Dugdale, Joseph, son of Joseph Dugdale, cotton manufacturer, of Blackburn, Lancs, and Edith Berry of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire; b. 7 Jan. 1914; adm. Jan. 1928 (H); left Dec. 1928; North­ampton Engineering Coll., Islington; PO RAF July 1937, FO Feb. 1939, Flight Lieut. Sept. 1940, Temp. Sqdn Ldr Dec. 1941; DFC May 1942 for night attacks on German base at Trondheim; killed in action 26 July 1943.

Joseph Dugdale was born at Blackburn, Lancashire on the 7th of January 1914 the only son of Joseph Dugdale, a cotton manufacturer, and Edith (nee Berry) Dugdale of Park House, 2 East Park Road, Blackburn.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from January 1928 to December 1928. He went on to the Northampton Engineering College, Islington. He was commissioned as an Acting Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force on the 7th of September 1936 and was confirmed in his rank on the 13th of July 1937. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 13th of February 1939 and was transferred to the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on the 13th of July 1940. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the 3rd of September 1940 and to Squadron Leader on the 1st of December 1941.
He was serving with 97 Squadron when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in two night attacks on an enemy naval base at Trondheim. His award was announced by the Air Ministry on the 29th of May 1942 and the citation read: - “This officer has completed numerous operational missions, including 2 attacks by night on the German naval base at Trondheim in April, 1942. On the latter occasion, he commanded a formation of bombers and he played a large part in the success achieved. Recently he successfully carried out a minelaying mission in extremely unfavourable weather. This officer has performed excellent work and has contributed materially to the high standard and efficiency of his flight.”
He later transferred to 90 Squadron.
On the night of the 25th/26th of July 1943, Bomber Command dispatched 294 Lancasters, 211 Halifaxes, 104 Stirlings, 67 Wellingtons and 19 Mosquitos for an operation on Essen. The operation was considered to have been a success with heavy damage being achieved in the industrial areas in the eastern part of the city with the Krupps works received its most damaging raid of the war. 51 other industrial buildings were destroyed with a further 81 being damaged. 2,852 houses were destroyed with 500 people being killed on the ground. A further 12 people were missing and 1,208 were injured.
Joseph Dugdale and his crew took off from RAF West Wickham at 11.37pm on the 25th of July 1943 in Stirling Mk III EE904 WP-S for the operation. The aircraft is believed to have crashed into the North Sea in the area of Great Yarmouth.
The crew was: -
Squadron Leader Joseph Dugdale DFC (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant James Ferguson Bowman RNZAF (Rear Gunner)
Flying Officer Patrick Hector Conroy (Navigator)
Flying Officer Henry Alington Disbrowe (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant David Geoffrey Evans RAAF (2nd Pilot)
Sergeant Desmond Frank Augustus Hobbs (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant James Hamilton Keeley RNZAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Norman Albert Young (Mid Upper Gunner)
Theirs was one of twenty six aircraft which failed to return from the raid.
It is believed that the aircraft collided with Halifax Mk II JD169 from 102 Squadron over the North Sea but it is not known whether it was during the outward or inward leg of their journey. The bodies of three of the crew were recovered from the sea some 15 miles off the coast near Yarmouth; the bodies of four of the crew from the 102 Squadron aircraft were recovered at the same time.
Norman Young’s body was washed ashore at Southwold, Suffolk with those of James Keeley and Henry Disbrowe also washing ashore on the English coast.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Blackburn.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 158.

Dulley, Hugh William Macpherson, brother of John Herbert Macpherson Dulley (q.v.); b. July 11, 1903; adm. as K.S. Sept. 27, 1917; left Aug. 1922; in the employment of Messrs. Gibbs and Co. at Valparaiso, Chile 1925-30, and with Messrs. Jardine Matheson & Co. at Hongkong 1930; rowed no. 3 in the English Eight at the Olympic Games at Paris 1924; Sub-Lieut. Hongkong Royal Naval Volunteer Force Dec. 1935; Lieut. Dec. 1936; Lieut.-Cdr. June 1940; m. Nov. 23, 1936, Therese, elder daughter of Max Sander, of Hull; killed in action at Hong Kong Dec. 1941.

Hugh William Macpherson “Peter” Dulley was born at Wellingborough, Northamptonshire on the 11th of July 1903 the son of Herbert Dulley, a brewer, and Agnes Leonora (nee Macpherson) Dulley later of 5, King’s Bench Walk, Inner Temple in London. He was christened at All Hallows Church, Wellingborough on the 8th of November 1903.
He was admitted to Westminster School as a resident King’s Scholar from the 27th of September 1917 to August 1922 and was appointed as head of the King’s Scholars in September 1921. He was also appointed as a Monitor in September 1921 and was appointed as Editor of the Elizabethan in the same month. He was a member of the 1st Rowing VIII in 1921, where he rowed at bow, and was appointed as Head of The Water in the same year. In 1922 he rowed at stroke and the Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1922 season: - “A very good all round oar with one or two rather bad faults. As a stroke he has done excellent work, showing splendid judgement, and an inexhaustible supply of energy. It will be a difficult to find a substitute possessing his peculiar faculty of being able to size up the opposing crew during the course of a race.”
He was a member of the Officer Training Corps and was promoted to Company Sergeant Major in September 1921.
He was a member of the Thames Rowing Club from a young age and won the Junior Sculls at the Reading Regatta of 1923. He rowed at No. 3 in the Great Britain Rowing VIII at the 1924 Paris Olympics where the crew finished in fourth place by half a length. He embarked at Liverpool on board the SS Oroya on the 22nd of January 1925 bound for Chile where he went to work for Messrs. Gibbs and Company at Valparaiso from 1925 and later returned to London. He was appointed as Head of the Water for The Old Westminster Boat Club in 1929, a position from which he resigned in 1930 when he went abroad once again.
He set sail from London on board the SS Rawalpindi on the 24th of January 1930 bound for Hong Kong where he joined the staff of Messrs. Jardine Matheson to work as a clerk. He was a keen sailor and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Reserve in December 1935. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 2nd of December 1936. He was married on the 23rd of November 1936 to Therese (nee Sander) of Tonbridge, having met her on New Year’s Eve the previous year. They lived at Victoria in Hong Kong. Eight months pregnant, Therese was evacuated to the Philippines in July 1940 where she had a son, Hugh OW, born on the 25th of July 1940. They later sailed to Australia, stopping briefly at Hong Kong en route.
He served on board HMPS Perla from 1939 and was based at the Royal Navy base HMS Tamar III in Hong Kong in 1941. In November 1941 he was posted to the sloop/drillship HMS Cornflower, the Headquarters of the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force. The ship was moored to the south west of Kellett Island, close to the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, of which many of its recruits were members. In August 1939 the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force was merged with the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Reserve giving it a total strength of one hundred and ten officers. Peter Dulley was placed in command of a 500 ton ocean going tug and successfully sailed it to Aden in spite of his inexperience. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander on the 15th of June 1940.
On the morning of the 8th of December 1941, the Japanese launched an attack across the Chinese border into the New Territories and advanced towards the island of Hong Kong. On the evening of the 18th of December their forces crossed the Lye Mun Pass and landed on the island where they had established a strong beachhead by the following morning. In the early hours of the morning of the 19th of December the commanding officer of the Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Commander Vernall, received an urgent telephone call from the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment requesting that a naval patrol be sent to investigate reports of fifth columnists signalling from Postbridge House at the top of Repulse Bay. At 5am a party led by Hugh Dulley set off in a truck from their base at Deep Water Bay and travelled up the Repulse Bay Road to the Wong Nei Chong Gap where they arrived at the driveway leading to Postbridge House at 5.20am. They reached the house to find it occupied by members of the Royal Artillery. Hugh Dulley, assuming they had gone to the wrong house, decided to check another nearby house and led his men towards their truck. As they went back down the driveway they saw shadowy figures and heard voices just before a hand grenade was thrown towards their party which caused no casualties. Thinking that he may have run into a Canadian unit he shouted at them; this was followed by a burst of machine gun fire. The group scattered and made their way back to Postbridge House where, at 6.30am, they saw enemy troops digging in around the building on the surrounding slopes. Having had their communications with the outside world cut, they exchanged fire with the Japanese with Hugh Dulley taking up a position at a window in an upstairs room from where he sniped at the enemy troops. By 10.45am the defenders were running low on ammunition but a telephone line had been established and reinforcements were requested to be sent to relieve them. They were reached by a few reinforcements at around noon who brought three machine guns and 15,000 rounds of ammunition. During the afternoon the Japanese began to work their way around the building and those defenders who were positioned at the garden wall were ordered to fall back to the house. Towards evening a small party of Japanese managed to get close enough to the house to lay explosive charges against the building. A short time later there was a massive explosion which blew out all of the windows, demolished the stairwell and started a number of fires in the building which illuminated the defenders. This was followed by heavy fire from enemy machine guns with grenades being thrown into the house. Hugh Dulley was killed at this time and with the situation now considered to be untenable, the order was given to evacuate the building under the cover of darkness.
He was Mentioned in Despatches, which was announced in the London Gazette of the 2nd of July 1945.
He was the author of “A Voyage to War”, which was published by his son in 2016.
He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial Panel 96, Column 3.

Edwards, Edward Cecil Theodore, son of Rev. Robert Stephen Edwards, Vicar of Northmoor, Oxon., and Anne Rosalie Tannatt, d. of Thomas Pryce of Llanymynech, Montgom.; b. 5 Aug. 1905; adm. Sept. 1919 (A); left July 1924; Ch. Ch. Oxf., matric. 1924; rowed against Cambridge 1925-7; PO RAF Apr. 1926, FO Oct. 1928, Flt Lieut. Dec. 1932, Sqdn Ldr June 1937; temp. Wing Cdr June 1940; winner King's Cup air race 1931; killed in action over Holland 30 Aug. 1940.

Edward Cecil Theodore “Sphinx” Edwards was born at Prestatyn, Wales on the 5th of August 1905 the second son of the Reverend Robert Stephen Edwards, Vicar of Westcote Barton, and Anne Rosalie Tannatt (nee Pryce) Edwards of Westcote Barton, Rectory, later of 25, St Margaret’s Road, Oxford and of 56, Elsham Road, Kensington in London. He was christened at Westcote Barton on the 13th of September 1905. He was educated at the Dragon School, Oxford from January 1913 to July 1919 and at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1919 to July 1924. He was a member of 1st Rowing VIII where he rowed at bow in 1922 and was awarded his Colours in the same year. He rowed at stroke in 1923 and at No. 4 in 1924 and was The Head of Water in the same year. The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1923 season:- “As a stroke he gave his crew a certain amount of length and rhythm, but he was unable to keep them going at a fast stroke. He is a hard worker, and will improve if he can get out of the habit of pushing away his slide at the beginning of the stroke, and tearing out the finish with his arms.” They wrote the following on his 1924 season: - “A good waterman with a nice easy swing: he has rowed consistently well throughout the term. As Head of Water his keenness and good sense have been invaluable: and the success of the crew has largely been due to his example.”
He matriculated for Christ Church, Oxford in 1924 where stroked the College crew which won the Coxwainless IVs in 1925 and in 1926. He rowed against Cambridge in the University boat races of 1925, 1926 and 1927 and was awarded a “Blue” in 1925. He was appointed as Secretary to the Oxford University Boat Club in 1927. He joined the Oxford University Air Squadron and was their first member to qualify as a pilot when he was awarded Royal Aero Club Certificate (No. 8187) at the London Aeroplane Club on the 30th of November 1927 while flying a DH Moth. He graduated with a BA and was later awarded a MA.
He was granted a permanent commission as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force on the 30th of April 1928 and was promoted to Flying Officer on the 30th of October 1928.
In 1930 he and Miss Winifred Spooner set out to prove that it was possible to fly to Cape Town in five days by flying day and night. The pair took off in Desoutter G-ABCU on the 5th of December 1930 but after sixteen hours of flying the aircraft was forced to ditch into the sea in total darkness off the coast of Belmonte Calabro in Italy. Being unable to swim, he sat on the wooden fuselage while Miss Spooner swam the mile to shore to fetch help. She returned with some local fishermen who rescued both him and the aircraft.
At around this time he was appointed as Assistant Adjutant to his Squadron.
In July 1931 he took off in Blackburn Bluebird G-AACC as one of forty starters who set out on the 1,000 mile King’s Cup Air Race. He won the race when he was the first to arrive at Heston on the 25th of July 1931. He also took part in the races of 1932, 1933, 1935, 1937 and 1938, with his closest finish being in 1933 when he was three seconds behind the winner. Later that year he was posted to the School of Naval Co-operation at Lee-on-Solent.
He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the 1st of December 1932 and entered the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell in 1935, passing out the following year. He was promoted to Squadron Leader on the 1st of June 1937.
On the outbreak of war he was serving with 53 Squadron and was posted to France. The Squadron returned to England in May 1940 after the retreat to Dunkirk where they were based at RAF Detling. He was promoted to temporary Wing Commander on the 1st of June 1940.
On the 31st of August 1940, five crews from 53 Squadron were briefed at RAF Detling for an attack on fuel storage tanks at Vlaardingen, Rotterdam. Having made their attack they were due to return to base at 9.45pm.
Edward Edwards and his crew took off from RAF Detling at 7.30pm on the 31st of August 1940 in Blenheim Mk IV T1940 for the operation. He was leading the formation and was last seen when the formation broke up shortly before making their bombing runs. The aircraft crashed and burned out at Waalhaven near Vlaardingen killing all on board and was identified by the Red Cross in October 1940 by one of its engine numbers.
The crew was: -
Wing Commander Edward Cecil Theodore Edwards (Pilot)
Sergeant Lionel Lewis Benjamin (Observer)
Sergeant John Thomas Beesley (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
His father received the following telegram dated the 1st of September 1940: -“Regret to inform you that your son Wing Commander Edward Cecil Theodore Edwards is reported as missing as the result of air operations on 31 August 1940. Letter follows. Any further information received will be immediately communicated to you. Should news of him reach you from any source please inform this department.”
The crew was buried in one coffin at Reljshedijk, Rotterdam but their bodies were exhumed by the Germans on the 12th of June 1941 and were reburied at their present location on the following day.
His commanding officer later wrote to his mother: - “You will be pleased to hear that your son was leading a Flight of his Squadron against the enemy and that the Squadron which your son commanded has done magnificent work due to his excellent leadership and example.”
A tribute to him was written by A.C.C. and appeared in the Times of the 7th of October 1940: - “Cecil Edwards had found his way out of so many tight places that when he was reported “missing” on August 31st his friends could hardly imagine that he would not reappear; but the news now received seems conclusive. He was not only one of the “few” in Mr Churchill’s imperishable phrase, be he bore a special relation to them, for he gave them a lead by joining the R.A.F. immediately on going down, having been the first member of the Oxford Air Squadron to qualify as a pilot. He then trained many of them and took an active part in the Air Ministry in organizing the expansion of the R.A.F; and he fell leading them in action. It seemed so entirely natural that he should be in the forefront of action in all these ways that his friends now realize how substantive a contribution he has made to our cause. He was an artist in action, and so absorbed in it that his very modesty was unconscious, and he was a perfect friend.”
His brother, Captain John Oswald Valentine Edwards OW, East Surrey Regiment attached to the Burma Frontier Force, was killed in action on the 10th of April 1942.
He and his brother are commemorated on a stone in the churchyard at Westcote Barton and on the war memorials at the Dragon School and at Christ Church, Oxford.
He is buried at Crooswijk General Cemetery, Rotterdam Plot LL, Row I, Grave 5.

Edwards, John Oswald Valentine, brother of Edward Cecil Theodore Edwards (qv); b. 14 Feb. 1912; adm. Jan. 1926 (A), (B) Sept. 1926; left July 1930; Keble Coll. Oxf., matric. 1930, BA 1933, MA 1937; 2nd Lieut. E. Surrey Regt Jan. 1932, Lieut. Jan. 1935, Capt. Jan. 1940, attached Burma Defence Force; killed in action at Paungde, Burma, 10 Apr. 1942.

John Oswald Valentine Edwards was born at Oxford, Oxfordshire on the 14th of February 1912 the third and youngest son of the Reverend Robert Stephen Edwards, Vicar of Westcote Barton, and Anne Rosalie Tannatt (nee Pryce) Edwards of Westcote Barton, Rectory, later of 25, St Margaret’s Road, Oxford and of 56, Elsham Road, Kensington in London. He was christened at the Church of St Mary and St John, Cowley on the 9th of March 1912. He was educated at the Dragon School, Oxford from May 1918 to 1919 and returned as a boarder from May 1922 to 1925. He went on to Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from January 1926 and up Busby’s from September 1926 to July 1930. He rowed for his House in 1928, winning House Colours the following year, and was a member of the 1st Rowing VIII in 1930 where he rowed at bow and won his School Colours in the same year. The Elizabethan wrote the following of his 1930 season: - “He carried out the rowing tradition of his family in spirit if not in bulk. He hunched his shoulders and ducked his head coming forward, which is not good for breathing, nor for getting a swift beginning –and his finish tended to be awkward with the same hunch, but he was an effective oar through his good blade work, and his knowledge of how to drive.”
He was a member of the Officer Training Corps and was promoted to Lance Corporal in September 1930.
He matriculated for Keble College, Oxford in 1930 and was awarded a BA in 1933 and a MA in 1937. He rowed for his College while he was at Oxford, winning the Challenge Pairs with E.L. Dams in 1932. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant as a University Candidate on the General List on the 7th of July 1931. He was elected as a member of the London Rowing Club in 1932.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant to the East Surrey Regiment from the General List on the 28th of October 1933, with seniority from the 28th of January 1932. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 28th of January 1935. He served in India from 1935 to 1937 and then at Khartoum in the Sudan. He was seconded to the Burma Defence Force and was transferred to the Special Employed List. He served as the second in command of the Myitkyina Battalion, Burma Frontier Force from the 11th of July 1938 and was drafted to Rangoon where large scale riots were taking place that month. He was promoted to Captain on the 28th of January 1940.
Towards the end of 1940, the Regiment was reorganised and he was transferred to Frontier Force 2 (F.F.2), Burma Frontier Force. These were mobile detachments of troops made up of independent columns, which were to engage the enemy until such time as they could be joined by regular forces. F.F.2. was responsible for the defence of the Southern Tenasserim Coast and for special missions up to the border with Thailand. John Edwards was appointed to the command of No. 1 Column. In June 1941 and the unit began looking for a suitable base in the area of the village of Thawbawleik from which to operate. The new camp was constructed and when the men moved into it John Edwards and Captain Booker began a reconnaissance of the area, with John Edwards exploring the area on foot as far as the border with Thailand. In October 1941, the unit was relieved after which it spent its time watching the tracks into Burma in case of hostilities. At this time John Edwards and No. 1 Column were based at Lenya from where they reconnoitred the tracks which ran across the Thailand/Burma border. A short time later No. 1 Column received orders to move to Hnohng Hin where they were to demolish a bridge in the event of a Japanese invasion.
The Japanese invaded Burma on the 8th of December 1941 when John Edwards reported to Headquarters that he had seen unidentified aircraft flying high over the Maw Daung Pass. The following day he received orders to move to investigate reports of Japanese forces at Prachaub Khirikhan but was ordered not to engage with any enemy forces he found there. On the 10th of December the Columns were ordered to implement the destruction of the bridges as they had planned. No. 1 Column continued towards Prachaub Khirikhan and during the night of the 12th of December heavy firing was heard from the direction the Column had taken. A short while after this, two of Edward’s men arrived back at base to report that No. 1 Column had been attacked by a large number of Japanese troops and that there had been heavy casualties amongst the Burmese. By the 15th of December John Edwards and his remaining men were back at the main camp where he reported the loss of his wireless section, along with their messages and ciphers. It was decided to cancel the operation to destroy the bridges. On the 17th of December 1941, F.F.2 left the camp and on the 21st of December a patrol from the unit was sent to investigate reports of enemy landings at Bokpyin.
With the Japanese now arriving in Burma in strength it was decided to evacuate the Burmese troops from Mergui and to concentrate them at Tavoy. F.F.2 was to cover the evacuation. On the 19th of December it was decided that Tavoy was under such a threat from the advancing Japanese that the men would be evacuated to Rangoon instead. F.F.2 was evacuated between the 20th and 22nd of January 1942. When it reached Rangoon it was sent to Pyawbwe to reorganise.
Once they had rested, John Edwards was given command of No. 2 Column which was attached to the 17th Indian Division on the 10th of February where it began its new role as a Divisional Reconnaissance unit. It was to patrol the area between the road from Kyaikto to Thaton and on the coast from Kyaikto to a track running from Theinzeik to Kadaik as far as the Bilin River. It was also to support the coast watching detachments of the Burma Auxiliary Force and of the Burma Military Police and to report immediately of any Japanese landings. John Edwards had three platoons of the Burma Military Police under his command to assist with patrolling and with the general defence of the area.
On the 16th of February 1942, the Japanese began attacking the area of the Bilin River and on the 18th of February John Edwards was ordered to seek out the enemy and to attack them. By the following day the 17th Division had begun a general withdrawal and ordered F.F.2. to protect its northern flank while it did so. At 2.30pm on the 21st of February No. 2 Column was heavily engaged by enemy forces. In spite of reports that his unit had been surrounded, John Edwards managed to extricate his men and lead them towards the Sittang River, engaging enemy troops near Mokpalin on the way during which his Column became scattered. They rejoined the Division at Pegu where the Column commanders reported that their men were totally demoralised. The stragglers arrived at Pegu to rejoin the column over the next several days.
On the 10th of March 1942 he was at Tharawaddy when he and his remaining 90 men were merged with F.F.6. and were attached to the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment where they were to form a rearguard in defence of the Division’s continuing withdrawal. They followed the 17th Division’s withdrawal themselves during which time they ambushed a number of Japanese troops at Letpadan on the 18th of March causing heavy casualties amongst them. They rejoined the Division on the 30th of March at Prome. John Edwards was killed during a Japanese attack on the town of Paungde, just to the south of Prome.
A friend wrote: - “I always thought that Oswald was a great character and a most entertaining and interesting man, one of the few I really regarded as a friend. How well I remember his decided views on life and the arguments we used to have together!”
His brother, Wing Commander Edward Cecil Theodore Edwards OW, 53 Squadron, Royal Air Force, was killed in action on the 31st of August 1940.
He and his brother are commemorated on a stone in the churchyard at Westcote Barton and on the war memorials at the Dragon School and at Keble College, Oxford. He is also commemorated on the war memorial at the London Rowing Club.
He is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial Face 13.

Elliot, Herbert Hugh, son of Hugh Samuel Roger Elliot, author, of Chislehurst, Kent, and Rose Maud, d. of N. Chesterfield; b. 3 June 1909; adm. Sept. 1921 (H); left 1927; Trin. Coll. Camb., matric. 1927, BA 1930; PO RAFVR June 1942; m. 1939 Kate Marjorie, d. of Rev. Vernon Iles of South Marston, Wilts; killed in an air accident in Kenya 13 July 1942.

Herbert Hugh Elliot was born at Hove, West Sussex on the 3rd of June 1909 the only son of Hugh Samuel Roger Elliot, an author, and Rosa Maud (nee Chesterfield) Elliot of 15, Bede House, Manor Fields, Putney. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1921 to 1927 and was a member of the Chess team in 1925 and 1926. He matriculated for Trinity College, Cambridge where he was admitted as an Entrance Exhibitioner on a Westminster Exhibition on the 1st of October 1927. He was awarded a BA in 1930.
He was married in south London in 1939 to Kate Marjorie (nee Iles) of “Abbots Cot”, Bourne End in Buckinghamshire. He was elected as a member of the London Rowing Club in 1932. He was elected as a member of the committee in 1938 and rowed in the Thames Cup in 1937, 1938 and 1939.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as an Observer and rose to the rank of Sergeant before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 12th of October 1941.
Herbert Elliott and his crew took off on the 13th of July 1942 in Blenheim Mk IV V5869 with two other Blenheims from the unit to practice low level attacks. They had been briefed that they were not to fly below 50 feet. The aircraft was making a mock attack on a vehicle on the Isiolo to Marsabit road, near Nanyuki in Kenya when it struck a tree and crashed at 10.45am killing all on board.
The crew was:-
Sergeant Lyndley Dawson Craven RAAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Herbert Hugh Elliott (Observer)
Flying Officer Eric Arthur Main (Pilot)
A telegram was sent to D, H. Hopgood dated the 15th April 1942: - “Deeply regret to inform you that Pilot Officer Herbert Hugh Elliott is reported to have lost his life as he result of an aircraft accident on 13/7/42. The Air Council express their profound sympathy. His wife has been informed.”
The accident was attributed to pilot having disobeyed his orders as the aircraft was seen to descend below 50 feet while making its dummy attack. As a result of the accident the unit was ordered not to fly below 100 feet during future exercises of the same type.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Trinity College, Cambridge and on the memorial at the London Rowing Club.
He is buried at Nanyuki War Cemetery Row 1 Grave 34.

Ellissen, Francis Lyon Gordon, son of Arthur Victor Ellissen, member Lond. Stock Exchange, of Richmond, Surrey, and Irene Maude Mary, d. of George Lyon Begbie; b. 26 May 1918; adm. Jan. 1932 (A); left. July 1935; RNVR in WW2; lost in the sinking by enemy action of SS Laconia 12 Sept. 1942.

Francis Lyon Gordon Ellissen was born at Richmond, Surrey on the 26th of May 1918 the son of Arthur Victor Sampson Ellissen MC MP, a barrister at law, and Irene Maude Mary (nee Begbie) Ellissen, an artist, of 6, Cardigan Road, Richmond. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from January 1932 to July 1935. On leaving school he worked as a commercial artist.
Following the outbreak of war he enlisted in the Royal Navy, was trained as a gunner and was attached to the 19,695 ton passenger liner SS Laconia.
The SS Laconia, under the command of Master Rudolph Sharp OBE, sailed from the Middle East bound for Liverpool, and stopped at Capetown before setting sail for Freetown. She was unescorted and was carrying 136 crewmen, 80 civilians, 268 military personnel, including nurses, and 1,809 Italian prisoners guarded by 160 Polish troops; she was also carrying 200 tons of general cargo.
At 10.20pm on the 12th of September 1942, the SS Laconia was sailing some 360 miles to the north, northeast of the Ascension Islands when she was struck by a torpedo which had been fired by the U-Boat U-156, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Werner Hartenstein. The torpedo struck her in the hold on the starboard side, killing many of the Italian prisoners in the explosion. She began to list to starboard and, as Captain Sharp was regaining control of her, she was struck in her Number 2 hold by a second torpedo. With the forecastle now awash, Sharp issued the order to abandon ship with the women, children and the wounded taking to the lifeboats. 32 lifeboats had been destroyed by the explosions. At 11.11pm the ship sank by the bow leaving hundreds of survivors in the water. Although estimates vary, between 1,658 and 1,757 passengers and crew are thought to have lost their lives in the attack.
He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Memorial Panel 68, Column 1.

Elliston, Francis Albert Neville, son of Sir George Sampson Elliston MC MP, barrister-at-law, of Elmsett, Suffolk, and Alice Louise, d. of Joseph Causton DL of Bickley, Kent; b. 10 Mar. 1907; adm. Sept. 1920 (H); left July 1923; St Catb. Coll. Camb., matric. 1923, BA 1926, MA 1930; sec. Public Dental Assn of Gt Britain 1939; E. Lancs Regt 1940-3, Parachute Regt 1943 (Capt.); m. 22 Oct. 1935 Mary Muir, d. of Robert James Muir Wilson of St Helen's, Lancs; killed in action (Normandy) 8 June 1944.

Francis Albert Neville Elliston was born at Paddington, London on the 10th of March 1907 the second son of Sir George Sampson Elliston MC, MP, MA, DL, JP, barrister at law, and Lady Alice Louise (nee Causton) Elliston of 1, Warrington Crescent, Lancaster Gate, later of 40, Heathcroft, Golders green in Middlesex. He was christened at Christ Church, Lancaster Gate on the 11th of April 1907.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1920 to July 1923 and rowed for the 2nd IV in 1923.
He matriculated for St Catharine’s College, Cambridge as a pensioner on the 23rd of October 1923 where he read History and Law. He rowed for the College at stroke in the second May Boat in 1925 and graduated with a BA on the 29th of June 1926. During his time at Cambridge he was a regular contributor of “witty and clever articles” to the Cambridge University student magazine, the “Granta”. He was also a keen member of the Oxford Group. He qualified as a barrister and worked at Lincoln’s Inn. He was awarded a MA on the 13th of June 1930.
He was married at The Church of St Mary the Great, Cambridge on the 22nd of October 1934 to Mary (nee Muir-Wilson) of Windle Grange, St Helens in Lancashire; they had a son, Robin, born on the 13th of October 1936.
He enlisted as a Private in the 1/7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment in the Territorial Army in 1939 and rose to the rank of Corporal before attending the 168th Officer Cadet Training Unit from where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the East Lancashire Regiment on the 10th of February 1940. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 1st of June 1943. He volunteered for airborne training and attended Course No. 72 at RAF Ringway from the 12th to the 23rd of July 1943. The instructors noted that Francis Elliston was a: - “Fine type of officer and a good parachutist”.
The 13th Battalion, Parachute Regiment landed at Drop Zone N, to the north of the village of Ranville, in Normandy at 12.50am on the 6th of June 1944. The Battalion assembled and moved off from their rendezvous point on the drop zone at 2.30am with Ranville reported as having been cleared of the enemy by 3am. The Battalion was still holding the area around Ranville on the 8th of June when Francis Ellison was shot in the chest and killed at 11.30am.
His Colonel wrote: - “All of us, officers and men, have lost one of our best friends and a most able and efficient comrade.”
The Westminster school magazine, the “Elizabethan”, wrote of him: - “At one time he was actively engaged in the services of the Oxford Group, in which, as indeed in all his work, his cheerful disposition and capacity for friendship won for him the deep affection of a wide circle.”
The St Catharine’s College magazine wrote: -
“He was educated at Westminster before coming to S. Catharine's where his cheerfulness and determination proved a potent force in College rowing. But at heart he was a crusader, and as one he went into the war. For a time he held a commission in The East Lancashire Regiment, then recruited mainly from his father's constituency, but he transferred to the Parachute Regiment and led the Normandy invasion. Less than forty eight hours after dropping he was killed.”
He is commemorated on the St Helens Roll of Honour and on the war memorials at Lincoln’s Inn and at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge.
He is buried at Ranville War Cemetery Plot IA, Row E Grave 12.

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

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

Evers, Gilbert Davey, son of Harold Evers of Bromley; b. 11 Jan. 1912; adm. Sept. 1925 (B), (A) Sept. 1926; left Apr. 1929; RAFVR 1939-45 (Flt Serg., flying instructor); PO Jan. 1945; killed in air operations over Germany 28 Jan. 1945.

Gilbert Davey “Pop” Evers was born at Bromley, Kent on the 11th of January 1912 the younger son of Harold Evers, a chartered secretary, and Rhoda Skene (nee Heathcote) Evers of 6, Haven Green, Ealing in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Busby’s from September 1925 and up Ashburnham from September 1926 to April 1929.
He was granted a short service commission in the Royal Air Force with the rank of Acting Pilot Officer on the 21st of October 1935 and was confirmed in his rank on the 21st of October 1936. He resigned his commission on the 11th of March 1937.
On the outbreak of war he was working as an instrument flying instructor and was lodging at 83, Grand Avenue, Hassocks in Sussex.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1940 where he rose to the rank of Warrant Officer before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 16th of January 1945.
On the 28th of January 1945, Bomber Command dispatched 153 Lancasters for an operation on the Gremberg railway marshalling yards at Cologne. The weather was clear and the target was hit but with some bombs overshooting.
Gilbert Evers and his crew took off from RAF Chedburgh at 10.46am on the 27th of January 1945 in Lancaster Mk I PD296 HA-B, as the Squadron’s lead aircraft for the operation. This was to be his 30th operation, the final one of his tour of operations. While the aircraft was in the target area it was hit by anti aircraft fire and crashed at 2pm at Bergisch-Gladbach, 14 kilometres to the east north east of the centre of Cologne, with the loss of all but one of the crew.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer Gilbert Davey Evers (Pilot)
Sgt Ernest Noel James Francis (Flight Engineer)
Flying Officer Frederick J. Norton (2nd Navigator) (Wounded) (POW)
Flight Sergeant Anthony Morris (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant David Charles Allen (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Eric Holland (Wireless Operator)
Sergeant Edward Bertram Barradell (Air Gunner)
Warrant Officer John Towns DFC (Air Gunner)
Theirs was one of four aircraft which were lost during the operation, one of which crash landed in liberated France.
The navigator, Frederick Norton, was the only member of the crew to survive. He had been wounded by shrapnel in the arm but landed safely by parachute and was captured. Had Gilbert Evers survived the operation he would have been stood down from further operations.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at the Church of Christ the Saviour, Ealing.
He is buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Plot 31, Row C, Grave 1.

Eyre, Philip Colmer, brother of Ambrose Wright Eyre (qv); b. 24 Oct. 1920; adm. Sept. 1934 (H); left July 1938; Pearl Assurance Co.; Sgt Pilot RAFVR, killed in action while returning from a raid over Germany 7 Sept. 1941.

Philip Colmer Eyre was born at Bristol, Gloucestershire on the 24th of October 1920 the son of James Colmer Eyre, a wholesale stationer and bookbinder, and Annie Margaret (nee Gardner) Eyre of 142, Kensington Park Road, Kensington in London, later of 1, Landsdown Place, West Bath in Somerset. He was christened at the Wesleyan Church, Whiteladies Road, Bristol on the 12th of December 1920. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1934 to July 1938. He was a member of the Cricket XI in 1937 and 1938. On leaving school he accepted a post on the staff of the Secretarial Department of the Pearl Assurance Company.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was posted for pilot training to No. 2 Service Flying Training School. On completion of his training he joined 78 Squadron for operations in July 1941 and was transferred to 102 Squadron later the same year.
On the night of the 6th/7th of September 1941, Bomber Command dispatched 41 Whitleys, 18 Hampdens and 27 Wellingtons for an operation on the synthetic rubber plant at Huls, Krefeld in Germany. The weather was clear and good results were reported by the returning crews.
Phillip Eyre and his crew took off from RAF Topcliffe at 9.05pm on the 6th of September 1941 in Whitley Mk V Z6970 DY-R for the operation. The aircraft was carrying two 500lb general purpose bombs, six 250lb bombs and one hundred and forty 4lb incendiaries. The aircraft was flying to the south of Nijmegen, Holland when it was attacked by two night fighters, one flown by Unteroffizier Schienbein of 2./NJG1 and one by Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Willi Schmale of III./NJG1. The aircraft was shot down and crashed at Sambeek near Vortum-Mullem, Noord Brabant, 26 kilometres to the north east of Helmond in Holland at 1.07am with the loss of the entire crew. Wilhelm Willi Schmale was credited with the victory, his third of an eventual eleven.
The crew was: -
Sergeant Phillip Colmer Eyre (Pilot)
Sergeant Leonard Albert Stock RCAF (Observer)
Sergeant Kenneth Pearson Withyman (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Thomas McGill (Air Gunner)
Theirs was one of eight aircraft which failed to return from the raid.
His mother received the following telegram dated the 2nd of October 1941: - “Regret to inform you that information just received through the International Red Cross states that your son Sergeant Philip Colmer Eyre previously reported missing is now reported missing but believed to have lost his life as the result of air operations. Any further information received will be immediately communicated to you.”
The crew was buried on the 9th of September 1941. Their bodies were exhumed for identification purposes by No. 2 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit, Royal Air Force on the 10th of May 1947 and were reburied at the same location.
One of his flying helmets was sold at auction on the 30th of January 2018.
He is commemorated on the Pearl Assurance war memorial.
He is buried at Woensel General Cemetery, Eindhoven Plot JJ, Grave 37.