And to Record and Commemorate

PGSA No 990, 26^th July 1946. Entry 1925. 14 St Wilfrid’s Road, Standish.

The Distinguished Flying Medal was Gazetted on 27^th June 1944. He was a Flight Sergeant serving in 77 Squadron, Service Number 1544112. 77 Squadron motto was Esse potius quam videm, - To be, rather than seem. The badge is a thistle head, the Squadron was formed in Scotland on 1^st October 1916 and reformed in June 1937 at Finningley, Yorkshire. At the start of the war Whitleys were being flown from Driffield, converting to Halifaxes in October 1942 and in May 1944 was operating from Full Sutton.

Citation:

Clayton, Harry Cunningham 1544112 Flight Sergeant No. 77 Squadron

Sorties 29 Flying hours 189 Air Bomber

This NCO has terminated an operational tour of 29 sorties over a period when attacks have been made against heavily defended German targets. His photographic record is creditable in its results, aiming points being secured on occasions, two of which were Kassel and Düsseldorf. In the attack on Düsseldorf, this NCO obtained an aiming point, as stated, after the aircraft had successfully beaten off an enemy fighter 30 minutes prior to reaching the target. Throughout his tour, consistency coupled with cool determination to accomplish his task has been evident. It is strongly recommended that this devotion to duty and ever unfailing effort be recognised by the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.

Remarks by Station Commander: Flight Sergeant Clayton has at all times displayed courage and devotion to duty in the best traditions of the Service. Recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.

Remarks by Air Officer Commanding: This Air Bomber has carried out 29 sorties. He has proved his sterling worth as a Bomb Aimer and I strongly recommend him for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.
Clayton, Thomas Keith Army Dunkirk, North Africa, Italy.
Cleaver, F RAF Warrant Officer. Was at Dunkirk, now in India, has completed eight years in the Services and intends to complete 21 years service. Brother of Jim Cleaver, H7-1945.
Cleaver, James Rupert d’Alton Sergeant RAF Back overseas again somewhere hot and sticky, H-Christmas-1942. Warrant Officer, has returned home after three years service in India. On 26^th April 1945 married Gladys Porter at St John’s Parish Church, Broughton. Before leaving India had a leave in Calcutta with his brother, H7-1945.
Colderbank, Corporal (F Hayes contact), H12-1940.
Cooke, Arthur Bradley Father - Henry Cooke, 48 Stanley Street, Preston. Steel Inspector.

Arthur born 2^nd March 1906. Deepdale Council. PGS 21^st September 1916 to 22^nd March 1921. 2^nd Form, Thornley, 1917. To Merchant service. Have written for information but none has been vouchsafed. NOTE: There is no information as yet relating to any service in the Merchant Navy. If he did serve and remained medically fit he would most probably have served in the Merchant Navy or Royal Navy during WW2, which may be difficult to trace. Family help required, please.

Midshipman, enjoyed his trip to North Africa, and about six weeks ago he was swotting away in the Science VI. Strange. H-Christmas-1942.

Born November the tenth, 1925, entered the School September the twelfth 1934 and left October the fifth, 1942. Served in the Merchant Navy from October 1942. Apprentice. Died in hospital of illness whilst on Active Service March the sixteenth, 1943.

Fred born 23^rd September 1918. Bleasdale National School; Longridge R Smith’s Boys’ School.

Entry date 10^th September 1930 to -- July 1937.

Mr Coulthurst wrote to the Headmaster setting out that the farm was 11 miles from the School; the intention was for Fred to cycle about 3 miles to the Forrests Arms, Longridge, leave his cycle there, catch a Ribble bus to Preston and a Corporation tramcar to the School, and he hoped the School would find this to be satisfactory. Mr Coulthurst studiously avoided any reference to what would happen in winter, especially when there were heavy snowfalls, which were common in the Fells.

Was at Oriel College, Oxford, waiting to be called up, H12-1939.

Member of PGSA University Section, and was in the Forces, H12-1940.

Anti-Aircraft unit, by deduction. He had made a jocular comment about the Luftwaffe not entering into the spirit of the thing, refusing to fly in straight lines to be shot at!

Captain, shortly after promotion became engaged to a teacher at St Andrew’s School. Was on duties which involved much motorcycling, frequently against tight schedules, which he found exhilarating - which presumably was synonymous with fast.

Served in Italy.

PGSA Number 582, 16^th August 1938. Loud Scales, Longridge, Nr Preston. September 1930 - July 1937. University Section.

18 Sulby Drive, Ribbleton, Preston. Assistant Master, MA, (Oxon), DipEd. (1930-1937) Life Member.

17 St Andrew's Avenue, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 1JL. Membership List 1992.

Died 9^th December 2008, aged 90 years.
^{J Coward Returned from war service.
Crane, S W W Royal Artillery Lieutenant Commissioned in anti-tanks in November 1941. Persian Gulf after travelling all over India,H-Midsummer-1943.
Craston, R C Royal Navy. Telegraphist, H-Christmas-1942.}
Crawley, Douglas Edward Second Lieutenant Douglas Crawley, younger brother of Norman. Was in training at Woolwich on the outbreak of War. Based in Preston or at least is to be seen regularly in the area, H4-1940. University Section, and no news recently from Doug, H7-1940. Major, aged 22 years, wounded for the second time on 29^th March, three operations, back for the fighting at Tunis, H-Midsummer-1943. PoW released, H7-1945.

Major, in command of his Unit in Palestine, H7-1947. MC and Bar Lieutenant Colonel Commanding 1^st Loyals 1963.

Lance Bombardier, found his School French training a decided acquisition, H7-1940. Lance-Bombardier R T Crofts was in the neighbourhood when D W Baines won his MC. Returned from Dunkirk and got married, H12-1940. (This may be K T Crofts, he is also responsible for Baines / Barnes so his writing may not be very legible.) Lance Sergeant, Quartermaster’s assistant.

Was an LAC in Canada training to be a pilot.

Born November the sixth, 1920, entered the School September the thirteenth, 1932 and left January the nineteenth, 1934. Served in the Royal Air Force, Coastal Command, from May 1941. 200 Squadron. Sergeant Pilot. Killed in operations at Robertsfield, Liberia, December the fifteenth, 1942.

There are eleven war graves, nine of them airmen of the South African Air Force killed together in February 1944.

After being in limbo between the wars, 200 Squadron formed at Birchan Newton on 25^th May 1941, received Hudsons Mk VI and departed for Jeswang, The Gambia, arriving there on 18^th June 1941. The American-built Lockheed Hudson began life as the Lockheed Super Electra passenger plane, developed into a bomber to meet an RAF order for 200, the largest order for anything ever placed with Lockheed up to then. Deliveries began in February 1939. It had two Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp 1200hp engines; had 2 fixed forward firing 0.303, and twin 0.303 machine guns in a turret, plus a bomb load of 4x250lb or 10x100lb bombs. It was used for U-boat patrols, convoy escorts, reconnaissance. The Squadron motto was In loco parentis We act as guardians, and its badge was a Pegasus in front of a fountain. Robertsfield seems to have been a somewhat under-developed basic air-strip until American forces began to arrive there soon after Pearl Harbour and operated anti-submarine patrols.
Cunliffe, Leslie Private
Dakres, G E Pte C M F Middle East to Sicily, contracted malaria. Now overseas, H-Midsummer-1943.
Dakres, J M Signalman Now in Yorkshire, H-Midsummer-1943.
Dandy, Stephen Sergeant Army May be Prisoner of War in Malaya.
Dearnley, H R Commissioned after passing out of the Aldershot Army School of Catering, H7-1940.

Captain, in India.

PGS 14^th September 1931 - 23^rd December 1936 PGSA 6^th September 1938 No 586. 48 North Road Preston. Membership Register.

Born July the fifth, 1920, entered the School September the fourteenth, 1931 and left December the twenty-second, 1936. Served in the Royal Air Force, Bomber Command, from July 1940. Sergeant Air-Gunner. Shot down near Denmark February the twenty-fourth, 1942

144 Squadron was based at North Luffenham and is recorded as flying Handley Page Hampden bombers, which by 1942 were being phased out of front line service. In 1940 they were noted as having inadequate armament, leaving them virtually defenceless. English Electric built them before switching to the Halifax. The Squadron motto was Who Shall Stop Us.

On 24^th/25^th two Hampdens were lost whilst minelaying in the Frisians and off Wilhelmshaven and Heligoland.
Dodgson, Lance Corporal (F Hayes contact), H12-1940.
Dodson, P J Signalman. Royal Corps of Signals, H-Christmas-1942.

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Drury, Jack Burton Memorial Book

Born March the second, 1918, entered the School September the eleventh, 1929, and left June the twenty-ninth, 1934. Served in the Royal Air Force from 1939 Bomber Command. Sergeant Observer. Missing presumed killed in operations over Germany November the sixteenth, 1941.

In the early part of the war the RAF “Observer” acted, depending on the type of plane, as Navigator, Bomb Aimer, Wireless Operator, quite possibly Gunner. As the aircraft became bigger and the need for precise navigation over long distances, particularly over featureless seas, required specialist navigators concentrating on the one task, the different skills were awarded their own half-wings and “Observer” was dropped.

Four Wellingtons were lost on the raid on Kiel whose archives do not record any raid taking place in what was poor visibility for the aircrews, who also had to contend with severe icing. The Wellington IC (Mk One C) bomber had taken off from Marham at 2243 on 15^th November for Kiel. Presumably during its return it crashed in the North Sea. Jack Drury’s was the only body of the six-man crew to have been recovered for burial.

218 Squadron was based at Marham and flew the Wellington Mk IC and Mk II.

Leading Aircraftsman, on the same base as J B Drury and also training to be a pilot. Considered he was well on the way to becoming Champion Sand Bagger of the British Empire but was promoted to Hole Digger, H7-1940. Sergeant Pilot D A Gee has safely escaped a crash when he ran out of petrol; obtained 83.4%, 5^th place, in his exams leading to his present rank, H12-1940. Sergeant Pilot, after one operation to Germany returned with forty-seven bullet holes in his plane; has been in combat wwith fighters and his crew have shot down one, H12-1941. Flight Sergeant;Tony recently married Irene Sadler of Preston. Is instructing pupils to fly Wellingtons. Took part in 37 raids over Germany and Occupied territories, H-Christmas-1942.

Born January the twenty-third, 1920, entered the School September the fourteenth, 1931 and left July the twenty-fourth, 1936. Served in the Royal Air Force, Bomber Command from September 1939. Warrant Officer. Killed in a flying accident whilst on Active Service October the seventh, 1942

A Warrant Officer in the RAF wears the crown on the wrist of his uniform sleeves, and is the equivalent of a Company or Regimental Sergeant Major - the Senior NCO.

Wellington IC, R1801, of 28 OTU, flying from Wymeswold on flying experience. It jettisoned fuel before crashing at Woodhouse Eaves, near Loughborough. The Wellington had a fabric covered metal

airframe and fabric may have stripped off a wing.

Father - James Edward Gee, Green Mount, Mulgrave Avenue, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston. Chief Assistant to the County Medical Officer.

Stanley born 8^th May 1906. Ashby House (Private School) Ashton. PGS 3^rd May 1916 to 2^nd March 1923. School Certificate Northern Universities Joint Matriculation Board, July 1922. Then private tuition for Dentists’ Examinations.

PGS May 1916 - March 1923. 2^nd Form, Harris 1917. 2^nd Form Prize, H6-1918.

PGSA No 278, 16^th November 1927. LDS. Greenbank, Mulgrave Avenue, Ashton. 125 Tulketh Road, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston. Oakhill, 74 Powis Road, Ashton, Preston.

Memorial Book: Army Dental Corps Stanley Walch Gee

Born May the eighth, 1906, entered the School May the third, 1916 and left March the second, 1923. Served in the Army Dental Corps from 1939. Captain. Died in hospital whilst on Active Service July the twelfth, 1941.

Named in a Japanese broadcast as a prisoner, H-Midsummer-1943.

Born February the ninth, 1920, entered the School September the fourteenth 1931 and left July the twenty-seventh, 1934. Served in the Royal Air Force from March 1940. Aircraftsman, First Class. Drowned whilst a Prisoner of War in a Japanese transport in the China Seas November the twenty-third, 1943.

On 25^th November 1943 the Japanese cargo ship Suez Maru, another ship and an escorting minesweeper left Ambon (Port Amboina, Java Sea). During the night of the 28^th the minesweeper left to pursue a submarine contact. The second ship left for its own destination and the minesweeper returned. Dawn on Monday, 29^th, about 70 miles north east of Kangean Island, US Submarine Bonefish found Suez Maru, 4,645 tons, built 1919, coal burner, 10 knots. This was a cargo ship but in Holds 1 and 2 were sick Japanese. In Holds 3 and 4 were 546 sick PoWs, 422 British and 124 Dutch. The British included 221 RAF personnel. Conditions for the PoWs were atrocious. USS Bonefish fired 4 torpedoes, two struck, one amidships, one hitting No 4 Hold from which no one was seen to emerge. Other prisoners abandoned ship. After the depth charging ceased Bonefish came up to periscope depth, saw the minesweeper apparently rescuing survivors and withdrew. The minesweeper was picking up Japanese survivors and had so many on board the CO feared taking more could cause it to capsize. On the claim that the PoWs prior to embarking had seen military dispositions which they could reveal if rescued, the CO of the minesweeper ordered the shooting of all the survivors in the water. Suez Maru had taken 20 minutes to sink. It was evening when the minesweeper left the scene. There were no prisoner survivors. Details were not known, although suspected, until around 2000 when a Japanese former officer who had been ordered to take part disclosed the circumstances.

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 Gregson, George Dietlin NOT in the Memorial Book 

George born 1^st April 1906. Taught at home. PGS 21^st September 1916 to 27^th July 1918. 1^st Form, Goodair, 1917. 1^st Form Prize, H6-1918.

To Private Secondary School, Mostyn House School, Park Gate, Chester.