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Instone, David Simon Theodore, brother of Ralph Bernard Samuel Instone (qv); b. 7 May 1921; adm. Sept. 1933 (H); left Dec. 1937; Ch. Ch. Oxf., matric. 1940; lntell. Corps (Corporal), d. on active service (Italy) Mar. 1945.

David Simon Theodore Instone was born at Kensington, London on the 7th of May 1921 the younger son of Captain Alfred (formerly Einstein) Instone JP, a ship owner and coal exporter, and Phyllis Hilda (nee Goldberg) Instone of 4, Cottesmore Court, Kensington in London and of Corner Cottage, Smock Alley, West Chiltington in Sussex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1933 to December 1937. He matriculated for Christ Church, Oxford in 1940 where he spent a year before enlisting for military service.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Christ Church, Oxford.
He is buried at Cesena War Cemetery Plot II, Row H, Grave 13.

Instone, Ralph Bernard Samuel, son of Alfred lnstone JP, shipowner, and Phyllis Hilda, d. of Hyam Goldberg of Swansea; b. 27 July 1918; adm. Sept. 1930 (H), non-res. KS Sept. 1932; left July 1936; Ch. Ch. Oxf., matric. 1936, BA 1941, MA 1943; Lincs Regt 1940-5 (Capt.), transf. Educational Corps Aug. 1945; called to the Bar (Inner Temple) Jan. 1945; m. 11 Mar. 1941 Sybil Esther, d. of Jack Palca, mining engineer, of Southern Rhodesia; d. 3 Mar. 2009.

Witherby, James Herbert, son of Bernard Oldham Witherby, stockbroker, of Purley, Surrey; b. 31 Jan. 1906; adm. Sept. 1920 (H); left Apr. 1924; lived in Malaya; Malay Defence Force 1941, p.o.w.; lost at sea off Sumatra Feb. 1942.

James Herbert Witherby was born at Acton, Middlesex on the 31st of January 1906 the only son of Bernard Oldham Witherby, a stockjobber and a Member of the London Stock Exchange, and Isabel Witherby of 64, Ramillies Road, Acton Green in London. He was christened at St Mary’s Church, Stamford Brook on the 20th of May 1906. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1920 to April 1924. He was a member of the Colts Football XI in 1920 and of the 1st Football XI from 1921 to 1924 where he played at centre half. The Elizabethan wrote of his 1922/23 season: - “Very clever dribbler and a splendid feeder of his forwards. Wants to show more pace in getting back to his own goal, when the opposing centre forward has beaten him. A poor shot at goal, who could improve with practice. Has been a most successful pivot to the whole side.” They wrote of his 1923/24 season: - “The only first class performer on the side. Has beautiful control of the ball, and has carved out many a glorious opening for his forwards – the hallmark of a good centre half. Is a little apt to give his opposition centre forward too much rope. His inability to get back quickly after taking a prominent part in an attack being largely responsible for this. Given opportunities, should go far in the game.” He was awarded his School Colours for Football in 1924.
He moved to Malaya as a rubber planter in 1927 where he worked as assistant manager at the Langkon Estate, a job he left in October 1929 to accept the position of assistant manager at the Menrtri Estate, Pahang, where he was later appointed as manager of the plantation. He played cricket for Malacca and for Jasin Cricket Club and was a member of the Malacca Tennis Club. He was also a member of the Jasin Rugby XV. He was married at St George’s Church, Penang to Joan (nee Wilkinson later Hale) on the 18th of October 1938.
He enlisted in the 4th (Pahang) Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Force where he rose to the rank of Company Sergeant Major. On the fall of Singapore to the Japanese on the 15th of February 1942, efforts were made to evacuate as many people as possible from the colony. By late February, James Witherby was one of thousands of evacuees gathered at Emmahaven Padang in the hope of boarding a ship. He managed to find a place on board the 1,693 ton merchant ship SS Ban Ho Guan, under the command of Captain Van der Berg, which departed Emmahaven at around 5am on the morning of the 28th of February 1942 with 227 passengers and 8 to 10 crew on board. She was bound for Tjilatjap and then on to Freemantle in Australia. James Witherby was one of five members of the Federated Malay States Volunteer Force who were on board. During the early part of the journey the ship received a message from the Dutch naval authorities at Tjilatjap that the town was under Japanese air attack and that they should head for the nearest land instead of going there.
Several hours after her departure and having changed from her original course, the SS Ban Ho Guan was sailing to the south of Bali when she was sunk at 5.45pm by the Japanese submarine I-4, under the command of Lieutenant Haijam Nakagawa. There were no survivors, although there were unconfirmed reports that Captain Van der Berg had been captured and taken to Japan
The lack of survivors was very unusual at that time but Haijam Nakagawa gathered a reputation during the rest of the war for killing the survivors of his sinkings. He was tried for war crimes at the end of the war and was convicted in January 1947. He was sentenced to eight year in prison but served only four.
He is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial Column 390.

Whiskard, Richard Geoffrey, son of Sir Geoffrey Granville Whiskard KCB KCMG, UK High Commissioner to the Commonweath of Australia, and his first wife Cynthia Salome Caroline, d. of Edmund Whitelock Reeves; b. 31 Mar. 1920; adm. Sept. 1933 (H), KS May 1935; left July 1938; Univ. Coll. Oxf., matric. 1938; Welsh Guards 1940-4 (Lieut.); killed in action (Normandy) 2 Aug. 1944.

Richard Geoffrey Whiskard was born at Kensington, London on the 21st of March 1920 the elder son of Sir Geoffrey Granville Whiskard KCB, KCMG, MA, High Commissioner to the Commonwealth of Australia, and Lady Cynthia Salome Caroline (nee Reeves) Whiskard of 156, Sloane Street in London and of 13, Mill Street, Mildenhall in Suffolk. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1933 to July 1938 and was a King’s Scholar from May 1935. From the beginning of his time at Westminster he took an intense interest in the School and in the Abbey and was already a considerable authority on their history and antiquities. He matriculated for University College, Oxford in 1938 but left before graduating for military service.
He attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Welsh Guards on the 2nd of November 1940. He was posted to the 2nd (Armoured Reconnaissance) Battalion of his Regiment on the 8th of September 1943.
The 2nd (Armoured Reconnaissance) Battalion, Welsh Guards landed in Normandy in late June 1944 and fought in a number of engagements during the following few weeks.
On the evening of the 1st of August 1944, the 2nd (Armoured Reconnaissance) Battalion, Welsh Guards moved to a position just to the north of the village of St Martin des Besaces. At first light the following morning Nos. 1 and 3 Squadrons moved through the village to La Tourneur and then to Catheolles where the two Squadrons split with No. 3 Squadron by-passing Courteil and Montchamp before reaching the village of La Marvindiere. No. 1 Squadron, which had been unable to leave the roads, lost two tanks early in the advance. In the evening all three of the reconnaissance Squadrons moved into the area of La Marvindiere where they were under heavy shelling, mortar and sniper fire throughout the night. They held these positions until the 5th of August when they were withdrawn at 5am. They had suffered casualties during this period of three officer and even other ranks killed with twenty other ranks wounded. Richard Whiskard was among the dead.
His commanding officer described his death as: - “One of our major losses.”
His father wrote the following after the death of his son: -
“My son was killed, early in August in Normandy. A fellow officer sent me a sketch map of the spot where he was buried. I sent this to a niece of mine, who is a nursing sister with the British Army, and two months after his death, she was able to visit the place. She found that at the foot of the grave where he and the driver of his tank, who was killed by the same shell, were buried, a flowering shrub had been planted and was in full blossom. At the head of the grave, under each of the two crosses, was a vase of fresh flowers. This had been done by the French family who lived nearby. When they saw my niece, they came to the grave and brought her back with them to the farm house and gave her tea. They told her that they would always, as long as they themselves were there, tend the grave. I feel that this may, perhaps give comfort to some of your readers. Other French people, no doubt, have done, and will do, the same.”
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Mildenhall and on the memorial at University College, Oxford.
He is buried at St Charles de Percy War Cemetery Plot I, Row G, Grave 14.

Waite, Peter Wilfrid, son of Wilfrid Fabian Waite, barrister-at-law, and Dorothy, d. of Edward James Ebden ICS; b. 18 June 1922; adm. Jan. 1936 (H); left. Apr. 1941; Lance-Cpl The Queen's Regt; killed in action (ltaly) 9 Sept. 1944.

Peter Wilfrid Waite was born at Chelsea, London on the 18th of June 1922 the only child of Wifrid Fabian Waite, a barrister at law and Counsel to the Board of Trade, and Dorothy (nee Ebden) Waite of 201, Hood House, Dolphin Square, Westminster in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from January 1936 to April 1941. On leaving school he enlisted as a Private in The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) on the 5th of May 1941 and was later promoted to Corporal.
On the afternoon of the 8th of September 1944, the 2/6th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal Regiment was detailed to make an attack on the left of their Brigade to clear the village of Poggio of its German defenders and to capture a hill, codenamed “Soldier” to the west of Gemmano. At the same time, the 2/7th Battalion was to make an attack on the right to capture the village of Gemmano and the adjoining hamlet of Borgo. The 2/7th Battalion moved into the attack at 2.30pm with the 2/6th Battalion following a short time later.
As the 2/6th Battalion climbed the first hill towards their objective they came under very heavy enemy fire from the wooded slopes rising up to Gemmano village. In spite of this C Company captured Poggio, losing their company commander and two other officers in the process. As night fell the Battalion waited in the area around Poggio for news of progress of the 2/7th Battalion. The area was lit up by the light from burning haystacks which enabled enemy snipers to bring them under fire.
After nightfall D Company advanced and captured “Soldier” hill but they too lost their company commander in the attack. The Germans immediately counterattacked with A and B Companies being ordered forward to reinforce the defenders. As they moved up the hill they came under intense enemy fire and were forced to go to ground. D Company held onto its gains throughout the following day and during the fighting they captured forty enemy prisoners and badly mauled a party of enemy troops who were bringing up supplies using mules and wheelbarrows. By the afternoon of the 9th of September, D Company was almost completely surrounded and was ordered to fight its way out and back to the lower slopes. By the end of the night the survivors had rejoined their comrades on the slopes below to the south and east of their objective.
Peter Waite was killed during the fighting: -“The only remaining member of his section, he died attacking a German position, alone in a vital and successful action in which he played an important part.”
He is buried at Coriano Ridge Cemetery Plot XX, Row E, Grave 6.

Tyrwhitt, Cuthbert, son of Thomas Tyrwhitt ARIBA, of Fulham, and Dorothy Nina, d. of Reginald Godfrey Marsden, barrister-at-law; b. 11 Apr. 1912; adm. Sept. 1925 (H); left July 1930; 2nd Lieut. Worcs. Regt Jan. 1932, Lieut. Jan. 1935, retd Mar. 1936; regazetted Sept. 1939 (Capt.); m. 23 Mar. 1936 Delia Gurnee, d. of Edward Norman Scott of New York; killed in action (Singapore) 15 Feb. 1942.

Cuthbert Tyrwhitt was born at Hampstead, London on the 11th of April 1912 the younger son of Thomas Tyrwhitt ARIBA, an architect, and Dorothy Nina (nee Marsden) Tyrwhitt of 4, North Court, Great Peter Street in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1925 to July 1930. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps and was promoted to Corporal in September 1929. He attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst from where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Worcestershire Regiment on the 28th of January 1932. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 28th of January 1935 and he resigned his commission on the 21st of March 1936.
He was married at the British Consulate at 10, Ma Ta Jen Hutung, Peiping in China on the 23rd of March 1936 to Delia Gurnee (nee Scott later Lane), an author, of Greenwich, Connecticut.
On leaving the army he returned to London where he joined the Diplomatic Service and lived at 4, North Court, Great Peter Street, London SW1.
Following the outbreak of war he was recalled to his Regiment on the 9th of September 1939 with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. In December 1939 he was posted to Singapore where he was attached to the Far East Combined Intelligence Bureau as an Intelligence Officer. He was tasked with creating a card index of security information which was being gathered from intercepted communications between Japanese consular officials and their attachés in Singapore, Hong Kong and their bases in Japan.
Following the Japanese invasion of Malaya in December 1941 and subsequent assault on the island of Singapore in February 1942 Cuthbert Tyrwhitt was reported to have been killed in action and buried at the British Headquarters at Fort Canning on the day that Singapore surrendered.
In October 1947, his wife donated the sum of £150 towards the Westminster School War Memorial Fund in his memory.
He is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial Column 67.

Stickland, John Robert Antony, son of George Cuthbert Stickland, Egyptian Education Service, and Kathleen Mary, d. of J. A. Fossick of Gloucester; b. 17 June 1921; adm. Sept. 1934 (H); left July 1939; Cadet RN 1939, Sub-Lieut. RNVR June 1942, Lieut. Dec. 1943; killed in action Mar. 1944 in the loss of HMS Gould.

John Robert Antony Stickland was born at Fulham, London on the 17th of June 1921 the only son of George Cuthbert Stickland, Egyptian Education Service, and Kathleen Mary (nee Fossick) Stickland of “Sydenham”, Lewdown in Devon. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1934 to July 1939. He was a member of the Photographic Society and was elected as Secretary of the Natural History Society in 1938.
On leaving school he entered the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as a Special Entry Cadet on the 1st of September 1939 and was appointed as a Midshipman on the 31st of October 1940. He was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in June 1942 and was promoted to Lieutenant in December 1943. He was posted to the frigate HMS Gould (K476).
On the 29th of February 1944, HMS Gould, under the command of Lieutenant Daniel William Ungoed RN, was on convoy escort duty when she was one of four frigates which located the U Boat U-358, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Rolf Manke, when some 450 miles to the north, north east of the Azores. In a series of attacks on the U Boat, which lasted throughout the night, the four ships dropped a total of 104 depth charges. The next day two of the frigates left for Gibraltar leaving HMS Gould and the frigate HMS Affleck (K362) to continue the pursuit of the enemy submarine. After 38 hours underwater and having been under continuous depth charge attacks, U-358 was forced to the surface at 7.20pm where she managed to fire a G7e “Gnat” torpedo from her rear tube which struck HMS Gould in the aft motor room at 7.21pm. The explosion broke her in two, with the stern section sinking very quickly. The forward section capsized and sank twenty five minutes later following a heavy list to starboard. Seven officers and one hundred and sixteen ratings were killed in the attack.
HMS Affleck closed with the U Boat at full speed and with all guns firing, scoring hits on the conning tower and on the hull of the enemy submarine. She then attacked with depth charges at close range and, after an explosion which broke the back of the U Boat, it sank at 7.39pm with only one survivor from its crew being picked up and taken prisoner. The frigate then rescued three officers and thirty two ratings from HMS Gould before taking them to Gibraltar. One rating died from his wounds during the journey and was buried at sea the following day.
His parents received the following telegram: - “From Admiralty. Deeply regret to inform you that your son Lieutenant J.R.A. Stickland RNVR has been reported missing presumed killed on active service. Letter follows shortly.”
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Lewdown.
He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial Panel 92, Column 3.

Sprague, Richard Alfonso, brother of Louis Horatio Sprague (qv); b. 27 Oct. 1908; adm. May 1922 (H); left July 1926; RAF Coll. Cranwell, PO July 1928, FO Jan. 1930, Flt Lieut. Aug. 1934, Sqdn Ldr June 1938, temp. Wing Cdr Dec. 1940; DFC Mar. 1941, despatches Sept. 1941; killed on active service (Middle East) Nov. 1942.

Richard Alfonso “Joe” Sprague was born on the 27th of October 1908 the son of Colonel Louis Horatio Sprague, Royal Irish Rifles, and Frances Helena Mary (nee Ross) Sprague of 39, Gloucester Terrace, Paddington in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from May 1922 to July 1926. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps and was promoted to Corporal in 1926.
He attended the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell before being granted a permanent commission as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force on the 28th of July 1928. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 28th of January 1930 and to Flight Lieutenant on the 1st of August 1934. He was promoted to Squadron Leader on the 1st of June 1938 and to Wing Commander on the 1st of December 1940. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross when he was serving with 208 Squadron, which was announced by the Air Ministry on the 28th of March 1941. He was Mentioned in Despatches which was announced by the Air Ministry on the 24th of September 1941.
Richard Sprague and his crew took off from Shandur at 8.40am on the 18th of November 1942 in Beaufort Mk I DE118 KU-S for a test flight and for deployment to RAF Gambut. The aircraft had undergone a 40 hour inspection and it was to fly to RAF Shallufa near Port Tefiq in Egypt and then on to RAF Gambut in Libya, if the aircraft’s performance was satisfactory during the first leg of the flight. The aircraft landed safely at RAF Shaluffa and, after being loaded with a torpedo, it took off again at 12.08pm. While it was on the second leg of its journey the aircraft flew into the ground some 50 miles to the south of Sidi Henseih at 12.45pm killing two of the crew.
The crew was: -
Wing Commander Richard Alfonso “Joe” Sprague DFC (Pilot)
Sergeant Alfred Leslie Augustinus RAAF (Observer)
Sergeant J.C.M. Lake RCAF (Wireless Operator) (Survived)
Flying Officer Claude Arthur Henry Collier (Air Gunner) (Survived)
Leading Aircraftman Frederick Douglas Isbell (47 Squadron Photographer) (Survived, slightly injured)
Statements were taken from the surviving members of the crew: -
Statement of Flying Officer Claude Arthur Henry Collier, 47 Squadron: - “I was Air Gunner briefed to fly with Wg. Cdr. Sprague to Gambut on detachment on 18th November 1942, in DE118, 47 Squadron Beaufort Mk I. En route to Gambut, I noticed that we passed over the half-way house at Wadi El Natrun and later LG100. We had been briefed, so I later learned, to fly 2 miles south of the railway, but Wg. Cdr. Sprague informed us that he would bear further to the south and look at the Quattara Depression. We flew along the northern cliff of the Depression for some miles, and when asked for course to steer, presumably for Gambut, I heard the observer give the captain a course of 280 degrees. There was a very heavy sandstorm blowing about 10 miles to starboard at this time, but was clear where we were and also ahead of us. I was under the impression that the wind was blowing from the starboard side, but I heard the observer say that it was a following wind. The crew found it difficult to hear everything that the observer had to say to the pilot, and on two occasions the pilot was heard to ask the observer to move back to the pilot’s side and to bring his maps. Just prior to the crash I heard Wg. Cdr. Sprague remark that the aircraft should be passing a certain track marked on the map in three minutes time, I gathered they were them looking at the map together. We had been flying normally at 800 to 1,000 feet all the time and as far as I can tell the engines were also behaving normally. I felt a change in temperature and noticed that we had lost height to approximately 300 feet. I was in the turret the whole time. When at 200 feet or so, I noted a slight yawing motion of the aircraft but didn’t pay particular heed to it. We continued to lose height in a tail down attitude until we hit the ground. It was then approximately two minutes after I had noticed by the increased temperature that we had lost height. After skidding along rough ground for about 150 yards, the aircraft stopped and I scrambled out through the turret top. The starboard engine was on fire, and the whole aircraft was soon enveloped in flames. I was dazed by a sheet of flame which had scorched my face and hands. Sgt. Lake and LAC Isbell joined me, and we ran clear of the flames when it was we realized that the torpedo would possibly explode, which did occur a few minutes later. There was a very violent explosion which scattered the wreckage, and I assume that the war-head had exploded.”
An investigation into the accident concluded that the primary cause was due to the pilot studying a map while losing height for low flying practise and hitting the ground as a result. Seemingly caught by surprise by the close proximity of the ground he pulled up but had insufficient speed to be able to climb above the high ground in front of the aircraft.
He is buried at El Alamein in War Cemetery Plot XXXI, Row D, Grave 10.

Skrender, John Brooke, son of Sigard Anne Skrender, paper merchant, of Kingston, Surrey; b. 25 June 1918; adm. Sept. 1931 (H); left July 1935; City & Guilds Coll. Lond., BSc 1940; RAFVR 1940-2 (FO); killed on night operations July 1942.

John Brooke Skrender was born at Sleaford, Lincolnshire on the 25th of June 1918 the elder son of Sigurd Arne Skrender, a paper merchant, and Gwendoline Ruby (nee Simpson) Skrender of 12, Liverpool Road, Kingston Hill in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1931 to July 1935. He went on to the City and Guilds College, London where he achieved a BSc.
On the outbreak of war he was serving as a member of the Civil Air Guard.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was posted to 150 Squadron.
John Skrender and his crew took off from RAF Snaith at 7.50pm on the 24th of September 1941 in Wellington Mk IC T2960 for an operation on Frankfurt. During the mission the aircraft was badly damaged by anti aircraft fire but was able to return to Snaith where it landed safely at 1.55am.
The crew was: -
Sergeant Wilkinshaw (Pilot)
Sergeant John Brooke Skrender (2nd Pilot) (Killed in action 22nd July 1942)
Sergeant Alfred Wilkinson (Navigator) (Killed in action 28th April 1942)
Flight Sergeant J. C. Leigh
Sergeant Franklin Burton Grundy (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) (Killed in action 28th April 1942)
Sergeant Ronald Marcus Sutton (Air Gunner) (Killed in action 28th April 1942)
He was promoted to Flight Sergeant before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 20th of March 1942.
On the night of the 21st /22nd of July 1942, Bomber Command dispatched 170 Wellingtons, 39 Halifaxes, 36 Stirlings, 29 Lancasters and 17 Hampdens for an operation on Duisburg. The cloud cover was 10/10ths from England to the Dutch coast but cleared over the mainland. Mist and industrial haze covered the target area where the bomber force encountered enemy night fighters and moderate anti aircraft fire. 253 of the returning aircraft reported that they had bombed the target but a number of the bombs had fallen on open country to the west of the city. 94 houses were destroyed with a further 256 being seriously damaged. The Tyssen steelworks and other industrial targets were also hit. 49 people were killed on the ground.
John Skrender and his crew took off from RAF Snaith at 11.25pm on the 21st of July 1942 in Wellington Mk III X3590 JN-L for the operation. The aircraft had completed its mission and was two nearly hours into its return journey and was flying at 11,000 feet when the oil pump in the starboard engine seized. John Skrender force landed the stricken bomber at about 2.30am at Burgervlotbruck in North Holland. He was killed in the crash.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer John Brooke Skrender (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Ronald Watson (Navigator) (POW No. 42826 Stalag 344 and Stalag Luft III)
Sergeant William Edward Grimley (Wireless Operator) (Slightly wounded) (POW No. 25147 Stalag 344)
Sergeant Thomas George Richard “Tommy” Allaway (Rear Gunner) (Died of wounds 22nd July 1942)
Sergeant Donald Rupert Coleman (Front Gunner) (Wounded) (POW - repatriated September 1944)
Theirs was one of twelve aircraft which were lost during the raid.
The following telegram, dated the 11th of September 1942, was sent to Mr. J Morris: - “Deeply regret that according to information received through the International Red Cross Committee Pilot Officer John Brooke Skrender is believed to have lost his life as the result of air operations on 22 July 1942. The Air Council express their profound sympathy. His father is being informed.”
Although John Skrender had been killed in the crash landing, Donald Coleman had survived with a fractured skull as had William Grimley who was suffering from a broken arm.
The navigator, Ronald Watson, who had also survived, later reported that he was lying near the wreckage with the badly injured rear gunner, Thomas Allaway “Probably if we had been found sooner, after the crash Tommy would be alive, but it was about two in the morning and we weren’t found until eleven. I managed to have a few words with him while we were lying together near the machine.”
Donald Coleman made a statement on his repatriation to England in 1944: - “I am very vague as to what happened, but I will give you all I know. After we were hit, we flew very low over the Zuider Zee, when we struck land, and finally crashed. When I regained consciousness P.O. Skrender was lying near me, apparently dead, and for the next two hours I could hear someone moaning which I think was Sgt. Allaway. Later when I was being taken to the ambulance, one of the German orderlies said “Your comrades are dead” so I take it he saw them in the wreckage.”
He is buried at Bergen General Cemetery Plot 1, Row B, Grave 17.

Sinclair, Edward Anthony, son of Cdr Edward Wortley Sinclair RN and Edith Monteith, d. of William Bell of Burlington, Ontario; b. 29 Dec. 1918; adm. Sept. 1933 (H), (B) May 1937; left July 1937; enlisted Hampshire Reel Jan. 1940; accidentally killed on an OCTU course 1 Aug. 1940.

Edward Anthony Sinclair was born at Malta on the 29th of December 1919 the only son of Captain Edward Wortley Sinclair RN and Edythe Monteith (nee Bell) Sinclair of “Cintra”, Chislehurst Road, Petts Wood in Kent. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1933 and up Busby’s from May 1937 to July 1937. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps where he achieved Certificate A in March 1937. He was a member of the 1st Cricket XI in 1937. On leaving school he continued his studies as a student.
He enlisted as a Private in the Hampshire Regiment in January 1940 and was posted to the Inns of Court Officer Cadet Training Unit for officer training. He was killed in an accident.
He is buried at Chislehurst Cemetery Section A, Grave 94.