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Marchand, Roy Achille, son of René Marchand, co. director, and Constance Jane, d. of Evan William Dean of Bromley, Kent; b. 24 Aug. 1918; adm. May 1932 (A), (B) May 1934; left July 1936; PO RAF May 1939; m. 4 May 1940 Jean Angela Cullen; killed in action over the Thames estuary 15 Sept. 1940.

Roy Achille “Dim” Marchand was born at Bromley, Kent on the 24th of August 1918 the only son of Rene Marchand, a company director, and Constance Jane (nee Dean) Marchand of 6, Hayes Road, Bromley in Kent. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from May 1932 and up Busby’s from May 1934 to May 1936. He went on to King’s College, London University to study Medicine but he met a Squadron Leader while on holiday in the South of France in 1938 which inspired to him to join the Royal Air Force in March 1939. He was posted to No. 30 Elementary Flying and Reserve Flying Training School based at Burnaston for pilot training before going on to No. 15 Flying Training School based at RAF Lossiemouth. He was commissioned as an Acting Pilot Officer on probation on the 27th of May 1939 and was awarded his Wings in August 1939. He was promoted to Pilot Officer on probation on the 18th of November 1939. He was then posted to No. 11 Group Pool for further training after which he was attached to No. 2 Ferry Pilot Pool at Filton in December 1939 as a reserve pilot for service in France. He was offered the opportunity to go to Canada as an instructor but declined it, preferring instead to join a fighter Squadron. In early 1940 he was posted to 73 Squadron based at Rouvres and was confirmed in his rank on the 17th March 1940.
Roy Marchand took off from Rouvre at 11.50am on the 23rd of March 1940 in a Hurricane as Blue 2 with two other aircraft from the Squadron for a patrol at 20,000 feet over the Metz area. He intercepted and attacked two Messerschmitt Bf109s over Herzig and claimed to have damaged both of them. On his return to base at 1.10pm he filed the following combat report: -
“Sir, I, Pilot Officer Marchand, have the honour to report that at 11.50 hours on 23.3.40, I took off after blue leader to intercept enemy aircraft above Metz. I lost blue leader on the way so headed for these 4 streaks. Arriving at 22,000 feet to the north of Metz I circled trying to see these enemy aircraft also blue leader and blue 3. During my circling I suddenly saw a 4 Do17s at 24,000 feet east of the Moselle. I chased after them, but was very slow in overtaking them. I eventually caught up a little on a tight turn as they changed direction turning north at the same time changing formation from wide Vic to line astern. Eventually when I was almost in range I saw two Me109’s on my port slightly behind and level with me. I immediately executed a climbing turn to the right and eventually succeeded in getting on their tails. They retained a fairly close formation and altogether I put two bursts into each of them, using deflection. Their avoiding action was medium turns to the right and left. I was about to continue the action, being still on their tails, when I noticed two more Me109’s about 500 feet above me on my tail. I broke off the attack and dived towards some cloud and flew back to the aerodrome. The action took place over Herzig.”
Roy Marchand took off at 3.40pm on the 21st of April 1940 in a Hurricane with two other aircraft from the Squadron as part of B Flight for a standing patrol over the French lines. They were flying at a height of 26,500 feet when they encountered enemy aircraft. During the engagement he attacked a Messerschmitt 110 and fired five bursts atit of between 2 and 4 seconds before it went down. He landed at 5.50pm when he claimed the enemy aircraft as having been destroyed. He filed the following combat report: -
“Sir, I have the honour to report that on the afternoon of the 21st instant at about 16.30 hrs I observed a Messerschmitt 109 falling in flames. At about 16.55 the patrol encountered 6 Me110s about 10 miles N. of Trier. The leading section turned to attack them and I singled out the rearmost Me110. He did a turn to the right and I tried a deflection shot from about 250 yards. I gave it too much for I saw the bullets going ahead of the E/A. I gave it another burst with less deflection and hit the starboard engine which immediately gave out clouds of white smoke. The E.A. straightened up and I gave him another burst on the port engine. This was hit and also gave out clouds of white smoke. The E.A. then went into a shallow dive. I closed to within 100 yards following it down giving it short bursts. During this the rear gunner took a shot at me and I saw tracer going over my starboard wing. I gave it another burst in the middle of the fuselage and the gun was silenced. As I finished all my ammunition it went into a vertical dive with the smoke still pouring from both its engines.”
On the 21st of April 1940, Roy Marchant took off in a Hurricane as one of nine aircraft from the Squadron to patrol between Konisenaoken-Bouzonville at 26,500 feet. The weather was partly cloudy. At 12.20 pm they were flying over Herzig when they sighted twelve enemy aircraft flying at 13,000 feet and they dived to attack four of them. He opened fire on one of these from a range of 200 yards firing a three second burst of fire at it from astern before engaging two more and firing two more bursts of three seconds at one of these from astern and causing black smoke to come from it. Having lost sight of the enemy aircraft and coming under anti aircraft fire from a nearby enemy airfield he dived into cloud and flew back to base
On his return to base he filed the following combat report: -
“Sir, I have the honour to report that on the 21st instant, I was in a section of a flight of 9 aircraft, patrolling Konisenaoken-Bouzonville at 26,500 feet when we engaged 12 enemy aircraft in an indefinite formation, flying north. I singled out one Me109 and gave him a burst. He turned to the right and on following him I saw another Me109 much nearer to me so attacked that one instead. At the same time I saw another Hurricane closely following an Me109 from which something came out from the cockpit and twisted round the tail. The Me109 spun out of my line of vision. After a long burst, he climbed straight up and fell on his right side as if he was doing a stall turn to the right. He spun off that and I followed him down to 10,000 feet firing all the time until I observed a continuous stream of black smoke coming from his underside. This continued and I stopped following him at 10,000 feet for I thought another enemy aircraft might be following me. After satisfying myself that there were none, I looked round for the Me109 but lost it. I was over the top of Saarlautern Aerodrome ad experienced a certain amount of indifferent anti aircraft fire. I observed another Hurricane flying south west so followed it back and landed.”
He returned to England on leave where he was married at Bromley on the 4th of May 1940 to Jean Angela (nee Cullen, later Pelham-Jones); they had a daughter, Carol.
Roy Marchand took off from Rouvres at 5.55am on the 13th of May 1940 in Hurricane Mk I L1673 TP-P with three other aircraft from the Squadron for a patrol. While flying near Reims they engaged a formation of Messerschmitt 110s and Dornier 17s. During the action he claimed to have shot down a Dornier 17 but in the attack his aircraft was hit by return fire from one of the enemy aircraft and was hit by a tracer bullet through the flesh of his left shoulder and received a wound from shattered Perspex splinters under his left eye. With his oil and glycol tanks hit he was to crash land the aircraft near the village of Betheniville at 6.30am. He was evacuated to England for treatment.
His father received the following telegram dated the 17th of May 1940: - “Sir, I am directed to inform you that your son Pilot Officer Roy Achille Marchand was slightly wounded in action on 13th of May 1940. As his injuries are not serious no further reports are expected, but should any be received you will be notified as quickly as possible.”
While on sick leave after his release from hospital, he was treated at the Royal Cornwall Infirmary for treatment for a lacerated elbow when he and his wife were involved in a car accident at Mawes Road, near Truro on the 4th of June 1940. He rejoined his Squadron at RAF Church Fenton, North Yorkshire in July 1940.
On the 5th of September 1940, 73 Squadron flew south to RAF Debden and a moved the satellite airfield at RAF Castle Camps.
The following day, the 6th of September 1940, Roy Marchant took off from RAF Castle Camps at 8.50am in a Hurricane with orders to patrol “Monkey” at 15,000 feet. He was flying in as Blue 2 in B Flight. At 9.21am they spotted 80 to 100 Messerschmitt Bf109s flying in Vic formation and circling at various heights between 15,000 and 25,000 feet
At 9.30am Blue Section attacked 9 of the enemy fighters which were circling at 22,000 feet and made a beam attack in lines astern on the enemy formation which developed into an astern attack. Roy Marchant picked out one of the enemy aircraft some 10 miles to the north east of Maidstone and fired two bursts of three seconds each at it. He saw black smoke pouring from it and followed it down to 10,000 feet by which time flames were coming from its engine and the fuselage had also caught fire. He was forced to break away from the combat when another enemy aircraft attacked his but he managed to shake it off and, running short of fuel, he landed at Penshurst near Tonbridge. On his return to Castle Camps he filed the following combat report: - “I was Blue 2 and my section sighted E/A at 9.21 flying in vic formations and in circles. No unusual markings or camouflage. I picked out three E/A which appeared to be straggling a little and I attacked one Me109 using deflection (22 degrees approx.). No enemy fire experienced. Range 200 yds. Two bursts of 3 secs. each. Clouds of black smoke almost immediately came from engine and E/A went into steep dive. I followed him down to 10,000 ft, by which time flames as well as smoke were coming from underneath the engine. I did not follow further down, in case other E/A were on my tail, but after stopping – satisfying myself thatn o other E/A were about I tried without success to find my victim. My R/T was very poor and I was not receiving and was getting short of fuel. Landed at Penshurst Landing Field. No A.A. fire seen.”
The Squadron diary recorded the following on that date: - “... P/O Marchand destroyed a 109, 10 miles N.E. of Maidstone, thus opening the Squadron’s score in that category. He landed at Penshurst having run short of petrol and rather lost his way. He got back in the evening his smiles even as large as if his wife had walked suddenly into Freddie 1. It was a tonic to see him but when he came to make out his individual combat report, the I.O. noticed that he had only claimed a “probable”. Even more pleased was he when told it obviously came into the “destroyed” class.
Roy Marchand took off from RAF Castle Camps at 5.38pm on the 11th of September 1940 as one of twelve aircraft from the Squadron with orders to rendezvous over Debden where they were to join aircraft from 17 Squadron and then to patrol over Rochford at 15,000 feet. He was flying with Blue Section as Blue 2. At 4.15pm they spotted 12 to 15 Messerschmitt Bf110s in a straggling formation flying to the east of them near Herne Bay at 10,000 feet. The Hurricanes descended a little and began circling the enemy aircraft. Roy Marchand spotted two of the Me110s flying towards Margate and attacked one of them from astern with two to three second bursts fire from a range of 300 yards closing to 100yards. He hit the port engine which gave out white smoke clouds with intermittent black clouds. This turned into a stream of black smoke and the enemy aircraft dived into cloud to evade him where it executed as series of diving turns to escape from him. He followed it three miles out to sea off Margate when he saw black smoke pouring from the middle of the enemy aircraft. He abandoned the chase five miles further on and thought it was unlikely that the Me110 made it back across the Channel.
He landed back at base at 4.55pm and filed the following combat report: -
“Enemy sighted about 1615. Saw 2 Me110s proceeding towards Margate from Sheerness. Me110s were light gray on top and greenish blue underneath, black crosses on white background. Enemy was flying straight and level, and an astern attack was delivered. E/A’s port engine was hit, and gave out white smoke in which were intermittent puffs of black smoke until ultimately the whole port engine was giving a stream of black smoke. No enemy aircraft fire was experienced. The E/A dived into cloud for evasive action, and executed steep turns. Result of combat was E/A’s port engine was giving out black smoke which the E/A was diving, and flying level and diving again. Attack was stopped about 8 miles off Margate with the E/A still going down. Last observed E/A’s height at 4,000 feet. Weather was one large patch of 8/10th cloud over Herne Bay. Sun was in the west. Took off 1540. Landed 16.55. Shellbursts assisted in intercepting enemy aircraft but burst too close to our aircraft for comfort. Fire was opened at 300 yds closing to 100yds. Bursts of 3 seconds.
Roy Marchand took off from RAF Castle Camps at 11.05am on the 15th of September 1940 in Hurricane Mk I P3865 TP-K as one of ten aircraft from A and B Flight with orders to rendezvous with 19 Squadron over Debden and then to patrol over Chelmsford at 15,000 feet. He was flying with Yellow Section.
With large numbers of enemy aircraft reported to be crossing the English coast the formation was vectored to the south of the Thames estuary to intercept them on their approach to London. At 12.05pm they spotted 12 Messerschmitt Bf109s flying at 18,000 feet with 10 more above them at 22,000 feet. The enemy aircraft were flying in a south easterly direction at 230 mph in a scattered formation over Medway near Canterbury.
The enemy aircraft were engaged over Maidstone with the Squadron pilots claiming to have destroyed 3 Me109s and to have damaged one other.
During the dog fight a fellow pilot from his Squadron saw Roy Marchand’s aircraft shot down. It crashed at Nouds Farm, Lynstead near Sittingbourne where it burned out, killing Roy Marchand. His body was taken to Sittingbourne Mortuary.
His pregnant wife was on the airfield in the dispersal area to await news of him from the returning pilots when she was told of his death by Flying Officer Michael Beytagh (acting Commanding Officer) and Pilot Officer Hoole, the Squadron Intelligence Officer.
She received the following telegram dated the 17th of September 1940: - “Deeply regret to inform you that your husband Pilot Officer Roy Achille Marchand is reported to have lost his life as the result of air operations on September 15th 1940. Letter follows. The Air Council express their profound sympathy.”
His funeral took place at St Mark’s Church, Bromley.
The Squadron diarist wrote that night: - “P/O Marchand was an excellent pilot and a charming and unassuming boy who was never ruffled by anybody or anything. We will sorely miss him.” The record for the day was closed with the words, “The Squadron feels that to some extent the death of gallant Marchand today has been avenged by the day’s good work.”
His mother wrote of him: -“He was the loveliest and most precious gift that God could bestow on any mortal on earth, and I, his mother, shall mourn him all the rest of my days.”
He is commemorated on an obelisk at Nouds Farm, Lynsted, Kent.
He is buried at Bromley Hill Cemetery Block I, Grave 230.

Kidner, Richard Daymond, brother of Roger Wakely Kidner (qv); b. 20 Dec. 1920; adm. Sept. 1933 (A, non-res. KS); left July 1939; Ch. Ch. Oxf., matric. 1939; RA 1941-6 (Capt.); d. after a traffic accident in Trieste 15 Feb. 1946.

Richard Daymond Kidner was born at Bexley, Kent on the 30th of December 1920 the son of Arthur Richard Kidner, Director of Postal Services at the Royal Mint, and Mabel (nee Wakely) Kidner of “The Oaks”, Station Road, Bexley in Kent, later of “Starfell”, Southdown Road, Seaford in Sussex. He was christened at Holy Trinity Church, Bexley on the 15th of February 1921.
He was educated at Merton Court School, Foot’s Cray and at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham as a non resident King’s Scholar from September 1933 to July 1939. He won both the Ireland Prize for Latin Verse and the Ireland Prize for Greek Verse in 1938. He matriculated for Christ Church, Oxford in 1939 on a Weston Exhibition and was there for two years. He was awarded a BA. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 18th of October 1941.
On the 15th of February 1946, Richard Kidner left the Regiment’s base at Gradisca by car to attend a course at Perugia. During the journey he was seriously injured in a traffic accident at San Giorgio. He was taken to the British General Hospital in Trieste where he died from his injuries during the evening.
His funeral took place the following day.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Christ Church, Oxford and on the memorial at Merton Court School.
He is buried at Udine War Cemetery Plot III, Row D, Grave 12.

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.

Iago, John Martindale, son of George Martindale Iago FCA, of Harrow, and Beatrice Mary, d. of George Waldron Bowen of Knighton, Radnor; b. 16 Jan. 1916; adm. Jan. 1930 (A); left Dec. 1933; Imperial Coll. of Science, BSc 1938; RNVR 1939-41 (Lieut. (E)); lost in HMS Hood 24 May 1941.

John Martindale Iago was born at Northwood, Middlesex on the 16th of January 1916 the son of George Martindale Iago FCA, an accountant, and Beatrice Mary (nee Bowen) Iago of “Gerrans”, Crofters Road, Northwood. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from January 1930 to December 1933. He played the flute solo from the First Movement from Sonata No. 4 by J.C.F. Bach at an informal concert in the Michaelmas term of 1932 and the flute solo “Gavotte” by Gossec at an informal concert in early 1933.
He went on to the Imperial College of Science from where he graduated BSc (Eng) in 1938 and also qualified as ACGI.
He was commissioned as an Electrical Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on the 29th of August 1939 and was posted to the crew of battlecruiser HMS Hood on the 14th of September 1939. He was promoted to Electrical Lieutenant on the 16th of January 1941. He was engaged to Dorothy Castle of Belsize Gardens in London.
At 1am on the 22nd of May 1941, the battleship HMS Hood set sail from Scapa Flow in company with the newly built battleship HMS Prince of Wales. They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Achates, HMS Antelope, HMS Anthony, HMS Echo, HMS Electra and HMS Icarus and were bound for Hvals Fjord in Iceland following reports that the German battleship Bismarck and the cruiser Prinz Eugen had left Bergen in search of merchant shipping to attack.
By the evening of the 23rd of May they were to the south of Iceland when they received a report from the destroyer HMS Suffolk that they had sighted the Bismarck in the Straits of Denmark and at 7.39pm they increased their speed and changed course to intercept the enemy ship.
Due to the pounding seas and the high speed of the two larger ships, the escorting destroyers struggled to keep up and were given permission to drop back at 4am on the 14th of May as the two capital ships continued the hunt on their own.
The enemy ships were sighted and at 5.52am HMS Hood opened fire on Prinz Eugen at a range of 25,000 yards. Prince of Wales fired its first salvo one minute later. HMS Hood received five salvos in reply from the two enemy ships, the second and third of which bracketed the ship causing a fire to break out on the port side.
At 6am she was hit by the fifth salvo in the aft magazine, blew up, and sank in three to four minutes with the loss of 1,415 of her crew of 1,418.
His sister Beatrice “Bee” (later Kenchington) published a book of his letters called “...and Home There’s No Returning: Letters of Lieutenant John Martindale Iago RNVR from HMS 'Hood', 1939-41”
He is commemorated on the Roll of Honour of Electrical Engineers and on the memorial at the Hood Chapel at the Church of St John the Baptist, Boldre, Hampshire.
He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial Panel 60, Column 3.

Horton, John Corbett, son of Henry Beavan Horton, of Blackheath, Kent, by Jean May, daughter of Thomas Spurr, of King's Lynn, Norfolk; b. Sept. 4, 1899; adm. April 30, 1914 (A); left March 1918; 2nd Lieut. 3rd Batt. R. Sussex Regt. Oct. 30, 1918; a timber merchant, director of B. Horton and Son, Ltd.; Capt. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Feb. 26, 1940; transferred to Durham Light Infantry; Major; m. Aug. 22, 1931, Eileen Mary Dowman, daughter of William Edward Riley, F.R.I.B.A., of Blackheath, Kent; d. on active service Dec. 3, 1944.

John Corbett Horton was born at Blackheath, London on the 4th of September 1899 the eldest son of Henry Beavon Horton, a timber merchant, and Jean Mary (nee Spurr) Horton of 15, Eliot Vale, Blackheath in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from the 30th of April 1914 to March 1918. He was a member of the 2nd Football XI in 1916 and of the 1st Football XI in 1917 and 1918. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps where he was promoted to Lance Corporal in September 1916, to Corporal in November 1916 and to Company Sergeant Major in November 1917.
He enlisted into the army at Whitehall as Private 60564 on the 5th of April 1918 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment on the 30th of October 1918. After the war he joined the firm of B. Horton and Son Ltd, timber merchants, where he was later appointed as a director. He retired to the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers and was promoted to Lieutenant in the 20th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Blackheath and Woolwich) on the 23rd of December 1928. He was promoted to Captain on the 13th of June 1934.
He was married on the 22nd of August 1931 to Eileen Mary Dowman (nee Riley) and they lived at 16, Blackheath Rise, Lewisham and later at 11, Oakcroft Road, Lewisham in London. They had a son, Richard John, born on the 23rd of January 1934.
Following the outbreak of war he was mobilised in 1940 and was appointed as a Captain in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on the 26th of February 1940. He transferred to the Durham Light Infantry at the same rank on the 13th of June 1940 where he was appointed as second in command of No. 41 Infantry Training Company based at Brancepeth Castle, County Durham.
He died there following a short illness.
He is buried at St Brandon’s Church, Brancepeth.

Harston, Michael George Sirdefield, son of Maj. Sir Ernest Sirdefield Harston CBE, Chairman Brit. Commonwealth Ex-Service League, and Ruth Barbara, d. of Sir George Shirtcliffe KBE, of Wellington, NZ; b. l 2Jan. 1920; adm. Sept. 1932 (A); left July 1938; Peterhouse, Camb., matric. 1938; RNVR 1940-3 (Lieut.), lost in HMS Beverley (Atlantic) 11 Apr. 1943.

Michael George Sirdefield Harston was born at Wellington, New Zealand on the 12th of January 1920 the only son of Major Ernest Sirdefield Harston CBE, Chairman of the British and Commonwealth Ex Service League, and Ruth Barbara (nee Shirtcliffe) Harston of 12, Wyndham Place in London W1. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1932 to July 1938 and was a distinguished athlete while he was at the school. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps where he achieved Certificate A in November 1936 and was promoted to Corporal in September 1937. He matriculated for Peterhouse College, Cambridge in 1938 but did not graduate as he left the College for military service.
Following the outbreak of war he enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant on the 12th of January 1940. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 12th of July 1942. He was posted to the destroyer HMS Beverley (D64), under the command of Lieutenant Commander Rodney Athelstan Price RN.
On the 4th of February 1943, HMS Beverley and the destroyer HMS Vimy (D33) were escorting Convoy SC118 on route to Londonderry, when they attacked the U Boat U-187, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ralph Münnich. They sank her with depth charges and t The U Boat sank with the loss of nine men from her crew of fifty four; her Captain was among the dead.
At 6pm on the 1st of April 1943, HMS Beverley was sailing off Rankin Island, County Antrim when she joined the convoy ON-176, which consisted of forty one merchant ships. She was to act as one of its escorts on its journey to Canada and on to the United States. At 10.10pm on the 9th of April, she was seriously damaged in a collision with the British steam merchant SS Cairnvalona while in fog. She was holed in the forward starboard side and took station at the rear of the convoy while the damage was being repaired.
At 5.49am on the morning of the 11th of April 1943, the German submarine U-188, under the command of Korvettenkapitän Siegfried Ludden, fired a torpedo at the convoy, which was to the southwest of Iceland at the time. He observed a hit on a tanker after 1 minute 34 seconds, which finally sank 45 minutes later with a broken back. At 5.50am, two more torpedoes were fired at the convoy and after 1 minute 58 seconds and 2 minutes 11 seconds hits on two ships were heard. At 5.52am two more torpedoes were fired which, after 1 minute 58 seconds, hit a fourth ship which began to settle by the bow. However, Allied records later indicated that only HMS Beverley was actually hit, between the forward and aft boiler rooms. The explosion on board the destroyer was followed by a complete power failure and a severe lurch to port, after which the ship sank by the stern about a minute later at the position of 52º19'N, 40º28'W. As she slipped beneath the surface there was a large underwater explosion. She was lost with one hundred and fifty one of her crew from a ship's complement of one hundred and fifty five officers and men. Michael Harston was among the dead. Although seven of her crew were picked up over the next hour, three of these were either already dead, or died a short time later.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Peterhouse College, Cambridge.
He is commemorated on the Portsmouth naval Memorial Panel 81, Column 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.

Halse-Hearne, William Edward, son of William Frederick Halse-Hearne, RN stores officer, and Esther, d. of James Alexander Crofton; b. 22 July 1917; adm. Apr. 1931 (A), (B) Jan. 1933; left Dec. 1933; Drummond's Bank; 2nd Lieut. Wilts Regt 1943, transf. Commandos (Capt.); m. 18 June 1940 Margaret Horner; d. of wounds (Burma) Nov. 1944.

William Edward Halse-Hearne was born in North London on the 22nd of July 1917 the only son of William Frederick Halse-Hearne RN, a naval stores officer, and Esther (nee Crofton) Halse-Hearne of 17, King’s Road, Wimbledon in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from April 1931 and up Busby’s from January 1933 to December 1933.
He joined the staff of Drummonds Bank in London in 1934 where he worked as a clerk. He enlisted in the Honourable Artillery Company in 1938 where he served with B Battery and he was mobilised for war service in September 1939.
He was married in Surrey on the 18th of June 1940 to Margaret Gertrude (nee Horner).
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Wiltshire Regiment on the 4th of June 1943 and was later attached to No. 1 Commando where he was appointed to the command of No. 4 Troop.
In November 1944, No 1 Commando was based at Teknaf in the Maungdaw Hills of Burma from where they were carrying out patrols against Japanese troops in the area. On the 11th of November 1944, No. 4 Troop, No. 1 Commando was briefed for a patrol to investigate a report of the presence of Japanese troops in the area of the village of Ywathitke. The patrol was to consist of eighteen other ranks, commanded by William Halse-Hearne, accompanied by Lieutenant Paterson and by an Intelligence Officer. It was to take a route on the outward journey of Nurutlapara –Chiradan West - Ywathitke to Thavengonbaung and return by the same route. The patrol set out at midday and was due to return at 6pm.
They advanced down the main road to a river crossing where they received updated information that enemy troops were in Thavengonbaung and in a another village to the north of it. On receiving this information they split into two groups, one under Lieutenant Paterson and the other under William Halse-Hearne, with one advancing towards through the villages towards Thavengonbaung and the other continuing down the main track where the two groups were to rendezvous. Both groups reached the rendezvous point without incident where they were informed by a native boy that the Japanese were in the village where they were commandeering millet from the locals. They continued their advance towards the village in open order with C Section, under Lieutenant Paterson, on the left and with D Section, under William Halse-Hearne, on the right. They reached the south end of the village where they found the approach to it was across 100 yards of scrub with a further 100 yards of forward slope and then 800 yards of open paddy fields beyond. Having covered the 200 yards to the village they came under fire from an enemy light machine gun and from rifle fire from their right and from snipers on their left. The two sections took cover but William Halse-Hearne had been wounded and was lying on the open ground. He was brought in by his men under heavy fire who were then forced to fall back when they were brought under 2 inch mortar fire. C Section also withdrew having kileld three enemy snipers. William Halse-Hearne was carried to Thavengonbaung and then taken on an improvised stretcher to Chiradan West. He died from his wounds during the journey when the party was approximately a mile from Thavengonbaung.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at the Royal Bank of Scotland branch at 36, Andrew Square, Edinburgh
He is buried at Taukkyan War Cemetery Plot 3, Row G, Grave 4.

Gates, Terence Horatio, brother of Ralph Charles Gates (qv); b. 17 Nov. 1908; adm. Jan. 1923 (A); left. Dec. 1925; Selwyn Coll. Camb., matric. 1928, BA 1931; RA 1940-4 (Lieut.); m. 18 Jan. 1936 Margery Helen, d. of Col. Sir Henry George Lyons RE, Fellow and Treasurer Royal Soci­ety; killed in action (Burma) 1944.

Terence Horatio Gates was born in Italy on the 17th of November 1908 the younger son of Dr Edward Alfred Gates MD OBE OW, Medical Officer at Westminster School, and Mary Elizabeth (nee Fowler) Gates of 9, Cambridge Square, Paddington in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from January 1923 to December 1925. He matriculated for Selwyn College, Cambridge in 1928 and was awarded a BA in 1931.
He was married on the 18th of January 1936 to Margery Helen (nee Lyons) of York Terrace, Regent’s Park; they lived at Flat 2, 28, Cleveland Square, Lancaster Gate in London. They had two daughters, Christine Mary, born on the 24th of May 1937 and Hester, born on the 3rd of July 1939.
He attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 2nd of November 1940. He transferred to the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment and was later appointed as Battalion Intelligence Officer.
In March 1944 the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment formed No. 16 and No. 61 Columns of the Chindit operation code named Operation Thursday. The operation was to penetrate deep behind Japanese lines and was made up of 45 columns, each of 400-450 men and 60 mules. They were to attack Japanese supply lines, cutting roads, bridges and railway lines and to attack their troops at every opportunity. The leading elements of the Chindit force began its long march into enemy territory on the 5th of February 1944 with the last column following on the 22nd of February. They created air strips in the jungle to allow resupply and to evacuate casualties.
Terence Gates left his column on the 18th of June 1944 with two Kachin policemen and headed for Chaungwa where they were to recruit and organise small parties of Kachins to use for scouting. Three days later he was recruiting in a village when he learned from the villagers that there was a large party of Japanese troops in the area. He then set out for the village of Mapyin and, as he was approaching it, he saw two Japanese soldiers sitting on a tree trunk outside the village and opened fire on them. He immediately came under fire from Japanese troops hidden in nearby bushes and was shot in the stomach. He died a short time later.
He is buried at Taukkyan War Cemetery Plot 7, Row D, Grave 23.

Fisher, Herbert Paul Greenwood, brother of John Greenwood Fisher (qv); b. 25 June 1908; adm. Sept. 1922 (A); left July 1926; dir. Benhams (Engineering) Ltd; PO RAFVR Apr. 1940; m. 5 Sept. 1931 Joyce Margaret Applin, d. of Frank Edwin Bennett of Streatham; killed in action over Libya 28 July 1940.

Herbert Paul Greenwood Fisher was born at Hampstead, London on the 25th of June 1908 the younger son of Herbert Fisher, an importer of clocks, and Josephine Hilda (nee Williamson) Fisher of 8, King’s Gardens Hampstead in London. He was christened at St James’ Church, West Hampstead on the 22nd of July 1908. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1922 to July 1926. On leaving school he became a director of Benhams (Engineering) Ltd and was later the Company Secretary to Dunbrik & Company Ltd, brick manufacturers.
He was married on the 5th of September 1931 to Margaret Joyce (nee Applin) and the couple lived at 115, Gaywood Road, King’s Lynn in Norfolk.
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 7th of April 1940.
On the 27th of July 1940, Herbert Greewood and his crew were one of eight aircraft from 30 Squadron which flew to from Iningi Maryut to Maaten Bagush where they were to operate under 202 Group in carrying out operations over the Libyan border.
Herbert Fisher and his crew took off from Maaten Bagush at 6.10am on the 28th of July 1940 in Blenheim Mk IF K7178 HY-B with one other aircraft from the Squadron to escort a Blenheim Mk IV aircraft from 113 Squadron which was undertaking a reconnaissance mission at 6.000 feet over the Italian lines at the border between Libya and Egypt. At 6.30am the other escort fighter entered cloud and became separated from Herbert Greenwood’s aircraft and from the Blenheim they were escorting. The two aircraft continued on their mission alone and were flying between Sollum and Bardia when they were intercepted by five Fiat CR42 fighters of 84 and 90 Squadriglia. During the ensuing combat their aircraft was shot down with the loss of the entire crew. The victory was shared by Sergente Scaglioni and Tenete Franco Lucchini of 90 Squadriglia. Franco Luchini’s aircraft had been so badly damaged by the return fire from the Blenheims that it tipped over on landing and was written off; he was killed in action on the 5th of July 1943. The Blenheim from 113 Squadron, although very badly damaged, managed to return to base alone.
The crew was: -
Flight Lieutenant Ian Cheesman Swann (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Herbert Paul Greenwood Fisher (Observer)
Sergeant John Young (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
The crew was buried close to the wreckage of their aircraft but their bodies were exhumed and mover to their present location in 1948.
He is buried at Knightsbridge War Cemetery Collective Grave 8D 8-9.