War Service:
Sergeant 754628, 50 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Jack, as he was known, learned to fly in early 1939 as he was a member of the Carlisle Flying Club. He joined up at the outbreak of war and gained his wings in early 1940. He took part in dozens of bombing raids over Germany and occupied Europe.
On the fatal mission, Jack was standing in for someone else. His aeroplane was a Hampton Bomber. They took off from RAF Lindholme, South Yorkshire, at 20.10 on 17th April. According to his niece, the weather was filthy, and the aeroplane was damaged over Germany, they overshot England and crashed in Ireland. The bad storm meant the crew could not get a radio fix as it was affected by the static electricity in the atmosphere, hence missing their return into RAF Lindholme. Jack was killed on Wicklow Mountains, near Blessington, Ireland on return from one of many raids over Germany, April 18th 1941. (This was the first big raid on Berlin).
He was buried with three others with full military honours at Blessington, County Wicklow.
