize for Scripture in 1932.
On leaving school he attended the Royal College of Science where he gained a degree in 1937 after which he went to work as a lighting engineer.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and by September 1941 he was serving as a Corporal based at the Meteorological Office at RAF Dishforth.
He wrote the following in a letter to his father on a flight he had taken in a Whitley aircraft: - "Had a wonderful flip the other day in the front turret of a Whitley, you get a wonderful view from there. Across the Pennines to the Isle of Man, up to Prestwick in Scotland and home, a 3.5 hour trip. I don't envy the AG his job, sitting in one position for hours on end, and next time I shall put on two pairs of undies, it was a bit draughty. It was a wonderful trip all the same, the high spot being when we "shot up" the beach at Prestwick. Of course it's strictly forbidden, but having experienced the thrill and irresistible amusement of it, I'd really have to forgive any culprit. Of course you are connected to all the crew the whole time by the intercommunication system, by which everybody speaks to everybody else. For the fun of coming along the shore at about 1000 ft, stuck right in the nose of the machine, then swooping to about 150 ft off the sands, then soaring up again, with the wit and cross-chat of the crew thrown in, a switch-back just doesn't compare. Then round again, "We might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. - Just one more", nose down, the sands streaking up to meet you, people gaping, scattering, ducking, - scooting along at about 50 ft, then pressed into your seat with the climb, almost aching with laughter, it was grand. Then the rather chilly trip home, though mostly in bright sunshine."
He transferred to the High Altitude Flight at Boscombe Down later the same year and collaborated with A.W. Brewer in inventing the integrating nephelometer.
He was accepted as a Metrological Observer and was commissioned with the rank of Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on the 6th of March 1943, which was followed by two months of training. He was appointed as Meteorological Air Observer Leader and served briefly with 517 Squadron before being attached to the 25th Bomb Group at RAF Watton. He then joined 518 Squadron, based at RAF Tiree in Scotland and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the 20th of January 1944.
Robert Beutell and his crew took off from RAF Tiree at 11.53pm on the 20th of January 1945 in Halifax Mk V LL123 517/C for a long range “Bismuth” meteorological mission. Wing Commander Norman Morris, the Squadron commanding officer, was to fly as 2nd pilot and had personally selected the crew for the mission. The aircraft was to fly a triangular route to the north of RAF Tiree in order to find the depth of a deep depression. Having taken off, the aircraft flew at a height of 1,800 feet until it reached a position some 250 nautical miles to the west of Tiree where it took its first meteorological observation at 3.28am and reported its findings at 4.44am. Having flown another 350 nautical miles further out to sea, the aircraft climbed to 18,000 feet and turned to the northeast.
Due to poor reception, nothing further was received until 7.12am when the next transmission reported that the aircraft was flying at 10,500 feet and that there was a problem with the starboard engine. At 8.08am a SOS message came in from the aircraft followed by another at 8.18am, which ended suddenly after which nothing further was heard. The aircraft crashed into the sea with the loss of the entire crew.
The crew was: -
Wing Commander Norman Foster Morris (2nd Pilot)
Flight Lieutenant Arthur John Bacon (Pilot)
Flight Lieutenant Robert Gerard Beuttell (Meteorological Observer)
Flight Sergeant William Douglas Stone (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Robert Kiddle (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Rennie Arthur Loader (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Albert Howard Andrews (Flight Engineer)
Warrant Officer Anton David Anderson RAAF (Navigator/Air Bomber)

Although the wireless operator had been transmitting for ten minutes before the aircraft crashed, he did not report its position. A fix was obtained on the position where the aircraft was likely to have ditched as being approximately 59N 11-13 W. Aircraft were dispatched by 281 Squadron who searched the area for the next three days in the hope of finding survivors but, with the weather conditions being very poor, the search was abandoned at 11.14am on the 24th of January.
Robert Beuttell had written a letter to his father shortly before he was killed in which he said that he did not expect to survive the war.
A friend wrote of him: - “Gerard was an extremely gifted scientist whose important work on instruments of visual range was posthumously recognised and published. His death was a serious blow to his father, who never quite recovered his formidable drive and energy afterwards”.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Malmesbury.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 265.

Bonas, Peter David, son of Lionel and Sheila Bonas of Maida Vale; b. 22 Nov. 1914; adm. Sept. 1928 (R); left July 1931; worked in the film industry; RN 1940-2 (AB), discharged for ill-health May 1942; d. 1 Sept. 1945 of disabilities contracted on active service.

Peter David Bonas was born at Paddington, London on the 22nd of November 1914 the only son of Lionel Maurice Bonas, a film representative, and Sheila (nee Spero) Bonas of 16, Lauderdale Mansions, Maida Vale in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1928 to July 1931. He was a member of the 2nd Football XI in 1930 and of 1st Football XI in 1930 and 1931 where he played at left back. The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1930/1931 season: - “He has played so often for the Eleven that he deserves a mention. His main fault lies in his slowness of foot, but he is young and should be much faster next year. He has a good tackle when he is in time with it, and kicks well.” On leaving school he went to work in the film industry for the United Arts Film Corporation. He was married at Plymouth in 1941 to Hilda May Hope (nee Dunstone) of North Wembley.
He enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1940 but was invalided out of the service in May 1942 due to ill health from an illness which he had contracted while on active service.
He is commemorated at Golders Green Crematorium Panel 1.

Hare, John Edward, son of Lieut.-Col. John Hare OBE RAMC FRCS, ENT specialist, and Kathleen Dora, d. of Edward Rowe of Cape Town; b. 30 Dec. 1919; adm. Sept. 1933 (A); left July 1938; Univ. of London; MN radio officer in WW2; d. 1942 of exposure after his ship was torpedoed.

John Edward Hare was born at Simonstown, South Africa on the 30th of December 1919 the eldest son of Lieutenant Colonel John Hare OBE FRCS, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Kathleen Dora (nee Rowe) Hare of 22, Elm Park Gardens, Chelsea in London, later of “Ormidale”, Clevedon in Somerset. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1933 to July 1938. He was a noted pianist while he was at school. He went on to the University of London.
In March 1941, the 3,767 ton cargo steamer SS Umona, under the command of Master Frederick Arthur Baden Peckham, set sail from Durban bound for London carrying a cargo of 1,549 tons of maize, 50 tons of pulses and 47 tons of jam. She was also carrying 14 passengers, of which 7 were sailors who had survived pervious sinkings. She called at Walvis Bay on the 20th of March before setting sail alone for Freetown in Sierra Leone where she was to join a convoy.
At 11.01pm on the 30th of March 1941, the SS Umona was sailing some 90 nautical miles to the southwest of Freetown when she was struck underneath the aft mast on the port side by a G7e “Gnat” torpedo which had been fired by the U Boat U-124, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Schultz. She was hit by a second torpedo two minutes later and sank six minutes after that. During that time John Hare, the radio officer on duty at the time, stayed at his post transmitting distress messages before jumping into the sea. Only one lifeboat of the six on board, had managed to launch before she sank. The lifeboat was commanded by Fourth Officer Edwin Clarke who was captured when U-124 surfaced and took him on board before submerging again. He was never seen again. John Hare managed to pull himself on board a small life raft which was also carrying a badly wounded naval gunner, E.G. Elliot RN and a passenger, Frank Brothers. After drifting for four days they spotted a U Boat on the surface which they managed to signal to by using the reflection of a tobacco tin. The submarine came alongside and gave them fresh water before sailing away. The next day the weather worsened and John Hare died from exposure during the afternoon. The two remaining men were picked up by the cargo ship SS Lorca on the 12th of April and were landed at Freetown. Three other survivors had been picked up by the destroyer HMS Foxhound (H69) on the 7th of April but the other 101 passengers and crew had perished when the ship had gone down.
His date of death is given as the date of the sinking of the ship but a number of other sources record that he died on board the life raft a few days later.
He was posthumously awarded the King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct, which was announced by St James’s Palace on the 28th of April 1942.
He is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, Panel 113.

Head, Jervis Alston, son of Raymond Evelyn Head MC, of Balsham, Cambs, and Margaret Lloyd, d. of Rev. Frederick Clements Williamson, Vicar of Ashford, Middx; b. 7 Mar. 1918; adm. Sept. 1931 (KS); left July 1936; Merton Coll. Oxf., matric. 1936; RA 1939-41 (Lieut.); d. from an accident on active service 15 Mar. 1941.

Jervis Alston Head was born at Cork, Ireland on the 7th of March 1918 the son of Richard Evelyn Head MC and Margaret Lloyd (nee Williamson) of 26b, Golders Way, Golders Green in London and of Balsham in Cambridgeshire. He was educated at Tormore School, Deal and at Westminster School where he was admitted as a King’s Scholar on a Mathematics Scholarship from September 1931 to July 1936. He played the part of Dromo in the school production of “Epilogus in Andriam” in 1935. He matriculated for Merton College, Oxford in 1936 where he was an Officer Cadet in the Oxford University Officer Training Corps.
Shortly after coming down from Oxford he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 2nd of August 1939. He was posted to 137 Field Regiment, based at Blackpool and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 2nd of February 1941. By March 1941 the Regiment had moved to Larkhill and he was posted to 501 Battery on the 4th of March 1941.
On the 15th of March 1941, Jervis Head was driving in his Morgan three wheeler car when it struck a road island at Ferndown, at the junction of the Bournemouth and Poole roads to Ringwood in Hampshire. The vehicle overturned and he was seriously injured. He was admitted to the Royal Victoria & West Hampstead Hospital, Boscombe where he died from his injuries at 7pm the same day
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Merton College, Oxford.
He is buried at Durrington Cemetery, Grave 723.