On a recent visit to a church near Barnstaple in Devon I came across this grave in the CWGC section. Captain Ford, Royal Marines Can anyone tell me anything about him, photos, Combined Ops etc?? I know he is recorded with his name on the CWGC site. Casualty Thanks for looking... Danny
Keith Langler Ford 1913–1941 BIRTH 6 DEC 1913 • Brentford, London Borough of Hounslow, Greater London, England DEATH 19 DEC 1941 • Barnstaple, Devon, England Casualty Captain FORD, KEITH LANGLER Died 19/12/1941 Royal Marines Son of Lt. Robert Bertram Ford, 2nd Tunnelling Coy., Canadian Engineers, (killed in action in Belgium, 2nd June, 1916), and of Ethel Ford, of Hadley Common, Hertfordshire. UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 Name: K. L. Ford Event: Death Death Date: 19 Dec 1941 Death Place: Nr Chivenor Ship: Kestrel UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current Name: Cpt Keith Langler Ford Birth Date: 1914 Birth Place: Brentford, London Borough of Hounslow, Greater London, England Death Date: 19 Dec 1941 Death Place: North Devon District, Devon, England Cemetery: St. Augustine Churchyard Burial or Cremation Place: Heanton Punchardon, North Devon District, Devon, England Has Bio?: Y https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179621806 England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Keith L Ford Death Age: 28 Birth Date: abt 1913 Registration Date: Dec 1941 Registration district: Barnstaple Inferred County: Devon Volume: 5b Page: 770 TD
http://www.hadleywood.org.uk/upload...war_memorial_-_october_2018_version_final.pdf Captain Keith Langler Ford Royal Marines Died 19th December 1941 – near Chivenor, Devon Age 27 A professional serviceman, Keith Langler Ford was commissioned in the Royal Marines on 1st January 1932 and awarded ‘wings’ on 7th May 1939. He served upon the aircraft carriers Furious, Ark Royal and Argus. He died of multiple injuries following a flying accident; he was the passenger in a Lysander aircraft that crashed. He is buried in the churchyard of St Augustine at Heanton Punchardon, Devon. He was the only son of Robert Bertram Ford and Ethel (nee Langler). His father was a Lieutenant with the 2nd Tunnelling Company, Canadian Engineers, who was killed in action in Belgium on 2nd June 1916. It is difficult to appreciate the grief that Ethel suffered. Keith, his mother, and an aunt (Mabel Langler) were all residents of North Gate House, Camlet Way. TD
Hi Source Gro War Death Naval Officers Indices(1939 To 1948) Archive reference NAVO War Second World War, 1939-1945 Record set British Armed Forces And Overseas Deaths And Burials First name(s) Keith Langler Sex Male Last name Ford Death year 1939-48 Birth year - Rank Captain Unit or regiment Kestrel Type Armed Forces Registration year - Branch of service R.M. Decoration - Records year range 1939-1948 Line number 13 Archive General Register Office Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records Subcategory Civil Deaths & Burials Collections from Great Britain, UK None KESTREL On 24 May 1939, the RAF handed over RAF Worthy Down to the RN and RNAS Worthy down [near Winchester] established with HMS KESTREL as its parent ship. It ceased to be used as a base for squadrons of the FAA in 1942 due to the orientation of the runway. The aircraft manufacturer Supermarine used the airfield in the development of the Spitfire from December 1940 to March 1944. Hope this helps Gus
Naval Deaths WW2 (Family History - Royal Navy and Naval History.Net) 19/12/44 FAA, 755 Sqn, Kestrel, air crash FORD, Keith L, Captain, RM, killed PARKER, John D, Ty/Lieutenant (A), RNVR, killed First name(s) John Dene Last name Parker Birth year 1903 Age 38 Death year 1941 Death date 19 Dec 1941 Number - Rank Lieutenant (A) Unit H.M.S. Kestrel. Regiment Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Grave reference - Cemetery or Memorial Horwood Churchyard Burial country United Kingdom Additional information Son of the Revd. Walter Parker and Mrs. Parker; stepson of Maj. C. P. Parker, O.B.E.; husband of Etta Nelson Parker, of New Malden, Surrey. Link Find War Dead War Second World War, 1939-1945 Record set Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt Of Honour Category Military, armed forces & conflict Subcategory Second World War Collections from Great Britain, UK None This was the pilot Hope this helps Gus
Spoke to a Joan Curtis During ww2 , Fords mother and aunt were evacuated down to Instow in Devon and stayed in the New Inn Instow. Where Joan lived. Keith was coming down for Christmas to visit but his car broke down and caught a Lift with Parker whose family lived nearby in Bideford . Regrettably it didn’t make it We now know that the Lysander crashed into the All Saints church at North Molton, 15 miles or so from Chivenor, on the edge of Exmoor. Killing both men
