World War 2 Eighty Years On - 'Spit and Polish' and two crashed Flying Fortresses

The proximity of Windsor Castle with the Royal family and others of military rank brought a certain amount of ‘Spit and Polish’ to the local Ack-Ack camps, including Dorney camp due to the possible visits by "Red Tab " Officers from the War Office King George VI once visited the Dorney Ack-Ack camp having passed through the village un-noticed. By 1943 the camps had acquired a look of permanence with the inclusion of a fairly large NAAFI hut where Troop entertainment, such as Bingo, Film Shows and Dances were held. As this was a mixed battery, there was never a shortage of partners for camp dances where two musicians from the village, Andy Skeels on piano and George White on drums, often supplied the music. Both had been evacuated to Eton Wick to escape the bombing of London. 

It was not all war and no play for the gunners, for in June 1943 the first sports meeting was held by the local H.A.A. Regiment at the old Polo Ground Datchet. A Bathing Belles competition, in which a number of the locally stationed A.T.S. girls took part, was judged by a committee of R.A. Officers. Various field events were also arranged in which both Gunners and A.T.S. took part. After the prizes had been distributed by the Brigade Commander, an enjoyable day was rounded off with a dance and cabaret. 

‘B Troop’ 564 Heavy (M) AA Battery R.A.  183 Regiment R.A.  38 Division.   SM7 Camp  Dorney Common.  1944

Officer Commanding.  Major Haines (seated centre).   Reverend Wingate, Vicar of St John the Baptist, Eton Wick.

 

The intensified Allied air offensive was seen and heard as Flying Fortress (B17) heavy bombers of the United States Air Force frequently flew over the village on their way to bomb targets in France and Germany. It was taken for granted that the aircraft overhead were friendly, but there was always the danger of a bomber crashing in the locality from having been damaged in an attack over enemy territory. Such an incident occurred to a U.S.A.F.(B17) bomber returning damaged from a daylight raid on Schweinfurt. The drone of the plane circling was heard in the evening at dusk as it continued to circle over the Windsor area for some time. After a while the increased roar of the engines was heard to be followed by the noise of the crash as the damaged Flying Fortress (B17) did a wheels up landing onto Beaumont College rugby pitch at Runnymede. but luckily, no injuries were sustained by the crew in the crash other than being rather shaken. The bomber had received damage to the hydraulic system during the raid over enemy occupied territory. A shaken but relieved crew made their way to the Bells of Ouesley public house where they were entertained by the landlord,  Mr. Barnett. Hundreds of sightseers visited the site during the weekend.

A second Boeing B17 of 91st Bomber Group crashed at Old Windsor
on December 30th, 1943.

Strict fuel rationing curtailed the service provided by the Blue Bus from Dorney - Eton Wick - Windsor, also it limited the availability of Taxis. An order, issued by the Ministry of Fuel and Power, stated that from the end of May 1942 no petrol would be available to Hackney Carriages licensed after April of that year. The only taxi in the village at this time was owned by Mr. Phillips who had got his taxi license in the December of 1942 before the report came out. 

Mr. Chew taking up the plea for a petrol ration, made the point to the Surveyor, that Mr. Phillips was fulfilling a very necessary need in the village as Eton Wick had already lost one taxi. A decision was taken to apply for a supply of petrol which resulted in a successful application. Motor fuel was available for private cars for essential war service, generally in the community. One case of misuse of fuel which resulted in a summons was the result of the watchful eye of P.C. Rainer the village constable. On four occasions within the month, he had noticed that the organist to Eton Wick chapel was collected after service by car. On questioning the lady driver, he established that the petrol was for church work, but he did not consider fetching the organist after the service lawful church work. Three and a half gallons of motor fuel was the ration that had been allowed for three and half months. On coming to court the Magistrate thought the case too trifling and dismissed the charge with cost. 

From 1940 until late 1945 the Blue Bus Service operated by  Mr. Cole was also subject to strict fuel rationing curtailing the Windsor to Eton Wick service, the last bus of the day being 9pm.

Travel difficulties experienced by the village were not helped by the influx of wartime inhabitants. The inadequate bus service made it difficult to get to work or to other activities. Often the bus coming from Dorney to Windsor was full on reaching Eton Wick which brought forth angry complaints from the village residents Eventually letters were sent to the Traffic Commissioners about the inadequacy of service by the Eton U.D.C. but no improvements resulted from these complaints and stronger action would follow by the village community in 1944.

Is your journey really necessary?

This reminder appeared on posters at many railway stations. Non-essential travel was discouraged because of military requirements. In 1943 some seaside beaches that had been closed as an anti-invasion measure were again opened to the public, there was no rush as travel on overcrowded trains and very limited seaside accommodation made holidays difficult. The innovation of "Holidays at Home", an organized week of activities by the local councils and voluntary organizations, helped munitions and other workers to enjoy their annual weeks’ summer holiday. Military displays, sport meetings, fun fairs, concerts and displays showing some of the local war production were held on Agars Plough during the week. Large gatherings were attracted to these entertainments.

Army Gymnastic team  giving a display during a ‘Holiday at Home Week’.

Displays of all types by the armed services were put on to recruit Men and women 

for wartime services and also supporting special National savings weeks 

On the declaration of war, the Government had commandeered the railways and some motor transport for the movement of military personnel and other essential war supplies. Whereas the proportion of passenger traffic to goods pre-war had been in the ratio of 80% to 20%, the ratio was now became reversed. A poster campaign constantly reminded civilian passengers that munitions and troop movement together with food and fuel had priority. The reduced number of passenger trains gave rise to longer journey times than normal. Blackout regulations, air raids, and the huge number of passengers traveling, often with as many standing as sitting. Service personnel often travelled with their full military kit which took up as much room as a normal passenger which made for uncomfortable travelling. During air raids, trains stopped at the first station they arrived at, allowing passengers to alight if they wished. Servicemen and women returning to their units from leave had to make an early start back in case they arrived at their camps late and were charged with being absent. 

This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham. 

 

A. E. PRIOR - Corps of Military Police

Albert Edward Prior (Lance Corporal No. 7689948) Corps of Military Police

Albert was born on Boxing Day 1912. He had a younger brother Thomas, and two sisters named Annie and Joan. The family home was at 7, Bell Cottages, Alma Road, Boveney Newtown. As with the majority of Eton Wick lads, he attended the village infants school until he was seven years old, and on April 13th 1920 he registered at Eton Porny School where he continued his elementary education until he was 14. On leaving school he was apprenticed to Goddards of Eton as a carpenter and cabinet maker. Upon completion of his apprenticeship he was employed by Eton College as a qualified tradesman.

Albert liked football and competed in the boys' Easter Monday five-a-side competition for sons of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers of the Great War living in Eton Wick, Boveney or Dorney. There were two other Prior families living in Boveney Newtown and in South View. All were related and all had a strong affiliation with St. John the Baptist Church of Eton Wick. Albert, his brother Tom and their cousins all sang in the church choir, and his uncle served as the church verger for many years. Albert acquired his first motorcycle, an old A.J.S. machine which caused him constant and frustrating trouble with its kick-start. Later he changed the model for a more up to date Sunbeam and his troubles were over.

With the threat of war during the late 1930s he became an A.R.P. (Air Raid Precaution) warden, and was invited to take employment in an aircraft factory at Langley. Had he chosen to accept this change of employment his skills would certainly have ensured exemption from military service. As a result of working in Eton he met and married Dorothy in 1938. They settled into their smart new semi-detached house in Moores Lane and being close to Albert's family home in Alma Road they aptly name the house "Nearome".

The following summer saw the start of W.W.II. and Albert, now 27, was soon to be in uniform. His sister said he was loathe to take up arms with intent to kill, and if in fact this was so, it may explain his decision to join the Corps of Military Police. Previously his motor cycling had been very local, but now came a period when as a military policeman he was required to escort military convoys throughout the British Isles.

In January 1941 Dorothy gave Albert a baby son to think about, and the early days were anxious ones. Fortunately a supportive family was close by. Perhaps now Albert was wishing he had taken the job offered him at Langley. Twice he made very brief visits to his wife and baby son, Christopher, before making the last farewell for overseas service. It has not been satisfactorily established whether he went direct to the Far East, to India as his sister Joan has stated, or to the Middle East as his son thinks probable. The following year he sent a telegram postmarked from Sansorigine and dated January 14th 1942, briefly saying:

"STILL OK LOTS OF LOVE BABYS BIRTHDAY AND MUMS ALBERT PRIOR"

This was probably from a transit place in the Far East, for three weeks later Dorothy received another telegram, this time post marked from Singapore and dated February 9th 1942 saying:

"SAFE WELL LOVE ADDRESS CMP MALAYA ALBERT PRIOR"

There could not have been a worse time to arrive in Singapore, for just six days later General Percival surrendered the island garrison of 85,000 men to the advancing Japanese Army. They had infamously attacked the Americans at Pearl Harbour on December 7th 1941, entered Burma on the 11th December, taken Hong Kong on Christmas Day and Kuala Lumpur on January 10th. In theory at least, the swift Japanese advance had left them with an attacking force inadequate to conquer Singapore and the early surrender was never expected. The 85,000 prisoners of war were terribly misused and ill fed, with many thousands dying of disease, sickness and malnutrition. It was 15 months later that Dorothy received the first official information in a brief letter from the C.M.P. Record Office dated May 26th 1943, reporting Albert to be a P.O.W. in Japanese hands at Malai Camp. More than two years elapsed before she received a further notification dated October 25th 1945, reporting that he had died of colitis on November 12th 1943.

Albert Prior is buried in Thanbyuzayak Military Cemetery in Burma, 116 miles south east of Rangoon. The cemetery contains nearly 4,000 graves, which include 1,700 British, 1,350 Australian, 15 Indian, 80 Malayan and over 600 Dutch. Unlike most C.W.G.C. cemeteries the graves are marked by bronze plaques. Albert's grave is No. 4, Row D, Plot B.6. 

His widow Dorothy did not marry again. She continued to live in the home they had established together for the next 40 years before moving to the West Country to be near her son, Christopher. For many years she was a Sunday School teacher in Eton Wick. Albert is commemorated on the village memorial situated in front of the church, where he had sung as a choir boy and later as a man. His name is also on the memorial plaque attached to the Village Hall.

Albert Prior's page on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

This is an extract from Their Names Shall Be Carved in Stone  

and published here with grateful thanks to the author Frank Bond.

World War 2 Eighty Years On - September / October 1943.

The troop from 371 Bty. of 117 Regt. stationed at Dorney   Camp (SM7) was relieved by B troop from 564(M)HAA Battery. Formed and trained at Blandford, Dorset, 564 Bty. went to Bude for firing practice before moving into Emmbrook camp, Wokingham, near Reading as heavy rain had made Emmbrook very muddy, making the move to Windsor most welcomed.    

Enemy air activity was no longer of mass attack or Blitzkrieg on London, but small raids were still taking place which required the Battery at site SM7 Dorney Common and other sites in the district to be on the alert as Height taker and Plotter, Corporal Bratt remembers.

‘Many broken night's sleep were endured as often the alarm bells would go two or three times a night. Then it was a case of out of bed, into your boots, grab your greatcoat and steel helmet and "Run like Hell" as it was a distance from the A.T.S. huts to the Command Post. An Ack-Ack (anti-aircraft) site in the middle of a bad winter night was not a funny place to be.  

Whilst stationed at Dorney 564 Bty. bagged its first German Raider which crashed at High Wycombe. Corporal Bratt of C Section was on the height finder that night and witnessed the hit in the telescopic sights. On being stood down after the action, Major Haines Bty. Commander, ordered the NAAFI to be opened up and a celebration took place.  Excited with their success, an armed guard of an Officer and six gunners went to the crash and stood guard overnight. It was 564's victim and they wanted no one pinching their glory. Although life on Ack-Ack site was hard, especially during the winter months when Nissen huts could be cold and damp, being with a battery for a long period was like being with the family, more so when one had joined at seventeen and a half years.  When the guns went into action it was advisable for the village residents to take shelter.  On one occasion the aircraft trackers mis-aimed and shot off the chimney pots of buildings in Alma Road.   L/Sergeant Whitaker of ‘D Section’ also a Height/Range finder recalls that a propeller off the plane, which crashed in the High Wycombe area, was given to the Battery to mark their first victory. Major Haines, had it mounted with a suitably inscribed brass plaque’.  This was the action of February 22/23 1944 - see chapter 6.

Fire Watching

 In the fight to reduce the effect of firebomb attacks regulations were introduced calling on every man working less than sixty hours a week and every woman working less than forty-five hours to do forty-eight hours fire watching a month.

Their equipment comprised of sand buckets, sand scoop and stirrup pump. 

A distinctive grey Fire Watcher's tin hat was supplied. The estimated available number of firewatchers in 1943 was put at six million.

Note Fire Watchers were part of Air Raid Precautions. The ARP was renamed Civil Defence in 1941

 

 

 

T. H. FLINT - Royal Army Service Corps

John Henry Thomas Flint (Corporal/Acting Sergeant T/I27600) - Royal Army Service Corps

John, often known as Tom, was an Eton Wick boy and man. He was born on August 10th 1916 to John Ernest and Dorothy Flint, who were then living at Castle View Terrace, Victoria Road, Boveney. The family later moved to Northfield Road in Boveney Newtown. John was the only child of the Flints. His mother Dorothy was one of the large Bryant family and in fact her brother, Thomas Bryant, was Eton Wick's second Great War fatality, having been killed 21 months before John's arrival, at the age of 20 years.

It is believed John attended Dorney School in the early years of his education until at the age of 11 or 12 he qualified for acceptance as an Eton College Chorister. When schooling at the College was over, he attended Pitman's College in London, where he won a book prize as the outstanding pupil. It is not surprising he found employment on the clerical staff of the London Transport Company. In his recreational time John was a keen swimmer and was a member of Eton Wick's Tilstone Tennis Club during the 1930s. The tennis club had courts behind the Institute, now known as the Village Hall. He was also a member of the 20's Club, and the Windsor Badminton Club.

When war came in September 1939 he was 23 years old and, having no intention of waiting to be conscripted into the army, he quickly volunteered. Probably he was also influenced by the Bryant family's war service in the earlier conflict. Two months after the declaration of war John was in uniform. He obtained special Christmas leave the following month, enabling him to marry his fiancée, Marjorie Brentnall, of Alma Road, Eton Wick, on December 26th 1939. The officiating curate, the Reverend David Wingate of Eton Wick, regretted having to impose a double fee for the Christmas wedding, and later graciously returned the extra charge.

After completing his military training John was sent to France with the B.E.F. A few weeks later the German Army ended the long stalemate known as the "Phoney War" by making a powerful thrust and driving the allied armies back toward the sea. The French Army collapsed and the British were evacuated from the continent by every available means in the epic of Dunkirk. John however was not near the sea at this point. In fact, he was one of several thousand troops evacuated from Brest, St. Malo, St. Nazaire and Cherbourg, two weeks after Dunkirk.

Upon returning to England he told his wife how he had seen a rescue liner bombed and destroyed at St Nazaire. He little knew he had witnessed the demise of S.S. Lancastria and that an Eton Wick man, Tom McMurray, was one of the 3,000 men on board who perished. The date was June 17th 1940. Back in England Tom served near Guildford and Swindon for perhaps the next year. In 1942 he was in the Middle East and in May and June was again facing German might during the defence of Tobruk against Rommel and the Afrika Korps. Battered, bombed and shelled, the Libyan harbour finally fell to the enemy in June.

John was among the many who were captured and shipped to Italy as prisoners of war. It was a year later, on June 28th 1943, Marjorie received a letter from the R.A.S.C. Record Office in Hastings reporting the death of her husband on May 19th, nearly six weeks earlier. John's death was given as due to suffering from nephritis and pulmonary emphycema, while being a P.O.W patient in the Masarata City Hospital. Tragically delayed letters from John arrived after the late notifications of his death. He was 26 years old. His grave is in the Ancona War Cemetery in Italy, approximately two miles south of Ancona and near the Adriatic coast. It is located in Plot 3; Row B; No. 12. The cemetery contains 1,019 British Commonwealth graves: 590 U.K., 161 Canadian, 78 Indian and Pakistani, 77 South African, 44 New Zealanders, 12 Australian and 57 unidentified.

Marjorie did not marry again and now, over 50 years later, still lives in No. 4, Snowdrop Villas, Alma Road. Obviously in error the first initial of John's name not put on either village memorial. As T.H. Flint he is commemorated on the war memorial in the Eton Wick Churchyard and also on the commemorative tablet at the Village Hall. Having been an Eton College Chorister he is also commemorated on the walls of College Cloisters.

John Flint's page on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

This is an extract from Their Names Shall Be Carved in Stone  

and published here with grateful thanks to the author Frank Bond.

World War 2 Eighty Years On - Wings for Victory Week 1943

 Saturday.  May 22nd - 29th.  

Eton and district "Wings for Victory" week, a War Savings drive to raise £500,000 to buy aircraft.  Eton Wick opened their week with a Saturday night dance at the village Institute; followed by a lively concert on Tuesday evening, given by local artists and concert groups.  This show was enjoyed by the audience that filled the Methodist Hall (Alma Rd.). The next afternoon (Wed.) the Wheatbutts  resounded with joy and laughter as a village fete got underway in spite of the many wartime shortages and restrictions.

Various fund-raising activities, including a Sports Day held in the school garden enabled the children and staff of Eton Wick school, with the support of their parents, to raise £300 for the fund.

A board showing a hanging sword displayed the daily results of each of the eighteen parishes involved in the Eton District Wings Week.   Eton Wick showing a total of £2,567 for the week.

Later in the year (October) the Eton Wick and Boveney W.I. received an accolade on the Sunday evening National Savings Achievement Radio Broadcast following a report that their Savings Group had reached £8,000. The broadcast gave an impetus for the Group to exceed their target of £500 before the end of 1943. 

This special ‘Wings for Victory’ savings week closed with the biggest parade held in Windsor during the war and a unique experiment was tried on the day which prove successful.  A flight of Typhoon aircraft flew over the gathered spectators on Castle hill from one of which the pilot broadcast a message to those watching.  This was done with a hook-up from his aircraft radio transmitter to a receiver and amplifier system on Castle Hill.  The aircraft carried out a manoeuvre zooming over Thames Street  and back over the Castle before departing.   

The Hawker Typhoon was manufactured at Hawker’s Langley factory along with the Tempest, Fury and Sea Fury.  The Langley factory also produced many of the Hurricane fighters.

The establishment of anti-aircraft gun sites and other camps in the area brought an increase in trade to the local village pubs. American servicemen of the 9th USAAF stationed in camps at Bray, Maidenhead, Ascot and Windsor became a familiar sight in the village pubs. The Three Horse Shoes, managed by Amy Buck, had a spirit licence and supposedly a supply of whisky and became a congenial drinking haven for off duty American service men. Stories and memories have been told of their reluctance to leave at closing time, but when the sirens sounded they would make a very quick exit into their Jeeps and away to camp. 

Albert Bond with decorated cart
Wings for Victory Parade . Eton Wick

 

News was received by Mr and Mrs Borrett of Alderney Farm, Eton Wick from their son, Major Borrett serving with the Royal Engineers, that he was a prisoner of war in Germany. Major Borrett was on his way home from service abroad when the ship in which he was a passenger was torpedoed.  Major Borrett was picked up by the U-Boat and spent twenty-eight days as their prisoner including Christmas '43 and the New year before reaching land and internment.

Enemy air raids on London and other towns in a series of "Little Blitz". attacks brought about revived interest in Fire Guards. The successful meeting held in July at the village Institute by Eton Council, who were responsible for organizing Fire Guards, resulted in 40 people enrolling. A local organization of nine sections, with three being in Eton Wick, was set up with a programme of regular training.  Mrs Edie Miles recalled that her fire watching duties were around the houses in Vaughan Gardens. This group, reporting to Bill Cobourn landlord at the Shepherds Hut Public House, found that the arrangement that had a certain appeal for some of the fire watchers.  One night a week they took a duty watch in Eton. Other groups had different arrangements, as Eileen Cook.

Wings for Victory Parade - Salute taken by King George VI

March past by Wren’s of H.M.S President III D.E.M.S. Service

Remembered that Mr Clark, her group leader, held the view that it was not right for young ladies to be out at night and therefore they signed the book and then went home. Her Grandmother, Mrs Dace, also a fire-warden in charge of the group located near to the Eton Wick Post Office had different ideas and kept every one of her group on duty.  Wartime regulations made consistent failure to report for fire watch duties without adequate reason a chargeable offence. 

Note

These special saving weeks to raise sums of money for the war effort had named targets for war equipment and specified sums to aim for. There had been national Spitfire weeks in 1940, war weapons weeks in 1941, Warship weeks 1942, Wings for Victory 1943 and Salute the Soldier in 1944.

This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham. 

 

World War 2 Eighty Years On - January - May 1943

The gathering strength of the American Air Force with their Flying Fortress bombers was now seen high up as they flew over Slough-Windsor to bomb U-Boat pens on the French coast.  Since the later months of 1942, daylight raids by the American Army Air Force on targets in Nazi occupied Europe had increased and these daylight raids were followed up at night by Lancasters of the RAF Bomber Command. On clear summer evenings the bombers were seen by Windsor/Slough residents flying in lines spread over several miles as they headed for Nazi Germany and their designated targets.

Due to the death of one of their men the Council advertised for a Road Sweeper. Among the applicants was Miss Winifred Hazell of 5, Hope Cottages, Eton Wick and   as no suitable men had applied, Miss Hazell was appointed for a trial period.   The Surveyor was to report that she had proved her worth and said "We find she is conscientious and satisfactory". Before taking up this unusual occupation Miss Hazell had been a part time cleaner at the College. Working from 7.30am until 5pm she was responsible for the stretch of road from Eton Wick Church to College including Sommerville Road and the Judy's Passage, Eton College; she remarked that at first it was pretty hard but soon got used to it and enjoyed it.

New Year activities at the village Institute included the annual birthday party of the Womens Institute. This year Eton Wick and Boveney Institute celebrated their 10th Year. Congratulations were also expressed to Mrs Wilson and Mrs Weller who received prizes for their achievement in gaining the highest standing in competitions of the past year.  

Entertainment for the increasing number of service men, war workers and evacuees now dwelling in the Slough - Windsor area encouraged amateur dramatic and variety groups to flourish.  A popular local group were the ‘Dorney Amateur Drama Party’ who staged shows at Dorney village hall and the Institute, Eton Wick.  A member of the Dorney Players was        Mrs Watts, from Tilston Avenue who with others often entertained the troops at the camp with her piano playing and singing. Dances were held every Wednesday evening from 7pm to 11pm at the Dorney village hall with music for dancing arranged by Mr J. Quarterman with his record player and records and if no electric supply was available his piano playing would get the evening underway.

Mrs Lowry and Mrs Olive Stacey arranged many of the dances and other entertainments for the troops and other fund-raising events.  Many successful shows were in aid of charities, one of which in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital was an amusing sketch entitled, "The Cosy Corner Pub".   Refreshments at the dances and other entertainments were available through the efforts of the ladies of Dorney who had a cooking rota. Ingredients for the "Goodies" were erratic but there was always an appreciated spread, especially by gunners and airmen who went to the dances.  One particular evening the audience, including many from Eton Wick, found that the show did not quite end as they would have wished. The concert had been going for a while when it was noticed that the soldiers were leaving in ones and twos until there were very few left. One artist, endeavouring to entertain with a banjo, lost the attention of the audience as they became more apprehensive as to what had happened. Their curiosity was soon satisfied as the guns on the common went into action. The shattering noise from four 3.7"s anti-aircraft guns soon had the hall echoing from the explosions and no one was allowed to leave until the guns had ceased firing.  A very rapid movement across the common road was undertaken by those from the "Wick" getting back to the village and home.  Other popular places of entertainment were the cinemas where queues often formed waiting for seats to become available.  Two films showing at the Playhouse, Windsor early in the New Year were, "A Yank at Eton" with Mickey Rooney and "In Which We Serve" starring Noel Coward.  As there was no Blue Bus Service after 9pm. it often meant a walk home to Eton Wick in the blackout.  

Great effort by all the village organizations was put into savings drives and collections for relief of war victims, such as Aid for China, The Red Cross, the Prisoner of War Fund and Aid to Russia.    The Aid for China collection which took place at the end of March raised a total of £4-5-0 and the Whist Drive held in aid of the Red Cross raised a record £20.

 This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham. 

W. H. PATES - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Walter Henry Pates (Sergeant Air Gunner No. 1152080) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Walter was born on March 26th, 1922 as the only child of Walter and Dorothy Pates of "Arleigh" in Boveney. He attended the village infant school from 1927 until two years later, on April 9th, 1929, he registered at Eton Porny School. He sang in the Eton Wick Church Choir and having a good singing voice he sat, and passed, the exam to become an Eton College Chorister with effect from January 1934. The Choristers had been a long-established choir at the College, and once accepted, they provided the boys with education and training. The Choristers were disbanded in 1968 and since then the College has formed its own choir from among the fee-paying boys.

Walter was popularly known as "Ponto" Pates. He was a slightly built, smart boy with a fair and freckled complexion and reddish hair. At times he appeared quiet and rather reserved, but this was perhaps deceptive because he is still remembered for his boyishly mischievous sense of humour. The change of school, different interests and the black uniform of the Choristers all served to distance Walter from many of his former Porny school friends. He had been a member of the village Wolf Cubs but by the time he changed schools he was 12 years old and no longer a Cub. About this time the family moved to No. 16 Castle View Terrace in Victoria Road, Boveney.

It has not been established what occupation Walter pursued after he left the Eton Choristers but he presumably developed an interest in the Royal Air Force and became a member of the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve. When war was declared on September 3rd, 1939 he was 17½ years old and being a member of the V.R. he would soon have been a serving airman -certainly by his 18th birthday six months later.

With no service record available it has been necessary to glean information from official archives. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission reported:

Pates, Sergeant (Air Gnr:) Walter Henry, 1152080 R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve, 408 (R. C.A.F.) Squadron. Died 15th January 1943 Age 20, Son of Walter and Dorothy Beatrice Pates of Manor Park Slough, Buckinghamshire. Grave (is] in the Guide] Communal Cemetery, Dept. of Morbihan France, Row 2, Grave No. 14.

It was not in any way uncommon for Royal Air Force personnel to be transferred to the Royal Canadian or other Commonwealth Squadrons or vice versa. The 408 (Goose Squadron) was the founder Squadron of the Canadian 6 Group, Bomber Command, formed on January 1st 1943. Other Squadrons joining 6 Group in January included 419 (Moose) Squadron, 420 (Snowy Owl), 424 (Tiger), 425 (Alouette), 426 (Thunderbird), 427 (Lion), and 428 (Ghost) Squadrons. Their various aircraft were Hampdens, Wellingtons, Manchesters, Halifaxes and Lancasters.

Research at the Public Record Office, Kew, suggests Walter served with 427 (Lion) Squadron which was formed with a nucleus of 10 crews from 419 (Moose) in November 1942. Due to a shortage of parachutes, flying clothing and stationery the Squadron did not become immediately operational.

On January 14th 1943 a directive was issued to attack the U-Boat bases on the French coast. The services and supply network around the bases was included, and this far-reaching decision obviously meant the bombing of French civilians along with the submarine pens. Lorient and St. Nazaire topped the list.

Lorient was the target for 6 Group's first raid, carried out on the night of January 14/15th 1943. 122 aircraft took part, including 33 Wellingtons. Two Wellingtons were lost in this raid. The following night, January 15/16th, 157 bombers, including 65 Wellingtons, attacked Lorient again. On this occasion one Wellington was lost.

RAF records at the Public Record Office, Kew indicate that it was during the second raid on Lorient on January 15/16th that Walter died. It was the 427 Squadron's first raid and six Wellingtons took off from Croft, County Durham within six minutes. Due to bad weather five aircraft turned back and landed at Tangmere, returning to their base at Croft on the 17th. The 6th aircraft flew on and took part in the raid on Lorient, but did not come back. The missing aircraft was BK364 and the crew are all buried in the Guidel Communal Cemetery.

Sergeant Pates flew with an all British crew in the Canadian Squadron, including Squadron Leader M.A. Williams, Pilot Officer A.R. Eckton, Pilot Officer E. Charlesworth and Sergeant H.D. Munro.

It is presumed Wellington BK364, ZL-G, crashed in or near the designated target area, as the Guidel Cemetery is approximately six miles north-west of Lorient and three miles from the coast of Brittany. It contains 116 graves of servicemen, mostly airmen who lost their lives while attacking the submarine base at Lorient. 85 of the graves are of U.K. personnel, 14 are Canadian, six Australian, two New Zealand and six are unidentified.

Unfortunately, R.A.F. records concerning individuals are only available to relatives and it has not been possible to find particulars of Walter's service between 1939 and his death in 1943. He may have been on flying operations before joining 6 Group or like many others he may have served as ground crew or administration and later re-mustered to flying duties. All aircrew were volunteers, and within the R.A.F. there was always an encouragement for servicemen to volunteer for flying duties.

Walter was single and 20 years old. He is commemorated on a special family plaque in the Eton Wick Church of St. John the Baptist, on the Village Memorial, on the Village Hall plaque and on the Eton College Choristers Memorial. The plaque in the Eton Wick Church was unveiled and dedicated at the Evensong Service held on Whit Sunday 1949.

The Crew of Wellington III BK364 ZL-G

Walter Pates' page on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

The Forces War Records websites records that Walter Henry Pates enlisted at Cardington. He joined the RAF after April 1940 and was appointed as a Class F Reservist.

This is an extract from Their Names Shall Be Carved in Stone  

and published here with grateful thanks to the author Frank Bond.