Showing 169 results

Davies, Kenneth Frederick, son of Frederick Albert Davies of Beaconsfield, and Ellen Florence, d. of Alfred George Phillips of Devonport; b. 16 Dec. 1918; adm. Sept. 1932 (R); left Dec. 1936; RAF in WW2 (Corpl Armourer); lost in HM Minelayer Welshman (Med.) 1 Feb. 1943.

Kenneth Frederick Davies was born at Acton, Middlesex on the 16th of December 1918 the son of Frederick Albert Davies, secretary to a public company, and Ellen Florence (nee Phillips) Davies of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire. He was christened at St Martin’s Church, West Acton on the 21st of June 1919. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1932 to December 1936. On leaving school he worked as an Assistant Transport Superintendant and lodged at 9, Nevern Square, Kensington in London.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as an armourer and rose to the rank of Corporal.
In January 1943, Kenneth Davies boarded the cruiser minelayer HMS Welshman (M84) , under the command of Captain William Howard Dennis Friedberger DSO RN, which was transporting men and stores from Malta to Tobruk. At 5.45pm on the 1st of February 1943, HMS Welshman was struck by two torpedoes from of a spread of four which had been fired by the U Boat U-617, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Albrecht Brandt. The main deck area flooded and she capsized and sank two hours later with the loss of 163 of her passengers and crew. Several of the casualties were caused by exploding depth charges as she sank. 118 survivors were picked up after five hours in the water by the destroyers HMS Tetcott and HMS Belvoir and were taken to Alexandria. A further 6 survivors were rescued by small craft which had sailed out from Tobruk.
He is commemorated on the Malta Memorial Panel 9, Column 2.

de Bathe, Sir Christopher Albert, Bart., son of Capt. Patrick Wynne de Bathe, of Westminster, by Violet Lindsay, elder daughter of Nicholas Wood, M. P.; b. Sept. 17, 1905; adm. April 26, 1918 (R); left April 1919; went to Rugby School; 2nd Lieut. Highland Light Inf. 1925; retired 1927; Hon. Attache to the British Embassy at Constantinople 1930, and at Brussels 1931; correspondent for The Times in Persia 1932-3; succeeded his grandfather as 6th baronet Aug. 1940; Pilot Officer (A. and S. D.) R.A.F.V.R. Aug. 19, 1940; m. Jan. 11, 1932, Edna, daughter of Arthur Terrell, of Melbourne, Australia; killed on active service June 3, 1941.

Sir Christopher Albert de Bathe was born in London on the 17th of September 1905 the only son of Captain Patrick Wynne de Bathe Bt., HM Diplomatic Service, and Violet Lindsay (nee Wood later Compton) de Bathe of 121, Rue de la Commerce, Brussels, later of “Blackwater”, Lyndhurst in Hampshire. He was christened at St Paul’s Church, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge on the 17th of October 1905. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from the 26th of April 1918 to April 1919. He went on to Rugby School where he was in Cotton House from May 1919 to December 1921.
He attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst from 1923 before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry on the 29th of January 1925. He resigned his commission on the 19th of March 1927. He served as Hon Attaché in HM Diplomatic Service at Constantinople in 1930 and at Brussels in 1931. He was the Persia correspondent for the Times newspaper from 1932 to 1933.
He was married at St Michael’s Church, Pimlico on the 22nd of January 1932 to Edna Winifred (nee Terrell); they had a daughter, Charlotte Louise, born on the 24th of September 1934.
He succeeded to the Baronetcy on the death of his uncle in August 1940, becoming the 6th Baron de Bathe of Knightstown. He was a member of the Naval and Military Club.
He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on the 19th of August 1940.
On the 3rd of June 1941 Christopher de Bathe and a group of Royal Air Force officers were gathered on a golf course in Berkshire to watch some twin engined aircraft practicing dive bombing. He and three others were walking across the practice ground when he was struck and decapitated by the propeller of an aircraft which was flying at very low level.
His funeral took place at 3pm on the 10th of June 1941 and a memorial service was held in his memory at 3pm the following day at St Mark’s Church, South Audley Street, London.
He is buried at St Andrew’s Church, West Stoke.

Dearmer, Anthony, son of Percy Dearmer (qv) and his second wife; b. 23 June 1920; adm. Sept. 1933 (G); left Apr. 1936; Sgt RAFVR, killed on active service Apr. 1943.

Anthony Dearmer was born at Streatham, London on the 23rd of June 1920 the youngest son of the Reverend Dr Percy Dearmer DD OW, Professor of Ecclesiastical Art at King’s College, London, and his second wife, Nancy “Nan” (nee Knowles) Dearmer of 48, Jubilee Place, Chelsea in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1933 to April 1936.
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.
Anthony Dearmer took off on the 7th of April 1943 with his pilot, Flying Officer Taylor, in Beaufort Mk I DX114 for a training exercise. During the flight the aircraft was forced to ditch into the sea off the coast of Ayr. His body was recovered from the sea some 2 miles to the North East of Ailsa Craig. Flying Officer Taylor survived the accident.
He is buried at Greenock Cemetery Section CCC Grave 1333.

Doswell, Algernon Michael, son of Algernon George Doswell, accountant, of Sydenham, Kent; b. 1 June 1918; adm. Sept. 1931 (G); left July 1936; Univ. of Lond., fenced for the University 1939; MN radio officer, lost in the Norwegian SS Polyana, sunk by enemy action Apr. 1941.

Algernon Michael Doswell was born at Torquay, Devon on the 1st of June 1918 the only son of George Algernon Doswell, an accountant for a railway company, and Hilda Elizabeth (nee Fortune) Doswell of 17, Crescent Wood Road, Camberwell in Kent, later of 22, Ingleby Road, Ilford in Essex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from September 1931 to July 1936. He was a member of the Fencing team in 1934 and 1935, winning the Foil Medal in 1935, and was appointed as Captain. He represented the school in the Public Schools Fencing Championship in April 1934. He went on to the University of London where he studied Architecture and fenced for the university in 1939.
He trained as a wireless operator with the General Post Office from the 6th of May 1940 before enlisting in the Merchant Navy. He was posted to the steam merchant SS Polyana.
The SS Polyana, under the command of Master Karl Jacobsen, set sail from Sutherland on the 22nd of March 1941 bound for Oban where she was to join a convoy. She set sail from Oban on the 7th of April 1941 as part of Convoy OG-58 but detached from the convoy on the 14th of April 1941 and sailed on unescorted bound for Freetown where she was due to arrive on the 30th of April.
At 11.57pm on the 24th of April 1941, the SS Polyana was sailing alone, about 250 miles to the west south west of Cape Verde Island, when the U Boat U-103, under the command of Korvettenkapitän Viktor Schütze, fired a torpedo at her which missed. At 12.38am on the 25th of April 1941 U-103 fired a second torpedo which struck her close to the bridge and she sank about one minute later with the loss of her entire crew of twenty five.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record the date of his death as having occurred on the 23rd of April 1941 but all other records have the loss of the SS Polyana as having occurred on the 25th of April 1941.
He is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial Panel 82.

Doulton, Michael Duke, brother of Peter Duke Doulton (qv); b. 19 Dec. 1908; adm. Sept. 1922 (A); left Apr. 1926; AMIMechE; Directorate of Aeronautical Production, Air Ministry; AAF RO (FO) 1936, recalled for service Aug. 1939; 601 Hurricane Sqdn June 1940; m. 3 Mar. 1939 Carol, d. of Paul Theodore Christie of St George's Sch. Newport, RI, USA; killed in action 31 Aug. 1940.

Michael Duke Doulton was born at Wandsworth Common, South London on the 19th of December 1908 the younger son of Orrok Mills Doulton, a pottery manufacturer, and Catherine May (nee Duke) Doulton of 37, Devere Gardens, London W8 and of Windmill House, Clapham Common in London. He was educated at Boxgrove School near Guildford and at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from the 22nd of September 1922 to the 30th of March 1926. He was a member of the 1st Football XI in 1925 and 1926, where he played at centre half and was awarded his School Colours in the latter year. The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1925/26 season: - “A player with a beautiful style: knows the game and, moreover, executes his movements and passes with accuracy and correctness, but all this is done much too slowly, almost in a slovenly, laissez faire, manner. Moreover, he is painfully slow in getting back in the wake of the opposing centre forward. As a stylist the best footballer on the side – he must develop pace, energy and greater alertness. Even so has played some splendid games for the school.”
He entered an apprenticeship with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and worked for the Sentinel Service Depot from the 5th of May 1925 to the 14th of April 1927 and at the Machine and Erecting Shops, the blacksmiths and in the office for Dewrance and Co of London from the 2nd of May 1927 to the 28th of March 1929. This was followed by a period of six months further training with Messrs. Alfred Herbert Ltd of Coventry. He was elected as an Associate Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on the 21st of November 1930 but his membership lapsed on the 30th of December 1938.
He was commissioned as a Pilot officer in 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force on the 29th of September 1931 and was promoted to Flying Officer on the 29th of March 1933. He was reputed to have been the tallest pilot in the Royal Air Force. He resigned his commission on completion of his service on the 29th of September 1936 and passed into the Reserve.
Due to his engineering experience he joined the Air Ministry in 1938 where he worked for the Directorate of Aeronautical Productions in preparing car factories for conversion to aero engine production in the event of a war.
He was married at Shrewsbury on the 3rd of March 1939 to Carol (nee Christie, later Gilbart) of Yockleton, Shrewsbury, who he had met while skiing in Switzerland; they had a son, Paul, born in April 1941. During the Battle of Britain they lived in a cottage at Fontwell, West Sussex.
He was mobilised for war service on the 24th of August 1939 and was posted to 601 (County of London) Squadron based at RAF Tangmere on the 11th of June 1940.
Michael Doulton took off from RAF Tangmere at 6.05pm on the 20th of July 1940 in Hurricane Mk I P3884 as Green 1 in B Flight with five other aircraft from the Squadron to provide an escort to a convoy. During the mission they attacked and damaged a Dornier 17. While 25 miles to the south of Selsey Bill they spotted a Heinkel 59 seaplane at 7.20pm which was attacked by Michael Doulton who fired a five second burst at it from 300 yards before closing to between 100 and 150 yards where he fired another five second burst by which time the enemy aircraft was 100 feet above the sea. The enemy aircraft eventually crashed into the sea.
On his return to base at 7.40pm he wrote the following combat report: -
“B Flight took off at 18.05 to escort convoy and about 19.20 E/A was sighted – Green Section formed line astern. The E/A, a twin float – twin engined seaplane He59 was painted white all over, with large black civil type markings D-AKAR on the top of top plane and sides of fuselage and fin and Red Cross on to main plane., fuselage and fin and a small swastika on top of fin. During second stern attack flames burst from centre of fuselage, E/A appeared to stall and 4 crew jumped from nose and neck of fuselage. None of their parachutes opened and Green 3 was unable to see the crew swimming. It may be assumed that they were all killed on impact with the sea”.
On the 11th of August 1940, Michael Doulton took off from RAF Tangmere as Green 1 with B Flight. At 10.30am they encountered enemy aircraft – “too many to estimate correctly” flying at between 15,000 and 25,000 feet, some 20 to 25 miles to the south of Swanage. During the ensuing engagement he attacked and damaged two Messerschmitt Bf110 aircraft. He had fired four bursts of three to five seconds during the engagement at ranges of between 300 and 150 yards and had expended a total of 2,400 rounds of ammunition.
On his return to base at 11.15am he filed the following handwritten combat report: -
“As Green 1 I led the R.H. section of the Sqdn – At approx 10.30 hrs the Sqdn sighted a mass of aircraft stepped up and about 10 miles south of 601. (Vis – 30-40 miles practically no cloud out to sea). Interception was assisted by streaks of white exhaust cloud indicating top of E/A formation at approx 25,000’. As the centre layers of the enemy formation appeared to be hotly engaged Green section climbed from 21,000’ to 25,000’ and engaged one of the two top formations of Me110 (6-9 in each section) which had already formed into defensive circles. I saw several isolated E/A about 1,000’ above and ½ mile to the outside of those under. I opened fire on the tail of 1 Me110 at close range and saw trails of white smoke from the starboard engine. As the Me110 broke formation and dived I ceased fire and opened fire at a second Me110 with no apparent result. While circling, this Me110 lost considerable height and I found myself inside another circle of Me110’s. I opened fire at close range on one Me110 and saw white smoke coming from the port engine. This Me110 also broke away from the central and circling aircraft. I opened fire at a fourth Me110, having lost more height, but did not see any effect and while firing ran out of ammunition. During the combat I saw at least six wrecks in the sea either burning or just emerald green patches. I also saw several Hurricanes on the tails of E/A but was unable to identify either Green 2 or Green 3. Both the Tangmere ground station and I called for Green 2 and 3 but neither replied. Landed Tangmere 11.15 hours. Starboard petrol tank of my Hurricane pierced by one bullet and although entry and exit holes are large and jagged the self sealing compound prevented any appreciable loss of petrol.”
On the 13th of August 1940, Michael Doulton took off from RAF Tangmere at 6.30am in Hurricane Mk I P3884 as Green 1 in B Flight with four other aircraft from the Squadron. At 6.45am they sighted two formations of enemy aircraft, one of 21 twin engined aircraft and another made up of 18 Junkers 88 aircraft flying at heights of between 10,000 and 15,000 feet, some 5 to 10 miles to the north of Midhurst, Sussex. During the fighting which followed he fired 3 bursts of 5 seconds at between 400 and 200 yards resulting in he and Flight Lieutenant Hope sharing in the probable destruction of a Junkers 88. His aircraft was damaged during the combat. He landed back at base at 7.05am and filed the following combat report: - “As Green 1 I led the section line astern of the Squadron. At approx 6.40 while flying north 2 large formations of E/A was seen approx 5 miles away at 2 o’clock. As Red leader headed for the compact E/A formation, the second formation peeled off in front of me with diving brakes down (JU88). I turned left and followed one Ju88 in a steep dive but had no difficulty in overtaking it. My first burst from dead astern made the Ju88 pull out of his dive and my windscreen was covered with black oil. The Ju88 then levelled out and slowed to 150 mph enabling me to close in and get two long and steady bursts from direct astern, answering fire from the rear gunner ceased during my long burst and the Ju88 dived gently into the clouds and I lost it. We took off at 06.30 and landed 07.05 at Tangmere. Action took place above 10/10 cloud. When my ammunition was finished I watched a Ju88 hit and set on fire by a Hurricane, three of the crew jumped and their parachutes opened above cloud, 5 miles north of Goodwood the ju88 ½ rolled and dived almost vertically in flames.”
At 11.50am on the same day, he took off from RAF Tangmere in Hurricane Mk I P3884 as Green 1 in B Flight with five other aircraft from the Squadron. Shortly after taking off they intercepted a formation of more than 30 Messerschmitt Bf110s and Bf109s flying at between 20,000 and 25,000 feet to the west of Swanage at 12.05pm. During the dog fight which followed he claimed to have damaged a MeBf110 with a 2 second burst of fire at a range of 100 yards. He landed back at base at 1.05pm and filed the following handwritten combat report: - “As Green 1 I led the astern section of the Squadron. At 12.05 a large mass of A/C seen 5 miles to the S.W. of us. Ordered section line astern, climbed into the sun and engaged Me110s at 22,000’ which had formed defensive half circles. On getting inside circle I had no difficulty in turning inside the Me110 and had good position but turn was so tight that firing was very difficult. Me110s dived on me but more often ended up beneath. After nearly 10 minutes managed to get on 1 Me110’s tail. This aircraft immediately rolled on its back and as he fell out of the roll I gave him a burst at about 100 yds range. Smoke and slight flame seen in cockpit of this Me110. Turning away to re-engage I lost sight of the remainder of E/A. Landed Tangmere 13.05.
On the 15th of August 1940, Michael Doulton took off from RAF Tangmere at 5.05pm in Hurricane Mk I P3884 as Green 1 in B Flight with five other aircraft from the Squadron. During their patrol they spotted 12 Junkers 88 aircraft at 17,000 feet over Bishops’ Waltham at 5.40pm. During the ensuing fight he claimed a half share in the destruction of a Junkers 88. He landed back at base at 6.15pm and filed the following handwritten combat report: - “As Green 1 I led the section astern of the Sqdn. Practically no cloud but mist up to 10,000’. At 17.30 hrs Sqdn of E/A bombers seen passing over Spithead. We were at 20,000’ and what appeared to be a large number of E/A were seen out to sea and apparently already engaged. Green section followed Red section closely into a quarter attack on the E/A bomber Sqdn. No E/A fighters appeared to follow their bombers inland. The E/A were in a tight and level V with one straggler 1,000’ below and ½ mile astern. Although we were slightly above the formation it was necessary to use full throttle to gain slowly on them. The formation wheeled right during my first attack and my sighting was upset by slip stream effects. The group of right hand bombers jettisoned their bombs. After some time four Ju88s broke formation and dived. I got onto the tail of the last of these. He dived very steeply but I got in a steady burst dead astern. We both pulled out near Southampton balloons. He then started evasions which were merely steep dives and climbing turns. My next bursts were slight deflections on both sides of the fuselage; oil poured from the engines and covered my windscreen. During the next burst at 100 yds range streams of dense white smoke poured from the wing tips. I imagined this was done purposely to make the fighter think the aircraft was burning. On my final burst he dived steeply and landed in a stubble field on a hill south of Winchester. Just before landing he jettisoned incendiary bombs. Four of the crew were seen walking around the crashed A/C. I circled low and fired several white Verey cartridges to call the attention of people on the ground. F/O Clyde assisted in shooting down this E/A and he witnessed the landing. I landed Tangmere 18.20hrs”
The enemy aircraft was Junkers 88 L1+BM of 4/LG1 which was on a mission to bomb Tangmere and Westhampnett airfields. The enemy aircraft crashed at Twyford where the crew of Unteroffizier E. Poggensee, Unteroffizier E. Kusche, Unteroffizier H. Burkhardt and Unteroffizier R. Muller were captured.
On the 16th of August 1940, Michael Doulton took off from RAF Tangmere at 12.25pm in Hurricane Mk I P3884 as Green 1 in B Flight with five other aircraft from the Squadron for a patrol. Once airborne they encountered 30 to 40 Junkers 87 “Stukas” between Tangmere and Selsey Bill. During the ensuing combat he was engaged at heights from between 13,000 and 1,000 feet during which he claimed to have destroyed one Junkers 87 and to have damaged two more. On landing back at base at 1.10pm he filed the following handwritten combat report: -
“As Green 1 I led the section astern of the Squadron. We took off at 12.25 hrs. Horizontal visibility 8 miles. While patrolling Selsey Bill at 20,000’ a stepped up formation of approx 40 Ju87s were seen just preparing to attack Tangmere from 12/13,000’. Following several down I got on ones’ tail and gave him a 5 sec burst from dead astern. Black smoke formed from the wing roots and he gradually caught fire and dived down and away 4 miles S.W. of Tangmere. I did not see this Ju87 crash. I then was amongst about 8 Ju87 who were all employing evasive tactics. I gave another a burst from close range dead astern and saw my bullets above and below both wing roots of which rounds entered the wings and fuselage and he jettisoned a large bomb near a bungalow at Selsey. Another Hurricane attacked this Ju87. I attacked another Ju87 about 1,000’ over the sea but ran out of ammunition. I continued to dive on this Ju87 but was unable to force it into the sea. While I was doing this I saw another Hurricane also very low down chasing another Ju87. This Ju87 eventually dived into the sea and I saw two Nazis floating by the wreckage about 2 miles south of the Selsey Wreck. I landed Tangmere 13.20 hours.”
On the 31st of August 1940 Michael Doulton took off from RAF Debden at 12.25pm in Hurricane Mk I R4215 with five other aircraft from the Squadron for an interception. At 1.15pm they were heavily engaged with enemy aircraft during which three of the Squadron’s aircraft were shot down in flames with all three pilots escaping by parachute with only one having suffered injuries. They claimed to have destroyed four enemy aircraft during the engagement, probably destroyed three more and to have damaged another two. Michael Doulton’s aircraft was last seen over the Thames estuary at 1.30pm. He is thought to have been shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf109.
His mother received the following telegram dated the 2nd of September 1940: -“Regret to inform you that your son Flying Officer Michael Duke Doulton is reported as missing as the result of air operations on August 31st 1940. Any further information will be immediately communicated to you. Should news of him reach you from any source please inform this department. His wife is being informed.”
In a letter dated the 2nd of September 1940, Carol Doulton wrote: - “Although I shall wait another 24 hours before telling his family and leaving here, I am sure that he is dead. I pray that he came down into the sea and that he will just vanish. I have no desire for the horror of bodies and funerals to come between me and my last happy memories of Michael young and strong and confident. Don't waste grief on me. Remember that I have a child to look forward to and that I've had eighteen months of wonderful happiness. And I am too proud of Michael to be unhappy in a petty way."
On the 27th of April 1984, an aircraft was excavated to the south of Wennington Church, near Romford, Essex. It proved to be Hurricane Mk I R4215 and Michael Doulton's remains were still in the cockpit. He was cremated in a private ceremony at Hastings in June 1984 and his ashes were interred at Salehurst churchyard.
He is buried at Salehurst Cemetery Grave 133B.

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.