Royal Air Force War Grave Photos for Reference.

ELLIS, RONALD ARTHUR
Rank: Sergeant
Trade: Air Gunner
Service No: 1897461
Date of Death: 12/10/1944
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference: Grave 515
Newhaven Cemetery 50.800361, 0.036165
Son of Arthur and Daisy Ruth Ellis, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Ellis

 

HILLS, CLARA MERCY
Rank: Leading Aircraftwoman
Service No: 2007493
Date of Death: 04/12/1943
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Grave Reference: Sec. X. Grave 2
Newhaven Cemetery 50.800361, 0.036165
Daughter of Leonard and Clara Hills, of Newhaven
Hills


Sussex Express, Friday, December 7, 1945
IN MEMORIAM
HILLS – L.A.C.W. Clara Mercy Hills, died December 4th, 1943 – Gone but not forgotten.

 

KIRBY, LAWRENCE WILLIAM
Rank: Flying Officer
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 115053
Date of Death: 25/08/1943
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 4 Sqdn
Grave Reference: Grave 587
Newhaven Cemetery 50.800361, 0.036165
Son of William Joshua and Ethel Florence Kirby; husband of Betty Dorothy Kirby, of Merstham, Surrey
Kirby

Note date, originally engraved 1942?

An internet search suggests that F/O Kirby was piloting Mustang AG576 on a reconnaissance mission photographing airfields in France. Having completed the mission, he was attacked by two FW190s, taking evasive action, he climbed above the clouds and, although radio communications were maintained for a short while, he did not return.

Nine days after he went missing:-
Surrey Mirror, Friday, September 3, 1943
ON ACTIVE SERVICE – MISSING
KIRBY – Reported missing, F/O Lawrence W Kirby, RAFVR, of Ambleside, London Road North, Merstham, Surrey

Almost two years later:-
Surrey Mirror, Friday, August 31, 1945
IN MEMORIAM
KIRBY – missing over the sea. August 25, 1943, F/O Lawrence W Kirby. Buried at Newhaven, Sussex, September 17, 1943.

 

CADEY, FREDERICK RICHARD
Rank: Aircraftman 2nd Class
Service No: 2245611
Date of Death: 31/10/1944
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference: Sec. B. Grave 543
Cemetery: BURGESS HILL (ST. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR) CHURCHYARD
Son of Richard and Laura Cadey, of Burgess Hill; husband of Olive Cadey, of Patcham, Brighton

Casualty details

 

PACKHAM, PERCY SYDNEY
Rank: Leading Aircraftman
Service No: 1460248
Date of Death: 20/01/1945
Age: 41
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 5003 Airfield Construction Sqdn
Grave Reference: Sec. A. Grave 270
Cemetery: BURGESS HILL (ST. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR) CHURCHYARD
Son of Reuben and Margaret Packham, of Burgess Hill; husband of Elsie May Packham, of Burgess Hill

Casualty details

 

ALLARD, LEONARD
Rank:Leading Aircraftman
Service No: 1682568
Date of Death: 07/09/1946
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 5004 Airfield Construction Sqdn
Grave Reference: Plot 6.SE. Grave 361
Cemetery: CUCKFIELD CEMETERY
Son of Archibald and Harriet Allard; husband of Ivy Kate Allard, of Cuckfield

Casualty details

 

AITCHISON, ROBERT STAVELEY
Rank: Sergeant
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 748109
Date of Death: 12/08/1940
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Cemetery: IFIELD (ST. MARGARET) CHURCHYARD, CRAWLEY
Son of George Staveley Aitchison and Lilian Catherine Aitchison, of Watford, Hertfordshire.

Casualty details

 

ROMAIN, GERALD EDWARD ANIJAH
Rank:
Sergeant
Trade:
Wireless Op./Air Gunner
Service No:
1376530
Date of Death:
22/01/1942
Regiment/Service:
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
407 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn
Grave Reference:
Grave 2616.
Cemetery:
WALTHAMSTOW (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD

 

JONES, WALTER ERNEST
Rank:
Aircraftman 1st Class
Service No:
1445184
Date of Death:
04/07/1944
Age:
40
Regiment/Service:
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference:
Grave 2752.
Cemetery:
WALTHAMSTOW (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD
Additional Information:
Son of William and Amy Jones of Walthamstow; husband of Dorothy Evelyn Jones, of Walthamstow.

 

SANSOM, RONALD JOHN
Rank: Squadron Leader
Trade: Navigator
Service No:33372
Date of Death: 07/06/1942
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
St Andrew, Steyning, West Sussex 50.890071, -0.325179
Son of Charles Henry and Sophia Sansom, of Steyning.

Casualty details

 

MATHER, JOHN ROMNEY
Rank: Pilot Officer
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 78976
Date of Death: 27/10/1940
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 66 Sqdn
St Margaret's Churchyard, Ifield, West Sussex [Cremated and ashes buried]
Son of Richard and Marie Charlotte Louise Grace Amelie Mather, of Ifield; husband of Peggy Mather
Casualty details

JOHN ROMNEY
MATHER
PILOT OFFICER RAFVR
BORN 19th MAY 1915
KILLED IN ACTON
27th OCTOBER 1940
IN THE DEFENCE
OF LONDON

[Around edge of plaque] Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few
​

 

John Romney Mather, a number of relevant pages:

http://hildenboroughhistorysociety.weebly.com/john-romney-mather-spitfire-pilot.html
http://gahp.org.uk/raf-gravesends-battle-britain-roll-honour-66sq/
https://www.raf.mod.uk/campaign/battle-of-britain-75th/squadrons/66-squadron/
http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/view.php?uid=207518
http://www.diandsaulbooks.co.uk/reach-out-for-the-stars---sgt-rj-mather--66-squadron-raf-2781-p.asp
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7490280

 

Panel from Battle of Britain Memorial


The Airmen's Stories - P/O J R Mather


John Romney Mather was born at Blackheath, London on 19th May 1915 and educated at Dulwich College from 1928 to 1932. His father worked for the Tata Iron and Steel Co. in India. Mather joined the Hudsons Bay Company and worked for them in London till 1937 when he moved to Stewarts & Lloyds at Glasgow and then Corby.

He joined the RAFVR in June 1937 as an Airman u/t Pilot and was called to full-time service at the outbreak of war. Commissioned on 1st April 1940, Mather was posted to 66 Squadron at Duxford.

On 10th July he shared in the destruction of a Do17 and on 2nd September shared a He111. He was shot down in combat over the Thames Estuary on 18th September and baled out, unhurt. His Spitfire, R6925, is believed to have crashed near Coldred.

On 27th October 1940 Mather was killed when his Spitfire, P7539, crashed and burned out at Half Moon Lane, Hildenborough. The cause of the crash is unknown but he may have been the victim of anoxia.

Mather was cremated and is commemorated by a plaque in St. Margaret's churchyard, Ifield, Sussex.

Battle of Britain London Monument - P/O J R Mather

 

TUPPEN, DOUGLAS PEARSON
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Service No: 42452
Date of Death: 25/06/1941
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force 239 Sqdn
Grave Reference: North of Church
St Michael, Lowfield Heath

Casualty details

 

RAPPOPORT, JOHN GERALD
Rank: Flying Officer
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 117641
Date of Death: 21/04/1943
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
St Mary Magdalene, Rusper, West Sussex
Son of Frederick Gerald Rappoport and of Vera Rose Rappoport (nee Tweedie); husband of Winifred Eve Rappoport (nee Trevaskis), of Horsham

Casualty details

 

WICKHAM, ANTONY TRELAWNEY
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 103011
Date of Death: 14/06/1944
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Awards: D F C
St Mary Magdalene, Rusper, West Sussex
Son of Colonel Thomas E. P. Wickham, Royal Horse Artillery, and Betty Wickham, of Rusper.

Casualty details

The Evening Telegraph, Saturday, February 13, 1943

On January 30, two forces of bombers were detailed to attack Berlin, one during the morning and the other during the afternoon.
To reach the German capital necessitated a flight of more than 500 miles, mostly over heavily defended territory. Close co-ordination and precise timing were essential, but such was the skill exhibited that the target was reached and the attacks delivered within seconds of the specified time, despite opposition from the ground defences.
That complete success was achieved is a high tribute to the calm courage, resolution, and endurance displayed by the following officers and airmen who, in various capacities, acted as members of the aircraft crews.

The awards are as follows:
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER
Squadron Leader Reginald Wilfred Reynolds DFC, No. 105 Squadron (Cheltenham)

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS
Flight Lieutenant John Gordon, RAFVR, No. 105 Squadron
Flying Officer Reginald Charles Morris, RAFVR, No. 139 Squadron (Newport, Mon)
Flying Officer Antony Trelawney Wickham, RAFVR, No. 105 Squadron (Horsham, Sussex)
Pilot Officer William Edward Dennis Makin, RAFVR, No. 105 Squadron (Chiselhurst, Kent)
Pilot Officer Edward Barnes Sismore, RAFVR, No. 105 Squadron (Kettering, Northants)
Flying Officer Ralph Gamble Hayes, RAFVR, No. 105 Squadron

DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL
Flight Sergeant PJ Dickson M'Geehan, RNZAF, No. 139 Squadron, formerly an invoice clerk, of Auckland
Sergeant Richard Charles Fletcher, No. 139 Squadron, of Enfield, Middlesex, formerly an assistant manager in a textile works
Sergeant Joseph Massey, No. 139 Squadron, of Ecclesfield, Yorks, formerly a casual labourer

Squadron Leader Reynolds, who is 24, was the leader of the morning attack on Berlin, his 49th raid. He won the DFC in 1940. His second in command was Flying Officer Wickham, while Pilot Officer Sismore acted as Squadron Leader Reynolds’ navigator

 

WALSH, THOMAS PATRICK
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 664
Date of Death: 29/04/1945
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
St Peter Wisborough Green

Casualty details

The Western Gazette, Friday, May 4, 1945
COL. AND MRS WALSH BEREAVED
YOUNGER SON KILLED IN FLYING ACCIDENT
Deep sympathy has been expressed with Col. And Mrs C H Walsh, of the Old Rectory, in the tragic news they received on Sunday that their younger son, Flt/Lieut. Thomas Walsh RAF, has been killed on active service. Flt/Lieut. Walsh, who was nearly 25 years of age, joined the RAF in 1940, and for some time had been commanding a training flight. Educated at Stowe School, Buckinghamshire, he was at the time of volunteering for the RAF working to become a civil engineer. He was married last year.

The Western Gazette, Friday, July 29, 1949
Mere, Somerset
IN MEMORY OF FLT-LIEUT T P WALSH
A stone tablet commemorating the gift of the clock dial in memory of Flight-Lieut. Thomas Patrick Walsh, killed whist serving with the RAF, during the recent war, was unveiled in the Parish Church on Sunday by Mrs T P Walsh, and dedicated by the Rev. H W Hutchings, of Stockton (a former Chaplain to the Forces), assisted by the Vicar (the Rev. N E E Johnson). The service was private, only relatives and friends being present.

 

BULLER, ALEXANDER JOHN STUART
Rank: Pilot Officer
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 42391
Date of Death: 06/06/1940
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force 101 Sqdn
Grave Reference: Grave C.2
St Mary Shipley
Son of Admiral Sir Henry Tritton Buller, K.C.V.O., C.B., and Lady Hermione Buller, of Southwater.

Casualty details

Gloucester Citizen, Monday, June 10, 1940
ADMIRAL BULLER’S SON KILLED
The death has occurred on active service, it is announced today of Pilot Officer Alexander John Stuart Buller, the eldest son of Admiral Sir Henry and Lady Hermione Buller. Admiral Buller was in command of the Highflyer when she sank the Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse, in the first month of the last war. From 1931 to 1936 he was groom-in-waiting to King George V.

 

PELLING, CAROLINE DOROTHY
Rank: Leading Aircraftwoman
Service No: 2029496
Date of Death: 23/06/1944
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: Women's Auxiliary Air Force
St Nicholas Itchingfield
Daughter of Percy Arthur and Christina Ann Pelling, of Itchingfield.

Casualty details

 

TOWSE, EDWIN ARTHUR
Rank: Leading Aircraftman
Service No: 612430
Date of Death: 21/03/1940
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
St Nicholas Itchingfield
Son of Charles Augustus and Linda Sarah Towse, of Slinfold.

Casualty details