Hoare, John Matthew Hampden, son of Lieut.-Col. Arthur Fanshawe Hoare CB VD, asst master Haileybury Coll., and Gertrude Jane Katherine, d. of Rev. James Samuel Hoare, Rector of Godstone, Surrey; b. 11 Aug. 1906; adm. Sept. 1920 (KS); left July 1925; Trin. Coll. Camb., matric. 1925, BA 1928; asst man. De Havilland Aircraft Co. (Indian branch); Capt. BOAC; PO RAFRO Mar. 1927, FO Sept. 1928; killed in action over France 23 May 1940.

John Mathew Hampden “Sam” Hoare was born at Haileybury School, Hertfordshire on the 11th of August 1906 the fourth and youngest son of Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Fanshawe Hoare CB VD, an assistant master at Haileybury College, and Gertrude Jane Katherine (nee Hoare) Hoare of 5, Gerard Road, Harrow in Middlesex. He was christened at Great Amwell, Hertfordshire on the 30th of September 1906.
He was educated at the Dragon School, Oxford as a Day Boy from September 1916 to July 1920 where he was a member of the Hockey XI in 1919 and 1920. He won his colours as a member of the Rugby XV in 1919 and was a member of the 2nd Cricket XI. He won the school Mathematics Prize in 1920.
He was educated at Westminster School, where he was a King’s Scholar from September 1920 to July 1925. He was a member of the 1st Rowing VIII, where he rowed at No. 5, in 1924 and 1925. The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1924 season: - “Is handicapped in a light eight by the slowness of his movements. An aptitude for sitting at the finish and admiring the view, instead of shooting away the hands, and rocking the body up over the slide at once, was the root of all his trouble. However he had practically mastered this before the crew reached Henley, and rowed in all the races.”
He was appointed as Hon. Secretary of the Elizabethan in September 1924 and was the winner of the Pancake Greaze on Pancake Day in 1924. He was a member of the Debating Society from 1923 to 1925 and was elected to the committee of in September 1924. He was appointed as a Monitor in the same month. He served as a member of Officer Training Corps and was promoted to Company Sergeant Major in No. 2 Company in September 1924. He placed second in the school for Mathematics in his final year. He was appointed as Head School Monitor. He matriculated for Trinity College, Cambridge as a pensioner on a Westminster Exhibition on the 1st of October 1925 where he rowed for the 3rd College Boat. He read Mathematics in the first part of his Tripos and Engineering in the second part, achieving a BA in 1928. While at Trinity, he decided on a career in aviation having joined the Cambridge University Air Squadron in 1926.
He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Reserve of Officers on the 14th of March 1927 and was confirmed in his rank on the 14th of March 1928. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 14th September 1928 and passed into the Royal Air Force Reserve of Officers on the 7th of September 1934.
On leaving university he was apprenticed to the De Havilland Aircraft Company for two years and, as soon as his apprenticeship ended he requested to be transferred to their Indian Branch at Karachi where he became an engineer and an assistant manager, a position he held for three and a half years. A colleague wrote of him: - “Throughout that time, apart from work, I saw much of him socially, and I never knew an unkind word pass between us. He was an ideal companion, his serene way was delightful, and his cheery laughter still rings in my ears”.
Shortly after leaving De Havilland he joined Imperial Airways where he was appointed as a First Officer in 1935 and was promoted to Captain in 1936. He was promoted to Master in 1939 and to Extra Master in 1940. He was an Associate fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. In 1937 he was posted to Karachi where he was placed in command of the Atlanta fleet on the Singapore service. His arrival there followed visit to Karachi by the Air Minister, Sir Samuel Hoare, (no relation) and he acquired the nick name of “Sam”. In 1938 he was transferred to Bangkok and he was sent on leave to England later that year. In February 1939 he returned to the Far East where he flew an Atlanta aircraft on a survey of the route from Rangoon to Lashio, returning to England with his report the following month. In April 1939, he was posted to European operations based at Croydon where he trained on the Whitworth Ensign aircraft and flew on European routes for the airline.
Following the outbreak of war the Ensign fleet was commandeered by the Air Ministry and he operated from airfields in the West Country to European destinations and was flying on the London to Paris route until the 22nd of May 1940.
John Hoare took off from Croydon as the pilot of Ensign G-ADSZ "Elysean" on the 23rd of May 1940 to carry supplies of food for the British Expeditionary Force to Merville in Northern France. His was one of 5 Ensigns, 1 DC3, 2 Savoias and a Dragon Rapide which made up the air convoy and they took off at between 8.40am and 9am. As they crossed the English coast at Hawkinge they were joined by a fighter escort and later crossed the French coast at Cap Gris Nez.
The aircraft landed at Merville later that morning. Having unloaded the aircraft his Ensign was strafed and destroyed on the ground by two Messerschmitt Bf109s. In order to return to England he boarded DC3 OO-AIU from E Flight, 24 Squadron which was returning to England that afternoon. The aircraft took off from Merville and was flying over Calais when it was attacked by enemy fighters and was forced to make a landing in a field at Arques. John Hoare was killed by German troops while sheltering under the fuselage of the aircraft.
The crew was: -
Captain Raymond Emile Chartier (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Peter Edward Bressey (Navigator) (POW No. 1124 Oflag 29A)
The passengers were: -
Captain John Mathew Hampden Hoare
Pilot Officer Benson Railton Metcalf Freeman (24 Squadron) (POW No. 33107 Dulag Wetzlar)
Captain Albert Lassois
Flying Officer Philip Arthur De Gleichen Tettenborn
Pilot Officer Peter Bressey later wrote the following detailed report of the events of those two days and of the death of John Hoare: -
“This officer was pilot of an Ensign aircraft which was part of an aerial convoy, loaded with food for the B.E.F., sent from Croydon to Merville, France, on the morning of the 23rd of May 1940. The aircraft took off about 9am, picked up a fighter escort at Hawkinge, and (owing to a last minute change in instructions received only by the leading aircraft) crossed the Belgian coast at Gravelines, and approached Merville from the north, instead of flying the more direct route which would have taken the convoy too near to Calais. On arrival, Merville aerodrome was found to be utterly deserted, the perimeter littered with derelict Hurricanes. The Douglas aircraft carrying the RAF officer detailed to take command of the ground party at Merville had, at the last moment, failed to take off from Croydon owing to engine trouble. A “council of war” of the captains of the aircraft (both English and Belgian) and the RAF liaison officers from the Belgian aircraft was held, at which it was finally decided that aircrews should unload their own aircraft and the return to Croydon be made with all possible speed. Manhandling some 2 tons of bulky stores, stowed in between the seats of a passenger aircraft, is quite a lengthy proceeding. The job was about half done, when our fighter escort, which had meanwhile been cruising overhead at about 15,000 feet, became engaged in a dog fight with enemy fighters, in the course of which they drifted from our field of vision, and incidentally, were never seen again. The unloading meanwhile continued at considerably increased speed. A final council of war was held, to decide whether to await the problematical return of our fighter escort, or to attempt the return to England unescorted at low level (no parachutes were carried). The meeting was brought to a sudden close by the appearance at the far end of the drome of two Me109s, which swept over the field at 50 feet with all 6 (or maybe 8) machine guns firing. From the dubious safety of the nearest ditch we watched them put an incendiary bullet through the starboard wing tank of Captain Hoare’s Ensign, to start a most expensive looking bonfire. They did two runs over the drome and departed as suddenly as they had come. It was a somewhat shaken council of war that reassembled briefly and unanimously decided to evacuate all remaining serviceable aircraft without delay.
After a brief check over for bullet holes, aircraft were started up and taken off straight from their parked positions. One of the SABENA Savoia-Marchettis was found to have both petrol tanks and two oil tanks riddled by bullets, and its crew (3 Belgians and an RAF Liaison officer) elected to come home in the aircraft in which I was flying – a SABENA DC3, piloted by Captain Chartier. At the last moment before take-off, Captain Hoare and his first officer, Philip Tettenborn, were also taken on board as passengers. Owing to the slight delay occasioned by hauling these two up through the rather high door against a strong slipstream, we were the last aircraft to take off from Merville.
Once airborne, I worked out a course to take us back via Gravelines – 320 degrees, and gave this to the Belgian pilot. He however refused to fly this course and insisted on flying his own course of 300 degrees, as it was “shorter and more direct”. We therefore kept diverging from the other survivors of the convoy (who were flying approximately 320 degrees) leaving them more and more on our starboard side. Flying extremely low over fairly heavily wooded country, we had been airborne for some three or four minutes only, when we were attacked by two Me109s – I suspect the same two who had strafed us on the ground at Merville. The fighters made diving attacks from the stern, and as we were quite unarmed withheld their fire until they were very close – too close, fortunately for us, as at this range there was no effective cone of fire, and the bullets spread remarkably little. By pressing themselves against the side walls of the cabin as soon as each fighter in turn was heard approaching, the passengers were somehow able to avoid being hit, as time after time, the hail of bullets swept down the centre of the gangway of the aircraft from tail to nose. In the same way, the crew in the cockpit, sitting well out to the side, and partially protected from the rear by the radio installation and the fright cage, were also unhit, although the centre of the instrument panel and windscreen were both smashed. Unfortunately the commencement of the attacks had coincided with the beginning of a very heavily wooded area, and some four or five separate attacks were made before any clearing suitable for a forced landing could be found. At last we came to the end of the wooded country – flaps and undercarriage were lowered, (I never understood why a “belly landing” was not attempted but miraculously the hydraulics still functioned), and Captain Chartier made a magnificent 3 point landing in the midst of a stubble field.
As the fighters continued to attack us even during the landing run, the RAF officer from the Savoia’s crew –P/O Freeman – opened the cabin door as soon as the plane had come to a halt. This manoeuvre was greeted by a burst of machine gun fire from the nearest hedges, the bullets spattering into the door some 6 inches underneath Freeman’s outstretched arm. He shut the door again. The general impression seemed to be that the ground firing was due to our gallant but excitable allies, the French, who at that time had the reputation of shooting first and asking questions afterwards. Staying in the aircraft was obviously impossible – the fighters were still doing diving attacks, and it was purely a question of time before we were all shot or an incendiary bullet found one of the fuel tanks. Already one of the Belgians had a bullet through his feet and F/O Tettenborn had been gashed across the temple by a flying splinter. The door was therefore kicked open (with the same result as before), and one by one we made a sort of running dive out through the open door onto the grass below. We all lay around on the grass as flat as possible, whilst odd bullets whistled past uncomfortably close overhead (from our unknown friends in the hedge) and the fighters carried out the good work of their diving attacks, impartially spraying both the aircraft and the surrounding turf, littered as it was with extremely recumbent forms. Why everyone was not killed in beyond me.
I found myself lying next to P/O Freeman, and we decided to make a run for it to a sandpit some 60 to 80 yards away. This turned out to be about 10 feet deep, and we arrived at the bottom with considerable velocity. When we had recovered our breath, we climbed cautiously up to the top again and looked over the edge, to find ourselves and the aircraft in the centre of a wide semi-circle of advancing Germans, all with rifles at the ready.
The first thing I noticed when we rejoined the rest of the party was that Captain Lassois, the Belgian captain of the Savoia, was looking more shaken than the rest of us, and that he was still wearing his British steel helmet, which had an enormous gash in the front of the crown. He explained to me that he had been lying under the fuselage of the Douglas next to Captain Hoare. During a lull in the firing they had both raised their heads for a look around. Immediately he had felt a bullet hit his helmet, and Captain Hoare had slumped back onto his face, and was, he thought, hit in the head. I could still see Captain Hoare lying face downwards under the aircraft, and after the wounded had been attended to, I persuaded the German N.C.O. who seemed in charge, to let me go and look at Captain Hoare. A German medical orderly who accompanied us helped me to turn Captain Hoare over onto his back. He was quite unconscious, his face extremely congested, his tongue protruding, and his breath literally rattling in his throat. He was covered in blood and was altogether a most unnerving sight. The medial orderly said something in German to the N.C.O., who turned to me and said “Kaput –finish”, prodded me in the ribs with his revolver, and we went to examine the body of the Belgian pilot of the Douglas, Captain Chartier, who had tried to run away across the fields but had been shot. He was quite dead. I was immediately conducted back to the rest of the prisoners and was not allowed to go near Captain Hoare again.
The Germans who captured us were front line troops, all quite young, and once they had searched us for arms etc., treated us very well and gave our wounded every possible attention. I am quite sure that if it had been possible to do anything for Captain Hoare, he would have received the same care as our other wounded. But seeing him unconscious and in an obviously dying condition, they refused to waste any further time on him. I was very worried at having to leave Captain Hoare to die alone in this seemingly callous fashion. But an RAMC Major to whom I later described his symptoms assured me that he would have died without regaining consciousness and within less than 5 minutes of our leaving him. I subsequently learned that the name of the village outside which we force landed was Arques, near St Omer”
Three Ensigns and the Dragon Rapide managed to return to Croydon with a further Ensign crash landing at Lympe.
Sir W. Runciman, Director General of the British Overseas Airways wrote: - “We are all very proud of Capt. Hoare's fine record, and of the gallant way in which he met his end. He is indeed a great loss to us.”
The British Overseas Airways Newsletter wrote of him: - “People in many parts of the world who are interested in aviation have heard the news with deep regret. Scholar as well as pilot, and equally gifted in both spheres, Hoare was universally popular among his colleagues. His bluff and cheerful personality was known at airports from Croydon to Hong-Kong. There was another and more reticent side to his character which those who knew him best found just as lovable”
The publication, The Log, wrote: - “Sam was one of those rare personalities whose cheerful good humour and unselfish acceptance of rough and smooth are a joy and example to their fellows. He gave his life in the course of an airline pilot's duties in wartime. No medals or decorations were bestowed for his supreme sacrifice, and none was expected, for a risk which was shared by all who took part in the glorious work. But he will not be forgotten and his gallant example will inspire those who follow after.”
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Trinity College, Cambridge and on the memorial at the Dragon School.
He is buried at Arques Churchyard, Grave 8.

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.

Hunter, Colin Havard, brother of Francis Trevor Hunter (qv); b. 27 Aug. 1912; adm. Apr. 1926 (G); left July 1930; an aeronautical engineer, AFRAeS 1933; RAFVR 1940-4 (acting Sqdn Ldr), killed in action 8 May 1944.

Colin Havard Hunter was born at Briton Ferry, Neath, Wales on the 27th of August 1912 the son of His Honour Judge Trevor Havard Hunter KC and Ethel Ruth (nee Griffiths) Hunter of 6, Hereford Mansions, Hereford Road, Paddington in London. He was christened at Briton Ferry on the 29th of September 1911. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from April 1926 to July 1930.
On leaving school he became an aeronautical engineer and qualified AFRAeS in 1933. He was awarded a Royal Aero Club Certificate (No. 10534) at the Herts and Essex Aero Club on the 7th of June 1932 while flying a DH Moth aircraft.
He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on the 14th of September 1940 and was promoted to Flying Officer on the 14th of September 1941. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the 14th of September 1942. He trained at No. 1654 Conversion Unit prior to becoming operational.
On the night of the 7th/8th of May 1944, Bomber Command dispatched 58 Lancasters and 9 Mosquitos for an attack on an ammunition dump at Salbris as part of ongoing operations in preparation for the planned invasion of France. It was to be his eighteenth operation and he had completed 133.48 hours of operational flying up to that time.
Colin Hunter and his crew took off from RAF Dunholm Lodge at 9.46pm on the 7th of May 1944 in Lancaster Mk III ND741KM-K for the operation. Shortly after midnight the aircraft was attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf110 night fighter flown by Leutnant Fred Hromadnik of 9/NJG4 and it caught fire. The crew abandoned the aircraft at low level but only Flight Engineer Fred Cooper’s parachute deployed in time, with the remaining six crew members being killed when they hit the ground. The aircraft crashed at 12.30am into the village of Herbilly, a few kilometres to the west of the River Loire and some twenty kilometres to the north east of Blois. It exploded when it hit the village, destroying several buildings and killing thirteen civilians in their homes. Theirs was the fourth of an eventual six victories for Fred Hromadnik.
The crew was: -
Squadron Leader Colin Havard Hunter (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Richard Colton Alexander (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Alfred Greenwood (Navigator)
Pilot Officer George Robert Miles (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Frederick Arthur Salmon (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Gordon Keith Willis RCAF (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Frederick Stanley Cooper (Flight Engineer) (POW No. 13 Dulag Luft)
Theirs was one of seven aircraft which failed to return from the operation.
While Colin Hunter was fighting to control the aircraft to give his crew time to bail out, Fred Cooper escaped from the aircraft out of the top hatch and was the first member of the crew to get out. His parachute opened just in time and he hit the side of the roof of a house before sliding off and landing on a green house where he suffered cuts to his head. He was taken into hiding by locals but when the Germans threatened to begin shooting the villagers he gave himself up and was taken prisoner. He was later taken by the Germans to the crash site where he was able to identify the bodies of George Miles, Colin Hunter and Alfred Greenwood.
He is buried at Orleans Main Cemetery Plot 1, Row A, Collective Grave 16-27.

Jacobs, Derek, brother of Bryan Sydney Jacobs (qv); b. 20 Dec. 1917; adm. Sept. 1931 (A); left Dec. 1932; a cane merchant; PO RAFVR Oct. 1941, killed in action Dec. 1941.

Derek Jacobs was born at Brighton, Sussex on the 20th of December 1917 the son of Sydney Jacob, a gentleman, and Ella Bonham (nee Collins) Jacobs of “Rosebriars”, 441, Woodham Lane, West Byfleet in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1931 to December 1932.
On leaving school he worked as a traveller for a general merchant. 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 before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 31st of October 1941.
On the night of the 7th/8th of December 1941, Bomber Command dispatched 130 aircraft for an operation on Aachen. The headquarters building of the local Nazi party was to be used as the aiming point for the bombers. Weather conditions were difficult with only 64 aircraft having claimed to have dropped their bombs on the target. The Aachen railway goods yards were hit by three bombs during the raid with 7 houses being slightly damaged. There were no casualties on the ground.
Derek Jacobs and his crew took off from RAF Scampton at 2.13am on the 8th of December 1941 in Hampden Mk I AE191 OL-Z for the operation. It was to be his sixth operation. Having dropped its bombs the aircraft was leaving the target area at a height of 17,000 feet when it was hit in the port engine by anti aircraft fire. Derek Jacobs was instructed by the pilot to send an SOS call and received a “fix” from RAF Heston. With flames coming from the damaged engine Anthony Parsons, the pilot, throttled the engine back and stopped the propeller, in an attempt to let the fire extinguisher put the fire out. When the fire was extinguished, but with only one engine still working, the aircraft began to yaw and was in danger of entering a flat spin. In order to prevent this Parsons shut down the starboard engine and stabilised the stricken bomber but, when he attempted to restart it, it failed. The crew had made two radio distress calls, one at 5.30am and the second at 6.08am, before they were forced to ditch in the North Sea near Walcheren Island at 6.40am.
Air Sea Rescue boats were dispatched to look for them but found no trace of the missing aircraft and its crew.
The crew was: -
Sergeant Bernard Athelstan Basevi (Observer)
Pilot Officer Derek Jacobs (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Anthony Leslie Parsons (Pilot) (POW No. 39646 Stalag Luft III)
Sergeant George Wiscombe (Air Gunner) (POW No. 24785 Stalag Luft III)
The four members of the crew had all managed to climb into the dinghy but it was four days before they were rescued, during which time Bernard Basevi died from cold and exposure during the night of the 10th of December and was buried at sea the next morning. Derek Jacobs died on the 11th of December and the two surviving crew members also buried him at sea. The two survivors were picked up by a German convoy escort ship “Wuppertal”, some 15 miles to the south west of Heligoland at 1.45pm the following day and were taken to Cuxhaven Military Hospital where they were treated for frost bite and exposure.
His father received the following letter dated the 23rd of December 1941: -
“Sir, I am commanded by the Air Council to express to you their great regret on learning that your son, Pilot Officer Derek Jacobs, Royal Air Force, is missing as the result of air operations. Your son was wireless operator/air gunner of a Hampden aircraft which set out at 2.13am for action over Aachen, Germany, and has failed to return. Two wireless signals were received from the aircraft, one at 5.30am and the second, an S.O.S. call, at 6.08am. The Air/Sea Rescue Services were put into operation and searching continued throughout the day, but no trace could be found of any of the crew. Enquiries will now be made through the International Red Cross Society and if any news is received you will be at once informed. If any information regarding your son is received by you from any source you are requested to be kind enough to communicate it immediately to the Air Ministry. The Air Council desire me to convey to you an expression of their sincere sympathy with you in your present anxiety.”
George Wiscombe wrote the following to his wife from prisoner of war camp in a letter dated the 16th of January 1943: - “..... engine trouble made us crash in the sea, the four of us getting away in the rubber dinghy unhurt apart from shock ..... Navigator Basevi died the third night and Jacobs as you know the following day. Saw land on morning of fifth day but were blown away soon after. P/O Parsons and myself picked up by German boat after 104 hours afloat. Treated very well and taken into Cuxhaven Military Hospital.”
Anthony Parsons wrote the following letter to the Air Ministry from Dulag Luft dated the 3rd of May 1942: -
“Dear Madam, I regret to say that P/O Jacobs, 112160, died on the night of Dec. 11th 1941 from shock, exposure and lack of fresh water. Sgt. Basevi passed away through the same causes, the previous night. They both died quietly and without pain, being unwounded. Please convey my sympathies to their families, and say that I did the little that I could for them, without avail.”
Theirs was one of two aircraft lost during the raid.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 33.

Gorman, Harry Fortescue, son of Major William Henry Gorman, of Purley, Surrey, by Florence, daughter of Major Robert John Hickman, 60th Rifles, of Hersham, Surrey; b. Sept. 8, 1901; adm. as K.S. Sept. 23, 1915; left July 1920; a member of the firm of Patons and Baldwins, Ltd., Halifax; later engaged in business at Hove, Sussex; 2nd Lieut. R.A. Sept. 7, 1940; Lieut.-Col.; mentioned in despatches (N.W. Europe) L.G. Nov. 8, 1945, and April 4, 1946; m. Sept. 14, 1933, Frances Isabella Patricia, elder daughter of Albert Clifford Robinson, of Brighouse, Yorks; killed in a motor accident in Germany Jan. 20, 1946.

Harry Fortescue Gorman was born at Dover, Kent on the 8th of September 1901 the elder son of Major William Henry Gorman, East Surrey Regiment, and Florence (nee Hickman) Gorman of “Rozel”, Woodcote Valley Road, Purley in Surrey, later of Willow Drive, Halifax. He was educated at Westminster School where he was a King’s Scholar from the 23rd of September 1915 to July 1920. He was a member of the 2nd Football XI in 1917 and of the 1st Football XI in 1917 and 1918. He was a member of the 1st Cricket XI in 1717 and was a member of the Officer Training Corps.
On leaving school he worked for the firm of Patons and Baldwins Ltd, knitting yarn manufacturers of Halifax, and was later in business at Hove in Sussex.
He was married at St Martin’s Church, Brighouse, Yorkshire on the 14th of September 1933 to Frances Isabella Patricia (nee Robinson) and they lived at “Tanaghmore”, Pangbourne in Sussex. They had two daughters, Janet, born on the 18th of August 1934, Sarah, and a son, Charles, born in 1937.
He attended an Officer Cadet Training Battalion before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 7th of September 1940.
He was created as a Member of the British Empire and the recommendation for the award read as follows: - ““Major Gorman has been OC 218 Det Mil Gov during the whole of the period 1 Feb 45 – 30 Apr 45 and in the performance of his duties he has shown outstanding zeal and ability. Operating under most trying conditions and often under fire with the leading troops his disregard for danger and devotion to duty have largely contributed to the successful imposition of Mil Gov in 8 Corps area.”
He was twice Mentioned in Despatches for “Gallant and distinguished services in North-West Europe”, which were announced by the War Office on the 8th of November 1945 and on the 4th of April 1946.
He was killed in a motor accident at Hamburg.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Rottingdean, Sussex.
He is buried at Hamburg Cemetery Plot 1A, Row C, Grave 15.

Graham, Hartley Brisco, son of Hartley Graham, solicitor, of Penrith, Cumbria, and Alice Emma, d. of George Arthur Rivington of Penrith; b. 20 Jan. 1911; adm. Sept. 1924 (R); left July 1929; adm. a solicitor Jan. 1935; practised at Penrith; RA 1939-42 (Lieut.); d. of wounds (Libya) 1 June 1942.

Hartley Brisco Graham was born at Penrith, Cumberland on the 20th of January 1911 the younger son of Hartley Graham, a solicitor, and Alice Margaret Emma (nee Rimington) Graham of “The Larches”, Penrith in Cumberland. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith and at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1924 to July 1929. He served as a Lance Corporal in the Officer Training Corps. On leaving school he qualified as a solicitor and worked in his father’s business at Penrith.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in the Territorial Army on the 24th of May 1939.
He was posted to 72 (Northumbrian) Field Regiment which embarked on board the SS Empress of Asia at Liverpool on the 21st of April 1941 for service in the Middle East. The Regiment landed at Port Tewfik in Egypt on the 23rd of June and by April 1942 they were based at Bir Geff in Libya as part of the 150th Infantry Brigade. On the 21st of April they handed over these positions and relocated to Rotunda Ualeb, between the Trigh El Abd and Trigh Capuzzo, which formed part of the British defences known as the Gazala Line. Their position was known as the Sidi Muftah Box.
On the 30th of May 1942, General Erwin Rommel, commanding officer of the Afrika Corps, made a personal reconnaissance of the area leading to the Sidi Muftah Box with a view to making a major attack on it the following day. Later in the day his men began clearing lanes on the eastern side of the protective British minefields in preparation for the attack. Once this was completed a column of German motorised infantry attacked and penetrated the British positions before being thrown back by the infantry supported by tanks.
On the morning the 31st of May 1942, General Rommel made a formal request to General Cecil William Haydon, officer commanding 150th Infantry Brigade, for the surrender of his garrison. This demand was met without a response. A short time later a heavy artillery bombardment preceded an attack by elements of the German 90th Light Division and the Italian Trieste Division on the British positions. They forced their way forward “against the toughest British resistance imaginable” in intense close quarter fighting before being forced back with heavy losses several hours after their attack had begun. An hour later the attack resumed with the Axis infantry being supported by tanks and with several breaks in the lines being made, all of which were closed after bitter fighting. In spite of the hard fighting by the defenders, by nightfall, when both sides drew back, the size of the Box had halved in size.
On the morning of the 1st of June 1942, the beleaguered defenders were heavily bombarded by artillery and by Junkers 87 “Stuka” dive bombers before massed German and Italian infantry and tanks renewed their assault. After very heavy, often hand to hand, fighting the Sidi Muftah Box fell in the early afternoon with the capture of more than 3,000 prisoners and the destruction or capture of 124 guns and 101 tanks and armoured cars. Rommel came forward to congratulate General Haydon on the magnificent way his troops had fought, only find that his opponent had been killed by shellfire earlier in the day. Hartley Graham was one of the many casualties from the three days of fighting.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Penrith and on the memorial at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith.
He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial Column 31.

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.

Knowles, Ralph David, brother of Geoffrey Churton Knowles (qv); b. 25 June 1920; adm. Sept. 1933 (R); left Dec. 1937; articled to an accountant; RA (TA) 1938-44 (Capt.); MC (posth.) June 1944; killed (Italy) 20 Mar. 1944 while unloading a blazing truck full of high explosives.

Ralph David Knowles was born at Croydon, Surrey on the 25th of June 1920 the son of Ralph Geoffrey Knowles, an insurance official, and Winifred (nee Jackson) Knowles of “Nutscombe”, Detillens Lane, Limpsfield in Surrey, later of St Giles in Buckinghamshire.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1933 to December 1937. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps where he achieved Certificate A in March 1937 and was promoted to Sergeant in September 1937. He was a member of the 4th Rowing VIII in 1935 and of the 3rd Rowing VIII in 1936 where he rowed at No. 5. He was a member of the 2nd Rowing VIII in 1937 where he rpwed at bow. On leaving school he was articled to a firm of accountants. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in the Territorial Army on the 24th of July 1938 and was mobilised for war service on the 24th of August 1939. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 1st of January 1941 and to temporary Captain on the 1st of February 1941.
He was awarded the Military Cross which was announced in the London Gazette of the 29th of June 1944. The citation read: - "From the night 18th/19th January 1944 until midday 22nd January Capt. Knowles was Forward Observing Officer in continual support first of 1 Green Howards and later of 3 Coldstream Guards. At dawn on 19th January he advanced under a barrage with B Coy. 1 Green Howards into Minturno where he established an observation post on the roof of a house. From here he directed accurate concentrations on to enemy infantry and mortar positions. During this time his observation post was under heavy mortar and MG fire and was finally rendered untenable. Captain Knowles therefore advanced further into town to another house from which he continued to direct fire all that night in spite of continual mortar fire and sniping. On 20th January he again advanced with C Coy, 1 Green Howards under a barrage to Trimonsuoli, a further carry of wireless equipment of 4,000 yds. He then established his observation post within 300 yds of the enemy positions and with complete disregard for his own exposed and precarious position he directed the fire of his own and a medium regiment for the rest of the day. On 21st January he succeeded in maintaining his observation post in spite of fierce counter-attacks by enemy infantry and tanks. During the whole of this day he directed accurate fire on the enemy counter-attacks and was largely instrumental in breaking them up. For over 72 hours he was without rest or sleep, and showed complete disregard of personal safety. By his cool and gallant behaviour under heavy fire he rendered invaluable support to the infantry in the most difficult circumstances."
At 3pm on the afternoon of the 4th of March 1944, 92 Field Regiment embarked on ships at Pozznoli bound for Anzio. They landed there at 10am the following day where they began unloading their guns and equipment. On the 20th of March 1944 they were deployed in the Anzio beachhead and spent the morning firing on enemy batteries in the area. At 3.40pm E Troop's position was shelled which set an ammunition lorry on fire. This was successfully emptied but during this time more shells fell near the lorry killing two officers and one other rank and wounding two officers and six other ranks. Ralph Knowles was among the dead.
He was Mentioned in Despatches, which was announced in the London Gazette of the 11th of January 1945. His medals were sold at auction in London on the 19th of September 2003.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Limpsfield.
He is buried at Beach Head War Cemetery Plot VIII, Row D, Grave 8.

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.